Charmed: Another Halliwell
by APhantasm
Summary: Summary: Buffy Summers is the daughter of Joyce and Hank Summers. Joyce was born Patience Joyce Halliwell she was Prue, Piper and Phoebe's aunt. When Joyce dies Buffy is left in the care of her cousins. Pairings: Prue, Piper, and Phoebe (and later Paige) canon pairings. Buffy canon pairing till season 8 story arc. A/U Set during and after Charmed Season 1 and Buffy season 1.
1. Chapter 1: Something Wicca This Way Come

**Summary**: Buffy Summers is the daughter of Joyce and Hank Summers. Joyce was born Patience Joyce Halliwell she was Prue, Piper and Phoebe's aunt. When Joyce dies Buffy is left in the care of her cousins.

Pairings: Prue, Piper, and Phoebe (and later Paige) canon pairings. Buffy pairing not decided.

A/U Set during and after Charmed Season 1 and Buffy season 1.

**Disclaimer: **I will say this only once as I don't want to repeat myself every time I post a chapter. I do not own either Charmed or Buffy. Joss Whedon owns Buffy. Charmed owned by Constance M. Burge, Paramount/Viacom and AOL Time Warner.

* * *

**Chapter 1: Something Wicca This Way Comes**

Piper walks in through the front door of the manor, "Prue?"

Prue is in the dining room working on the chandelier, "In here, working on the chandelier."

Piper smiles, "Sorry I'm late."

Prue shakes her head, "What else is new? Piper, I would of been here to meet the electrician myself but you know I can't leave the museum until six. I didn't even have time to change."

Piper sighs, "I just didn't realize how long I was in Chinatown. Did Jeremy call?"

Prue shakes her head, "No, but he had some roses and a package delivered. What were you doing in Chinatown? I thought that you had an interview in North Beach."

Piper nods, "I did but I went to Young Lee market after my interview to get the ingredients for my audition recipe tomorrow."

Prue nods, "So, that wolfgang-puck knock-off didn't hire you then?"

Piper shakes her head, "No, but this just may get me the job."

Prue nods, "Jeremy sent you port?"

Piper sighs, "The ultimate ingredient for my recipe. Oh my God, I don't believe it. Tell me that's not our old spirit board?"

Prue nods, "Yeah, I found it in the basement when I was looking for the circuit tester."

Piper reads the inscription on the back, "To my three beautiful girls. May this give you the light to find the shadows? The power of three will set you free. Love, Mom. We never did figure out what this inscription meant."

Prue nods, "Well, maybe we should send it to Phoebe. That girl is so in the dark, maybe a little light will help."

Piper sighs, "You're always so hard on her."

Prue nods, "Piper, the girl has no vision, no sense of the future."

Piper shakes her head, "I really think Phoebe's coming around."

Prue sighs, "Well, as long as she doesn't come around here I guess that's good news."

In Los Angeles California Buffy Summers watched as the paramedics wheeled her mother's body out the door, tears were in her eyes. She had lost two people now in her life. First her watcher, Merrick, and now her mother.

At the Halliwell manor. Prue is fiddling with the circuit tester. "I don't get it. I have checked everything, there's no reason why the chandelier should not be working."

Piper shrugs, "You know how we've been talking about what to do with both of the spare rooms? I think you're right, we do need a roommate."

Prue nods, "We can rent the rooms at a reduced rate in exchange for some help around the house."

Piper nods, "Phoebe's good with a wrench."

Prue sighs, "Phoebe lives in New York."

Piper shakes her head, "Not anymore."

Prue frowns, "What?"

Piper smiles, "She left New York. She's moving back in with us."

Prue sighs, "You have got to be kidding."

Piper shakes her head, "Well, I could hardly say no. It's her house too. Grams left it to all three of us."

Prue nods, "Yeah, months ago and we haven't seen or spoken to her since."

Piper nods, "Well, you haven't spoken to her."

Prue nods, "No, I haven't. Look, maybe you've forgotten why I'm still mad at her."

Piper sighs, "No, of course not but she had nowhere else to go. She lost her job, she's in debt."

Prue frowns, "And this is news? How long have you known about this anyway?"

Piper nods, "A couple of days, maybe a week or two."

Prue sighs, "Thanks for sharing. When does she arrive?"

The front door opens and Phoebe walks in.

Phoebe smiles, "Surprise! I found the hide-a-key."

Piper smiles, "Phoebe, welcome home."

Phoebe smiles, "Hello, Piper." She and Piper hug.

Piper nods, "It's so good to see you. Isn't Prue?"

Prue nods, "I'm speechless."

A car horn beeps.

Phoebe smiles, "Oops. I forgot about the cab."

Piper sighs, "I'll get it." She grabs Prue's purse.

Prue frowns, "Piper, that's my purse."

Phoebe nods, "Thanks. I'll pay you back."

Prue sighs, "Is that all that you brought?"

Phoebe nods, "That's all that I own and a bike. Look, I know that you don't want me here..."

Prue shakes her head, "We're not selling Grams' house."

Phoebe sighs, "Is that why you think I came back?"

Prue nods, "Look, the only reason Piper and I gave up our apartment and moved back here because this house has been in our family for generations."

Phoebe nods, "No history lesson needed. I grew up here too. So can we talk about what's really bothering you?"

Prue frowns, "No, I'm still furious with you."

Phoebe sighs, "So, you'd rather have a tense reunion filled with boring chitchat and unimportant small talk?"

Prue shakes her head, "No, but otherwise we won't have anything to talk about."

Phoebe sighs, "I never touched Roger."

Prue frowns, "Whoa."

Phoebe nods, "I know you think otherwise because that's what that Armani-wearing, Chardonnay-slugging, trust-funder told you..."

Piper comes back in the house. "Hey, I have a great idea. Why don't I make a fabulous reunion dinner?"

Prue shakes her head, "I'm not hungry."

Phoebe nods, "I ate on the bus."

Piper sighs, "Okay, we'll try the group hug later."

In Los Angeles Buffy walks through the empty house and upstairs to the attic looking around. She walks over to a trunk in a corner.

At the Halliwell Manor Phoebe's stands in front of the mirror in her room. The news is on the TV but she's not really watching it.

Piper knocks on the door. "It's me."

Phoebe nods, "Come on in." Piper carries a tray with drinks and food on it in to the room. "Thank God. I am starving."

Piper nods, "Figured." She sees Jeremy on TV. "Hey, that's my boyfriend, Jeremy. What happened?"

Phoebe shrugs, "Some woman got whacked."

Piper frowns, "Whacked? Phoebe, you've been in New York way too long."

Phoebe nods, "Yeah, I should have stayed. Now, why didn't you tell her I was coming back?"

Piper sighs, "And risk her changing the locks? I don't think so and besides, I think you should have been the one to tell her not me."

Phoebe nods, "Good point, Chicken Little. It's just so hard for me to talk to her. She's always been more like a mother."

Piper sighs, "That's not her fault. She practically had to sacrifice..."

"Her own childhood to raise us." Phoebe and Piper said.

Phoebe sighs, "Yeah, yeah, yeah."

Piper nods, "And we're lucky she was so responsible. You and I had it easy, all we had to do was be there."

Phoebe nods, "Yeah, well, I don't need a mom anymore, you know, I need a sister."

Prue knocks on the door. She's holding a blanket. "This was always the coldest room in the house."

Phoebe smiles, "Thanks."

Prue leaves.

The phone rings, Piper goes to answer it, "Hello. No this Piper Halliwell her sister. Can I ask what this is in reference to? Joyce Summers, yeah we know her, she's our aunt. Though we haven't seen her in several years. Oh my thank you for letting us know." She hangs up the phone, "Prue! Phoebe!" Prue and Phoebe come walking into the hall. "You guys remember Aunt Joyce right?"

Prue nods, "Yeah, why?"

Piper sighs, "That was her ex-husband Hank on the phone. Aunt Joyce passed away this morning. He called to let us know the funeral is tomorrow."

Prue nods, "Where and when?"

Piper nods, "Evergreen Memorial Park in Los Angeles, at two in the afternoon."

Prue nods, "We'll go."

Short time later Piper and Phoebe are sitting at the table playing with the spirit board.

Phoebe nods, "When did you meet Jeremy?"

Piper smiles, "About six months ago - right before Grams died. We met in the hospital cafeteria the day Grams was admitted. He was covering a story and I was bawling over a bagel. So, he handed me a napkin."

Phoebe smiles, "How romantic."

Piper nods, "As a matter of fact it was. The napkin had his phone number on it." Phoebe laughs. "Stop pushing the pointer."

Phoebe sighs, "I'm not touching it."

Piper nods, "You used to always push the pointer. More popcorn?" She gets up and heads for the kitchen.

Phoebe frowns, "Hey, I forgot your question."

Piper from the kitchen, "I asked if Prue would have sex other than herself this year."

Phoebe wrinkles her nose, "That's disgusting. Please say yes." The pointer moved to the letter 'A' by itself. "Piper." It then moves to 'T'. "Piper, get in here!"

Piper sighs, "What?"

Prue comes in. "What did you guys do now?"

Piper shakes her head, "Me? I didn't do anything."

Phoebe nods, "The pointer on the spirit board. It moved on its own." Prue and Piper stare at her. "I'm serious. It spelled 'A' 'T'."

Piper sighs, "Well, did you push it?"

Phoebe shakes her head, "No."

Prue nods, "You used to always push the pointer."

Phoebe sighs, "My fingers were barely touching it. Look." She puts her fingers on the pointer. Nothing happens. Prue and Piper turn and start to leave. The pointer moves to the bottom of the board, then back to the letter 'T'. "Ah, it did it again! It moved!"

Prue and Piper turn back around and look at the board.

Prue shakes her head, "It's still on the letter 'T'."

Phoebe sighs, "I swear it moved." Prue leaves the room. The pointer moves again. Piper sees it too. "There." She stands up. "Look. You saw that right?"

Piper nods, "I think so, yeah."

Phoebe frowns, "I told you I wasn't touching it." The pointer moves again.

Piper frowns, "Prue, can you come in here for a sec?"

Prue comes back in the room. "Now what?"

Phoebe writes the letters down on an envelope.

Phoebe nods, "I think it's trying to tell us something." She holds up the envelope. "Attic."

There's a loud clap of thunder and the power goes out.

Short time later Piper is walking towards the door.

Prue is following her. "Don't you think you're overreacting? We're perfectly safe here."

Piper sighs, "Don't say that. In horror movies, the person who says that is always the next to die."

Prue nods, "It is pouring rain. There's a psycho on the loose. Jeremy's not even home."

Piper frowns, "Well I'll-I'll-I'll wait in the cab until he gets home."

Prue frowns, "That'll be cheap."

Piper sighs, "Prue, I saw that pointer move."

Prue shakes her head, "No, look, what you saw was Phoebe's fingers pushing the pointer. There's nothing in the attic, she's playing a joke on us."

Piper sighs, "We don't know that. We've lived in this house for months and we've never been able to get that attic door open." She crosses the foyer and picks up the phone. "Great, now the phone doesn't work."

Prue nods, "Yeah, the power's out. Look, go with me to the basement."

Piper frowns, "What?"

Prue nods, "I need you to hold the flashlight while I check out the main circuit box."

Piper sighs, "Phoebe will go with you to the basement won't you Phoebe."

Phoebe shakes her head, "Nope, I'm going to the attic."

Prue shakes her head, "No, you're not. We already agreed."

Phoebe sighs, "I am not waiting for some handyman to check out the attic and I'm certainly not waiting until tomorrow. I'm going now."

Phoebe walks up the stairs. Prue goes into another room.

Piper sighs, "Prue, wait."

Phoebe tries to open the attic door but it's locked. She gives up and turns to walk back down the stairs. She hears a creak and turns to see the attic door opening. She walks inside. A light shines on a trunk and she walks over to it. She opens it and there's a book inside. She picks up the book and blows the dust off. She opens it.

Phoebe nods, "The Book of Shadows." She turns the page and starts reading. "Hear now the words of the witches, the secrets we hid in the night, the oldest of Gods are invoked here, the great work of magic is sought. In this night and in this hour, I call upon the ancient power, bring your powers to we sisters three, we want the power, give us the power."

At that exact same moment in Los Angeles Buffy is going through a trunk with her mom's effects in the attic. She finds a large book and takes it out, "Book of Shadows." She opens it to the first page she reads out loud. "Hear now the words of the witches, the secrets we hid in the night, the oldest of Gods are invoked here, the great work of magic is sought. In this night and in this hour, I call upon the ancient power, bring your powers to me, I want the power, give me the power." She shakes her head, "Mom what were you into here?"

Back at the Halliwell Manor Prue and Piper enter the attic.

Prue frowns, "What are you doing?"

Phoebe smiles, "Uh ... reading an incantation. It was in this Book of Shadows, I found it in that trunk."

Piper frowns, "How did you get in here?"

Phoebe nods, "The door opened."

Piper shakes her head, "Wait a minute, an incantation? What kind of incantation?"

Phoebe nods, "It said something about there being three essentials of magic. Uh, timing, feeling and phases of the moon. If we were ever gonna do this, now - midnight on a full moon - is the most powerful time."

Piper frowns, "This? Do what?"

Phoebe smiles, "Receive our powers."

Piper nods, "What powers? Wait, our powers? You included me in this?"

Prue sighs, "No, she included all of us." She reads from the book. "Bring your powers to we sisters three. It's a book of witchcraft."

Piper frowns, "Let me see that."

They walk down the stairs.

Prue shakes her head, "Spirit boards, books of witchcraft. It figures all this freaky stuff started when you arrived."

Phoebe frowns, "Hey, I wasn't the one who found the spirit board."

Prue nods, "But it wasn't my fingers sliding around on the pointer."

Piper shakes her head, "It doesn't matter. Because nothing happened, right Phoebe, when you did that incantation?"

Phoebe nods, "Well, my head spun around and I vomited split-pea soup. How should I know?"

Piper sighs, "Well, everything looks the same."

Phoebe nods, "You're right."

Prue sighs, "But the house still needs work."

Piper nods, "Everything feels the same, so nothing's changed."

The next morning Phoebe's sitting on the steps outside drinking coffee.

Piper comes out. "You're up early."

Phoebe nods, "I never went to sleep."

Piper sighs, "Don't tell me you put on a black conical hat and spent the night flying around the neighborhood on a broomstick?" She sits down next to Phoebe.

Phoebe laughs, "The only broom I've ever had was kept in a closet beside a mop."

Piper nods, "So what were you doing?"

Phoebe sighs, "Reading. Is Prue around?"

Piper shakes her head, "She went to work early. Reading aloud?"

Phoebe shakes her head, "No. According to the Book of Shadows, one of our ancestors was a witch, named Melinda Warren."

Piper frowns, "And we have a cousin who's a drunk, an aunt who's manic, another aunt who died yesterday and whose funeral is today, and a father who's invisible." She stands up.

Phoebe sighs, "I'm serious. She practiced powers. Three powers. She could move objects with her mind, see the future and stop time. Before Melinda was burned at the stake, she vowed that each generation of Warren witches would become stronger and stronger, culminating in the arrival of three sisters." They walk to Piper's car. "Now, these sisters would be the most powerful witches the world has ever known. They're good witches and I think we're those sisters."

Piper frowns, "Look, I know what happened last night was weird and unexplainable, but we're not witches and we do not have special powers besides, Grams wasn't a witch and as far as we know, neither was mum." She kisses Phoebe on the cheek. "So take that Nancy Drew." She gets in her car. "I will see you at noon, please be ready to leave when I get here."

Phoebe nods, "We're the protectors of the innocent. We're known as the Charmed Ones." Piper drives off.

In Los Angeles Buffy is just getting up. She walks into the living room and sighs. Suddenly a knock comes at the door. She goes and opens it, "Yes?"

The man at the door smiles, "Hello. My name is Gavin Thomas. I am the attorney for your mom's estate. May I come in?" Buffy steps aside and he enters. "As you are aware you are underage. With your parents divorced and your father's work taking him all over the world he recommended we place you with another member of your mother's family. Did your mother happen to have any contact information for any of them?"

Buffy nods, "Yeah just one moment." She gets the address book from beside the phone and hands it to Gavin.

Gavin smiles, "Thank you. I will make some calls while we wait for the funeral."

Buffy nods and goes back upstairs to change out of her pajamas.

At the Museum of Natural History in San Francisco.

Roger smiles. "There's been change of plan."

Prue nods, "Change of plan regarding the Beals expedition?"

Roger nods, "The extra money that you help raise through private donations has sparked significant corporate interest. The Beals artifacts will now become part of our permanent collection."

Prue frowns, "Well, that's terrific."

Roger sighs, "Which is why the board wants someone a little more qualified to handle the collection from now on. You look surprised."

Prue shakes her head, "I don't know why. I'm furious. Not only have I been on this project since its inception, but I'm the curator who secured the entire exhibition. You're the person a little more qualified aren't you?"

Roger nods, "I could hardly say no to the board of directors, could I? But I know you'll be happy for me, after all, what's good for me is definitely good for you. Right, Miss Halliwell?"

Prue frowns, "Miss Halliwell? Since when did we stop being on a first-name-basis? When we stopped sleeping together or when I returned your engagement ring, Roger?"

Roger sighs, "I didn't realize the two were mutually exclusive. Although I certainly enjoyed one better than the other."

Prue nods, "Bastard!" She turns to leave.

Roger frowns, "Prue, wait." She stops. "I feel like I should say something if only to avoid a lawsuit." She leaves.

Outside Prue's cell phone rings, she frowns as she doesn't recognize the caller id. She answers it, "Hello?"

Gavin on the phone, "Prudence Halliwell?"

Prue sighs, "Yes."

Gavin on the phone, "My name is Gavin Thomas. I am the attorney for Joyce Summers I'm calling on behalf of Buffy Summers."

Prue frowns, "Who?"

Gavin on the phone, "Buffy Summers, Joyce Summers daughter."

Prue blinks, "I wasn't aware Aunt Joyce had a daughter. We haven't spoken in quite some time."

Gavin on the phone, "Ah… Anyways the reason for my call is because Miss Summers is currently without a legal guardian. Her father can't take care of her due to his current employment. He requested she be placed with a relation in her mother's family. From the information I gathered from Miss Summers you and your sisters are her only living family on her mother's side…"

At Quake Piper is in the kitchen making her audition meal. Just as she's pouring the port wine in a measuring cup,

Chef Moore enters the kitchen. "Your time is up. Let's see." Reading the index card. "Roast pork with gratin of fennel and penne with a port giblet sauce."

Piper shakes her head, "Chef Moore..."

Chef Moore nods, "What?"

Piper sighs, "Uh, the port..."

Chef Moore nods, "Yes, without the sauce it is nothing more than a salty marinara. A recipe from a woman's magazine. Puh!"

Piper shakes her head, "I didn't have time for…"

Chef Moore nods, "Ah-ah!"

Piper sighs, "But, but..." He puts some on a fork and raises it to his mouth. Piper waves her hands around and he stops. He stands there like a statue. "Chef Moore? Chef Moore?" She waves her hand in front of his face. "Hello? Hello?" She picks up a baster and fills it up with some port. She dribbles some on Chef Moore's forkful of food. He unfreezes and puts it in his mouth.

Chef Moore smiles, "Mmm ... this is very good. C'est magnifique."

At the Museum of Natural History in Roger's office. He's sitting in his chair facing the window, talking on the phone. "It was my idea to spark corporate interest in private donations. Not only have I been with this project since its inception," Prue walks in his office, "but we both know who really secured the entire exhibit. "He swings around on his chair and sees Prue. "Prue..."

Prue nods, "I quit."

Roger speaks into the phone, "I'm going to have to call you back." He hangs up. "Think about this, Prue."

Prue smiles, "Lousy job, lousy pay, lousy boss. What's to think about?"

Roger nods, "Your future. Because, believe me, if you walk out with no notice, you can kiss any references…"

Prue frowns, "Don't threaten me, Roger."

Roger frowns, "You know me. Had to try. You're hurt, you're angry, your pride is wounded. I understand all that. That's why you can't see that I'm doing you a favor."

Prue frowns, "Excuse me?"

Roger nods, "I had to take the exhibit away from you. If I hadn't, the board would of come and put a total stranger in my place. Think about it, Prue. I'm here for you. Not some stranger. You should be thanking me not leaving me."

Prue nods, "Well, I'm not worried. I'm certain that your intellect will make quick work of the seventy-five computer discs and thousands of pages of research I left in my office."

Roger frowns, "You're gonna regret this."

Prue shakes her head, "Oh, I don't think so. I thought breaking up with you was the best thing I'd ever done. But this definitely tops that. Goodbye, Roger." She turns and leaves towards the door.

Roger nods, "I hope there are no office supplies in your purse." She stops and wraps her hands around an imaginary neck. Roger's tie tightens around his neck and starts strangling him. He opens his draw and finds a pair of scissors. He cuts the tie off. "What the hell was that?"

Outside Quake Piper's in a phone booth. "Phoebe, answer the phone. Answer the phone." She hangs up and walks out of the booth. Jeremy walks up to her. "Oh, God, Jeremy you scared me."

Jeremy smiles, "I-I can see, I'm sorry. You okay?"

Piper nods, "Yeah, now I am. I really am. Um, what are you doing here?"

Jeremy nods, "Well, I wanted to be the first to congratulate you on your new job."

Piper smiles, "You always surprise me. How did you know?"

Jeremy laughs, "You prepared your specialty, and everyone's who's ever sampled your work, can truly see how talented you are."

Piper nods, "I get so turned on when you talk about food."

Jeremy smiles, "Hamburgers, pizza." They kiss.

Somewhere in San Francisco on the road. Phoebe is riding her bike. All of a sudden she has a premonition. In it she sees two boys on rollerblades and they skate right in front of a car which hits them. The premonition finishes. Phoebe continues riding and then sees the car and the two boys. "No! Wait!"

Phoebe rides in front of the boys stopping them from skating in front of the car. The car honks and Phoebe falls off her bike.

At the Hospital. Prue walks up to the desk. Andy is standing there with his back turned to her. "Hi, um, I'm looking for my sister, Phoebe Halliwell."

The Nurse nods, "One second please." She looks to Andy. "What's the name again?"

Andy nods, "Inspector Andrew Trudeau. Homocide. Dr Gordon's expecting me."

Prue blinks, "Andy?"

Andy turns to Prue, "Prue? I don't believe it. How are you?"

Prue smiles, "I'm good. How are you?"

Andy nods, "Fine. I just can't believe I'm running into you."

Prue nods, "Yeah, I'm picking up Phoebe. She had some kind of accident."

Andy blinks, "Is she gonna be okay?"

Prue nods, "Yeah, she'll be fine. Um, what are you doing here?"

Andy sighs, "Murder investigation."

There's an awkward silence.

The Nurse looks to Prue, "Your sisters still in x-ray's so it'll be another fifteen minutes." She looks to Andy. "Dr. Gordon's office is to the left and down the hall. He's with a patient right now but you're free to wait outside his office."

"Thank You." Andy and Prue said at the same time.

Andy nods, "Well, it's good seeing you, Prue." They shake hands.

Prue smiles, "Yeah, you too, Andy. Take care."

Andy nods, "You know, Phoebe's busy, Dr. Gordon's busy. Can I buy you a black cup of coffee while we wait?"

Prue smiles, "Sure." They walk towards the coffee machine. "So, you're an inspector now?"

Andy nods, "What can I say? In any other city I'd be called detective."

Prue smiles, "Inspector's classier."

Andy laughs, "Liking it better already."

Prue nods, "Your dad must be so proud."

Andy nods, "Third generation. You bet he's happy. How about you? You taking the world by storm?"

Prue nods, "Well, I'm living back at Grams' house, and as of an hour ago, looking for work."

Andy nods, "Oh."

Prue nods, "I heard you moved to Portland."

Andy smiles, "I'm back. You, uh, still seeing Roger?"

Prue frowns, "How did you know about him?"

Andy smiles, "I know people."

Prue sighs, "You checked up on me?"

Andy shakes his head, "I wouldn't call it that."

Prue frowns, "What would you call it?"

Andy smiles, "Inquiring minds want to know. What can I say? I'm a detective."

Short time later Prue, Piper, and Phoebe are in the car on their way to Los Angeles.

Prue shakes her head, "The Chosen Ones? The Charmed Ones? Phoebe, this is insane."

Phoebe nods, "Are you telling me that nothing strange happened to you today? You didn't freeze time or move anything?"

Prue sighs, "Roger took an exhibit away from me. All right, look, Phoebe, I know that you think you can see the future which is pretty ironic."

Phoebe nods, "Since you don't think I have one, that my vision of life is cloudy compared to your perfect hell? Even if you don't want to believe me, just once can't you trust me?"

Prue sighs, "Phoebe, I do not have special powers."

Phoebe sighs, "Really? That looked pretty special to me."

Prue frowns, "Oh my god. So, um, I can move things with my mind?"

Phoebe nods, "With how much you hold inside, you should be a lethal weapon by now."

Prue frowns, "I don't believe it."

Phoebe nods looking at Piper, "This must mean that you can freeze time." She looks at Prue. "Are you okay?"

Prue shakes her head, "No, I'm not okay. You turned me into a witch."

Phoebe sighs, "You were born one. We all were. And I think we better start to deal with it."

Phoebe nods, "When I was looking through the Book of Shadows, I saw these wood carvings. They looked like something out of a bosch paintings. All these terrifying images of three women battling different incarnations of evil."

Prue frowns, "Evil fighting evil, that's a twist."

Phoebe shakes her head, "Actually, a witch can be either good or evil. A good witch follows the Wiccan rede. 'An it harm none, do what ye will.' A bad witch or a warlock has but one goal: to kill good witches and retain their powers. Unfortunately, they look like regular people. They could be anyone, anywhere."

Prue sighs, "And this has what to do with us?"

Phoebe nods, "Well, in the first wood carving, they were in the slumber, but in the second one, they were battling some kind of warlock. I think as long as we were in the dark about our powers we were safe. Not anymore."

A short time later they pull up to the cemetery and get out.

Piper looks around at the assembled group, "I wonder which one is this Buffy that's going to be coming to live with us?"

Prue shrugs, "I don't know. Mr. Thomas said he would meet us here with her. Did you know Aunt Joyce had a daughter?"

Piper shakes her head, "No. But it's been what five years since we've seen her. And she always came alone. Even her husband Hank didn't usually come with her."

A man walks up to them with a young blonde girl. "Prudence Halliwell?"

Prue nods, "Yes. But you can call me Prue. I assume your Gavin Thomas?"

Gavin nods, "Yes and this young lady is Buffy."

Buffy smiles, "Hi. So you're my cousins, hunh?"

Phoebe smiles, "Yes we are."

Short time later Buffy looking small and vulnerable, stand around the grave with Prue, Piper and Phoebe and a fair sized group of people Buffy has never seen before. People from Joyce's other life - friends and co-workers, etc… Piper has her arm around Buffy, offering what comfort she can.

A minister speaks, but his words seem distant to Buffy's ears. "…we commend to almighty God our sister Joyce Summers…" Buffy holds her tears. Staring at the coffin. As it begins its descent into the ground. "…and we commit her body to the ground…" Buffy is weeping now. A man digs into a pile of dirt with a sharp, gravelly crunch and then casts the first pile of dirt into the casket."…earth to earth…" Buffy starts as the dirt hits the top of the coffin. She turns away into Piper's side - can't handle it. "…ashes to ashes. Dust to dust… The Lord bless her and keep her, the Lord makes his face to shine upon her and be gracious to her, the Lord lift up his countenance upon her and give her peace. Amen."

Several people echo, "Amen."

The service ends and Prue, Phoebe and Piper are the first to hug Buffy and speak kindnesses before they move off…

Many other people come to Buffy and touch her. Talk to her. But she doesn't really hear much. She's lost in a sea of unfamiliar faces and hands… She nods absently to a man whose talking at her. She's watching a workman continue to fill Joyce's grave.

A woman Buffy's never met before cries and gives Buffy her rosary.

Another woman with a young toddler, who clings to her hip, talks kindly to Buffy.

Buffy, expressionless, puts her hand out to the baby, who wraps her tiny fingers around Buffy's…

Prue, Piper and Phoebe wait nearby till Buffy is ready. They then drive her back to Joyce's house. They find Gavin waiting for them.

Gavin smiles, "Good I wanted to go over something before you left for San Francisco. In Joyce's will everything is being left to Buffy. All the proceeds from the estate sale will be put in a trust for when Buffy graduates high school to be used for college expenses, if she goes to college that is. Of course if you don't the money will then be relinquished to you on your 18th birthday. Buffy if there is anything you want to keep I would suggest you take it with you."

Prue nods, "How much time are we talking about? You know to get anything she wants to take with her."

Gavin smiles, "A few days. It will take at least a week to setup the estate sale."

Prue nods, "Then we'll pack up what Buffy wants to take with her tonight before heading back to San Francisco tomorrow."

The next day they headed back to San Francisco. Phoebe noticed the book Buffy was hugging to her in the car, "What's that?"

Buffy laid the book in her lap, "I found it in the attic. It was in amongst some of mom's stuff."

Phoebe's eyes go wide as she looks at the cover of the book, "Uhm Prue, Piper. I think you guys should see this."

Prue pulls the car over and she and Piper turn in their seats to face Phoebe and Buffy. "What is it?"

Phoebe holds up the book Buffy was holding."

Piper's eyes go wide, "You brought it with you?"

Phoebe shook her head, "No. Buffy just said she found it in her mom's attic." She turns to Buffy, "You haven't read out of the book have you?"

Buffy nods, "Just the first page."

Phoebe turns to the first page and her eyes go wide, "It's a nearly identical incantation to the one I read the other night. Except Buffy's here makes only reference to her."

Prue shakes her head, "This can't be a coincidence. Two matching books. Both you and Buffy read matching incantations." She looks at Buffy, "You read that page the night before last, correct?"

Buffy nods, "Yes. I was going through mom's stuff in the attic the night after she… I thought I couldn't do magic anyways since I'm the Slayer."

Prue shakes her head, "Slayer?"

Buffy grimaces, "Into every generation, a Slayer is born. One girl in all the world, a Chosen One. One born with the strength and skill to fight the vampires, the demons and the forces of darkness. To stop the spread of their evil, and the swell of their numbers. She is the Slayer."

Prue frowns, "Charmed Ones, Chosen One, Slayer. This is… We'll figure this out when we get back to the manor."

A couple hours later as they pull up at the manor Buffy's eyes go wide, "That's your house?"

Prue nods, "And yours as well now. It was left to us by Grams."

Buffy frowns, "Grams?"

Prue nods, "Yes that what we called her. She is our grandmother. She would be your grandmother also since she was Joyce's mother."

They helped Buffy take her things up to her room.

Prue smiles, "I'm going to take Phoebe to the Pharmacy to get her prescription. Piper don't you have a date with Jeremy tonight?"

Piper nods.

Buffy puts Joyce's Book of Shadows on her new bed.

Prue smiles, "Buffy you think you will be okay for a few minutes?"

Buffy nods, "Yeah I will be fine, Prue."

Prue nods, "Make yourself at home. Okay."

Buffy smiles.

Prue and Phoebe turn and head downstairs. Piper turns and heads into her room to change.

At the Pharmacy… The Pharmacist takes Phoebe's prescription, "I'll be right back with your prescription."

Phoebe smiles, "Take your time."

Prue nods, "Excuse me, where do you keep the aspirin?"

The Pharmacist nods, "Aisle three."

Phoebe nods, "Chamomile tea works great for headaches."

Prue shakes her head, "Not for this one it won't."

They wander up the aisle.

Phoebe sighs, "You know I'm not afraid of our powers. I mean, everyone inherits something from their family, right?"

Prue nods, "Yeah, money, antiques, a strong disposition. That's what normal people inherit. Us we get powers as well as a teenage girl to raise who is something called a Slayer and may have powers also."

Phoebe nods, "Who wants to be normal when we can be special?"

Prue sighs, "I want to be normal, I want my life to be... you know, isn't this aisle 3? To tell the truth I would think Buffy would want to be a normal teenager."

Phoebe shakes her head, "Well, we can't change what happened. We can't undo our or her destiny."

Prue nods, "Do you see any aspirin?"

Phoebe nods, "I see chamomile tea."

Prue sighs, "Look, I have just found out that I'm a witch, that my sisters are witches, our cousin maybe a witch and is also a Slayer, and that we have powers that will apparently unleash all forms of evil. Evil that is apparently going to come looking for us. So excuse me Phoebe, but I'm not exactly in a homeopathic mood right now."

Phoebe nods, "Then move your headache out of your mind." She stares angrily at Phoebe and a bottle of aspirin flies off the shelf and Prue catches it. "You move things when you're upset."

Prue sighs, "This is ridiculous! I thought that you landed on your arm, not your head."

Phoebe smiles, "You don't believe me."

Prue sighs, "Of course I don't believe you. Or Buffy for that matter. I think she is creating monsters to cope with the loss of her mother."

Phoebe sighs, "Ro-ger." A few more bottle of aspirin fly off the shelf. "Now let's talk about Dad and see what happens."

Prue shakes her head, "He's dead, Phoebe."

Phoebe smiles, "No, he's moved from New York, but he's very much alive."

Prue sighs, "He isn't to me. He died the day he left mom."

Phoebe frowns, "What are you talking about? He's always been a major button pusher for you. You're mad he's alive, you're mad I tried to find him, and you're mad I came back. Dad, dad, dad, dad, dad, dad, dad." All the medicines and bottles fly off the shelves. "Feel better?"

Prue nods, "Lots."

Phoebe smiles, "The Book of Shadows said our powers would grow."

Prue frowns, "Grow to what?" They laugh.

In a cab Piper is with Jeremy. She's holding a box of fortune cookies. "Has anything weird or unexplainable ever happened to you?"

Jeremy nods, "Sure. It's called luck or fate or some people call it miracles. Why? What happened?"

Piper shakes her head, "Forget it. Even if I could tell you, you'd swear I was crazy. Now open your fortune cookie." She hands him one.

Jeremy smiles, "Okay." He opens it and reads the bit of paper. "Soon you will be on top."

Piper frowns, "It doesn't say that."

Jeremy shakes his head, "Yes it does."

Piper nods, "Let me see that." She snatches the bit of paper off him.

Jeremy frowns, "Is that a bad thing?"

Piper sighs, "Of the world. Soon you will be on top of the world."

Jeremy nods to the cab driver, "Can you make a left on 7th please."

Driver nods, "You got it."

Piper frowns, "Hey, I thought that we were going to your place."

Jeremy smiles, "We are, but you reminded me of something. I wanna show you the old Bowing building. The view of the Bay Bridge is amazing."

Short time later they stop at the old Bowing building. Jeremy opens the door. "Well, here we are."

Piper nods, "I don't care how amazing the view is. I'm not going in there."

Jeremy shakes his head, "Come on, come on. I have a surprise inside." They step inside an elevator. Jeremy pressed the button and the elevator starts to go up. "You are gonna love this. I bet you tell Prue, Buffy and Phoebe the moment you see them."

Piper shakes her head, "I never mentioned that Phoebe came home. Or that Buffy was living with us. Shoot I don't think I've ever mentioned Buffy to you, period."

Jeremy smiles, "Whoops." He pulls out a knife.

Piper blinks, "What is that?"

Jeremy smiles, "It's your surprise."

Piper frowns, "Jeremy, stop it, you're scaring me. Damn it! I'm serious!"

Jeremy nods, "So am I. See, I've waited six months for this. Ever since Grams went to the hospital. I've known for some quite time that the moment that old witch croaked that all your powers would be released. Powers that would reveal themselves as soon as the three of you got together again. All that was needed was for Phoebe to return. Buffy being the last Halliwell and a Slayer is just going to be an added bonus."

Piper frowns, "It was you wasn't it? You killed all those women."

Jeremy shakes his head, "Not women, witches!"

Piper frowns, "Why?"

Jeremy raises his hand and flames come out of his fingertips. "It was the only way to get their powers." In a demonic voice, "And now I want yours."

Piper screams as Jeremy raises his arm about to stab Piper. She puts her hands up and he freezes. The elevator freezes as well. "Okay, think, stay calm. I gotta get outta here. Okay." She climbs up onto the next floor.

Jeremy unfreezes and he grabs her leg. He tries to pull her back into the elevator but she grabs a wooden two-by-four and hits him over the head. He falls to the floor unconscious.

Back at the manor Prue and Phoebe have arrived back home.

Buffy comes bounding down the stairs. "Took you guys long enough. What's for dinner, I'm starved."

Phoebe presses play on the answering machine.

Roger on the answering machine, "Prue, its Roger. I've decided to let you come back to work. Seriously, let's talk. Bye."

Prue comes in holding a cat. "Piper's definitely not home unless she's turned into a cat."

Phoebe frowns, "How'd the cat get in?"

Buffy smiles, "Guilty. I thought it was your guy's cat."

Prue nods, "Its okay, Buffy." She looks to Phoebe, "Um, did Piper leave a message?"

Phoebe shakes her head, "She's probably still out with Jeremy. Roger called."

Prue frowns, "Yeah, I heard."

The front door opens.

Piper walks in, "Prue?"

Phoebe nods, "In here." Piper locks the door. "Piper?"

Prue frowns, "Oh my God, what is it? What's wrong?"

Piper nods, "Lock the doors, check the windows. We don't have a lot of time. Phoebe, in the Book of Shadows, did it say how to get rid of a..."

Phoebe nods, "Warlock?" She heads up the stairs.

Buffy's eyes go wide, "A Warlock?!"

Prue blinks, "Oh my God. I'm calling the cops."

Piper nods, "And tell them what? That we're witches? That some freak with powers beyond comprehension is trying to kill us? Even if the cops did come, they'd be no match for Jeremy, and we'd be next."

Buffy nods, "Got a sword lying around?"

Phoebe from the top of the stairs, "I found the answer, come on."

They head upstairs and sit around a low table in a circle. They place candles in a circle around them.

Phoebe looks at Buffy, "Come on sweetie its okay."

Buffy nods and sits between Prue and Phoebe.

Prue nods, "Okay, we've placed the nine candles anointed with oil and spices in a circle."

Piper frowns, "Wait, I only count eight."

Phoebe nods, "Oh you forgot this one." She holds up a birthday candle.

Piper frowns, "A birthday candle?"

Phoebe shrugs, "I guess Grams was a little low on witch supplies."

Prue nods, "Alright, we need the puppet."

Piper nods, "Got it."

Phoebe lights the birthday candle and puts it in the pot.

Prue nods, "Right, we're set. Get ready to cast the spell."

Piper sighs, "Okay, first I'll make it stronger." She gets a rose and places it on top of the puppet. "Your love with wither and depart, from my life and my heart, let me be, Jeremy, and go away forever." She presses the rose thorn into the puppet and places it in the pot. "Okay, the spell's complete."

Prue nods, "Let's hope it works."

They watch the puppet and rose burn. It then explodes and catches on fire.

They start cleaning up. Phoebe picks up the pot and has a premonition. "Wait! It didn't work."

Buffy blinks, "What?"

Piper nods in agreement.

Phoebe sighs, "The spell, it didn't work."

Prue frowns, "How do you know?"

Phoebe nods, "When I touched the pot, I had a flash. I saw Jeremy."

Prue frowns, "You touched the pot and you saw him?"

Phoebe nods, "He's on his way here."

They run out of the attic and down the stairs. They run to the door and Prue opens it. Jeremy is standing there. Piper and Phoebe scream.

Jeremy smiles, "Hello, ladies." Prue stands in front of Phoebe, Buffy and Piper. They slowly walk backwards. Prue uses her power and he hits the wall.

Prue frowns, "Piper… Phoebe, take Buffy and get out of here now!" They run upstairs.

Jeremy smiles, "Cool parlor trick, bitch. You were always the tough one weren't you, Prue?"

Prue uses her powers again he hits the wall. She runs upstairs. "Phoebe, you're right, our powers are growing."

Piper frowns, "Put as many things against the door as you can."

They push a dresser against the door and put a chair on top of it.

Jeremy smiles, "Take me now, Prue. My powers are stronger than yours." He laughs. "Do you think a chair will stop me?" The chair slides off the dresser. "Do you think a dresser will stop me?" The dresser slides away from the door. "Have you witches figured it out yet? Nothing, nothing can keep us away." He laughs again.

Piper frowns, "What do we do? We're trapped."

The door explodes and there stands Jeremy. Prue, Piper and Phoebe scream.

Buffy steps between them and Jeremy. "How about a Slayer?" She starts whaling on him.

Prue nods, "Come on, we'll face him together. Do you remember the spirit board?"

Piper smiles, "The inscription on the back."

Prue nods, "The power of three will set us free." They hold hands. "Come on, we gotta say it together. Buffy get over here."

Prue, Piper, Phoebe say together, "The power of three will set us free." They continue the chant over and over. Then strong wind blows around them. They keep chanting.

Buffy joins Prue, Piper and Phoebe as she clasps hands with Prue. She starts to chant with them.

Jeremy nods, "I am not the only one! I am one of millions! In places you can't even imagine! In forms you would never believe! We are hell on earth!" He explodes and disappears.

Prue smiles, "The power of three."

Phoebe shakes her head, "The Power of Three and the Charmed Slayer."

The next morning. Prue walks outside and grabs the paper.

Andy smiles, "Good morning!" He's holding a paper and a cup of coffee.

Prue smiles, "Hey, this is a surprise."

Andy nods, "I've been feeling really guilty about that bad cup of coffee. I just want to make it up to you."

Prue smiles, "So, you brought me a good cup of coffee?"

Andy shakes his head, "Oh this? No, this is mine. I, uh, just wanted to ask you out to dinner. Unless of course you're afraid."

Prue shakes her head, "Afraid of what?"

Andy nods, "Oh, you know, having too good of time, stirring up old memories, rekindling and old flame."

Buffy comes running out of the house. She stops next to Prue.

Prue nods, "Hmm, good point, better not."

Buffy smiles and waves, "Hi." She looks at Prue and points at the paper, "I was going to get that for you."

Andy nods, "Okay. Friday night, eight o'clock? You're hesitating." He looks at Buffy, "And who might this be?"

Prue smiles, "Yeah, but it's not what you think. It's just that my life has gotten a bit complicated. And this young lady is one of the reasons it's complicated. Andy I would like you to meet Buffy…"

Buffy smiles, "Halliwell."

Prue blinks, "Halliwell?"

Buffy nods, "Well it was mom's maiden name, right? And dad hasn't been a part of my life for a while now, other than the occasional visit. So…"

Prue nods in understanding, "Halliwell it is then." She looks to Andy, "Buffy is Phoebe, Piper and my cousin. Her mother was our aunt on mom's side. Aunt Joyce recently passed away so we're going to be looking after her now."

Andy smiles, "It is a pleasure to meet you Buffy."

Buffy smiles, "It's nice to meet you too, Andy."

Prue nods as she looks at Andy, "Can I call you?"

Andy gives her his card. "Take care, Prue. It was a pleasure to meet you, Buffy."

Prue nods, "Bye, Andy."

Buffy waves.

Andy walks to his car.

Phoebe and Piper come outside.

Phoebe's holding the cat. "It's Andy. I told you I heard a man's voice."

Piper nods, "Is that why you sent Buffy out to spy on them?" Buffy smiles. "What did he want?"

Prue nods, "He asked me out."

Piper smiles, "And you said ...?"

Prue nods, "I started to say yes and then I stopped. I wondered if I could date. I mean, do witches date?"

Piper nods, "Not only do they date but they usually get the best guys."

Phoebe, Piper and Buffy laugh.

Prue shakes her head, "You three will not be laughing when this happens to you. Believe me, everything will be different now."

Phoebe nods, "Well, at least our lives won't be boring."

Prue sighs, "But they'll never be the same."

Buffy rolls her eyes, "Mine hasn't been the same since I found out I was the Slayer. Being a witch is just another thing on top of it."

Phoebe nods, "And this is a bad thing?"

Prue shakes her head, "No. But it could be a big problem."

Piper nods, "Prue's right. What are we gonna do?"

Phoebe smiles, "What can't we do?"

Prue nods, "We are gonna be careful, we're gonna be wise and we're gonna stick together. That goes for you as well Buffy. You're not alone anymore."

Buffy smiles, "I know. Day before yesterday I got cousins. Today I guess we can all say I have sisters."

Prue nods, "Yes you do."

Piper smiles, "This should be interesting."

They head inside the house. Prue stands inside the house, looks at the door and shuts it with her power.


	2. Chapter 2: I've Got You Under My Skin

**Author's Note:** I forgot to mention in the first chapter that the hellmouth will be in San Francisco. That will give some leeway of adding some of the BTVS story to this. Which also means Xander, Willow, Giles as well as quite a few of the other BTVS characters will be seen in this story. In fact the next chapter in this story is Welcome to the Hellmouth, the BTVS series premiere.

_**Atlas - **_Dawn will eventually appear but don't expect her for quite a while. Were in season 1 of BTVS and season 1 of Charmed. Dawn didn't show up till season 5 of BTVS so it will be awhile before she's added to the story.

* * *

**Chapter 2: I've Got You Under My Skin**

At Quake. Buffy and Phoebe's walking through the crowd.

Phoebe bumps into somebody, "Oops, sorry." She and Buffy walk over to Piper.

Piper shakes her head, "I'm gonna kill him."

Buffy nods, "Who?"

Piper sighs, "Chef Moore. He, of the phony accent, hires me and then quits to open his new place. Thank you very much."

Phoebe nods, "I don't see any customers complaining."

Piper sighs, "Hello, I am not a restaurateur. I'm a chef. I have no idea what I am doing. Are you wearing my dress?"

Britney comes up to them.

Phoebe smiles, "Hey, Britney. Ooh, I love that tattoo."

Britney nods, "Thanks."

Phoebe nods, "I thought it was illegal to get them on your hand because of the veins."

Britney smiles, "In the States, yeah. I got it done in Tahiti." She hands Piper some money. "Keep the change, Piper. I gotta jam."

Piper nods, "Okay, say hi to Max."

Britney smiles, "Bye."

Piper looks at a waitress, "Table nine please." Phoebe sees a guy and has a premonition. "Now, back to my dress."

Buffy sighs, "Yes I'm wearing your dress, Piper. It looks good on me, don't ya think?"

Phoebe smiles, "Okay, see that poster boy to your left?" Piper looks at him. "Just glance, don't be obvious."

Piper sighs, "I approve, who is he?"

Phoebe nods, "His name is Alec and he's about to come over and ask if he could buy me a martini."

Buffy blinks, "How do you know?"

Phoebe smiles, "Let's just say I solved the age old problem of who approaches who. I had a little premonition."

Piper frowns, "What? Phoebe, you are not supposed to use your powers, we agreed."

Phoebe frowns, "No, you and Prue agreed. I abstained. Besides, it's not like I can control it, it just popped into my head."

Buffy nods, "Yeah you two agreed, we didn't."

Piper sighs, "That's the whole point. None of us can control our powers. That's what scares me. I could panic and freeze the entire restaurant."

Buffy rolls her eyes, "At least you got yours. Mine still hasn't shown up."

Phoebe shakes her head, "Shh, here he comes."

Alec walks over to Phoebe. "I was just sitting over there wondering if I could buy you a martini or something."

Phoebe smiles, "Martini, hmm, imagine that. I would love one. It's Alec, right?"

Alec nods, "Yeah, how'd you know my name?"

Phoebe smiles, "Wild guess. Do you wanna grab a table?"

Alec nods, "Yeah."

Piper frowns, "Prue is gonna be pissed."

Phoebe sighs, "News flash. Stop worrying, you'll get wrinkles."

Buffy nods in agreement.

The next morning in the kitchen. Piper's watching TV and whisking some eggs. Prue and Buffy comes in.

Prue smiles, "Morning."

Buffy nods, "Hey."

Piper nods, "Morning you two."

Prue nods, "What are you watching?"

Piper sighs, "Nothing." She turns off the TV. "Just a show."

Prue shakes her head, "About witches? Are you worried we're gonna be burnt at the stake?"

Piper nods, "Yeah, right. By the way, Andy called."

Prue nods, "When?"

Piper sighs, "While you were in the shower. Bad date?"

Prue shakes her head, "No. No, no. Not at all. It was great. You know, dinner, movie, sex."

Buffy laughs, "Way to go, Prue."

Piper smiles, "Excuse me? On your first date? You sleaze."

Prue glares at Buffy, "It wasn't exactly our first date, Piper."

Piper shakes her head, "High school doesn't count. That was last decade. Spill it." Prue walks in the living room, Piper and Buffy follow. "Ooh, that bad, huh?"

Prue shakes her head, "No, actually that good. It was... well, we were naked. But that's not the point. I told myself that things would be different. That we would take it slow. It just shouldn't have happened, that's all."

Phoebe comes down the stairs. "What shouldn't have happened?"

Buffy smiles, "Prue slept with Andy."

Phoebe smiles, "Hello."

Prue sighs, "Thanks a lot, mouth."

Phoebe nods, "Wait, you were gonna tell them but not me? Family meeting."

Prue sighs, "Speaking of last night. What time did you end up rolling in?"

Phoebe shakes her head, "No, no, no. Do not change the subject."

Prue nods, "Don't dodge the question."

Piper nods, "It must have been at least after three."

They walk in to the conservatory. Prue sits down.

Phoebe nods, "I must be still be in New York time."

Buffy rolls her eyes.

Prue nods, "Actually, that would make it later."

Buffy smiles, "Or maybe you and Alec."

Prue blinks, "Who's Alec?"

Piper nods, "Some hottie she hit on in the restaurant."

Phoebe shakes her head, "Excuse me, where vision is history, he hit on me. Remember, the whole vision thing."

Prue frowns, "Vision thing? Please tell me you didn't use your powers."

Phoebe doesn't say anything. Prue looks at Piper.

Piper shakes her head, "Don't put me in the middle."

Prue sighs, "I'm not. You were born in the middle, Piper. Look, I thought that we agreed." She looks at Buffy.

Buffy sighs, "I don't want to be in the middle any more than Piper. And you agreed I didn't."

Phoebe shakes her head, "No, we didn't." She indicates herself and Buffy." You agreed. You laid down the law. There's a difference."

Prue nods, "Phoebe… Buffy, our powers aren't toys. We have to be careful or they can get us killed."

Buffy rolls her eyes, "I'm the Slayer remember, Prue. My life is full of danger with the possibility of an early death before I turn eighteen."

Piper sighs, "Prue's right. We don't want any warlocks finding us. Nor do we want you to die at the hands of a vampire, Buffy."

Phoebe sighs, "Look, it was just a lousy premonition, that's all. Nobody died. Besides, you guys can't control your powers any better than I can. And F.Y.I. nothing happened last night. At least nothing I'm ashamed of."

Prue nods, "There's another reason we have to be careful. Andy thinks someone's abducting women in our area."

Phoebe frowns, "Abducting women? What do you mean?"

Prue nods, "I mean warlocks and vampires aren't the only evil we have to watch out for. And F.Y.I. I'm not ashamed of anything."

Short time later outside a church. Piper and Buffy are sitting in Piper's car. Someone knocks on the window.

Piper gets a fright. "Pastor Williams, you scared me."

Pastor Williams smiles, "I'm sorry. Aren't you a little early? Dropping off the unused food from the restaurant. I thought you weren't coming by until this afternoon. And who do you have with you?"

Buffy smiles, "Buffy Halliwell, I'm Piper's cousin on her mom's side."

Piper nods, "I am. I mean, I'm coming back with everything. And Buffy is living with us now since her mom passed away."

Pastor Williams nods, "Great. So what are you doing here now?" He looks to Buffy, "My condolences."

Piper shakes her head, "Nothing really. Just, uh, just thinking."

Buffy smiles, "Thank you."

Pastor Williams nods, "About?"

Piper smiles, "Mary Estee."

Pastor Williams frowns, "Who?"

Piper sighs, "It's just a stupid documentary I saw. By the way, is it true that evil beings can't go into a church without being..." She makes a noise and moved her hands to show they were hit by lightning. They laugh.

Pastor Williams nods, "Evil beings? You mean, like what? Vampires?"

Buffy rolls her eyes.

Piper shakes her head, "Vampires, no. I was thinking more on the lines of witches."

Pastor Williams nods, "Witches, huh? Let me out it to you this way. I sure wouldn't wanna risk it. I gotta go. I'll see you later?"

Piper smiles, "Yeah, right, absolutely." He leaves. Piper and Buffy gets out of Piper's car and walks over to the door. Just as Piper's about to grab the handle, there's a crack of thunder and she runs away.

Buffy rolls her eyes and opens the door and steps inside and back out to show Piper it's alright before going back to the car. "Seriously Piper."

Piper nods, "Shall we swing by the school and see about getting you enrolled? Then you can start on Monday."

Buffy nods, "Sounds like a plan."

At Quake, Phoebe hands a menu to a guy. There's a woman sitting next to him. "Here you go."

Stefan nods, "Thank you."

Phoebe smiles, "Excuse me, but aren't you Stefan?"

Stefan nods, "Yes. I'm sorry, do we know each other?"

Phoebe smiles, "Oh, highly doubtful. I'm just familiar with your work. Like everyone else in the world."

Stefan nods, "Well, I don't know about that. Well, I'll take a compliment from a gorgeous woman."

Phoebe nods, "I'm sure your girlfriend must appreciate that."

Stefan whispers, "She's not my girlfriend."

Phoebe whispers, "Then why are you whispering?"

The woman frowns, "Excuse me." She leaves.

Phoebe nods, "Ooh, ooh, okay. Well, it was really nice meeting you."

Stefan nods, "You too. Listen, listen. I'm in town for a couple of days doing a Porsche shoot. If you're interested, stop by. I would love to photograph you. You do model don't you?"

Phoebe nods, "In my dreams, yeah."

Stefan writes down the address and gives it to her. She smiles and walks away.

Piper and Buffy comes up to her. "A driver just called in sick. Can you do a quick delivery? Buffy will go with you and help you out."

Phoebe nods, "Sure. Is that guy at the bar staring at me?"

Piper frowns, "There are a lot of guys at the bar staring at you."

Phoebe sighs, "The one at the far end. Tall, dark, brooding, very New York."

Buffy looks, "Sorry, no."

Phoebe looks over and Stefan is gone.

At the Church. Phoebe, Buffy and Piper get out of the Quake van.

Phoebe nods, "You would think after last night, Prue would be a lot mellower. I mean, how long had it been? Six months? Which is worse."

Piper nods, "It's just so un-Prue like to have sex on the first date. I mean, everything's changing since we've become... you know."

They start getting the stuff out of the back of the van.

Phoebe nods, "Come on, you've never had sex on the first date?"

Buffy rolls her eyes.

Piper shakes her head, "No, have you? Don't answer that." She looks at Buffy, "Please tell me you haven't at all."

Buffy sighs, "No I haven't."

Piper smiles, "Good because you're not till you're like eighteen."

Phoebe nods, "Well, it's not a regular thing. Of course now that I'm a witch I can see if it's gonna be any good or not before it actually..." She notices an elderly man standing next to her. She hands him a tray. "Hi." He walks away.

Piper frowns, "What's the matter with you? Are you outta your mind?"

Phoebe nods, "Come on, it's not like he took me literally."

Piper shakes her head, "You don't know that, he could of. I just think we need to be extra careful. In bed and out."

Buffy sighs, "That's all I ever try to be is careful."

Pheobe nods, "Okay, well there's careful and then there's paranoid. Do you wanna talk about it?"

Piper shakes her head, "Talk about what?"

Pastor Williams comes up to them. "Hey, Phoebe, I didn't know you were back in town." He looks to Buffy, "Nice to see you again, Buffy."

Phoebe smiles, "Hey." She and Pastor Williams hug.

Buffy smiles, "And you as well."

Pastor Williams nods, "Say goodbye to the Big Apple did you?"

Phoebe shakes her head, "Oh, I ate the worm. Hey, I'm gonna go get some gum. Do you guys want anything?"

Pastor Williams shakes his head, "No thanks."

Piper shakes her head.

Buffy smiles, "I'm good, Phoebe."

Phoebe nods, "Okay, good to see you."

Pastor Williams nods, "You too."

Phoebe walks away.

Piper smiles, "Okay, here's the deal. I got this friend. Has a little problem. Could be bad. Not quite sure what to tell her."

Buffy rolls her eyes.

Pastor Williams nods, "You wanna go inside?"

Piper shakes her head, "No. I mean, we've gotta get going."

Pastor Williams nods, "So what's the problem?"

Piper sighs, "Well, she kinda, sort of thinks she might be a witch."

Pastor Williams nods, "Witches again, huh?"

Buffy nods, "Yeah."

Piper frowns, "Not a good thing is it?"

Pastor Williams shakes his head, "Certainly not a question I get every day. How well do you remember Sunday school lessons? I suggest 22:18. Thou shall not suffer a witch to live."

Piper nods, "Meaning..."

Pastor Williams nods, "If you go by the old school, it means put her to death. She's evil."

Buffy shakes her head, "Great."

They walk back to the car and get in.

Phoebe gets in a moment later with a smile on her face. "Ready? Let's go."

Piper frowns, "What are you smiling about?"

Buffy nods, "Yeah you seem awfully chipper."

Phoebe smiles, "Nothing."

A short time later inside Quake. Prue walks up to Piper and Buffy.

Piper nods, "Cindy, come on, your salmon's up. Hector, way behind. We need clean plates."

Prue sighs, "Either of you didn't give Andy my cell phone number by any chance did you?"

Buffy shakes her head, "No."

Piper shakes her head, "No, why?"

Prue sighs, "Never mind."

Piper nods, "Remind me I wanted to do this for a living, right?"

Prue sighs, "Looks like you're not the only one of us who's going to be doing anything for a living. Look how bad my interview went."

Piper smiles, "I can't imagine you were less than stellar."

Prue notices Phoebe sitting at a table with Stefan. "What's Phoebe doing here? For that matter what are you doing here Buffy?"

Buffy smiles, "I was helping out Piper with a delivery." Prue frowns. "Hey it's not like I got anything else to do till school starts on Monday."

Piper nods, "Flirting."

Prue sighs, "Yeah, and she's wearing Armani. Where did she get that?"

Piper shrugs, "Not from my closet. I gotta go."

Buffy shrugs, "I know I could never afford anything like that. Though can we say allowance? Like I'm not getting any right now and would like to."

Piper walks away.

Prue looks at Buffy, "We'll discuss that at home." She walks up to Phoebe, Buffy following behind.

Phoebe smiles, "Prue… Buffy, hi. This is my other sister. Prue. And you've already met our cousin, Buffy. This is Stefan the photographer."

Stefan smiles, "Pleasure."

Prue nods, "Likewise." They shake hands. "Nice dress."

Phoebe smiles, "Don't worry, it's not yours."

Prue nods, "I know. I could never afford it."

Phoebe nods, "Will you excuse me for one minute? I'll be right back."

Phoebe, Buffy and Prue walk away.

Stefan looks at his hand and it's turning really old.

Prue, Buffy and Phoebe walk in to the kitchen.

Prue frowns, "How are you gonna pay for that? You're broke."

Buffy nods, "That is what I was wondering. Even when mom was alive she couldn't afford anything like that."

Phoebe smiles, "Not for long."

Prue frowns, "What does that mean? You didn't use your powers again?"

Buffy rolls her eyes.

Phoebe nods, "Maybe. Are you telling me you haven't?"

Prue shakes her head, "No, I'm not telling you that but we're not talking about me are we?"

Piper comes up to them. "What are you guys doing in here?"

Phoebe sighs, "Same thing we do at home."

Prue frowns, "What, did you go to the tracks, play the market, what?"

Buffy shakes her head, "I bet it was the lottery."

Phoebe looks at Buffy and smiles, "It was the lottery."

Piper frowns, "Phoebe!"

Phoebe nods, "What did you want me to do? Ignore the premonition? Not help a needy family. That's what we're supposed to do, right?"

Prue shakes her head, "No, we are not supposed to use our powers for our own personal gain. That's what it says in the Book of Shadows."

Piper frowns, "Not so loud."

Phoebe sighs, "You said we needed money, right? We'll I'm getting some."

Piper shakes her head, "Come on, you guys."

Prue nods, "Well, get a job like everybody else."

Buffy sighs, "I bet I see where the allowance talk is going to go."

Phoebe shakes her head, "I'm using my mind instead."

Andy enters the kitchen. "Prue?" He bumps into a guy holding plates.

Piper frowns, "Watch it!" Piper freezes everyone and the plates before they hit the ground. "Oh, no. No, no, no, no, no, not again."

Prue nods, "Now look what you've done."

Phoebe frowns, "This is my fault?"

Piper frowns, "You guys aren't freezing?"

Buffy shakes her head, "I guess it doesn't work on witches. Piper, how long does it last?"

Prue looks outside the kitchen and sees that no one is frozen.

Piper shrugs, "I don't know, not long."

Prue frowns, "Uh, it doesn't work out there either."

Piper shakes her head, "Oh, tell me this isn't happening."

Phoebe nods, "Calm down, it's okay. It's all gonna be okay."

Buffy nods, "Yeah just calm down."

Prue looks outside again and notices Morris walking towards the kitchen. "Oh, God, Andy's partner just came in and he's headed this way."

Piper frowns, "What are we gonna do?"

Phoebe nods, "Stall him."

Prue runs out of the kitchen. "Hey, Inspector Morris, right?"

Morris nods, "That's right. Is Trudeau in there?"

Prue shrugs, "Uh, Andy? I don't know is he?"

Back in the kitchen. Phoebe and Buffy are fanning Piper with a menu.

Phoebe smiles, "Okay, breathe, Piper, breathe."

Just as Morris opens the door, everyone unfreezes and the plates fall on the floor and break.

Andy nods, "I really think we should..." He notices Morris there. "…talk. What are you doing here? I thought I had five minutes."

Morris nods, "Yeah, I gave you ten."

Piper smiles, "Guys, you know, we're really busy in here."

Buffy nods, "Yeah maybe should take this elsewhere?"

Andy nods, "Yeah, sure."

Prue smiles, "Uh, I'll call you later, I promise."

Andy nods, "Okay."

Phoebe waves, "Bye."

They leave.

Piper sighs, "I hate being a witch."

Buffy smiles, "I don't its fun. Well except for the occasional warlock."

Later in the attic at the Manor Piper's looking in the Book of Shadows. Phoebe and Buffy walks in.

Phoebe smiles, "Hey, what are you doing?"

Piper sighs, "Reading. Thinking."

Buffy nods, "About what?"

Piper shrugs, "About how totally screwed we are now that we're witches."

Phoebe nods, "Oh, that."

Piper nods, "You don't understand, you don't think we are. You're never afraid of anything. I envy that about you, I always have."

Phoebe nods, "Yeah, well, don't because it gets me in trouble sometimes. Piper, talk to us."

Buffy smiles, "Yeah."

Piper sighs, "I don't know, it's like our whole lives have been like everybody else. Rushing off to work, going out on bad dates, buying shoes and suddenly we wake up one day and everything is different. We're witches now. I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing."

Buffy smiles, "Now you know how I felt last year when I was called as the Slayer."

Phoebe smiles, "Are you kidding? It's a great thing."

Piper sighs, "You don't know that. We don't know anything about these powers. Why we have them, what they mean, where they come from. I mean, how do we know it's not... how do we know it's not from evil?"

Phoebe nods, "Piper, we've been through this. We're good witches."

Piper nods, "What about Jeremy? What about all the other warlocks he said would be coming after us. And all the vampires that will be coming for Buffy. How do we know we're not just like them? That is what scares me. We don't know. I just wanna be normal again. As messed up as that was. Is that too much to ask for?"

Phoebe nods, "Piper, listen to me. You are the sweetest, most caring person I've ever met." Buffy nods in agreement. "No, I mean that, you are. You're always there to help anybody, even strangers."

Buffy smiles, "Phoebe is right there. A week ago I was a total stranger to you. You, Prue and Phoebe took me in. You didn't have to but you did."

Phoebe nods, "You've been doing it your whole life. So there's no way you've been given this, this gift if it wasn't to do good things with it. To protect the innocent just like the Book of Shadows said. Besides, if anyone is concerned of being bad, it's me, right?" Piper laughs. "You've got nothing to be afraid of. I am going to get my picture taken." She does a little pose. Piper laughs. "Hey Buffy would you like to tag along. Maybe we can talk Stefan into taking yours also?"

Buffy nods, "Sure, why not."

At Stefan's photography place Phoebe and Buffy arrives in the van. They get out, Phoebe's holding a dress.

Phoebe looks at Buffy, "Are you sure you want to have your picture taken in that?"

Buffy smiles, "Yeah."

Phoebe walks over and knocks on the door. "Stefan, it's me, Phoebe." She touches the door handle and has a premonition of herself and Buffy tied to two tables and Javna's there. His eyes start glowing. The premonition ends.

Phoebe looks at Buffy, "We're getting out of here."

They run back to the van and they get in. Someone grabs Phoebe from the backseat. Just as Buffy turns to face Phoebe's attacker she feels someone grab her from the backseat.

When they wake up they find they are inside Stefan's photography place. Phoebe and Buffy are tied to a table.

Phoebe frowns, "Wait, Stefan or whoever you are, let us go."

Buffy struggles against her bonds.

Javna smiles, "It's Javna." His eyes glow and Phoebe and Buffy screams.

Outside Prue and Piper pull up in the car. They run up to the van.

Prue nods, "Do you see anything?"

Piper shakes her head, "No. Prue..."

Prue nods, "Look, we'll find them."

Piper nods, "Maybe we should call the police."

Prue shakes her head, "No, if Javna has them then we're the only ones who can stop him."

Piper nods, "But we need Phoebe to do it. The incantation only works with the three of us."

They hear Phoebe scream. A moment later they hear Buffy screaming, "Leave her alone."

Inside a bright light comes out of Javna's eyes into Phoebe's. Piper and Prue come in. Prue uses her power and throws Javna across the room. The bright light then goes into Prue's eyes.

Piper unties Phoebe and then Buffy. "Phoebe, we don't have a lot of time, okay?"

Phoebe nods, "Prue, grab the mirror."

Prue grabs a mirror and puts it in front of her face and reflects the light back into Javna's eyes.

Prue gets the spell and they start chanting. "Now."

Prue, Piper, Phoebe, and Buffy chant, "Evil eyes look unto thee, may they soon extinguished be, bend they will to the power of three, eye of earth, evil and accursed."

They repeat it. Javna turns into a skeleton and then into dust and disappears.

Phoebe smiles, "Very cool."

They go outside and the police are there.

Andy frowns, "Prue? What are you doing here?"

Prue smiles, "Well, we were just trying to get the van started."

Piper nods, "Yeah, Phoebe and Buffy called. They were having car troubles."

Phoebe nods, "Stefan was gonna take some pictures of me and Buffy."

Andy nods, "Do you have any idea how lucky you two are? This guy's a stalker."

Morris nods, "No sign of him inside. His car's here so he might still be around."

Andy nods, "Excuse me." He reaches in the van and starts it.

Buffy smiles, "Hey, how about that. You fixed it."

Andy nods, "How about that."

Phoebe nods, "Maybe we should go."

Phoebe and Piper walk away.

Prue smiles, "Uh, thanks. Call me?"

Andy nods, "Sure."

Buffy smiles as they walk away, "Prue's got a boyfriend…"

Prue glares at Buffy.

Later at Quake. Phoebe and Buffy walks in.

Phoebe smiles, "Whoops, excuse us."

They walk up to a woman.

Buffy smiles, "Hey, how are you?"

The woman looks at them strangely. They go over to Prue and Piper.

Piper nods, "Do you two know that girl?"

Buffy nods, "We almost were that girl."

Phoebe nods, "She was one of Stefan's victims. Obviously doesn't remember."

Prue nods, "Lucky her."

Phoebe shakes her head, "No, lucky us. I learned my lesson. I have got to be more careful. I almost got Buffy and I aged beyond our years."

Prue smiles, "Excuse me, did I just hear it? Did she actually admit to doing something wrong?"

Piper nods, "That's what I heard."

Phoebe nods, "Frame it. It won't happen again."

Piper nods, "At least we helped those people. I mean, it's nice we know our powers really are good."

Prue nods, "Yeah, good for everything but love lives unfortunately. Although I must admit they do come in handy once in a while."

Phoebe nods, "Uh huh. Hypocrite." Phoebe sees the lottery numbers come up on the TV screen. "The winning numbers. I've won." Prue gives her a look. "Well, I did." She gets the ticket out of her purse and the numbers disappear.

Prue nods, "See, I told you. You can't intentionally use your powers for your own personal gain, remember?"

Phoebe sighs, "It's a good thing I didn't take the tags off that dress. Oh, well. At least that old couple didn't lose their house."

Piper nods, "A toast to the power of three. Or is it the power of four, because of Buffy? Whether we like it or not.

Prue smiles, "I don't know about the power of four. In fact If I had to guess it was still a power of three but because Buffy is a Halliwell. It just made the spell stronger but in the end a power of three spell will require the three of us to work. Still Buffy you are definitely Charmed like the rest of us."

Buffy smiles, "That I am."


	3. Chapter 3: Welcome to the Hellmouth

_**WiccaWhiteWitchSmallTownGuy -**_The reason the books are nearly identical is explained in the summary for the story. Joyce is Patty's sister; Prue, Piper, Phoebe and Paige's aunt. That means Joyce was a witch also. It makes sense she would have her own copy of the Book of Shadows. But of course there would be differences between the two books. the Charmed BoS is geared towards the Power of Three. Joyce and Buffy's BoS is geared for Buffy your second review I believe this chapter answers that.

* * *

**Chapter 3: Welcome to the Hellmouth**

At Gateway High School a window shatters. Someone reaches in and unlocks the window and slides it up. A college age boy and a timid girl, Darla, stand at the window. "Are you sure this is a good idea?"

The Boy smiles and nods, "It's a great idea! Come on."

They climb in. He leads Darla out into a hall.

Darla nods, "You go to school here?"

The boy nods, "Used to. On top of the gym, it's so cool – you can see the whole town."

Darla shakes her head, "I don't want to go up there."

The boy smiles, "Oh, you can't wait, huh?" He moves to kiss her.

Darla nods, "We're just gonna get in trouble."

The boy laughs, "Count on it." He kisses Darla.

Darla turns suddenly, real fear crossing her face. "What was that?"

The boy shrugs, "What was what?"

Darla nods, "I heard a noise."

The boy shakes his head, "It's nothing."

Darla smiles, "Maybe it's something…"

The boy nods, "Maybe it's some Thing..."

Darla frowns, "That's not funny."

The boy looks about them. The place is dark, shadowy.

Darla cowers behind him.

The boy calls out, "Hello…?" Silence. "There's nobody here."

Darla nods, "Are you sure?"

The boy smiles, "I'm sure."

Darla smiles, "Okay…" She morphs into vampface and buries her fangs into his neck.

At the manor in Buffy's bedroom. Buffy's eyes snap open. A moment, as she gets her bearings, shakes off the immediacy of the dream.

Piper calls out, "Buffy…"

Buffy looks around at the room and sighs, "I'm up, Piper."

Piper calls out, "Don't want to be late for your first day."

Buffy sighs, "No… wouldn't want that…" Her voice betrays her uncertainty. She sits up.

An hour later Piper is pulling up in front of Gateway High School. Buffy gets out the passenger side.

Piper smiles, "Now, you have a good time. If you need me you have my cell number."

Buffy nods, "I promise. And if I need you I will call." She turns, looks at the school. She starts in as Piper drives away.

A short time later Buffy sits before Principal Flutie. He pulls her transcript from a folder. He looks at it, looks at her. "Buffy Summers…"

Buffy smiled, "Actually it's Halliwell now. Well not officially cause I can't legally change my name till I'm 18. But I go by Buffy Halliwell now."

Mr. Flutie nods, "Ok. Uhm can I ask why?"

Buffy smiles, "Sure. My parents divorced a few years ago. My dad has not been a part of my life very much. My mom's maiden name was Halliwell. To honor my mom I plan on legally changing my name."

Mr. Flutie smiles, "Of course. I will make a notation in your file then so your teachers know, Buffy. So you're a Sophomore, late of Hemery High in Los Angeles. Interesting record. Quite a career." He smiles, and carefully tears up her transcript up into four pieces. "Welcome to Gateway. A clean slate, Buffy, that's what you get here. What's past is past. We're not interested in what it says on a piece of paper. Even if it says…"

He looks down at a piece of the transcripts, "…whoa. At Gateway we nurture the whole student. The inner student." He is taking the pieces of the transcript as he talks and carefully placing them together again. "Other schools might looks at the incredible decline in grade point average – we look at the struggling young woman with the incredible decline in grade point average. Other schools might look at the reports of gang fights…"

Buffy smiles, "Mr. Flutie…"

Mr. Flutie nods, "All the kids here are free to call me Bob…"

Buffy nods, "Bob…"

Mr. Flutie smiles, "…but they don't." He pulls out a piece of tape, starts taping the transcript back together.

Buffy nods, "Mr. Flutie. I know my transcripts are a little colorful…"

Mr. Flutie nods, "Hey, we're not caring about that! Do you think _colorful_ is the word? Not _dismal_? Just off hand, I'd go with _dismal_."

Buffy sighs, "It wasn't that bad."

Mr. Flutie nods, "You burned down the gym."

Buffy sighs, "I did. I really did. But you gotta see the big picture. I mean, the gym was full of vamp… uh, asbestos."

Mr. Flutie shakes his head, "Buffy. Don't worry. Any other school, they might say _watch your step_, or, _we'll be watching you_ or, _get within a hundred yards of the gym with a book of matches and you'll grow up in juvie hall_ but that's just not the way here. We want to service your needs, and help you to respect our needs. And if you needs and our needs don't mesh…" He slips the taped up transcript back in her folder.

A moment later Buffy exits the office, looking a bit depressed. She starts rummaging through her bag and a student runs by, bumps into her. Her books and stuff spill out. Frustrated, she kneels down, starts scooping it back in.

Xander sees this, goes up to her, kneeling. "Can I have you? Dyeh – can I help you?"

Buffy smiles, "Oh, thanks…" He starts picking things up, handing them to her.

Xander nods, "I don't know you, do I?"

Buffy shakes her head, "I'm new. I'm Buffy Halliwell."

Xander nods, "Xander. Is me. Hi."

Buffy smiles, "Thanks."

Xander nods, "Maybe I'll see you around. Maybe at school, since we both… go there…"

Buffy nods, "Great. Nice to meet you."

Xander gives Buffy the rest of her books. She stuffs it all in her bag and hurries away.

In History class the teacher is in front, lecturing. Buffy is near the back, earnestly taking notes. Trying to keep up. "It's estimated that about 25 million people died in that one four year span. But the fun part of the Black Plague is that it originated in Europe how? As an early form of germ warfare. The plague was first found in Asia, and a Kipchak army actually catapulted plague-infested corpses into a Genoese trading post. Ingenious. If you look at the map on page 63 you can trace the spread of the disease…"

Buffy looks about as kids open their books – she hasn't got one. The girl next to her, Cordelia, leans over.

"Here." Cordelia moves her book over so Buffy can read off it as well.

Buffy smiles, "Thanks."

The teacher continues to lecture till the end of class.

Kids are piling up their books and leaving as the bell rings.

Cordelia introduces herself, "Hi, I'm Cordelia."

Buffy smiles, "I'm Buffy."

Cordelia nods, "If you're looking for a textbook of your very own, there's probably a few in the Library."

Buffy nods, "Oh, great. Thanks. Where would that be?"

Cordelia smiles, "I'll show you." They exit the classroom and walk through the crowded hall. "You transferred from Hemery, right? In L.A.?"

Buffy nods, "Yeah."

Cordelia nods, "Oh! I would kill to live in L.A. Being that close to that many shoes… Why'd you come here?"

Buffy sighs, "My mom passed away. I'm living with my cousins, now."

Cordelia nods, "Well, you'll be okay here. If you hang with me and mine you'll be accepted in no time. Of course we do have to test your coolness factor. You're from L.A., so you can skip the written, but, let's see… Vamp nail polish."

Buffy tentatively, "Over?"

Cordelia smiles, "SO over. James Spader."

Buffy nods, "He needs to call me."

Cordelia nods, "Trendy but tasty. John Tesh."

Buffy hesitates, "The Devil?"

Cordelia smiles, "Well, that was pretty much a gimme, but you passed."

Buffy lets out a sigh of relief, "Oh, good."

They stop at the water fountain, which is being used by Willow.

Cordelia shakes her head, "Willow! Nice dress. Good to know you've seen the softer side of Sears."

Buffy says nothing, surprised by Cordelia's sudden viciousness.

Willow says, almost apologetically, "Well my Mom picked it out."

Cordelia witheringly, "No wonder you're such a guy-magnet. Are you done?"

Willow nods, "Oh." She vacates the fountain.

Cordy steps up to it, looking at Buffy. "You wanna fit in here, the first rule is _know your losers_. Once you can identify them all by sight, they're a lot easier to avoid." She bends down to drink.

Buffy looks at the departing Willow, unhappily.

Buffy and Cordelia walk toward the library.

Cordelia smiles, "If you're not too swamped with catching up you should come out to the Bronze tonight."

Buffy frowns, "The who?"

Cordelia nods, "The Bronze. It's the only club worth going to. They let anybody in but it's still the scene."

Buffy nods, "I will see if I can make it."

They arrive at the entrance to the library.

Cordelia smiles, "Good. I'll see you at gym and you can tell me absolutely everything there is to know about yourself." She goes off.

Buffy thrown by the notion, "That sounds like fun…"

Buffy enters the library, looking about her. Buffy steps in, looking around. She looks down at the check-out counter to see a newspaper.

Folded, with an article on the first page circled in red. The headline reads: LOCAL BOYS STILL MISSING, with a blurry picture of three brothers.

Buffy wanders further in. She peers around a bookcase, "Hello… Is anybody here?"

Giles touches her from behind. Startled, she spins. "Can I help you?"

Buffy nods, "I was looking for some, well, books. I'm new."

Giles nods, "Miss Summers."

Buffy frowns, "It's Halliwell now actually, I guess you didn't get the memo. But otherwise good call. I guess I'm the only new kid."

Giles nods, "I'm Mr. Giles, the librarian."

Buffy smiles, "Great. So you have, uh…"

Giles nods, "I know what you're after." He leads Buffy to the check-out desk by the door. He pulls a book out and slides it toward Buffy.

Concern floods Buffy's face, along with the understanding. She steps back from the desk, eyes on the librarian. "That's not what I'm looking for."

Giles frowns, "Are you sure?"

Buffy nods, "I'm way sure."

Giles nods, "My mistake." He replaces the book under the counter. Buffy turns and leaves. "So, what is it you said…"

During lunch in the quad Willow is carefully taking out her packed lunch.

Buffy approaches her, "Uh, hi. Willow, right?"

Willow nods, "Why? I mean Hi. Did you want me to move?"

Buffy shakes her head, "Why don't we start with hi, I'm Buffy." She sits by her. "And then let's segue directly into me asking you for a favor. It doesn't involve moving, but it does involve you hanging out with me for a while."

Willow frowns, "But aren't you… hanging with Cordelia?"

Buffy rolls her eyes, "I can't do both?"

Willow sighs, "Not legally."

Buffy nods, "Look, I really want to get by here. New school… Cordelia's been really nice – to me, anyway – but I have this burning desire not to flunk all my classes, and I heard a rumor that you were the person to talk to if I wanted to get caught up."

Willow smiles, "Oh, I could totally help you out! If you have sixth period free we could meet in the library…"

Buffy shakes her head, "–or not. Or, you know, we could meet somewhere quieter. Louder. That place kind of gives me a wiggins."

Willow nods, "It has that effect on most kids. I love it, though. It's a great collection, and the new librarian's really cool."

Buffy blinks, "He's new?"

Willow nods, "Yeah, he just started. He was a curator of some British Museum. Or the British museum, I'm not sure. But he knows everything and he brought all these historical volumes and biographies and am I the single dullest person alive?"

Buffy shakes her head, "Not at all!"

Xander comes over with Jesse, "Hey. Are you guys busy? Can we interrupt? We're interrupting."

Buffy smiles, "Hey."

Jesse nods, "Hey there."

Willow smiles, "Buffy, this is Jesse, and that's Xander."

Xander nods, "Oh, me and Buffy go way back. Old friends, very close. Then there was that period of estrangement, I think we were both changing as people, but here we are and it's like old times, I'm quite moved."

Jesse shakes his head, "Is it me, or are you turning into a bibbling idiot?"

Xander a little embarrassed, "It's not you."

Buffy nods, "It's nice to meeting you guys… I think."

Jesse smiles, "Well, we wanted to welcome you, make you feel at home. Unless you have a scary home."

Buffy thinks to herself, 'If they only knew.'

Xander nods, "And to return this." He produces the stake. Buffy takes it. "The only thing I can figure is that you're building a really little fence."

Buffy shakes her head, "Oh. No. That was for self-defense. Everyone has them in L.A. Pepper spray is so passe."

Xander nods, "So. What do you like, what do you do for fun, and what do you look for in a man… Let's hear it."

Jesse nods, "If you have any dark, painful secrets that we could publish…"

Buffy rolls her eyes, "Gee, everybody wants to know about me. How keen."

Xander nods, "You're big news."

Buffy shakes her head, "I'm not. Really."

Cordelia steps up behind Jesse, "Are these people bothering you?"

Buffy shakes her head, "Oh! No."

Willow covering for her, "She's not hanging out with us."

Jesse smitten, "Hey, Cordelia."

Cordelia rolls her eyes, "Oh, please." She looks at Buffy. "I don't want to interrupt your downward mobility. I just thought I'd tell you that you won't be meeting Coach Foster, the woman with chest hair, because gym has been canceled due to the extreme dead guy in the locker."

Buffy frowns, "What?"

Willow nods, "What are you talking about?"

Cordelia nods, "Some guy was stuffed in Aura's locker."

Buffy frowns, "Dead?"

Cordelia smiles, "Way dead."

Xander shakes his head, "So not just a little dead then."

Cordelia shakes her head, "Don't you have an elsewhere to be?"

Jesse smiles, "If you need a shoulder to cry on, or just to nibble on…"

Buffy frowns, "How did he die?"

Cordelia shrugs, "I don't know…"

Buffy nods, "Well, were there any marks?"

Cordelia blinks, "Morbid much? I didn't ask!"

Buffy nods, "Uh, look, I gotta book. I'll see you guys later." She takes off, the others watching her.

Cordelia shakes her head, "What's her deal?"

She makes her way to the hallway outside the locker room. She runs into Mr. Flutie.

Mr. Flutie closes the door quietly. He turns to see Buffy before him. "Oh! Buffy! Uh, what do you want?"

Buffy smiles, "Um, is there a guy in there that's dead?"

Mr. Flutie frowns, "Where did you hear that? Okay. Yes. But he's not a student! Not currently."

Buffy nods, "Do you know how he died?"

Mr. Flutie blinks, "What?"

Buffy smiles, "I mean – how could this have happened?"

Mr. Flutie shrugs, "Well, that's for the police to determine when they get here. But this structure is safe, we have inspections, and I think there are no grounds for a lawsuit."

Buffy nods, "Was there a lot of blood? Was there any blood?"

Mr. Flutie shakes his head, "I would think you wouldn't want to involve yourself in this kind of thing."

Buffy shakes her head, "I don't. Could I just take a peek?"

Mr Flutie frowns, "Unless you already are involved…"

Buffy sighs, "Never mind."

Mr. Flutie nods, "Buffy, I understand this is confusing. You're probably feeling a lot right now. You should share those feelings. With someone else."

Buffy smiles wanly, backs off. She makes her way out side and comes around the side of the gym. There is a door to the locker room and she tries it. It's locked. She looks around to make sure she's alone, and then pulls the door open with a quick tug, splintering the lock. One last look around and she slips inside.

Inside the locker room Buffy approaches the body laid out under a blanket. She hesitates, sure she's not going to like what she sees. Pulls the blanket from his head and shoulders. He has two big ol' bite marks in his neck. She stares down at the body, nearly seething. "Oh, great!"

Buffy strides back to the library, attitude high. "Okay, what's the sitch?" She spies Giles and starts up toward him.

Giles frowns, "Sorry?"

Buffy smiles, "You heard about the dead guy, right? The dead guy in the locker?"

Giles nods, "Yes."

Buffy frowns, "Well, it's the weirdest thing. He's got two little holes in his neck and all his blood's been drained. Isn't that bizarre? Aren't you just going, Ooooh…"

Giles frowns, "I was afraid of this."

Buffy frowns, "Well, I wasn't! It's my first day. I was afraid that I'd be behind in all the classes, that I wouldn't make any friends, that I'd have last month's hair. I didn't think there would be vampires on campus. And I don't care."

Giles frowns, "Then why are you here?"

Buffy's stopped for a moment. She wondered the same thing why was she here. She had promised Prue to keep a low profile. "To tell you that I don't care. Which I don't, and… have now told you. So bye." She starts out, maybe a little unsatisfied with her exit.

Giles nods, "Will he rise again?"

Buffy sighs, "Who?"

Giles nods, "The boy."

Buffy shakes her head, "No, he's just dead."

Giles nods, "Can you be sure?"

Buffy nods, "To make you a vampire they have to suck your blood and then you have to suck their blood, it's a whole big sucking thing. Mostly they'll just take all your blood and then you just die – why am I still talking to you?"

Giles frowns, "You have no idea what's going on, do you? Do you think its coincidence, you're coming here? That boy was just the beginning."

Buffy turns, "Oh, why can't you leave me alone?"

Giles frowns, "Because you are the Slayer." Buffy stops. No comeback just now. He starts down after her, solemnly intoning. "Into every generation a slayer is born. One girl, in all the world, a Chosen One. One born with the…"

Buffy finishes along with him, "-the strength and skill to hunt the vampires. To stop the spread of their evil blah blah I've heard it, okay?"

Giles frowns, "I don't understand this attitude. You've accepted your duty, you've slain vampires before…"

Buffy sighs as she decides a little white lie is better than the truth, "Well, I have both been there and done that. And I am moving on."

Giles nods, "What do you know about this town?"

Buffy sighs, "It's where my cousins live. Where I live now, since my mom passed away."

Giles nods, "Dig a bit in the history of this place and you'll find there has been a steady stream of fairly odd occurrences. I believe this area is a center of mystical energy. Things gravitate toward it that you might not find elsewhere."

Buffy nods, "Like Vampires." She tries to move past Giles and he pulls a book off the shelf, hands it to her.

Giles continues to pull more off, piling them up in her arms. "Like werewolves. Zombies. Succubi, incubi… Everything you ever dreaded under your bed and told yourself couldn't be by the light of day."

Buffy mutters under her breath, "Warlocks."

Giles frowns, "What?"

Buffy shakes her head, "What, did you send away for the Time Life series?"

Giles nods, "Uh, yes."

Buffy smiles, "Did you get the free phone?"

Giles shakes his head, "The calendar."

Buffy nods, "Cool. Okay, first of all, I'm a vampire slayer. And secondly, I'm retired. Hey, I know! Why don't you kill them?"

Giles shakes his head, "I'm a watcher. I haven't the skill."

Buffy frowns, "Oh, come on. Stake through the heart, a little sunlight – it's like falling off a log."

Giles frowns, "The Slayer slays. The Watcher…"

Buffy nods, "Watches?"

Giles nods, "Yes. No! He – he – trains her, he prepares her…"

Buffy sighs, "Prepares me for what? For getting kicked out of school? For my mother dying. Losing all my friends? Having to spend all my time fighting for my life and never getting to tell anyone because it might 'endanger' them? Go ahead. Prepare me." She turns and leaves

Giles heads out after her. He comes out of the library, calls out to Buffy. "It's getting worse."

Buffy stops, turns. There are people about, so they are forced to whisper. "What's getting worse?"

Giles nods, "The influx of the undead, the supernatural occurrences. It's been building for years and now… There's a reason why you're here, and there's a reason why it's now."

Buffy nods, "Because now is the time my mom died and I had to move in with my cousins since my dad is too busy to raise me himself."

Giles frowns, "Something is coming. Something is going to happen here soon."

Buffy nods, "Gee, can you vague that up for me…?"

Giles shakes his head, "As far as I can tell, the signs point to a crucial mystical upheaval very soon – days, possibly less."

Buffy sighs, "Come on. This is San Francisco. How bad an evil can there be here?" She actually knows the answer to that question having had to face a warlock her first night in San Francisco.

That evening Buffy is in the agony of outfit choosage, getting ready to go out. She has two, one scanty, the other somewhat plain. She holds them alternatively in front of her, looking in the mirror. "Hi! I'm an enormous slut! Hi! Would you like a copy of the Watchtower?" She throws both outfits down. "I used to be so good at this…"

Phoebe enters, watches her. "Where you off to tonight Buffy?"

Buffy nods, "Hear of a club called the Bronze?"

Phoebe nods, "Yes. Went there a few times when I was your age. Grams hated me going there. Do you know where it is?"

Buffy shakes her head, "Not really. I was going to look it up in the phonebook and then get a map of town and try and find it that way."

Phoebe nods, "I'll go with you. So how was your day?"

Buffy sighs, "There is this guy at the school he knows I'm the Slayer."

Phoebe frowns, "Buffy you didn't?"

Buffy shakes her head, "No Phoebe I didn't. He already knew I guess he's Merrick's replacement. Merrick was my watcher in L.A."

Phoebe nods, "You didn't tell him about us did you?"

Buffy shakes her head, "That we're witches, no."

Short time later Phoebe and Buffy makes their way on foot to the Bronze. They turn a corner, walking down the street, just talking to each other.

Suddenly Buffy hears footsteps behind her. She stops, turns slowly.

Phoebe looks at Buffy quizzically, "What?"

Buffy motions to a figure standing in the dark behind them. It doesn't move – they can't see its face but it seems to be looking at them, Buffy in particular.

Buffy and Phoebe turns to go. The figure follows.

Buffy and Phoebe turns the corner. Buffy is somewhat worried – moving faster. Phoebe is struggling to keep up. The figure follows, always at a discreet distance.

Buffy turns in to an alley. She looks about her. A pipe runs across the narrow alley some ten feet above her. Garbage cans cluster at the other end. She looks to Phoebe, "Hide behind those garbage cans."

Phoebe frowns as she makes her way over to the garbage cans, "What are you going to do?"

Buffy looks up, Phoebe follows her gaze to the pipe. Buffy jumps and swings herself up so she is doing a hand stand on the pipe. Phoebe crouches down behind the garbage can.

The figure, Angel, turns into the now-empty alley, starts down it. Buffy suddenly drops down on him, legs locked over his neck. She throws herself back, tipping him over, rolling herself and slamming his body onto the ground. He's on his feet quickly, but she grabs him and throws him up against the wall. She closes in, but he makes no move to attack. Puts up his hands.

Angel smiles, "Is there a problem, ma'am?" He seems faintly amused.

Buffy eyes him suspiciously, getting her first good look at him.

Phoebe comes out from her hiding spot and stands next to Buffy.

Buffy shrugs, "There's a problem. Why are you following us?"

Angel smiles, "I know what you're thinking, but don't worry. I don't bite."

Phoebe nods, "How about the other thing?"

Angel smiles, "A Warlock? Not one of those either." Buffy backs off a bit, perplexed. "Truth is," he looks to Buffy, "I thought you'd be taller. Or bigger, muscles and all that. You're pretty spry, though."

Buffy frowns, "What do you want?"

Angel smiles, "Same thing you two do."

Buffy shakes her head, "Okay, what do we want?"

The amusement leaves Angel's face. "To kill 'em. To kill 'em all."

Buffy rolls her eyes and looks at Phoebe, "Sorry! That's incorrect but you do get this lovely watch and a year's worth of Turtle Wax what I want… is to be left alone."

Angel shakes his head, "You really think that's an option anymore? You're standing at the mouth of Hell. And it's about to open." He reaches into his coat for something. It's a good sized box. He throws it to Buffy. "Don't turn your back on this. You've got to be ready."

Buffy frowns, "For what?"

Angel smiles, "The Harvest." He starts out.

Phoebe shakes her head, "Who are you?"

Angel smiles, "Let's just say I'm a friend."

Buffy exasperated, "Well, maybe we don't want a friend."

Angel smiles, "I didn't say I was either of yours…" He goes.

Buffy watches him go, and then opens the box. Inside she finds four smaller jewelry boxes. She opens one to find a cross. She opens another to find a matching cross. "Something tells me there are four matching crosses here. Something tells me he knows who we are."

Phoebe nods, "I would have to agree. We'll worry about that when we get back to the manor."

At the Bronze a decent crowd mills aimlessly around. Buffy and Phoebe moves their way up the line. Buffy scans about for a familiar face. She doesn't find one.

They make there inside Buffy spots Willow getting a soda at the bar. She turns back to look at the band just as Buffy and Phoebe comes up to her.

Buffy smiles, "Hi!"

Willow nods, "Oh, hi! Hi." She looks at Phoebe, "Who's your friend?"

Buffy nods, "Willow this is my cousin, Phoebe. Phoebe this is Willow she goes to school with me."

Phoebe smiles, "Hi, Willow."

Buffy nods, "Are you here with someone?"

Willow shakes her head, "No, I'm just here. I thought Xander was gonna show up…"

Buffy nods, "Oh, are you guys going out?"

Willow shakes her head, "No. We're just friends. We used to go out, but we broke up."

Phoebe nods, "How come?"

Willow smiles, "He stole my Barbie." Buffy looks at her quizzically. "We were five."

Buffy nods, "Oh."

Willow nods, "I don't actually date a whole lot… lately."

Buffy nods, "Why not?"

Willow shrugs, "Well, when I'm with a boy I like, it's hard for me to say anything cool, or witty, or at all… I can usually make a few vowel sounds, and then I have to go away."

Buffy laughs, "It's not that bad. Is it?"

Willow nods, "I think boys are more interested in a girl who can talk."

Phoebe shakes her head, "You really haven't been dating lately."

Willow nods, "It's probably easy for you two."

Buffy a little forlornly, "Oh, yeah. Real easy."

Willow nods, "I mean, you don't seem too shy."

Buffy nods, "Well, my philosophy is – do you wanna hear my philosophy?"

Willow smiles, "I do."

Buffy looks at Phoebe, "Life is short."

Willow nods, "Life is short."

Phoebe frowns, "Life is short?"

Buffy nods, "Not original, I'll grant you. But it's true. Why waste time being all shy? Why worry about some guy and if he's gonna laugh at you? You know? Seize the moment. 'Cause tomorrow you might be dead."

Phoebe rolls her eyes.

Willow nods, "Oh… That's nice…"

Buffy sees somebody moving about on the balcony. Her brow furrows. "Uh, I'll be back in a minute."

Willow shakes her head, "That's okay. You don't have to come back."

Buffy smiling at her self-effacing attitude, "I'll be back in a minute." She takes off, leaving Willow and Phoebe at the bar.

Willow nods, "Seize the moment…"

Phoebe shakes her head, "The death part aside, Buffy did give some good advice."

Buffy goes up the stairs to the balcony, makes her way to the railing overlooking the stage. She leans on it, Giles is standing beside her. He doesn't even look at her. "So, you like to party with the students? Isn't that kind of skanky?"

Giles witheringly, "Right. This is me having fun." He looks out on stage. "Watching clown-hair prance about is hardly my idea of a party. I'd much prefer to be home with a cup of tea and a good book."

Buffy nods.

Giles nods, "This is a perfect breeding ground for Vampire activity. Dark, crowded… Besides, I knew you were likely to show up. And I have to make you understand…"

Buffy nods, "That the Harvest is coming, I know, your friend told me."

Giles thrown, "What did you say?"

Buffy sighs, "The… Harvest. That means something to you? 'Cause I'm drawing a blank."

Giles shakes his head, "I'm not sure… Who told you this?"

Buffy nods, "This guy. Dark, gorgeous in an annoying sort of way. I figured you were buds."

Giles frowns, "No… The Harvest… Did he say anything else?"

Buffy nods, "Something about the mouth of Hell. I really didn't like him."

They both look down at the floor for a moment, at the dancing kids.

Giles nods, "Look at them. Throwing themselves about…. Completely unaware of the danger that surrounds them."

Buffy sighs, "Lucky them…"

Phoebe makes her way up the stairs.

Giles nods, "Or perhaps you're right. Perhaps there is no trouble coming. The signs could be wrong. It's not as though you're having the nightmares…"

Buffy sighs, "I didn't say I'd never slay another vampire. I'm just not gonna get way extracurricular with it. If I run into one, sure…"

Giles nods, "But will you be ready? There's so much you don't know, about them and about your own powers. A vampire appears to be a normal person, until the feed is upon them. Only then do they reveal their true demonic visage."

Buffy nods, "You're like a textbook with arms! I know this!"

Giles sighs, "The point is, a Slayer should be able to see them anyway. Without looking, without thinking. Can you tell me if there's a vampire in this building?"

Buffy frowns, "Maybe?"

Giles shakes his head, "You should know! Even through this mass and this din you should be able to sense them. Try. Reach out with your mind." Phoebe steps up next to Buffy. He looks at Phoebe, "Do you mind this is a private conversation."

Phoebe smiles, "Seeing how you're talking to my cousin. And seeing how my sisters and I are her legal guardians. Also if this has to do with what I think it is I know all about who Buffy is."

Giles frowns, "You know she is the Slayer?"

Phoebe nods, "Yes. Buffy uhm can I talk to you alone for a second."

Buffy nods, "I'll be right back." Phoebe and Buffy move a short distance away. "What is it Phoebe?"

Phoebe sighs, "I was getting your friend Willow a refill and I had a premonition about her. She was killed by a vampire."

Buffy makes her way back to the railing with Phoebe. They scan the crowd looking for Willow.

Giles nods, "Now as I was saying you have to hone your senses, focus until the energy washes over you, till you can feel every particle of…"

Buffy nods spotting Willow, "There she is. In fact she's talking with a Vamp right now."

Giles stops, nonplused. "What? Where?"

Buffy pointing, "Down there. Talking to Willow."

Giles frowns, "But you don't know…"

Buffy looks at Phoebe who nods, "Oh, please. Look at his jacket. He's got the sleeves rolled up. And the shirt… Deal with that outfit for a moment."

Giles nods, "It's dated?"

Buffy nods, "It's carbon dated! Trust me: only someone who's been living underground for ten years would think that was the look. Now if you will excuse me I have a potential friend to save."

Giles frowns, "But… you didn't hone…"

Buffy starts toward the stairs followed by Phoebe. They fight their way down the stairs. Buffy looks toward where they were and sees they're gone. She looks about a moment, and then, guessing correctly, heads for the backstage door as well.

Phoebe grabs Buffy's arm, "Outside. In my premonition they weren't in the club."

Buffy nods, "Do you know where?"

Phoebe shakes her head, "Somewhere underground."

They turn around and head for the front door and bump into Giles.

Giles nods, "Is he dead? That was fast. Well done. I'd best go to the library. This "Harvest" is …"

Buffy shakes her head, "He and Willow left the club."

Giles frowns, "The vampire's not dead?"

Buffy shakes her head, "Not yet. But he will be."

Giles nods, "What do we do?"

Buffy nods, "You go on. I'll take care of it."

Giles nods, "I should come with you, no?"

Buffy shakes her head, "Don't worry. One vampire I can handle. Plus I have Phoebe with me."

Giles frowns, "Your cousin? No offense to you Miss Halliwell. But why are you taking her along?"

Buffy smiles, "Let's just say Phoebe and I are Charmed."

Giles looks after Buffy and Phoebe as they exit with some confusion at Buffy's answer.

Phoebe shook her head, "Really? That was your answer. We're Charmed? Could you be any more obvious?"

Buffy rolls her eyes.

Outside the Bronze Xander comes up to Buffy and Phoebe, carrying his skateboard. "You're leaving already?"

Buffy shakes her head, "Xander, have you seen Willow?"

Xander shakes his head, "Not tonight."

Buffy nods, "I need to find her. She left with a guy."

Xander blinks, "We are talking about Willow, right?" He's impressed. "Scoring at the Bronze. Work it, girlfriend."

Buffy looks around.

Phoebe nods, "Where would they go?"

Xander looks at Phoebe and shakes his head, "Why, you know something about Mr. Goodbar that she doesn't? Oh! Hey. I hope he's not a vampire. 'Cause then you'd have to slay him."

Buffy turns back to him, surprised and miffed. "Was there a school bulletin? Was it in the news? Is there anybody in this town who doesn't know I'm the Slayer?"

Xander shakes his head, "I only know that you think you're the Slayer, and I only know that because I was in the library today."

Phoebe frowns, "Look just tell us where Willow would go."

Xander frowns, "You're serious."

Buffy nods, "We don't find her, there's gonna be another dead body in the morning."

Xander looks at Buffy and Phoebe. He sees they aren't kidding. "Come on." They head off.

In a cemetery Willow is walking with the Vampire, but getting increasingly creeped out. "Okay, this is nice and… scary… Are you sure this is faster?"

The vampire says nothing. She keeps walking beside him, uncertain. He stops at a small mausoleum. The entrance is a well of black. "Hey. You ever been in one of these?"

Willow shakes her head, "No thank you."

The vampire moves in close, holding her intimately. "Come on. What are you afraid of?" He pushes her into the blackness of the entrance.

Willow stumbles in to the mausoleum. She looks about her frightened, adjusting to the increased dark. She spins all the way round to see the boy filling the entrance. "That wasn't funny." The vampire steps closer, his face in shadow. She circles away from him, moving closer to the doorway. "I think I'm gonna go."

The vampire smiles, "Is that what you think?" All the playfulness has drained out of his voice.

Willow takes a step back, another, turns and runs right into Darla. Emitting something between a scream and a squeak, Willow steps back.

Darla looks at her, at the vampire. "Is this the best you could do?"

The vampire smiles, "She's fresh."

Darla nods, "Hardly enough to share."

The vampire nods, "Why didn't you bring your own?"

Darla smiles, "I did." She indicates the doorway behind her.

Jesse stumbles dazed from the darkness. "Hey, wait up…"

Willow frowns, "Jesse!" She goes over to him, relieved.

Jesse is clutching his neck. "I think you gave me a hickey…" He takes his hand away. There is blood on it, on his neck. Willow looks over at the other two, eyes wide.

Darla smiles, "I got hungry on the way."

Willow frowns, "Jesse, let's get out of here."

Darla shakes her head, "You're not going anywhere."

Willow shakes her head, "Leave us alone."

Darla smiles, "You're not going anywhere until we've FED!" She morphs into vampface.

Willow screams, takes a stumbled step back and falls.

The vampire laughs, circling.

Buffy smiles, "Well, this is nice." She steps in, Xander and Phoebe following her. Everybody stops. "A little bare, but a dash of paint, a few throw pillows – call it home."

Darla frowns, "Who the hell are you?"

Buffy smiles and looks at Phoebe, "Wow somebody who doesn't know who I am." She looks at Darla. "That's a relief. I'm telling you, having a secret identity in this town is a job of work."

Xander is moving between the two Vampires, who loosen their grip on their respective victims. "Buffy, we bail now, right?"

The vampire shakes his head, "Not yet."

Buffy nods, "Okay, first of all, what's with this outfit? Live in the now, okay? You look like DeBarge. Now, we can do this the hard way or… well, actually, there's just the hard way."

Darla smiles, "Fine with me."

Buffy nods, "You sure? It's not gonna be pretty. We're talking violence, strong language, adult content."

The vampire rushes Buffy from behind, charging at her with incredible speed and momentum.

Buffy reaches for a stake but something catches her attention. In her hand is a fireball. She throws it at the vampire and he dusts. "Wow, Phoebe it looks like I got my power. And it's going to come in handy."

Xander and Willow are speechless, they look at Buffy and then at where the vampire was.

Darla is wide eyed, exceedingly wary. But not cowed. She moves slowly around, preparing to fight herself. "He was young. And stupid."

Buffy nods, "Xander, go. Phoebe go with them."

Darla nods, "Don't go far." She lunges at Buffy, who parries her blows with martial arts precision.

Xander herds the others out.

Darla hit the ground with a painful thud.

Buffy stands over her. She's a bit out of breath, and the humor is gone from her visage. "You know, I just wanted to start over. Be like everybody else. Have some friends, maybe a dog… But no. You had to come here. You couldn't go suck on some other town."

Darla frowns, "Who are you?"

Buffy shakes her head, "Don't you know?"

Luke suddenly grabs Buffy by the throat, lift her bodily from the ground. "I don't care." He steps out of the shadows from behind her and throws her a good fifteen feet. She hits the wall face first, landing badly. He turns on Darla, who is getting up. "You were supposed to be bringing an offering for the Master. We're almost at Harvest and you dally with this child?"

Darla shakes her head, "We had someone. But she came and… she killed Thomas… Luke, she's strong. And she has powers."

Luke contemptuously, "You go. I'll see if I can handle the little girl." Buffy lifts herself off the floor just as Luke suddenly closes on her, grabs her. She's ready this time, though, and she knocks his arms away, kicks him in the face. It sends him back a bit but he recovers in a second, landing a solid punch to her jaw. "You are strong." He slams her back to the ground. "I'm stronger."

Buffy circles around the tomb, keeping it between her and Luke. She powers up a fireball. "You may be strong but how are you with fire?"

Luke frowns as he sees the fireball in her hand. He shoves the top of the tomb with all his might, sends it flying at her causing Buffy to extinguish the fireball.

Buffy leaps over it – jumps up onto the tomb, leaps off it, flipping, and plants both feet solidly in Luke's chest.

Luke falls back, as does she – she gets up first and pulls out her stake, drives it toward his chest – but he grabs just before it reaches. "You think you can stop me? Stop us?" He squeezes – and the stake splinters in his powerful grip. He Punches Buffy, knocks her back. "You have no idea what you're dealing with."

Luke stands, triumphant, over her. "And like a plague of boils, the race of Man covered the earth. But on the third day of the newest light will come over the Harvest when the blood of men will flow as wine when the Master will walk among them once more the world will belong to the Old Ones…" Buffy is getting up, keeping her eyes on Luke. "…and Hell itself will come to town."

Buffy tries to move to the side, to get away – Luke backhands her with all the force he has. She flies back – right into the tomb! She falls and lands hard on her back, the wind knocked out of her. She looks beside her – and sees the withered corpse of the tomb's owner.

Buffy looks up but no Luke. Only the walls of the tomb. He could be anywhere. Slowly, achingly slowly, she lifts her head. Truly scared. Looks over one side of the tomb – nothing. Looks over the other.

Luke jumps into the crypt on top of her. Buffy tries to fight him off but she's well pinned.

Luke contemplates Buffy a moment with gleeful animal hunger. Teeth dripping. "Amen." He bears down.


	4. Chapter 4: The Harvest

_**BeneathYouICrunch -**_No Buffy won't be flame teleporting, or as it is called on Charmed Wikia - Flaming. The reason being Flaming appears to be a demon only power while Fire power like the one Buffy has can be used by either a witch or a demon.

* * *

**Chapter 4: The Harvest**

Luke bears down on Buffy, fangs bared. She struggles, but he's got her pinned. He rips open her shirt a bit to get at her throat. Grabs her - and screams. He jumps back, smoke curling out of his hand.

Buffy takes the moment and kicks with both legs, sends Luke flying back out of the tomb. She jumps up herself and before he can recover, she runs out of there as fast as she can - stumbling a bit and breathing hard from the beating she took - Buffy books through the graveyard. As she reaches the trees on the edge of it, she looks back at the Mausoleum. Nobody's coming.

She hears Willow scream. "No! Nooo! Get – off…"

Buffy runs to the sound of the voice - comes to find Willow on the ground, struggling with a vampire. Phoebe is fighting another vamp.

Buffy powers up a fireball, "Phoebe duck." Phoebe looks to Buffy and sees the fireball and drops to the ground as Buffy throws it dusting the vamp. She runs for Willow and kicks the vamp in the face, sending him flying way back.

The vamp lands hard on his back and scrambles away, holding his nose. Buffy is all business now, looking around her in quiet fury. Her senses alert. She hears a crack, some scuffing on the ground. She takes off, leaving Willow with Phoebe. After a moment, Willow rises and follows along with Phoebe.

Buffy comes upon two vamps dragging an unconscious Xander. She powers up a fireball throwing it at one, dusting it.

The other vamp looks around and spots Buffy. She powers up another fireball the other vamp flees before she has a chance to use it.

Willow runs up to Xander, cradles his head. He is just coming to. "Xander, are you okay?"

Buffy looks to Phoebe and whispers, "I really love this power. It's going to make being a Slayer that much easier. I can dust them from ten feet away."

Phoebe nods.

Xander frowns, "Man... something hit me..."

Buffy is looks around, "Where's Jesse?"

Willow shakes her head, "I don't know - they surrounded us - he was really weak..."

Xander nods, "That girl grabbed him. Took off."

Buffy frowns, "Which way?"

Xander shakes his head, "I don't know."

Phoebe nods, "I didn't see which way they took him, sorry Buffy."

Buffy looks into the night. "Jesse..."

In the library the next morning Giles is speaking, "This world is older than any of you know, and contrary to popular mythology, it did not begin as a paradise. For untold eons, Demons walked the earth; made it their home... their Hell." Phoebe rolls her eyes. "In time they lost their purchase on this reality, and the way was made for the mortal animals. For Man. What remains of the Old Ones are vestiges: Certain magicks, certain creatures..."

Buffy nods, "And vampires..."

Xander rises, agitated. "Okay, this is where I have a problem; see, because we're now talking about vampires. We're having a talk with vampires in it."

Willow nods, "Oooh... I need to sit down."

Phoebe shakes her head, "You are sitting down."

Willow smiles, "Oh. Good for me."

Xander nods, "So vampires are demons?"

Giles nods, "The books tell that the last Demon to leave this reality fed off a human, mixed their blood. He was a human form possessed - infected - by the Demon's soul. He bit another, and another... and so they walk the earth, feeding. Killing some, mixing their blood with others to make more of their kind. Waiting for the animals to die out, and the Old Ones to return."

Xander nods, "And that would be a what?"

Giles sighs, "As long as there have been vampires, there has been the Slayer. One girl in all the world…"

Buffy rolls her eyes and looks at Phoebe, "He loves doing this part."

Giles nods, "All right: They hunt vampires, one Slayer dies, the next is called, Buffy is the Slayer, don't tell anyone. I think that's all the vampire information you need."

Xander shakes his head, "Except for one thing. How do you kill them?"

Buffy shakes her head, "You don't. I do."

Xander nods, "Well, Jesse…"

Buffy sighs, "Jesse's my responsibility. I let him get taken."

Xander frowns, "That's not true."

Willow nods, "If you hadn't showed up, they would have... taken us too... Does anybody mind if I pass out."

Buffy nods, "Breathe..."

Willow sighs, "Breathe."

Phoebe smiles, "Breathe."

Buffy nods, "This big guy, Luke, he talked about an offering to the Master. I don't know who or what, but if they weren't just feeding, Jesse may still be alive. I'm gonna find him."

Willow nods, "This is probably the dumb question, but shouldn't we call the police?"

Giles sighs, "Do you think they'd believe us?"

Willow nods, "We don't have to say vampires. We could say there was... a bad man."

Buffy shakes her head, "They couldn't handle it if they did come. They'd only show up with guns."

Giles nods, "You've no idea where they took Jesse?"

Buffy shakes her head, "I looked around, but... soon as they got clear of the woods they could have just - whoom."

Xander frowns, "They can fly?"

Buffy sighs, "They can drive."

Xander nods, "Oh."

Willow shakes her head, "I don't remember hearing a car..."

Giles nods, "Well, let's take an enormous intuitive leap and say they went underground."

Buffy nods, "Vampires really jam on sewer systems. You can get anywhere in town without catching any rays. I didn't see any access around there, though."

Xander nods, "Well, there's electrical tunnels. They run under the whole town."

Giles nods, "If we had a diagnostic of the tunnel system, it might indicate a meeting place. I suppose we could go to the building commission…"

Buffy frowns, "We so don't have time."

Willow nods, "Uh, guys? There may be another way. I can pull up the maps on the computer. I got a question though how did you do the fire thing?"

Giles frowns, "Fire thing?"

Willow nods, "Buffy created a fireball in her hand."

Giles looks to Buffy and frowns, "That is a good question. Only a witch with an active power could do something like that. But…"

Buffy sighs, "Actually…"

Phoebe frowns, "Buffy…"

Giles looks at Phoebe, "You knew she could do this?"

Buffy sighs, "He's going to find out sooner or later. Especially if I keep using magic."

Phoebe frowns, "You know Prue is going to ground you for life."

Buffy nods, "We don't have to tell her you know."

Giles coughs, "Excuse me. Not that this conversation isn't interesting. But how can you do magic?"

Buffy smiles. "Like this." She powers up a fireball. Everyone except Phoebe gasps.

Giles nods, "That's rather amazing. I don't know of any Slayer that has been a witch before. Let alone a witch with an active power such as that. How did you come to have such a power?"

Buffy smiles extinguishing the fireball, "Remember my hint at the Bronze last night."

Giles nods, "That you and your cousin here are Charmed?"

Buffy nods, "You do some research on that and see what you come up with."

Giles nods, "Something to look into later. Willow you said you could get us maps of the electrical tunnels?"

A short time later they are looking at map of San Francisco on the computer.

Buffy nods, "There it is."

Willow nods, "This runs under the graveyard."

Xander shakes his head, "I don't see any access."

Giles nods, "So all the city plans are just open to the public?"

Phoebe rolls her eyes, "I doubt it."

Willow smiles, "Uh, well, in a way. I sort of stumbled onto them when I accidentally... decrypted the city council's security system."

Xander focused on the screen, "Someone's been naughty..."

Buffy sighs, "There's nothing here. This is useless!"

Giles frowns, "I think you should ease up on yourself."

Buffy frowns, "You're the one who told me I wasn't prepared enough. Understatement. I thought I was on top of it, and then that Monster Luke came out of nowhere…" She stops. Pauses.

Giles shakes his head, "That's before I learned about your power."

Xander nods, "What?"

Buffy working it out, "He didn't come out of nowhere. He came from behind me. I was facing the entrance. He came from behind me and he didn't follow me out." She looks at them, "The access to the tunnels is in the mausoleum."

Giles frowns, "Are you sure?"

Buffy nods, "The girl must have doubled back with Jesse after I got out. God, I'm so mentally challenged!"

Phoebe shakes her head, "You aren't, Buffy."

Xander nods, "So, what's the plan? We saddle up, right?"

Buffy shakes her head, "There's no 'we'. Okay? There is only me and Phoebe. I'm the Slayer, and you're not. And Phoebe has some martial arts training. Plus being one of my three legal guardians she can get me out of school with very few questions asked."

Xander frowns, "I knew you were gonna throw that in my face, the Slayer thing."

Buffy frowns, "Xander, this is deeply dangerous. I'm only letting Phoebe come along because she has fought them with me before."

Xander nods, "I'm inadequate. That's fine. I'm less than a man."

Willow shakes her head, "Buffy, I'm not anxious to go into a dark place full of monsters, but I do want to help. I need to."

Giles nods, "Then help me. I've been researching this Harvest affair. Seems to be some sort of pre-ordained massacre. Rivers of blood, Hell on earth... Quite charmless. I am fuzzy on the details, however, and it may be that you can wrest some information from that dread machine. That was a bit British, wasn't it?"

Phoebe smiles, "Welcome to the new world."

Giles nods, "I want you to go on the Net."

Willow nods, "Oh! Yeah. Sure. I can do that."

Buffy nods, "Then we're out of here. If Jesse's alive, we'll bring him back."

Giles nods, "Do I have to tell you to be careful? Especially with your cousin going with you?"

Buffy looks at him a moment. Then they're out the door.

Buffy and Phoebe heads toward a gate that stands open. They are about to go through it when Mr. Flutie appears right behind them. "And where do we think we're going?"

Buffy frowns, "We? I? Me?"

Mr. Flutie nods, "We're not leaving school grounds, are we?"

Phoebe smiles and sticks out her hand, "Phoebe Halliwell. I'm one Buffy's cousins and one of her legal guardians. There is a family emergency at home."

Mr. Flutie takes Phoebe's hand and shakes it, "Nice to meet you Ms. Halliwell. I hope everything is alright."

Phoebe nods, "Don't know yet. Hopefully not."

Mr. Flutie nods, "Alright then." He lets them out before locking the gate.

The walks away from the school down the street.

Buffy smiles, "I knew there was a reason I was bringing you along. Prue will go ballistic now won't she? Between Giles, Willow and Xander knowing about my power and my ditching school."

Phoebe nods, "Possibly. But the good news you won't be alone there. She's likely to be just as equally mad at me. Especially when she finds out what went on last night."

Once back at the cemetery they enter the mausoleum cautiously, looking about them. Buffy senses a lurking presence, but the shadows give up nothing.

They reach the iron door on the other side. Buffy tries it, it's locked. She stops, letting out a long breath. "I don't suppose you've got a key on you?"

Phoebe frowns, "Who are you talking to?"

Angel steps from the shadows, a smile in his eyes. "That would be me. And they really don't like me dropping in."

Phoebe's eyes go wide as she recognizes Angel from the night before.

Buffy nods, "Why not?"

Angel smiles, "They really don't like me."

Buffy sarcastically, "How could that possibly be?"

Angel nods, "I knew you'd figure out this entryway sooner or later. Actually, I thought it was gonna be a little sooner."

Buffy shakes her head, "I'm sorry you had to wait. Look, if you're gonna be popping up with this cryptic wise man act on a regular basis, can you at least tell me your name?"

Phoebe nods, "Since you seem to know us it would be nice to know who you are."

Angel nods, "Angel."

Buffy blinks, "Angel. It's a pretty name."

Angel nods, "Don't go down there."

Buffy smiles and looks at Phoebe, "Deal with our going."

Angel nods, "You shouldn't be putting yourself at risk. Tonight is the Harvest. Unless you can prevent it, the Master walks."

Phoebe nods, "If this Harvest thing is such a suckfest, as my cousin here would say, why don't you stop it?"

Angel smiles, "Because I'm afraid." The unashamed openness of the statement catches Buffy a bit off guard. They look at him a moment. Buffy kicks the door open. "They'll be expecting you."

Buffy nods, "I've got a friend down there - or, a potential friend. Do you know what it's like to have a friend?" He doesn't answer. "That wasn't supposed to be a stumper."

Angel nods, "When you hit the tunnels, head east, toward the school. That's where you're likely to find them."

Phoebe nods, "You gonna wish us luck?"

Angel says nothing.

Buffy and Phoebe looks at him a moment more, then heads into the darkness.

Angel stands there, not moving. Quiet concern on his face. "Good luck."

They climb down a ladder. They look about them, taking it in.

Phoebe looks around, "Uhm you don't have a stake do you?"

Buffy smiles and hands Phoebe a stake, "Not like I will need it."

They start down a tunnel, moving slowly. Suddenly Buffy hears something and spins, sneaks up and looks down another tunnel.

Shadows. Noise. Nothing solid.

Buffy pulls her head back and Xander's right behind her and Phoebe!

Xander nods, "Did you see anything?"

Buffy shakes her head, "Xander!"

Phoebe nods, "What are you doing here?"

Xander smiles, "Something stupid. I followed you two. I couldn't just sit around not doing anything."

Buffy nods, "I understand. Now go away."

Xander nods, "Jesse's my bud, okay? If I can help him, then that's what I gotta do."

Buffy nods as she accepts it.

Phoebe frowns, "Buffy you're not serious?"

Xander nods, "Besides, it's this or Chem class."

Buffy looks at Phoebe and smiles. "If it was you instead of Jesse and I was in Xander's place I would be doing the exact same thing, Phoebe."

Phoebe nods as she accepts it also.

They make their way through the dark. They turn a corner, ready for anything.

Nothing. They keep walking, alert. Xander picks up the conversation they were in, "Okay, so: crosses, garlic, stake through the heart."

Buffy nods, "That'll get it done."

Xander nods, "Cool. Of course, I don't actually have any of those things."

Buffy hands Xander a cross. "Sorry I'm fresh out of stakes. Gave my only one to Phoebe."

Xander nods, "Well, the part of my brain that would tell me to bring that stuff is still busy telling me not to come down here. I brought this, though." He produces a flashlight, turns it on.

Phoebe frowns, "Turn that off!"

Xander turns the flashlight off, "Okay, okay. So, what else?"

Buffy frowns, "What else what?"

Xander nods, "For Vampire Slayage."

Buffy nods, "Beheading, fire…"

Xander a little weakly, "So you've done some beheading in your time."

Buffy nods, "Oh, yeah. There was this one time, I was pinned down by this vampire, he played left tackle for the varsity - I mean, before he was... well anyway he's got one of those really thick necks and all I've got is a little Exacto knife - You're not loving this story."

Phoebe rolls her eyes.

Xander smiles, "Actually, I find it oddly comforting."

They make their way through the dark. The banter quotient has plummeted – Buffy, Phoebe and Xander are fairly tense.

Buffy looks around, brow furrowed. "They're close"

Xander frowns, "How can you tell?"

Phoebe nods, "Yeah how can you?"

Buffy smiles, "No rats."

Xander doesn't love that information, but he says nothing. Still they progress, until… "Over there. What's that?" He indicates a small, dark side-chamber.

Nothing can be seen past the first few inches. They come up to it. Xander pulls out his flashlight, shines it. A beam of light finds a body, lying face down. It looks like…

Xander smiles, "Jesse!"

Buffy frowns, "Oh, no..."

Phoebe and Buffy starts forward, Xander keeping the light on them. Goes over to the body, reaches out and Jesse jumps up, brandishing a pipe. He's about to slam her with it when Xander calls out, "Jesse!"

Jesse stops, amazed, "Xander?" He drops the pipe and the two friends hug.

Xander pulls away, looking him over. "Jesse, man, are you okay?"

Jesse nods, "I'm not okay on an epic scale. We gotta get out of here!" He indicates his leg - he's been chained to the wall.

Xander smiles, "It's cool! Buffy's a superhero!"

Buffy shakes her head, "Hold on." She takes the pipe he dropped and smashes the lock on his shackles. It's not a quiet operation.

Xander frowns, "You think anybody heard that?"

Phoebe nods, "You can bet your life someone probably did. We should get out of here."

They start out.

Jesse nods, "They knew you were gonna come. They said that I - I was the bait..."

Xander frowns, "Oh, now you tell us."

Jesse nods, "I've seen their leader."

The look in his eyes describes their leader in detail.

Buffy and Phoebe leads the two boys back through the tunnel. They stop. Shadows move at the other end. "Oops."

Jesse shakes, "Oh, no, no..."

Phoebe nods, "Do you know another way out?"

Jesse nods, "I don't, uh, maybe?"

Xander nods, "Come on."

They head the other way. They pause at a fork.

Jesse nods, "Wait, wait. They brought me through here! There's a way up. I hope."

They take off.

They run in to a room, vampires approaching slowly behind them. Look around, horror growing on their faces.

There is no door. There is no exit. Buffy, Phoebe and Xander look about them, frantically.

Buffy frowns, "I don't think this is the way out." She goes back to the doorway they came in, listens for the approaching vampires.

Xander nods, "We can't fight our way back through those things... what do we do?"

Jesse smiles, "I've got an idea..."

Phoebe frowns, "Buffy!"

Buffy turns to face Jesse and see that he is now a vampire.

Jesse smiles, "You can die."

Xander backs away from Jesse.

Buffy looks from him to the entrance, not sure what to do. "Phoebe I can't power up a fireball and hold the door. Grab him and throw him out."

Xander sighs, "Jesse... Man, I'm sorry..."

Jesse nods, "Sorry? I feel good, Xander. I feel strong."

Phoebe nods and with Xander's help they grab Jesse and hurl him out of the room, knocking vampires over like bowling pins.

Buffy nods, "Help me!"

Phoebe and Xander come to the door with her. With their backs to it, they slam it shut as an arm shoots in, grasping for them. Buffy opens the door slightly and slams it again till the arm withdraws. She bolts the door, breathing heavily.

Xander shakes his head, "I can't believe it... we were too late."

Phoebe nods, "Its okay, Xander."

A resounding thud shudders the door. The vampires are gonna break it down.

Buffy nods, "We need to get out of here."

Xander shakes his head, "There is no out of here!"

Another thud and the door begin to buckle on its hinges. Buffy looks around - there is some junk lying around. She throws it out of the way to see if there is a doorway behind it. No joy.

Phoebe and Xander also look around. Phoebe smiles as she spies an air vent. "Buffy up there."

Buffy follows Phoebe's gaze. She throws a box down, steps on it to reach the vent. Pulls away the metal sheet, revealing the grate. It's big enough to climb through. She begins trying to pry the grate open with her bare hands.

Another thud. Xander looks from Buffy to the door. Buffy pulls, behind a corner.

The door comes off its hinges enough for a vampire to put his fingers through, grip it.

Buffy rips the grating loose, throws it aside. "Come on!"

The door comes out enough for a vampire to get its face in.

Xander runs by, climbs on the box. He sticks the flashlight in in the air vent. Nothing. Clear. He crawls in, starts worming his way down it.

Phoebe jumps in behind Xander.

Buffy jumps up and pulls herself into the air vent.

The three of them crawl along in the dark, the vampires at their heels.

They come to a wider space, with a ladder going up. Sunlight can be seen through the grating at the very top.

Xander nods, "Up?"

Phoebe nods, "Up."

Xander starts climbing, Buffy and Phoebe right behind him. He gets to the top and opens the grating, climbs into a street.

It's deserted as Xander rolls out, reaches in to help Phoebe and then Buffy up. Buffy is almost out when a hand grabs her ankle, starts pulling her back down.

She pulls up, bringing the hand up into the sunlight. It beings to smoke, the vampire shrieks and withdrawal's his hand.

Buffy rolls out, slams the grating shut.

For a moment they all just lie there, catching their breath.

A short time later they return to the library.

Willow takes one look at their faces and doesn't have to ask. She does anyway. "Did you find Jesse?"

Xander nods, "Yeah."

Willow sighs, "Was he dead?"

Buffy nods, "Worse." She sits heavily. "I'm sorry, Willow. We were too late. And they were waiting for us."

Willow nods, "At least you three are okay."

Xander kicks a trash bin in frustration. "I don't like vampires. I'm gonna take a stand and say they're not good."

Buffy nods, "So, Giles, you got anything that can make this day worse?"

Giles smiles, "How about the end of the world."

Buffy smiles, "I knew I could count on you."

Phoebe rolls her eyes.

Giles nods, "This is what we know. Some sixty years ago a very old, very powerful vampire came to this shore, and not just to feed."

Phoebe nods, "He came 'cause San Francisco is a mystical convergence?"

Giles nods, "Yes. The Spanish who first settled here called it Boca Del Inferno - roughly translated: Hellmouth. A sort of portal from this reality to the next. This vampire hoped to open it."

Buffy nods, "Bring the demons back."

Xander sighs, "End of the world."

Willow nods, "But he blew it. Or, I mean, there was an earthquake that swallowed about half the town. And him too - or at least there was no more vampire-type killings after."

Giles nods, "Opening dimensional portals is tricky business. Odds are he got himself stuck. Like a cork in a bottle."

Phoebe nods, "And this Harvest thing is to get him out?"

Giles nods, "It comes once in a century, on this night. A Master can draw power from one of his minions while it feeds. Enough power to break free, and to open the portal. The minion is called the Vessel, and he bears this symbol." He shows them a sketch of the three-pointed star.

Buffy nods, "So, I dust anyone sporting this look, and no Harvest."

Giles nods, "Simply put, yes."

Buffy smiles, "Any clue where this little get-together is being held?"

Giles nods, "Well, there are a number of possibilities…"

Xander nods, "They're going to the Bronze."

Willow blinks, "Are you sure?"

Xander nods, "Come on, tasty young morsels all over the place. Anyway, that's where Jesse's gonna be. Trust me."

Phoebe shakes her head, "I'm not sure. There is any number of clubs in San Francisco they could go to."

Buffy shakes her head, "I think Xander is right. It's about the only club that let's in high school students and adults."

Giles nods, "Then we need to get there. The sun will be down before long."

They head out toward the door.

Buffy nods, "We gotta make a stop. Won't take long."

Giles frowns, "What for?"

Buffy smiles, "Supplies. And a little ammunition."

Buffy and Phoebe make their way back to the Manor. The moment they step in to the Foyer, they find Prue waiting for them.

Prue shakes her head, "Where have you two been all day? Buffy I got a call from school saying Phoebe took you out of classes due to a family emergency at home. Yet neither of you came home."

Buffy sighs, "We have a vampire problem, Prue. One in which I need yours, Piper and Phoebe's help with. Or it could mean the end of the world."

Prue shakes her head, "No, Buffy. You're grounded."

Buffy rolls her eyes, "Fine starting tomorrow, okay? I'm serious Prue. If we don't stop this tonight, tomorrow we may all be dead."

Phoebe nods, "It's what we've been dealing with all day, Prue. First it was just to rescue a new friend of Buffy's who ended up becoming a vampire before we could get to him. But we found out about this prophecy that if it comes to pass will literally mean hell on earth."

Prue sighs, "Alright. But starting tomorrow you're grounded. Go get what you need. I'll call Piper and have her meet us… Where are we going?"

Phoebe nods, "Remember that club I always hung out in?"

Prue nods, "The Bronze? Yeah so?"

Buffy nods, "That's where were going."

Buffy heads up to her room as Prue makes a phone call to Piper.

Buffy comes down with a bag loaded with stakes, crosses, etc. She hands one of each of the jewelry boxes that Angel gave her to Prue and Phoebe.

Prue looks at the box, "What is this for?"

Buffy smiles, "Put it on." Prue opens the jewelry box to find a cross. She looks at Buffy. "Vampires are repelled by crosses. It can even hurt them, but the best thing against vampires is fire, stakes and decapitation. I have the fire thing down."

Prue frowns, "How's that?"

Buffy smiles, "See last night I finally got my power." She powers up a fireball. "See. Anyways I have stakes, holy water, crosses in this bag."

Piper walks in the door, "What's the family emergency?"

Buffy smiles, "Vampires. Come on time for me to do my job. And you all get to come along."

They leave and Prue drives them to the Bronze to find Willow, Giles and Xander waiting.

Giles frowns, "Buffy who are these people?"

Buffy smiles, "Did you research that word I told you about?"

Giles nods, "I found one obscure text relating to three very powerful witches."

Buffy smiles, "You're looking at them."

Prue frowns, "Buffy!"

Giles blinks, "You're the Charmed Ones?"

Phoebe smiles, "That would be us. But don't tell anyone, ok?"

Giles nods, "Of course. Your secret is safe with me."

Prue rolls her eyes, "Buffy we will be talking about this when we get home. Now how are we getting in?"

Buffy walks over to the front door. She tries it - it's locked. "It's locked."

Giles nods, "We're too late."

Xander nods, "Can you break it down?"

Buffy shakes her head, "Not this thing. You guys try the back entrance. I'll find my own way."

Prue looks at Buffy, "Where are you going?"

Buffy looks up, "I think I remember seeing a skylight last night. So up and in. You guys go with Giles, okay?"

Giles nods, "Right." To Xander and Willow. "Come on."

Prue nods, "Be careful."

Buffy nods, "Guys!" They stop. Buffy hands them her bag of tricks.

Upstairs in the bronze a window by the balcony opens slowly. An oblivious vampire before it, Buffy slips in. She looks down at the stage, at Luke.

Luke smiles, "I feel him rising! I need another!"

Buffy sees the three-pointed star on his head. "The Vessel..."

The vampire turns, hearing this. He grabs Buffy, dragging her up to the middle of the balcony to present her to Luke.

Luke smiles, "Tonight in his ascension. Tonight will be History at its end! Yours is a glorious sacrifice. Degradation most holy." He looks around. "What, no volunteers?"

Darla emerges, holding Cordelia. "Here's a pretty one."

Cordelia frightened, "Noooo..."

Darla drags her toward the stage, hands her over to Luke.

Buffy slips out of the vampire's grasp and powers up a fireball throwing it at him, dusting him. "Oh, I'm sorry. Were you in the middle of something."

Luke looks around for the source of the voice and then looks up spotting Buffy, "YOU!"

Buffy smiles, "You didn't think I'd miss this, did you?"

Luke smiles, "I hoped you'd come."

Backstage the exit door bursts open, a metal pipe-wielding Giles starts in. Prue, Piper, Phoebe each of them holding stakes and all three of them wearing the crosses Angel gave to Buffy the night before. Xander and Willow follows behind them.

A vampire comes at Buffy from the side and she grabs him, throws him into the hookah pit.

He scrambles back up and she flips herself over backwards, goes through the hole and lands on top of the pool table. A cue is lying on the table - she does a hand spring and lands on the floor holding on the cue.

A vampire rushes her from the side. Buffy without looking, jams the cue end into his heart dusting him. "Okay, Vessel-boy. You want blood?" She steps forward just as the cue rises like the arm of a guard gate and we hear the vampire's body thud to the floor.

Luke smiles, "I want yours. Only yours."

Buffy smiles, "Then come and get it."

Cordelia, seeing her chance, tries to break free of Luke's grasp. He throws her to one side and Buffy runs, leaps at him, and slams her fist into his face.

Luke stumbles back in pain. He comes back at her but she ducks, comes back up with a roundhouse kick to the face.

Buffy brings out her stake, comes at him - but he blocks. Nails her in the face, and she skids into the corner, badly hurt. The stake falls at his feet.

The door to the backstage bursts open, Xander nearly falling out. He looks about him - no vampires in the immediate vicinity - and beings herding people out. "Come on!"

The people rush past Willow and Giles, who push them towards the exit.

Phoebe, Piper, and Prue head into the main area of the Bronze. They spot Buffy fighting Luke.

Buffy kicks Luke in the chest. He flies back, landing hard. She's about to go in for the kill when she sees a vampire going for Xander, who's too busy shepherding people out to notice.

Buffy turns to the drum kit and kicks the cymbal right off the stand. She catches it in midair - the vampire reaches Xander, grabs him- Buffy hurls the cymbal, frisbee style - the vampire turns, eyes wide, and the cymbal flies straight at his neck—it slices through his neck dusting him.

Xander softly, "Heads up..."

Buffy barely has time to turn before Luke grabs her from behind, lifting her up in a crushing bear hug.

Xander is going to help Buffy when he hears a shriek, turns and sees Cordelia is being dragged off into the area below the stairs by Jesse.

Buffy catches sight of Prue coming up to Luke. Suddenly Luke is sent flying. "Thanks Prue."

Jesse throws Cordelia to the ground, kneeling above her. Pinning her. "Hold still! You're not helping."

Xander appears behind Jesse, holding a stake. He could plunge it right through the back into the heart, but he hesitates. "Jesse, man... don't make me do it."

Jesse looks around, grinning inhumanly. "Buddy..."

Backstage people are still rushing out. Giles motions, "Come on! We've got to open the front as well!" He heads for the door to the main room and Darla jumps on him, digging for his throat. His stake is knocked out of his hand as he topples to the ground.

Xander takes a step back as Jesse rises, faces him. "Jesse, I know there's still a part of you in there."

Jesse exasperated, "Okay, let's deal with this. Jesse was an excruciating loser who couldn't get a date with anyone in the sighted community! Look at me now! I'm a new man!" He grabs Xander and hurls him against the wall. Xander falls in a heap to the cowering Cordelia. "See, the old Jesse would have reasoned with you."

Backstage Willow frantically digs through Buffy's bag, looking for a weapon. She pulls out the jar of holy water. Darla continues to struggle with Giles - has him pinned on the ground. "Get off him!"

Darla turns to face Willow and is doused with holy water right in the face.

Screaming, Darla brings her hands to her face, smoke pouring out from between her fingers.

Giles pushes her off him, getting up to face her. But Darla is already stumbling out the exit in smoking agony.

Buffy powers up a fireball, "You're messing with the wrong witch, Vessel boy." She throws it at Luke dusting him.

Jesse picks Xander up again, fury etching his demon face. "I'm sick of you getting in the way, you know? Cordelia, she's gonna live forever. You're not." Xander holds the stake up to Jesse's chest, determined but scared. "Oh, right! Put me out of my misery! You don't have the g…"

A fleeing woman slams into Jesse from behind, driving him onto the stake. He drags himself on a stunned Xander, dying. And then he's dust.

Xander barely has time to react before two more vampires grab him. He struggles with the remaining vampires, who hold him, their attention on the stage.

Buffy looks down at the spot where Luke's body was. After a moment, she turns her gaze slowly toward the vampires. They look at the expression on her face for about 1/8th of a second, then they drop Xander and bolt out of the front door.

Giles and Willow come slowly out; meet Buffy, Prue, Piper, Phoebe and Xander in the middle of the dance floor.

Giles nods, "I take it it's over."

Willow nods, "Did we win?"

A moment, as they look about at the carnage that surrounds them. Most of the patrons have fled, though some remain, stunned and silent.

Buffy nods, "Well, we averted the apocalypse. You gotta give us points for that."

Prue glares at Buffy, "No we don't. We're still having that talk when we get home."

Xander nods, "One thing's for sure. Nothing is ever gonna be the same."

Later that evening at the Manor.

Buffy and Phoebe sit in the living room. Prue stood in front of them, "You know I don't like being the bad guy. But since we became witches we have to be careful. Buffy you told several people…"

Buffy shook her head, "Actually I told no one I was the Slayer or a witch."

Phoebe nods, "She didn't."

Prue sighs, "Then how did they find out?"

Buffy shook her head, "I think Giles might be Merrick's replacement. He knew from the moment I stepped in the library at school who I was."

Prue frowns, "Whose Merrick?"

Buffy sighs, "Merrick was my Watcher in L.A. before he died at the hands of a vampire. A Watcher is supposed to be someone who trains the Slayer. Anyways that's how I think Giles knows I'm the Slayer is because he's Merrick's replacement. Xander happened to be in the library and overheard a conversation I had with Giles. That's how he learned I was the Slayer. Willow on the other hand saw me dust a vampire last night with my power."

Prue nods, "The fire thing, that's your power?"

Buffy nods, "I think so. Have to say it'll make my job as the Slayer that much easier. Anyways when Phoebe and I were at the Bronze last night I was talking with Giles. Phoebe came and told me she had a premonition about Willow dying at the hands of a vampire. So Phoebe and I went to rescue Willow who didn't know she was with a vampire. Giles wanted to know why Phoebe was coming with me and I just said that Phoebe and I were Charmed. When Willow mentioned seeing me use my power this morning. Giles questioned me about it. I simply reminded Giles about the word Charmed and told him to research it if he wanted to know more. He obviously did and that's how he found out about you, Piper and Phoebe. I told no-one that I'm a Charmed Slayer or you three are the Charmed Ones."

Prue sighs, "Buffy this puts us in a bad situation you are aware of that. What would have happened if Willow, Xander or Mr. Giles had been warlocks? We would have been in a world of trouble. Now based on what happened tonight I would say they're not. But you can't go revealing to anyone else that we're witches or you're the Charmed Slayer. Tomorrow I will talk to Mr. Giles and your friends and make sure that they won't tell anyone else. Also you're grounded for the next week. That's means no going out to the Bronze, no talking to your friends on the phone."

Buffy nods, "Ok Prue."

The next day at school Buffy, Willow, Giles and Xander are near the fountain in the quad.

Xander has a look of disbelief on his face.

Buffy smiles, "Well, what exactly were you expecting?"

Xander shrugs, "I don't know! Something. The dead rose! We should've at least had an assembly."

Giles nods, "People have a tendency to rationalize what they can, and forget what they can't."

Buffy nods, "Believe me, I've seen it happen."

Willow nods, "Well, I'll never forget it. None of it."

Giles smiles, "Good. Next time you'll be prepared."

Xander nods, "Next time?"

Willow sighs, "Next time is why?"

Giles nods, "We stopped the master from freeing himself and opening the mouth of Hell. Doesn't mean he'll stop trying. I'd say the fun is just beginning."

Willow frowns, "More vampires?"

Giles nods, "Not just vampires. The next creature we face may be something quite different."

Buffy sighs, "I can hardly wait."

Giles nods, "We're at a center of mystical convergence here. We may in fact stand between the earth and total destruction."

Xander frowns, "Buffy, this isn't good."

Buffy smiles, "Well, I gotta look on the bright side. Maybe I can get kicked out of school."

Xander nods, "Hey, that's a plan. 'Cause a lot of schools aren't on Hellmouths."

Willow nods, "Maybe you could blow something up. They're really strict about that."

Buffy shakes her head, "I was aiming for a subtle approach, like excessive not studying."

Giles watches them go, an uneasy smile plastered on his lips. "The earth is doomed."

Buffy shakes her head, "Ah who am I kidding. Prue would kill me if I got kicked out."

Giles nods, "Now I want you to remember what Prue and I told you all. You can tell no one that Buffy is a Charmed Slayer, or that her cousins are the Charmed Ones."

Willow and Xander both nod. "We won't," they say together.


	5. Chapter 5: Thank You For Not Morphing

**Chapter 5: Thank You For Not Morphing**

Buffy, Prue, Piper and Phoebe are walking down the stairs heading towards the house across the street.

Prue sighs, "So, we're agreed? Twenty minutes?"

Piper shakes her head, "Prue, you can't do a party in twenty minutes."

Prue nods, "Watch me. The same goes for you Buffy."

Phoebe nods, "Prue's party tips - meet, greet and bail."

Prue sighs, "Hey, I'm sorry but some of us have a job. And others of us have school."

Buffy rolls her eyes.

Phoebe frowns, "And some of us have fun."

Buffy nods, "Yeah I even got Giles to let me have the night off so I don't have to patrol."

Piper nods, "And some of us are having a really bad hair day."

Prue smiles, "You know, that is a sign. Let's turn back now before it's too late."

Piper shakes her head, "No."

Phoebe nods, "Prue, it's never too late for a party."

Buffy smiles, "It's never too late, Prue."

Phoebe nods, "Remember my sweet sixteen?" They walk across the street and into Fritz, Marshall and Cynda's house. "Hey, I have an idea. Why don't we throw a party and charge commission. It's a great way to make extra cash."

Buffy smiles, "I like that suggestion then I could invite Willow and Xander over.

Prue shakes her head, "Hey, I have an even better idea. Why don't you just get a job."

Marshall smiles, "The sisters Halliwell and their cousin. Now the party can begin."

Buffy rolls her eyes.

Cynda nods, "It's about time you chicks showed."

Fritz smiles, "Hey, Prue, I'm glad you made it."

Prue smiles, "Wouldn't miss it for the world, Fritz."

Piper nods, "Marshall, the place looks great."

Marshall nods, "Thank you. We're mostly just restoring it. I didn't wanna change it too much. You guys knew the old owners didn't you?"

Phoebe nods, "Oh, we basically grew up with their kids. We probably know the house better than you guys."

Buffy sighs.

Marshall looks to Fritz, "Oh, hey, how's the bar?"

Fritz nods, "Oh, dry. I'll take care of it."

Cynda shakes her head, "No, my turn." She crushes a beer can with her bare hands. Cynda walks away.

Marshall frowns, "Try to behave, Cynda. We have guests."

Fritz nods, "You know... sisters."

Prue nods, "Tell me about it."

Buffy, Piper and Phoebe look at her.

Marshall nods, "So listen, enjoy the party."

Buffy smiles, "Okay."

Fritz and Marshall walk away.

Prue shakes her head, "Okay, I came, I saw, I was perky. Now I just want my head on a pillow because I have to wake up early. Come on Buffy you too."

Buffy sighs, "Way to be a downer, Prue."

Phoebe shakes her head, "No. I mean, not yet."

Piper nods, "Yeah, Prue, we just got here. It, it wouldn't look good."

Prue frowns, "Alright, what's going on?"

Buffy shrugs, "Don't ask me."

Phoebe smiles, "Going on? What do you mean?" Phoebe sees Andy. "Oh, what a coinkidink. Look, who's here."

Prue looks over at Andy. He waves. "Phoebe, you didn't."

Buffy nods, "I think she did."

Phoebe nods, "Well, your fingers weren't doing the walking, somebody's had to."

Prue sighs, "We've been through this. Okay, cop, witch, is not a love connection."

Phoebe shakes her head, "Boy, girl, lighten up."

Andy comes over to Prue.

Piper smiles, "Hi, Andy." She and Phoebe walk away dragging Buffy behind them.

Prue nods, "We're working on their subtlety."

Andy smiles, "Then it's onto ending hunger and creating world peace, right?"

Prue nods, "Hmm, what will I do with my Saturdays?"

Andy smiles, "Funny you should ask. I don't mean to push you but I was wondering if you're not doing anything, I kind of have these tickets but they're for a Warriors game and you probably wouldn't be interested, so..."

Prue smiles, "Well, the team can't do any worse than they did last year. Did you see them get creamed by the Lakers?"

Andy blinks, "Impressive. Is that a yes?"

Prue sighs, "You know, um, I need to check my book because I might have a thing."

Andy sighs, "A thing?"

Fritz walks up to them. "So Prue, I hear your friends with a cop."

Prue nods, "Inspector actually."

Fritz nods, "Oh, yeah. I've got these parking tickets."

Andy frowns, "My focus is mainly homicide and robbery."

Fritz nods, "Yeah, yeah. So I have these parking tickets..."

Prue smiles, "Gotta go." She walks away.

Andy shakes his head, "Prue, wait."

Buffy shakes her head, "So much for that." She follows Prue out.

Outside Prue walks back over to the manor.

Buffy comes running up to her, "Hold up Prue don't walk so fast."

Prue rolls her eyes, "Very funny when you could outrun me any day of the week." She notices the door's open. "Phoebe."

Buffy frowns, "I'm not Phoebe."

Prue shakes her head and motions towards the front door the manor.

Buffy follows her gaze and frowns, "Let me go in first, Prue."

They walks inside and Prue shuts the door. There's a dog on the stairs and it starts barking at them. Prue and Buffy run back outside.

The next morning Buffy, Prue, Piper and Phoebe are in the kitchen.

Phoebe shakes her head, "How big was this dog again?"

Prue nods, "Huge. Did you see the scratches on the attic door?"

Buffy rolls her eyes, "I wouldn't say huge but it was a fairly good size for a dog."

Piper nods, "What was it doing in the house?"

Prue shakes her head, "I don't know. Someone obviously left the front door open again."

Phoebe shakes her head, "Why do you always assume it was me? What about Piper or Buffy?

Buffy sighs, "Not me I can tell you that."

Piper shakes her head, "Not it."

Phoebe nods, "Well, it's not a big deal. We checked the house and nothing is missing except my Pat Boone Christmas CD."

Piper frowns, "Now this is really creepy. If there were a dog in the house, then it had to have an owner. No dog I know can open that front door, let alone reach the top shelf."

Phoebe sighs, "Hey, maybe we should get a security system."

Prue shakes her head, "No, they are way too expensive. Besides after what happened, Andy will be checking in every five minutes."

Buffy smiles, "Plus you do have a Slayer living in the manor, remember. If I can tackle a vampire that has twice the strength of a normal everyday human being. I can take on a human being as long as they don't have a gun."

Piper nods, "Oh, you told him."

Phoebe smiles, "Convenient. So what should we do?"

Prue frowns, "Well, either we could rely on our vicious guard cat to protect us or we could remember to lock the doors." She walks in the laundry.

Phoebe smiles, "That is a really good idea, Prue." She walks over and locks the door.

Prue wiggles the door handle.

Piper and Phoebe laugh.

Buffy just rolls her eyes.

Prue sighs, "Unlock the door, Phoebe."

At Buckland's in Prue's office. Prue's sitting at her desk writing on a notepad.

Victor walks in. He clears his throat. Prue looks up. "I was told that you might be able to help me." He pulls a ring off his finger. "I'd like to have this," he puts it on the desk, "appraised."

Prue nods, "Well, you would be better off going to the house's appraiser."

Victor smiles, "I've been there. He'd need a week. And I just... I wouldn't feel right without it. It's a family heirloom."

Prue picks it up and looks at it. "I think I've seen a ring similar to this before. The setting's quite old. At least 17th century." She walks over to a shelf and picks up a book. "The stones looks like crystallite. Keep in mind this is just an educated guess."

Victor nods, "Please," he sits down, "guess away."

Prue nods, "I am not mistaken. It's a stone that the Egyptians believed would protect them against spells, curses, evil spirits. This wouldn't be a wedding band by any chance would it?"

Victor nods, "You tell me."

Prue sighs, "The stones are set in two's. The symbol of twoality. Man, woman. Like in protection."

Victor nods, "And what does all that tell you?"

Prue frowns, "Where did you get this ring? What did you say your name was?"

Victor nods, "I think you know what my name is... Prudence."

Prue looks up instantly knowing who Victor is, "Get out," she throws the ring on the table and stands up, "and stay away from us."

Victor puts on the ring. "I'm staying at the Ballmark. What do you say you and your sisters join me for dinner? Let's say tomorrow night. We can talk."

Prue shakes her head, "After how you abandoned us? How dare you."

Victor smiles, "Fiery temper. I like that. It reminds me of someone I know."

Prue frowns, "I am nothing like you. I would never leave my responsibilities, my family."

Victor shakes his head, "I can see we have some issues to work through."

Prue nods, "Oh, we've got the whole subscription. Now get out before I have you thrown out."

Victor frowns, "Is that anyway to talk to your father?" He leaves.

That afternoon after school Buffy, Prue, Piper and Phoebe are sitting at a table at a café. Prue, Piper and Phoebe are drinking coffee. Buffy has a soda.

Piper sighs, "I wonder why he went to you first? Why not Phoebe or me?"

Buffy rolls her eyes, "At least he knows you exist. I was born several years after your parents' divorce."

Prue sighs, "Piper, it's not like I won the lottery. And Buffy you don't want to get to know him."

Phoebe sighs, "What was he like? Did he ask about us?"

Prue shakes her head, "Actually, no." Phoebe looks upset. "Phoebe, think about it. He abandoned us. He was a no show for twenty years and then what, suddenly here he is? Why now?"

Piper nods, "Maybe he just wants to be part of our lives."

Buffy nods, "That would be nice. Despite the way you feel about him Prue. I would still like to get to know him, he is after all my uncle."

Prue frowns, "After all this time? Don't get your hopes up. Buffy again no you don't, really you don't want to get to know him."

Phoebe sighs, "Well, there's only one way to find out. Why wait till dinner? Let's go see him now."

Prue frowns, "Will you be rational. Don't you find it just a little suspicious that just when we find out..."

A waitress comes up to the table and picks up the dirty plates. "Let me get that for you." She walks away.

Prue sighs, "Just when we find out we're witches he shows up. But when mom dies he's nowhere to be found."

Phoebe nods, "He sent us birthday cards."

Prue shakes her head, "Selective memory. Grams always told us he was a threat to us. There's no reason to think that's changed."

Piper sighs, "Prue, it's not that I don't see your point but you knew him, we didn't. Why can't we have a chance to know now?"

Buffy nods in agreement, "Yeah Prue."

Prue sighs, "Because we really don't know why he's here and until we do we can't trust him."

Later at a hotel Phoebe knocks on the door to Victor's room. Buffy stands beside her.

Victor calls from inside the room, "Entrée."

Phoebe opens the door and she and Buffy walk in. They walks down a hallway and into a room.

Phoebe sees Victor getting a massage. "Daddy?"

Victor smiles, "Well, well. What a nice surprise." He stands up.

Phoebe smiles, "I'm, uh, I'm sorry to just show up like this." Buffy coughs. "We're sorry to just show up like this. I know I was supposed to wait for dinner but I..."

Victor shakes his head, "No, nonsense. Welcome. Let me get a good look at you. This is my baby girl. Little... Piper?" He looks at Buffy, "And you must be Phoebe." Phoebe looks crushed. "You're Phoebe?" He looks at Buffy, "Uh then who are you?"

Phoebe smiles, "Yeah I'm Phoebe. That's okay. People confuse us all the time. Do you remember Aunt Joyce?"

Victor nods, "Are you kidding? I should be slapped and persecuted. Let me make it up to you. How about some room service? Aunt Joyce. Oh you mean Patience. Joyce was her middle name correct?" He heads towards the phone.

Phoebe nods, "We just ate actually. Yeah we call her Aunt Joyce cause that what she wanted us to call her. Anyways this is her daughter Buffy, your niece."

Victor nods, "A drink? You are legal, right?" He looks to Buffy, "Well technically you wouldn't be my niece since your Aunt Patty and I got divorced but if you want to consider me your Uncle I have no objections."

Phoebe smiles, "Barely but no thanks."

Buffy smiles, "I'd like that actually. And I don't want anything to drink either, but thanks. Though I'm not legal, still five years from."

Victor nods, "Of course, Buffy. I haven't seen Patience since the divorce how is she?"

Buffy sighs, "She passed away recently. Complications from surgery, she had a tumor. I live now with Prue, Piper and Phoebe. They are my legal guardians, now."

Victor looks at Phoebe, "A massage? I can call Lucy back." He looks back at Buffy, "My condolences, Buffy. Your mother was wonderful woman. I was happy to have her as a sister-in-law."

Phoebe nods, "No, really, I don't want anything. I just wanted to look at you. And to introduce you to Buffy."

Victor smiles, "It's like looking in the mirror isn't it? You've got your daddy's eyes, you know that?"

Phoebe smiles, "I noticed that."

Victor nods, "How about a hug?" They hug and Phoebe gets a premonition of Victor holding the Book of Shadows. The premonition ends. The phone rings and they stop hugging. "They always manage to find me."

Phoebe looks to Buffy, "You know what? It's okay, I… We, we'll just see you at dinner, we've gotta go." Phoebe and Buffy leaves.

Victor calls after them, "Phoebe. Phoebe, wait."

As they are exiting the hotel Buffy grabs Phoebe's arm, "What did you see?"

Phoebe looks at Buffy, "What makes you think I saw anything?"

Buffy shakes her head, "Because I think by now I should recognize when you get a premonition."

In the kichen at the manor. Prue, Piper, Buffy and Phoebe's there. Buffy and Phoebe sits down at the table. Prue and Piper are looking through the drawers.

Phoebe shakes her head, "You don't know for sure."

Prue nods, "I know plenty. First someone rips off the attic door, then the Book Of Shadows is found downstairs. Isn't that enough?"

Piper gets a phone book out of a drawer. "Why would somebody want the book? Here." She hands the phone book to Prue and they both sit down at the table.

Prue nods, "Well, for one reason, they know what it can do. They want its power, our power." She looks to Buffy, "We should move your mom's book up there also. Easier to protect both books if they are in the same place."

Buffy nods, "Ok."

Piper nods, "That would mean it's someone who knows us and knows that we're witches."

Prue sighs, "Yeah, someone like Victor."

Phoebe looks at Buffy, "What? Dad?"

Prue sighs, "Look, just think about it. The moment he shows up someone makes two attempts to grab the book. Coincidence? I think not."

Buffy shakes her head, "But you can't be sure of that, Prue."

Piper nods, "The craft is a chick thing, Prue. It's passed on down through the female line. There's a good chance dad doesn't even know we're Charmed."

Prue shakes her head, "And there's as good of a chance he does."

Phoebe remembers the premonition she had. She looks at Buffy.

Piper sighs, "What would he want with the book? And why would he take it from us? Phoebe, help me out here. Phoebe."

Phoebe nods, "Okay. Let's just say for the sake of argument that he is after it. Wouldn't he of taken it with him? He wouldn't have left it behind."

Piper sighs, "Okay, we have to call the cops and report it as break in."

Prue nods, "And tell them what? That someone broke into our house to try steal our broomsticks? I mean, please. Besides, Andy's already been here."

Phoebe nods, "Oh, so Andy was here again. Talk about convenient. Did you ever think about pointing the finger at him?"

Prue frowns, "He's probably the one who scared Victor away. Until we find out what's going on and whether Victor's involved or not, we've got to hide the book, both books. Either that or we can't leave the house."

Buffy nods, "I'll go get mom's." She leaves the room.

Piper nods, "Fine. Then we hide the books because I'm going to dinner tonight. I wanna see dad."

Phoebe nods, "So do I. And I believe so does Buffy."

Prue shakes her head, "I've already seen him."

At the restaurant. Buffy, Piper, Phoebe and Victor are sitting at a table. Piper's nibbling on a carrot stick.

Victor smiles, "Girls, it's so nice to see you. It's not like we don't have a lot to talk about."

Phoebe nods, "We do. I mean, yeah, we have a few questions."

Victor smiles, "You know, the last time we ate dinner together, you would only eat food that was white. I'm glad to see you've out grown it."

Buffy laughs, "Get out. That's just so funny."

Piper glares at Buffy, "That's right. I was four."

Victor nods, "Phoebe, that would've made you what? One?" Phoebe nods. He looks to Buffy. "And you weren't born yet. You know, Phoebe couldn't walk yet but she could swim. She was a fish." Buffy and Phoebe laughs. "This feels right doesn't it? This feels natural, almost like normal."

Piper nods, "Almost. It's just, um, well, why? I mean, after all this time, why here, why now?"

Victor smiles, "Well, I heard the food is pretty good here and it is dinner time."

Phoebe laughs.

The waiter places a plate in front of Phoebe. "Here you are, ma'am."

Phoebe smiles, "Thank you."

Victor nods, "Bon appetite."

30 minutes later Prue walks in and goes up to the table. Victor stands up. "Prudence."

Prue nods, "Did I miss much?"

Phoebe nods, "Uh, just catch up. Dad was filling us in. Memory lane."

Buffy nods, "Uncle Victor had some funny stories of when you guys were kids."

Prue frowns, "Has he mentioned where he's been all our lives?"

Piper sighs, "Prue..."

Prue nods, "I don't understand. If you can afford a spot like this, why didn't you help out when Grams died? We actually could've used it then."

Piper sighs, "Give him a chance, Prue. Dad's explained. The money, all this, it's new."

Buffy nods, "Yeah Prue give him a chance."

Victor shakes his head, "It's okay, Piper… Buffy. I'm a big boy. I didn't come back earlier because I was afraid I might disappoint you."

Prue shakes her head, "Too late."

Piper sighs, "I wonder what's keeping that dessert?"

Victor smiles, "Please, sit down. Have something to eat."

Prue shakes her head, "I'm not hungry."

Victor nods, "Always in a hurry, Prue. You skipped crawling and went straight to walking."

Buffy laughs, "That sounds just like Prue, always on the fast track."

Prue frowns, "Ah, we're sharing memories. Well, I got one of my own, you're back walking out the door."

Just as a waiter walks past them holding a flambeau, Victor puts out his foot and trips him.

Piper freezes him and the restaurant. She gets up and takes the flambeau out of the waiters hands. Everyone unfreezes and the waiter falls flat on his face. "Who wants flambeau?"

The waiter stands back up and takes the flambeau off of Piper.

Victor smiles, "Nice reflexes. Now let me get this straight. Piper, you freeze time. Prue, don't you move objects? And what's you specialty, Phoebe? Premonitions? What's your power Buffy? To my knowledge there were only three. Maybe we should talk about this elsewhere."

Buffy simply smiles.

Outside the manor Prue, Buffy, Piper, Phoebe and Victor pull up.

Prue unlocks the door. When she opens it she sees three crows inside. They squawk and fly outside.

Victor frowns, "Friends of yours?"

In the Living room. Phoebe, Buffy, Piper and Victor are there laughing.

Prue walks in. "Someone left the window open which is probably how the birds got in. What is so funny?"

Piper nods, "Do you remember the day this was taken?" She shows Prue a photograph.

Prue nods, "Yeah, family picnic. It rained."

Victor nods, "And your mother packed us all up and she brought us home and we had the picnic right here in the living room. Do you remember that Prue?"

Prue shakes her head, "Barely."

Phoebe sighs, "Prue..."

Buffy rolls her eyes.

Victor picks up another photograph and slowly walks over to Prue. "This one was at one of your piano recitals. Not a very good shot. My fault. I had to take the pictures that day. Your mother was too busy holding her breath. If you look closely," he hands her the photo, "you see there, that's her."

Prue shakes her head, "I never noticed that before."

Victor picks up another photo. "And this one used to be a five by seven." It is a picture of the family but a piece is missing. "When I was still in it."

Phoebe nods, "I think Grams cut you out."

Piper sighs, "There's a bunch of other stuff in the attic. Grams left us some things."

Phoebe shakes her head, "Not all she left us."

Prue frowns, "Phoebe, let's not go there."

Phoebe nods, "What, it's not like he doesn't already know and I'm sorry but it's kind of a relief to talk to someone about it."

Buffy nods in agreement.

Piper smiles, "Um, does anybody want coffee?"

Phoebe sighs, "I mean, one day I am a member of the Y generation with average hair and a thing for caffeinated beverages, and the next I am a witch."

Piper smiles, "Dad, do you take cream or, um, sugar with that?"

Phoebe nods, "I just read from the book and 'wham!' I am Tabitha. The only thing is, is I got stuck with the power to see the future. How uncool is that?"

Victor nods, "Well, from what Patience always said, it was actually considered one of the more desirable powers."

**(A/N in the script Victor said 'from what your mom always said.' It was later established that neither Patty nor Grams had the power of Premonition. That's why I changed it to Patience (aka Joyce) and gave her the premonition power.)**

Phoebe sighs, "Unless you see things you don't desire."

Prue nods, "So how long have you known? About us, our powers, how long?"

Victor smiles. "I knew there was a possibility. That's why I came back, to find out. It must have happened when your grandmother died, right?" He looks at Buffy, "And when your mother…"

Phoebe nods, "Yep, I just read an incantation from the book and..."

Buffy nods, "Yeah I read an incantation from mom's book and…"

Prue frowns, "Phoebe… Buffy."

Victor smiles, "Ahh, the Book Of Shadows. Not exactly summer reading. Is it still up in the attic? You know, I haven't seen it in years. Mind if I have a look?" He looks at Buffy, "Your mom had one also? Doesn't surprise me to tell the truth." He looks at Prue, "What exactly are you accusing me of, Prue?"

Prue nods, "Figure it out."

Phoebe sighs, "Come on, Prue, take it easy."

Buffy nods, "Yeah Prue."

Prue frowns, "Are you kidding me? Am I the only one who sees what's going on here?"

Piper sighs, "Couldn't we all just take a deep breath..."

Prue nods, "Think about it, Piper. He wines and dines and now he's back in the house he hasn't set foot in for twenty years and the first thing he wants to know is where's the Book Of Shadows?"

Phoebe sighs, "You're just looking for something to blame him for."

Prue nods, "Admit it. Tell them why you're here."

Buffy sighs, "Prue, stop."

Prue frowns, "For the first time in your life, Victor, tell them the truth."

Victor nods, "Alright, fine. You're right. I am after the book. That's exactly the reason why I came back. Well both books now."

Phoebe frowns, "Dad."

Victor nods, "But not for the reasons you would like to believe. It would make it easier for you, Prue, wouldn't it? If I were evil. Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you, I'm not. I'm here to protect you."

Prue shakes her head, "Yeah, right."

Piper frowns, "To protect us from what?"

Victor nods, "From yourselves. That's why I want that damn book. It's where the power of three started and it's where it must end. Shoot it's where the entire family magic started, you three from your Grams book. Buffy from her mom's book.

Phoebe shakes her head, "It's part of us, it's part of who we are."

Victor nods, "That's what your mother believed too. Before they killed her." He looks at Buffy, "It's what your mother believed also."

Piper frowns, "What are you saying?"

Victor nods, "You have no idea what evil is out there."

Prue shakes her head, "Oh, I think we've got a pretty good idea."

Victor: Listen to me, Prue. That book is a magnet for evil. As long as you have it, as long as you use it, you're in danger. All of you.

Buffy shakes her head, "You want to know what's a magnet for evil. I am not that book. I am the Slayer. Even if I wasn't a witch evil would still come for me."

Prue frowns, "Buffy it's ok." She turns to Victor, "You're unbelievable. After all these years of being an absentee dad then you waltz back into our lives and tell us how to live. You're not even Buffy's father and since the divorce you're not even her uncle yet you're trying to tell Buffy what to do just like us."

Victor shakes his head, "I never wanted you to have those powers in the first place. I battled with your grandmother after your mum died. She wanted you to find out you were witches when you grew up. I didn't. I fought for you, hard. Your grandmother was too strong. And about Buffy do you really want her to grow up facing what you three are going to face?"

Piper frowns, "Wait, you're blaming Grams for why you disappeared. She loved us, she raised us. And Buffy has been facing this stuff actually longer than we have. She was called as the Slayer a year before we even met her."

Prue frwowns, "What'd she do? Put a spell on you?"

Victor nods, "Believe me, nothing short of that would've kept me away. You have to believe me. All I want is for what's best for you. Phoebe, you believe me don't you?"

Prue shakes her head, "We've done fine without you."

Buffy nods, "Yeah just fine."

Victor shakes his head, "Prue, you can't fight this. I couldn't."

Prue smiles, "I'm not you."

Victor nods, "Are you sure? Are you sure you can protect your sisters and your cousin forever?"

Buffy smiles, "We'll protect each other."

Victor nods, "Then you'll die together."

Prue shakes her head, "No one can hurt us as bad as you." She uses her power and he flies across the room and he hits the door frame.

Victor stands back up. "If you wanted me to leave, all you had to do was ask." He leaves.

Phoebe sighs, "Why did you have to do that?" She follows Victor outside.

Piper frowns, "Did you have to throw him so hard?"

Prue sighs, "Piper..."

Piper shakes her head, "We could've just, you know, talked about it like normal people."

Prue sighs, "We're not normal." She looks at Buffy, "Don't think about starting in on this, Buffy."

Buffy smiles, "For once Prue I am on your side. He is not taking the books. Both yours and my mom's Books are our legacy. I wouldn't give them to him if he was the last person on earth. No matter if he is my uncle or not."

In the Dining room the next morning. Piper and Prue are sitting at the table looking depressed. Prue's moving her food around the plate with her fork. Buffy is eating quietly.

Phoebe walks in. "Good morning, Phoebe." They ignore her. She picks up a napkin and waves it around. "Uh, guys. Can we call it truce just for five minutes please? I have a confession. Remember when we agreed to not see dad? Yeah, well, Buffy and I did."

Piper sighs, "Hello, I was with you two."

Buffy shakes her head, "No, by ourselves before dinner."

Phoebe nods, "And I had a premonition about dad when he hugged me. He was stealing the Book of Shadows. Yeah, you were right about him, Prue. I didn't want the premonition to be true. I was hoping, praying that there was a perfectly good explanation for it. Hoping that, that he was really here to be with us. I just wanted him back in our lives. He's our dad."

Buffy nods, "At the time I just wanted to know more about this side of our family. I guess I found out more than I wanted to."

Prue stands up. "I know, Phoebe… Buffy." She hugs Phoebe and then Buffy.

Piper notices something on the floor. She walks over and bends down. "Hey, look." She picks up Victor's ring. "Dad's ring. What's it doing here?" She hands it to Prue.

Phoebe shrugs, "It must of came off when he, uh... fell."

Prue nods, "Well, I'll take it back to the hotel." She puts it on the table.

30 minutes kater Phoebe runs inside the manor from outside heading towards the stairs.

Prue and Buffy comes in from the living room.

Phoebe frowns, "Dad's not after the book, it's Marshall."

Prue shakes her head, "What?"

Phoebe nods, "My premonition, it wasn't dad. Gotta find a spell and banish them."

Buffy shakes her head, "Yesterday your premonition showed your dad. What changed?"

Prue nods, "Banish who?"

Phoebe nods, "The neighbours. They're shape shifters. Fritz and Marshall and the..."

Piper and Cynda walk in.

Cynda smiles, "Cookies. Just baked."

Fritz walks in. "Hey, door was unlocked."

Phoebe starts walking up the stairs.

Piper frowns, "We're you going, Pheebs?"

Phoebe nods, "Uh, just to get something. Buffy would you be kind to help me with it." Buffy nods. "Will you save me a cookie?" Cynda smiles. "Okay."

Buffy and Phoebe goes upstairs.

In the attic Buffy and Phoebe runs over to a closet. They pull the clothes across and both books are in there. They flip the pages.

Buffy shakes her head, "What are we looking for?"

Phoebe shakes her head, "I have no idea what we're looking for. (The pages both books begin turn by themselves. "Okay, I think we can take a hint." It stops at a page, matching page in each book. "When in the circle that is home, safety's gone and evils roam, rid all beings from these walls, save sisters three now heed our call."

Buffy looks at hers and then Phoebe's book. "They don't match."

Phoebe looks at Buffy's book. "When in the circle that is home, safety's gone and evils roam, rid all beings from these walls, save those I call family now heed my call." She looks at Buffy, "You say yours it should hopefully protect you from our spell."

They each quickly memorize the spells and run downstairs.

Phoebe frowns, "Dad, you can't be here, you have to leave now."

Another Victor walks in.

Buffy frowns, "Whoa, time out. What's going on here?"

Victor #1 smiles, "Don't worry about it, sweetie. Everything's gonna be fine."

Victor #2 shakes his head, "Don't trust him."

Piper nods, "Wait a second. Last week we had no dad and now we have two?"

Victor #1 smiles, "Phoebe, remember, remember when you were little and you were afraid of the dark and I would leave the hall light on and the door open just a crack."

Victor #2 rolls his eyes, "Oh, that's original. What kid isn't afraid of the dark?"

Victor #1 nods, "Prue, she's never afraid of anything."

Piper nods, "He's right, Prue. You were never afraid of the dark."

Victor #2 shakes his head, "Lucky guess. I said I came back to protect you. Now there's only one way to do it. Kill us both."

Victor #1 frowns, "You're bluffing."

Victor #2 shakes his head, "Am I? Just do it because I wanna go out with a bang."

Prue nods, "Do it, Phoebe."

Phoebe nods, "The spell will kill everyone including dad and Buffy. Hopefully though Buffy's will protect her."

Victor #2 nods, "It's the only way. Prudence..."

Piper smiles, "Prue, the protection ring."

Prue uses her power and the ring slides across the table. Victor #2 picks it up. Prue nods and he puts it on. "Phoebe… Buffy, now."

Phoebe looks at Buffy who nods, "In the circle that is home, safety's gone and evils roam, rid all beings from these walls, save sisters three now heed our call."

Buffy breaths out, "When in the circle that is home, safety's gone and evils roam, rid all beings from these walls, save those I call family now heed my call."

Cynda turns into a creature

It gets windy.

The shape shifters start melting.

"When in the circle that is home, safety's gone and evils roam..." Phoebe and Buffy say together.

Victor #2 falls to his knees. He looks like he's in pain.

Phoebe frowns, "Daddy!"

Buffy shakes her head, "Uncle Victor!"

Victor #2 shakes his head, "It's okay, keep it going."

Prue, Piper, Phoebe as they speak together, "Rid all beings from these walls, save sisters three now heed our call."

Buffy smiles, "Rid all beings from these walls, save those I call family now heed my call."

The shape shifters melt and disappear. Buffy, Prue, Piper and Phoebe run over to Victor. Prue helps Victor up.

Victor smiles, "For a moment there I wasn't sure what you would do."

Prue nods, "For a moment there neither did I."

Phoebe nods, "I thought you didn't want us to use our magic."

Buffy sighs, "Yeah."

Victor nods, "I didn't. Not as long as I still thought of you as my little girls. Or Buffy as the child of my sister-in-law. But you're obviously not anymore. And Buffy can definitely handle herself."

Piper nods, "We're still you're little girls, and Buffy is still your niece. We're just..."

Prue nods, "Witches."

Victor smiles, "Yeah, witches. Well, obviously you don't need your old man," he looks to Buffy, "or your uncle, to protect you from anything."

The next day Buffy, Prue, Piper and Phoebe are in the living room.

Prue's on the phone. "No, Andy, I'm fine really. Dad's gonna be here any minute, so can I take a rain check on dinner? Okay, thanks for the good advice." She hangs up.

Phoebe nods, "So he's dad now?"

Prue smiles, "Yes, Phoebe." She looks at Buffy, "Just as he is your uncle. And by the way Phoebe, my dress looks good on you."

Buffy smiles, "I know. Does this dress look ok for dinner?"

Phoebe nods, "I don't have any nice clothes, Prue."

Prue looks at Buffy and nods, "Yes it looks wonderful on you. Still Dad said it was casual."

Phoebe nods, "I don't care. I wanna look nice for him. Who knows how long it'll be before we see him again.

Buffy nods, "I agree I want to look nice for Uncle Victor also."

Piper nods, "You don't think he's gonna stay around?"

Phoebe shrugs, "Well, let's just say I no longer have a romanticized image of him. And I'm glad about that actually. At least dad is real now."

Prue nods, "And at least he's not a monster which is very reassuring considering we share his genes."

Piper smiles, "I'm just glad he came back no matter how long he stays. Kind of nice feeling like a normal family again. Whatever that means." Buffy and Phoebe nods. The doorbell rings. "Speak of the devil."

Piper answers the door. Piper and Leo walk back in the living room.

Prue smiles, "Uh, hi, you must be Mr. Wyatt."

Phoebe blinks, "The handyman?"

Leo nods, "Call me Leo."

Phoebe smiles, "Gladly."

Leo nods, "This was on the steps." He holds up a yellow large envelope. Prue takes it off him. "This place is, uh, you don't find many like this around anymore."

Buffy nods, "That you don't."

Piper nods, "Yeah, it's kind of falling apart."

Prue opens the envelope.

Leo smiles, "The problem isn't the manor, it's the manner in which it was treated. I'd love to see more."

Phoebe smiles, "I would love to show it to you. The attic is right this way." She pushes Piper out of the way and Phoebe and Leo head towards the stairs.

Prue sighs, "Guys."

Phoebe turns back around. "Uh, I'll be right up."

Prue nods, "He's not coming."

Piper shakes her head, "Who's not coming?"

Prue nods, "Dad. He sent this. Um," she reads the note, "girls… Buffy, something's come up, I hate to leave town. Can't make it to dinner. Probably best if we let the dust settle anyway. I know there's a lot you would like to forget but here's what I remember. Love dad. P.S. Buffy the second tape is for you. It is one of the few I have with your mom in it." She holds up a video tapes.

Short time later Prue, Piper and Phoebe are watching the video. On the video it's Christmas. Prue, Piper and Phoebe are there as kids. They are opening their presents. Victor kisses Prue on the cheek and then grabs Piper and lifts her in the air. He then asks what Phoebe got and she holds up a Barbie.

Upstairs in Buffy's room she is watching the other tape. On the video it's another Christmas. Patty, Victor, Piper, Prue, and Joyce sit in front of a Christmas tree. Victor hands a gift to Joyce, "I hope you like it Patience." Joyce opened the package to find a small jewelry box, she opened it to find a locket.

Buffy reached up and touched the exact same locket around her neck and smiled.


	6. Chapter 6: Dead Man Dating

_**WiccaWhiteWitchSmallTownGuy - **_The episode surrounding Joyce, her brain tumor, and her death well be skipped, since Joyce is already dead. The rest of season five surrounding Dawn will not be skipped. Unlike my other Charmed story Dawn will be Buffy's sister again. She will be introduced into the story much like she was in BTVS.

_**BeneathYouICrunch - **_I don't see any reason for Leo not to be Buffy's Whitelighter. So I would say yes he is.

* * *

**Chapter 6: Dead Man Dating**

Buffy smiles, "Come on Prue. I'm not grounded anymore. I've been on my best behavior."

Prue shakes her head, "I don't know, Buffy."

Buffy sighs, "Please Prue. I would like to get you something for your birthday. And without an allowance I don't have the money to get you anything."

Prue sighs, "You don't have to get me anything Buffy."

Buffy nods, "I know but I want to."

Prue nods, "Alright. "

Buffy and Prue walks in the kitchen.

Prue looks at Phoebe and Piper, "Morning."

Phoebe smiles, "Good morning. Hey, I forgot to ask; how was your date with Andy?"

Prue sighs, "Great, until he asked me to spend my birthday at a spa with him."

Phoebe sarcastic, "Oh, I hate when they do that."

Piper nods, "For this weekend? You didn't say yes, did you?"

Prue nods, "Well, my body did... screamed it actually. But I don't know, I just have to think about it."

Phoebe smiles, "A weekend of rest, rubdowns and room service. What's to think about?" Piper bangs a notepad down on the table. Phoebe remembers about the party. "I mean, uh, you could be right. Going away with a guy, is like..."

Piper nods, "It's like bringing them home to meet the parents. It changes everything. And if you're not sure if you're ready to make a commitment or not, you know, you don't wanna send the wrong signal."

Phoebe nods, "Plus, you need a week to prepare for a weekend away. I mean, there's lingerie shopping, waxing, manicure, pedicure. I mean, it's basically a full time job and you've already got one. So you'll never be ready, not even if you started packing this second."

Piper blinks, "Wow."

Phoebe nods, "Bottom line, unless you're ready to put your toothbrush next to his, you shouldn't go."

Prue frowns, "Between Buffy wanting money to buy me a birthday present and you guys going on about this weekend… You guys aren't trying to plan another surprise party for me, are you?"

Piper shakes her head, "No, never."

Phoebe smiles, "No, we've given up on trying to surprise you, Prue."

Prue smiles, "Well, that's good because you both know how much I hate surprises."

Buffy nods, "No surprises here. You already had more than one surprise in the last month. No need for more."

Prue leaves the room.

Piper frowns, "Damn it, Phoebe. If you had sent Andy his invitation we wouldn't be in this mess."

Phoebe nods, "Okay, what are you talking about? You heard Prue, she doesn't want a party. So you should be glad that I flaked, besides, you know as well as I do, she's gonna go away with Andy. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a present to pay for. Which means I have a job interview."

She leaves the room.

Piper looks at Buffy, "And you. I know you want to get Prue a present and all. But you should have asked me, I would have given you the money. That way you wouldn't have raised Prue's suspicions."

Buffy sighs, "Sorry Piper."

Sometime later at Buckland's in Prue's office. Prue's on the phone talking to Piper. Buffy is there having talked Prue into hiring her for the day to make some money.

Piper on the phone, "So have you made up your mind about Calistoga?"

Prue sighs, "I don't know, I keep thinking it's a bad idea but then I think well what's the big deal? It's not like we haven't already slept together."

Piper on the phone, "I think you should go... on Saturday."

Prue frowns, "On Saturday, why? Piper, you promised no surprise party."

Piper on the phone, "It's not what you think. It's Phoebe. She bought you a present."

Prue frowns, "Phoebe doesn't give presents, she gives cards three days late."

Buffy nods, "She did Prue."

Piper on the phone, "Not this year. Surprise. And she really wants to give it to you on Friday. So could you please just ask Andy about leaving on Saturday instead? You have no idea how much Phoebe has put herself through. She even... she even got a job and everything."

Prue sighs, "Okay, I'll ask, if I decide to go. So what kind of job did Phoebe get?"

Piper on the phone, "Don't know. Gotta go. Ciao."

Prue hangs up the phone and looks at Buffy, "Ok now how does the rest of the day look?"

Buffy reaches across Prue's desk for her day planner, "Your free for a couple hours."

Prue nods, "I'm going to make a call to the station house, talk to Andy. Why don't you get your things together. We're going to Quake for lunch."

Short time later at Quake. Buffy and Prue walks in.

Prue looks to Buffy, "Go get us a table. I will be there momentarily."

Buffy nods and walks away.

Prue looks for Andy. She sees him sitting at a table with a woman. She walks over to them. "Hi."

Andy smiles, "Prue."

Prue nods, "Um, I tried calling the station house for you; they said that you would probably be here." She looks to the woman. "Hi."

The woman nods, "Hi."

Andy smiles, "Oh, Prue, this is, um..."

The woman nods, "Susan. Susan Trudeau. Nice to meet you. Pleasure."

Prue frowns, "Trudeau. Sister?"

Andy shakes his head, "No, actually..."

Susan nods, "Wife."

Prue walks over to the table Buffy is sitting at.

Andy follows. "Ex-wife. Prue, wait, I can explain."

Prue frowns, "Don't bother."

Andy frowns, "It's not what you think..."

Prue uses her power and moves a food trolley in front of Andy. He trips over it and lands on the floor.

Buffy glares at Prue and whispers, "You get on to us for using our powers and you turn around and do the same thing to Andy."

Prue shakes her head, "We're leaving, Buffy."

Buffy sighs and follows Prue out of Quake.

Later back at the Manor.

Phoebe's standing outside the bathroom door. "Prue, you can't do this, Piper's gonna be crushed."

Buffy sighs, "Come on Prue."

Piper walks in. "I'm gonna be crushed?"

Prue comes out of the bathroom wearing only a towel. "The surprise party is off."

Piper frowns, "What party?"

Phoebe sighs, "She's onto us. The restaurant called while we were out."

Buffy smiles, "I tried to answer it before Prue could. But she beat me to the punch."

Piper nods, "Oh. Is that why you were so upset earlier?"

Prue sighs, "Let's just say it hasn't been a great day."

Phoebe nods, "Does it have anything to do with why Andy's been calling all evening?"

Mark walks in. "Piper, where'd you say today's paper was?"

Prue frowns, "Hey, I'm practically naked here."

Mark looks away. "Oops, sorry."

Phoebe frowns, "What's the drunk from the hotel doing here?"

Mark sighs, "My name's Mark and I am not a drunk."

Piper nods, "He's a ghost."

Buffy blinks, "A ghost?"

Prue frowns, "Excuse me, a what?"

Piper nods, "A ghost. He was murdered and he obviously needs our help. Why else would we be able to see him?"

Phoebe covers Prue with her coat. "Well, he can see us, that's for sure."

Prue frowns, "Hey!"

Mark mumbles, "Of all the days to be a dead man."

Phoebe nods, "You sure this guys really a ghost?"

Buffy goes to touch Mark but her hand passes right through him, "Wow. Never met a ghost before."

Piper nods, "Positive."

Later that evening Prue, Piper, Buffy and Phoebe are in the kitchen.

Phoebe nods, "So how do we know that the guy doesn't really belong in hell?"

Piper shakes her head, "Because we can see him. He's one of the innocent we have to protect."

Prue frowns, "Protect him from what? He's dead."

Piper shakes her head, "All we have to do is get Mark's family to give him a proper burial and then he can move on to wherever it is he moves onto."

Prue nods, "Okay, so call the police and let them know where the body is."

Piper sighs, "I already did. I just wanna give them a little time to notify Mark's mom before I go talk to her."

Buffy blinks, "Talk to her?"

Phoebe frowns, "Tell her what? That you're a witch in touch with the ghost of her dead son?"

Piper shakes her head, "No, I'm just gonna try and get her to have a funeral as soon as possible before Yama gets Mark's spirit."

The phone rings and Phoebe answers it. "Hello? Oh, hi, I can't really talk right now. It's important? Okay, I'll be at the hotel in a little while. Bye." She hangs up. "That was my new boss calling. I gotta run." She leaves.

Prue nods, "Um, okay, so, so when you called the police you didn't talk to Andy did you?"

Piper frowns, "No, it was anonymous. Why, did you decide to not go away with him?"

Buffy frowns, "Actually, she was all set to go. Then Prue saw Andy having dinner with his ex-wife."

Piper frowns, "His what?"

Prue glares at Buffy, "Yeah, you would think he would've remembered to reveal that little fact before we jumped in the sack."

Piper nods, "Well, what did he say? Why didn't he tell you?"

Prue shrugs, "I don't know, I didn't really hang around long enough to ask. Buffy and I left the restaurant shortly after that."

Mark pokes his head through the door. "How's it going in there?" Buffy, Prue and Piper jump. "Sorry."

Prue frowns, "Don't these guys knock?"

Short time later Mark is in the living room trying to turn on the TV but his finger passes straight through the button. Piper walks in carrying some blankets.

Mark sighs, "It's still new to me. I keep forgetting I'm... Are those for me?"

Piper nods, "Yeah, uh, stupid question... do ghosts sleep?"

Buffy comes down the stairs, "There's where all the spare blankets went."

Mark nods, "I don't even get cold anymore."

Piper smiles, "Sorry." She hands the blankets to Buffy.

Mark nods, "It's okay, and it's the thought that counts. I guess it's finally sinking in, what's really happened, what I've lost. Sucking down a bucket of oysters at the wharf, playing pickup ball with friends, coming home and hearing my mother's voice on the machine nagging me 'cause I haven't married a nice Chinese girl."

Buffy smiles, "Your mom means a lot to you, huh?"

Mark nods, "She's a great friend... was." Mark sits on the couch. "It was just me and her after my father died. Taught me everything I know. Especially how to cook. My mom was a great cook."

Buffy smiles, "Sounds like me and my mom. After my mom and dad got divorced it was just us. She taught me a lot. Mark can I get you to pass along a message if you should see her where you go?"

Mark smiles, "Sure Buffy. What's her name?"

Buffy smiles, "Joyce, Joyce Summers. Tell her I miss her and I love her."

Mark nods, "I will."

Piper smiles and hugs Buffy. She wipes a tear from Buffy's face, "Our Grams taught me how to cook. Actually, I loved it so much I became a chef."

Mark nods, "Really? Ever make a Peking duck?"

Piper shakes her head, "No, you?"

Mark nods, "Piece of cake. Mom told me I could've been a great chef if I hadn't sold out to the Molecular Biology program at Stanford."

Piper nods, "So you can make a Peking duck and clone DNA?"

Mark nods, "The duck's harder."

They laugh.

Piper nods, "Well, I can talk about food all night long."

Mark smiles, "Yeah? Well, I can talk about it forever."

They laugh again.

Buffy smiles, "I think that's my cue to go to bed. Piper if you don't mind I think I would like to go with you and Mark when you go to talk to his mom. If that's alright with you Mark?"

Mark nods, "Sure Buffy I'd like that."

The next day outside Mark's mother's house. Mark, Buffy and Piper are there. Piper rings the bell. "Are you sure this is going to work?"

Mark nods, "If you speak her language she'll trust you."

Mrs. Chao walks outside. "Can I help you?"

Mark smiles, "Hello."

Piper in Chinese, "Hello."

Mark in Chinese, "My name's Piper. And this is Buffy."

Piper in Chinese, "My name's Piper. And this is Buffy."

Mark in Chinese, "We need to talk to you."

Piper in Chinese, "We need to talk to you."

Mrs. Chao in Chinese, "You speak Chinese?"

Piper looks at Mark.

Mark in Chinese, "Berlitz, it's about Mark."

Piper: in Chinese, "Berlitz, it's about Mark."

Mrs. Chao in Chinese, "You know where he is?"

Mark frowns, "She asked if you know where I am."

Buffy blinks, "You-you don't?"

Mrs. Chao shakes her head, "No, and I'm worried sick. I haven't heard from him since his birthday."

Mark frowns, "The police haven't notified her yet?"

Piper nods, "How's the possible... I mean, that he hasn't called yet?"

Mrs. Chao sighs, "I don't know, it's not like him. When did you last see him?"

Piper nods, "Um, well..."

Buffy smiles, "Um…"

Mark nods, "Piper… Buffy, you have to tell her. You have to tell her where my body is so she can bury me."

Piper shakes her head, "I can't... er, I can't remember the last time actually but if I see him or hear from him I-I'll let you know."

Buffy nods, "Sorry I don't remember either. But if we see or hear from him…"

Mrs. Chao smiles, "Thank you, thank you."

Piper and Buffy walks down the stairs and Mrs. Chao goes back inside.

Mark frowns, "You can't walk away, Piper… Buffy, you have to tell her. Mom, no." He runs towards the house and smacks straight into the door.

Piper frowns, "What happened?"

Mark nods, "She's got the house protected against ghosts. All the Chinese fairytales she told me growing up were true. And I'm gonna burn in hell."

Buffy shakes her head, "No you won't."

Later back at the Manor Piper, Buffy and Mark walk in to the kitchen. Prue and Phoebe are in the midst of a conversation.

Piper nods, "Hey, guys, you have to see this."

Mark nods, "They found my body."

Piper turns on the TV.

Reporter on the TV, "Although police report that the body was burned beyond recognition..."

Mark lets out a sigh of relief, "It's finally over."

Reporter on the TV, "Personal affects found at the scene, preliminarily identify him as Tony Wong, head of the Chinatown triad."

Mark frowns, "That can't be, that's the guy who killed me."

Phoebe has a premonition of Tony loading bullets into a gun. "Wait, I see him. Wong, he's still alive."

Mark nods, "Of course he's still alive, that's me they found."

Prue frowns, "Can you see where he is now?"

Phoebe nods, "I see a sign. Uh, quick, give me a pen."

Piper hands her a pen.

Mark shakes his head, "I don't understand why Wong would wanna kill me. I never did anything to him."

Buffy smiles, "We'll figure it out, Mark."

Prue nods, "Yeah, but you look a lot like him. Maybe he used you to fake his own death."

Phoebe holds up her palm where she has drawn two Chinese symbols. "What does that mean?"

Mark nods, "Warhai Imports. It's a warehouse over in Chinatown."

Later in Chinatown. Mark, Buffy and Piper walk into a warehouse. Piper is holding a newspaper.

Mark frowns, "I don't know about this, Piper… Buffy, I think it's too dangerous."

Piper nods, "It's your only chance."

Mark nods, "Both of you listen to me. You don't wanna go up there. Those men pulled the trigger on me without even thinking. They'll kill the both of you."

Piper smiles, "I can freeze things, remember?"

Buffy nods, "And I'm like wicked strong and wicked fast."

Mark nods, "But there are five thugs in there."

They walk up some stairs.

Piper nods, "Keep talking."

Mark nods, "With guns."

Piper smiles, "Even better."

Buffy rolls her eyes, "Easy for you to say. I maybe fast but I can't dodge a bullet."

Mark frowns, "Wait, wait, wait. They've got an amulet on the door, can't go in." Piper unhooks it and drops it on the floor. "Never mind. Scared?"

Buffy sighs, "Yeah."

Piper nods, "Terrified. Trust me, that's a good thing." Piper barges in a room and freezes Tony and his gang. "Okay, phew. We gotta hurry."

Piper sits the paper in Tony's hands.

Buffy takes the photo. "Say cheese."

They unfreeze.

Mark frowns, "Run!"

They run outside and Tony and his gang follow. Mark, Buffy and Piper jump in the car and drive off. Tony writes down the car's license plate number.

Short time later outside the police station. Piper walks out of the station and over to Buffy who is sitting in the passenger seat, and Mark who is standing beside her car.

Piper nods, "Okay, all set. I snuck the photograph into Andy's inner office mail."

Mark nods, "My after life's in the hands of a cop named Andy."

Buffy rolls her eyes, "He's an Inspector and he's very good, Mark."

Piper nods, "After he sees Wong is alive, he'll know exactly what to do."

Mark nods, "Bust Wong maybe, but that doesn't help me. They won't have any way of identifying the body is mine."

Piper nods, "I put your name in with the picture. Andy will get dental records or something and match it up. All we have to do is keep Yama away from you until then."

Mark smiles, "I don't know what to say."

Piper nods, "Don't say anything. I…" Buffy glares at Piper. "We made you a promise didn't we?" Piper opens the car door for Mark. Andy sees Piper and walks towards her. "As much as I like you, I have no intention of joining you."

Andy shakes his head, "Talking to yourself, huh?"

Piper quickly closes the car door.

Buffy leans out the window, "Hey Andy. Nope she was talking to me."

Piper smiles, "Andy, hi. Yeah talking to Buffy.

Andy nods, "Not that it's not a pleasure but what are you two doing here?"

Piper nods, "Oh, nothing, you know, just passing by."

Andy sighs, "Prue tell you what's going on?"

Piper shakes her head, "No.

Buffy nods, "Yeah she did. Of course I was witness to it remember."

Andy nods, "Oh that's right you and Prue were going to have lunch when she ran into me and Susan."

Piper nods, "Kind of screwed up, huh?"

Andy nods, "Any idea what I should do?"

Mark frowns, "Oh, that Andy."

Piper nods, "Yeah... I mean, yeah, um, hmm, just give her some space, let her work it through."

Andy smiles, "Yeah, okay." He hugs her. "Thanks. Take care. It was good to see you again, Buffy."

Buffy smiles, "You too, Andy."

Piper nods, "You too." He walks away. Piper turns to Mark. "What?"

Mark smiles. "You're a really sweet person, you know that? No, I mean that. I wanna take you somewhere. Something I wanna do for you. Well for both of you."

A short time later at Mark's place. Piper, Buffy and Mark walk inside.

Buffy is impressed, "This is your place? It's beautiful."

Piper nods, "I have to agree with Buffy. It is beautiful."

Mark smiles, "Thanks."

Piper picks up a book. "Camus. I'm impressed."

Mark nods, "I wish I had a chance to finish it. Of course I can say that about almost everything, I guess."

Buffy reads over Piper's shoulder, "I love this world is a dead world, and always there comes an hour where one is weary of prisons and all one craves for is a warm face, the warmth and wonder of a loving heart."

Mark smiles, "I like that part."

Piper nods, "Me too."

Buffy smiles, "Me three."

Mark nods, "Listen, if your cop friend comes through, maybe I'll get a chance to ask Camus himself how it turns out. I want you to reach for something." He points to a small box sitting on top of a bookshelf. Piper reaches up and takes it off the shelf. "Open it."

They sit down on the couch and Piper opens the box. She pulls out some letters written in Chinese.

Piper blinks, "What are they?"

Mark smiles, "My grandfather's recipes. My dad translated them when I was born. They've been serving these in my family's restaurant for decades. They're yours."

Piper shakes her head, "But they belong in your family."

Mark nods, "I want you to have them. For everything you've done for me. I just ask one favor; use them for your sisters surprise birthday party. Buffy and for you… Camus' book you just read a passage out of its yours."

Buffy smiles, "Really?"

Mark nods, "Yes."

Buffy smiles, "I'll treasure it forever." She holds the book close to her.

Piper sighs, "Prue doesn't want a party."

Mark nods, "Birthdays are important. I know, I walked out of my last one and it never occurred to me that I wouldn't get another. She may not know it but she needs to celebrate her birthday, we all do. Don't take it for granted."

A short time later they are back at Manor in the Foyer.

Piper smiles, "You okay?"

Mark nods, "I was just thinking, walking under the stars, what's really up there, what's waiting for me."

Piper nods, "I don't know. Maybe you can give me a hint when you get there."

Buffy nods, "And me."

Mark nods, "I don't want this night to ever end. I'm not ready to say goodbye, Piper… or to you Buffy."

Piper holds her hand near his face. "Close your eyes. Pretend you can feel my hand on your skin, that my touch gives you comfort."

Mark sighs, "No..."

Buffy smiles, "Just close your eyes."

Mark and Piper move their lips together as close as they can so it's like they're kissing without touching. They pull apart.

Mark nods, "Where were you my whole life?" Suddenly, the front door flies open and four of Tony's men run in. They grab Piper and Buffy and carry them outside. "No! Piper! Buffy! Somebody help!"

Prue and Phoebe run down the stairs.

Prue frowns, "What's wrong, what happened?"

Mark nods, "They took them. Wong's men took Piper and Buffy.

Phoebe nods, "Do you know where they took them?" He shakes his head. "I'm calling 911."

Prue shakes her head, "No, do it from the car, let's go. We've got to find them."

Mark nods, "Even if it takes all night."

They run outside. At the Warehouse Tony, his gang and Piper and Buffy are there. Piper and Buffy are tied up in chairs.

Tony is loading bullets into his gun. "The first time I saw you two I thought you were ghosts."

Piper nods, "These ropes are really tight, if you could just untie my hands. Why did you kill Mark?"

Buffy tries to move her hands to power up even a small fireball to burn through the ropes. But her hands are bound too tight.

Tony frowns, "I needed his identity." He grabs Piper's hair. "Who else knows I'm alive? I had plans. I had a boat ready to take me to Hong Kong. I had a whole new life and you two screwed it all up."

Mark runs in and sees Piper and Buffy and runs back out.

Downstairs Prue and Phoebe run in. Mark runs down the stairs. "Quick, they have them upstairs." One of the men comes out with a gun. "Look out!"

Prue uses her power and the guy lands into a pile of boxes.

Back upstairs Tony points to Piper, "I'll take her. You shoot anyone that comes through that door. And kill the girl." He unties Piper's hands.

Phoebe and Prue walk up the stairs. Prue uses her power on the men. Tony shoots at Prue and Phoebe and Piper freezes the bullet in mid-air.

Prue smiles, "Thanks, sis."

Prue and Phoebe untie Piper. They then untie Buffy.

Mark nods, "How long does this last again?"

Piper shakes her head, "Not very."

Tony unfreezes and the bullet hits a statue. "Who are you people?"

Prue uses her power and Tony falls down the stairs. Tony runs outside and the police pull up.

Andy calls out, "Police! Freeze!"

Tony fires his gun and Andy shoots him. Prue, Buffy, Piper, Phoebe and Mark walk out onto the balcony.

Piper frowns, "I've never seen anybody killed before."

Buffy sighs, "Neither have I."

Prue nods, "Jeremy."

Phoebe nods, "Javna."

Prue nods, "The vampires at the Bronze."

Piper looks at Buffy, "We mean human."

Prue nods, "Come on, let's get out of here before Andy sees us."

Tony's spirit floats out of his body. Prue, Buffy, Piper, Phoebe and Mark run down an alley and Tony follows. They stop.

Mark frowns, "Wong."

Tony shakes his head, "But you're dead."

Mark nods, "Yeah, so are you."

Yama appears on his horse and holding a spear.

Piper frowns, "Mark, I think you should get outta here."

Buffy nods, "Yeah come on Mark lets go."

Mark grabs Tony. "Make a wish, you bastard." He pushes Tony into Yama's spear.

The spear sucks Tony up. Yama moves closer to Mark.

Piper and Buffy stands in front of Mark.

Buffy shakes her head, "No, you can't take him."

Piper nods, "He's a good man, he doesn't belong with you."

Yama hesitates and then disappears.

The next day at Mark's funeral Mark is there watching his mother. Prue, Piper, Buffy and Phoebe are standing nearby.

Minister speaks, "We are here to celebrate the joy of Mark's life and the redemption of his spiritual journey."

Mark looks at his mother, "All those stories, all those legends you taught me, you saved my soul, mom. You were right." He walks over to Prue, Piper and Phoebe. "Take it from me, Prue, don't miss your birthday. Not any of them, they're precious."

Prue nods, "I won't."

Mark looks between Piper and Buffy, "I wished."

Piper nods, "I know, me too."

Buffy smiles, "Me three. It's sad to have met you after you know…"

Mark nods and looks at Buffy, "I know, you would have made a great friend, Buffy. I'm gonna miss you." He turns to Piper and holds his hand close to her face. "I'm gonna miss you as well, Piper."

A man appears in the distance.

Phoebe nods, "Who's that man?"

Mark smiles, "My dad. I guess this really is goodbye." He walks over to his dad and they disappear.

Piper cries, "Leave it to me to fall for a dead guy."

Buffy hugs Piper as she cries as well, "My third friend in this city and he had to be a dead guy."

Phoebe nods, "It's an improvement. At least he wasn't a warlock."

Piper nods, "Yeah."

A short time later back at the Manor Prue, Piper, Buffy and Phoebe walk inside.

Prue nods, "You know what? I've changed my mind. Maybe I should have a party after all."

Phoebe blinks, "Are you serious?"

Prue nods, "Yeah, why not? I mean, Mark is right."

Piper smiles, "Well, Prue, I'm glad you said that 'cause..."

They walk in the living room and there stands a room full of people. "Surprise!"

Piper smiles, "Did I getcha? I gotcha."

Prue nods, "Yeah, you got me."

Piper smiles, "Yeah."

Phoebe nods, "And an actual present too. It's paid for. She hands Prue a present. "I hope you like it."

Prue nods, "I'm speechless." She hugs Phoebe.

Buffy smiles and hands Prue another present.

Prue opens it and smiles as sees a painting of her, Piper, Phoebe and Buffy. "When did you do this?"

Buffy smiles, "A couple days ago. Believe me it was hard to get all three of us together for that. And then to get him to paint you in from a picture Piper had."

Prue smiles and hugs Buffy, "It's beautiful."

Prue sees Andy standing across the room. They smile at each other.


	7. Chapter 7: Witch

**Chapter 7: Witch**

"This is madness." Giles, deeply concerned, is staring at Buffy in a cheerleading outfit.

Buffy smiles, "You don't like the color."

Giles frowns, "I what? I don't - Buffy, do you ignore everything I say? As a rule?"

Buffy shakes her head, "No, I believe that's your trick. I told you I'm going out for the cheerleading squad."

Giles nods, "You have a sacred birthright, Buffy. You have been chosen to destroy Vampires, not wave pom-poms at people. As the Watcher, I forbid it."

Buffy rolls her eyes, "And you'll be stopping me how?"

Giles, "Dyeh, uh, well - by appealing to your common sense, if such a creature exists."

Buffy nods, "I'll still have time to fight the forces of evil, okay? But I want to have a life. I want to do something normal. Something safe. Something that doesn't involve vampires or warlocks."

In the Gym girls twirl and warm up.

Buffy enters with Willow, Xander, Piper, and Phoebe.

Willow nods, "Giles didn't approve, huh?"

Buffy nods, "He totally lost his water. We haven't even seen a vampire in a week. I'd say he should get a girlfriend if he wasn't so old."

Piper rolls her eyes, "Buffy."

Willow nods, "Well, we're behind you."

Phoebe nods, "Yeah. Even though I've always thought Cheerleading was kind of dumb. It's something you want to do so I'm behind you."

Piper nods, "Yeah Phoebe was a bit of a rebel when she was in high school. You should have seen the gang she hung out with."

Xander nods, "People scoff at things like school spirit - but when you see these young women giving their all like this..." Amber her feet on two chairs, slides down into an extra low split. "...Oooh, stretchy. Where was I?"

Phoebe shakes her head, "Teenage boys."

Willow nods, "You were pretending that seeing scantily-clad girls in revealing postures was a spiritual experience."

Xander smiles, "What do you mean, pretending?" He pulls out an I.D. bracelet. "Oh, hey. Here's a little good luck thing for the tryouts..."

Buffy charmed, "What is this?"

Willow less charmed, "What is that?"

Buffy takes the bracelet, puts it on. "This is so sweet!" She reads the bracelet. "Yours always..."

Xander nods, "That was on there when I got it. Really. They all said that."

Cordelia watches Amber stand on one leg and hold the other straight up in the air. "Just look at Amber. Who does she think she is, a Laker Girl?"

Willow shakes her head, "I heard she turned them down."

A Senior Cheerleader moves to the judge's table with two other Senior Cheerleaders. "Let's begin with..." She reads from list. "Amber Grove. If you're not auditioning move off the floor."

Piper, Phoebe, Xander, Willow, Buffy and Cordelia move back.

Willow spots Amy, "Hi Amy."

Amy smiles, "Hi."

Willow nods, "I didn't know you wanted to be a cheerleader. You lost a lot of weight."

Amy nods, "Had to."

Willow smiles, "Do you know Buffy?"

Amy nods, "Hi. Oh how I hate this, let me count the ways." Buffy smiles, warming to Amy's honesty. They watch Amber's routine - she's really good. "She trained with Benson - he's the best coach money can buy."

Buffy blinks, "They have cheerleading coaches?" She looks at Piper and Phoebe, "Think Prue would pay for me to have a coach?"

Amy nods, "Oh yeah. You don't have...? I train with my mom, three hours in the morning, three at night."

Buffy smiles sadly, "I envy you there."

Piper and Phoebe step up next to Buffy. Piper nods, "That's why we're here for you Buffy."

Amy smiles, "I know it's kinda hokey... but she's really great."

Cordelia, standing nearby, feigns boredom with Amber's performance, turns her back.

Everyone else watches Amber as smoke begins to emanate from her pom-poms.

Buffy frowns, "What the ... ?" She looks to Piper and Phoebe who indicate they see it also.

Willow frowns, "That girl's on fire."

Cordelia back still turned, "Enough with the hyperbole."

Amber stops, drops the pom-poms. The smoke is coming from her - and her hands and forearms suddenly burst into flames! Amber screams!

Buffy vaults to the large Razorbacks banner, rips it down and tackles Amber, wrapped her tightly in it and smothering the flames. "It's okay, you're gonna be okay..."

Later in the library Buffy enters, Piper and Phoebe have returned to the manor to look in the Book of Shadows.

Buffy sighs, "I've been slaying Vampires for more than a year now. I've seen some pretty cringeworthy stuff, but nobody's hands ever got toasted. Well except for mine, I guess. But that's because of my power and they don't actually get toasted."

Giles nods, "I imagine not."

Buffy nods, "So this is not a vampire problem."

Giles shakes his head, "No."

Buffy nods, "But it is funky, right? Not of the norm? Outside me of course."

Giles nods, "Quite. Spontaneous human combustion is rare, and scientifically unexplainable. But there've been cases reported for hundreds of years. Usually all that's left is a pile of ashes."

Willow sighs, "That's all that would have been left of Amber if it hadn't been for Buffy."

Xander nods, "So we have no idea what caused this? That's a comfort."

Buffy nods, "Piper and Phoebe went back to the manor to look in the Book. See if they could find anything."

Giles nods, "Well, that is the thrill of living on a hellmouth - one has a veritable cornucopia of fiends, devils and ghouls to engage - Pardon me for finding the glass half full."

Buffy nods, "Any common denominator in cases of spontaneous combustion?"

Giles nods, "Rage. In most cases the person who combusted was terribly angry or upset."

Xander nods, "So maybe Amber's got this power, like Buffy. To make herself be on fire. Like the Human Torch, only it hurts."

Buffy nods, "So I should get the skinny on Amber. See if she's had any colorful episodes before."

Willow nods, "That means hacking illegally into the school's computer system – at last something I can do." She moves to a computer.

Xander nods, "I'll ask around about her."

Buffy sighs, "Guys, you don't have to get involved."

Xander smiles, "What do you mean? We're a team! Aren't we a team?"

Willow nods, "Yeah, you're the Slayer and we're like the slayerettes."

Buffy shakes her head, "I don't want you putting yourselves in danger."

Xander smiles, "I laugh in the face of danger. Then I hide till it goes away."

Buffy nods, "Okay, well, I'm psyched for the help. And what if we find out Amber didn't cause this herself?"

Giles nods, "Then we will have to determine who or what did. And deal with it accordingly."

Xander nods, "Hey, we've fought vampires! Anything else'll be a walk in the park."

Buffy sighs, "Not likely. I just hope whatever it is doesn't require the power of three."

That evening at the manor Buffy enters the kitchen, throws her books on the kitchen table. "Hey, Prue."

Prue nods, "Hi. How was school?"

Buffy smiles, "A reverent joy. Did Piper and Phoebe tell you what happened at cheerleading tryouts?"

Prue frowns, "No, what happened?"

Buffy nods, "A girl caught fire. I quickly put it out."

Prue frowns, "Buffy…"

Buffy shakes her head, "I know what you're about to say Prue, but I swear I didn't use my power on Amber. Giles thinks she spontaneously combusted. Piper and Phoebe were going to check the Book and see if they could find anything."

Prue nods, "That is unusual, Buffy. I've only been home a couple minutes so I haven't checked to see if they are upstairs."

They head up to the attic to find Piper and Phoebe looking through the book.

Buffy nods, "So did you find anything?"

Piper and Phoebe shakes their heads. They close both Books (Charmed BoS and Buffy's BoS).

Piper sighs, "There is nothing in the book about a person suddenly catching on fire. You sure you didn't accidentally use you power?"

Buffy sighs, "I'm sure."

The next day back in the Gym at the school.

Senior Cheerleader stands before the group, "Despite the terrible thing that happened yesterday... we still have to pick new cheerleaders. If you make the team, you'll find your name posted in the Quad after lunch. Let's begin with group performance - Cordelia, Buffy, Amy, Morgan, Janice and Lishanne."

The five girls walk to the center of the gym.

Amy glares at her hands. "Why do my hands have to sweat when I get nervous?"

Buffy smiles, "Don't worry, you'll do great." She looks around trying to spot anything out of the ordinary.

The girls perform a group cheer it includes synchronized leaps, twirls and a basketball cheer.

Lishanne smiles, "We're Gateway, Gateway."

The group cheers, "We Never Fail, Never Fail."

Phoebe rolls her eyes, "I don't understand why Buffy wants to join the cheerleading squad."

Lishanne nods, "Jump and Shoot, Swish and Score."

The group cheers, "The Other Team Is Such a Bore. YEAHHH!"

Piper shakes her head, "Phoebe she enjoys it. Buffy said before she became well you know. She used to be on the cheerleading squad at Hemery. She used to enjoy it."

Morgan is okay. Lishanne is great. Cordelia is surprisingly good, as is Buffy, still a little rusty but impressive.

Amy starts out well but tries too hard - misses a couple of synchronized moves - and, in the big finish, each girl doing a cartwheel and sliding to their knees one at a time, Amy's hands slip on the floor, and she careens into Cordellia.

Cordelia frowns, "You saw that, right? That wasn't me."

In the Gym Foyer a few moments later.

Amy stands before a big trophy display case.

Buffy exits the locker room with Phoebe and Piper. They step up next to Amy. They follow her gaze and look at a cheerleader photo. Under the photo, it reads: 1977 - TRI-COUNTY BEST.

Amy smiles, "That's my mom."

Buffy blinks, "No..." She reads the name, "Catherine Madison. Get down with your bad self."

Phoebe rolls her eyes.

Amy nods, "Her nickname was Catherine The Great: she took that team and made them tri-county champions, no one's ever done that before or since. She and my dad were homecoming King and Queen, got married right after graduation."

Buffy nods, "That's kinda romantic."

Piper nods in agreement.

Amy nods, "Well... he was a big loser, couldn't make any money, took off with Miss Trailer Trash when I was twelve."

Buffy nods, "Okay, that part's less romantic. My folks split up, too before my mom passed away."

Piper nods, "Same with our parents."

Amy nods, "Drag, huh. He left my mom with nothing. She put herself through cosmetology school, bought me everything I ever wanted and never gained a single pound..."

Buffy nods, "She sounds great, Amy, but that doesn't mean you have to, you know, lock step as far as the cheerleading thing…"

Amy turns to Buffy, eyes filling. "It's just, she was the best, and I can't get my body to move like hers. I choked in there so bad." Amy looks very sad and forlorn as Willow enters. She tries to put on a brave face, heads for the girls' locker room. "...I gotta get changed..."

Willow looks at Amy, "Hi Amy..." She looks at Piper, Phoebe, and Buffy, "She okay?"

Buffy nods, "She's wiggin' about her mother... the big cheer queen back when."

Willow nods, "Yeah. Her mom's kinda..."

Buffy sighs, "Nazi-like?"

Piper frowns, "Buffy."

Buffy looks at Piper and nods understanding the unfinished statement.

Willow nods, "Heil. If she gains an ounce she padlocks the fridge and won't eat anything but broth."

Buffy sighs, "So Mommie Dearest is really... Mommie Dearest."

Willow nods, "There's a bitter streak – but Amy's nice. We used to hang in Junior High. When her mom'd go on a broth kick Amy'd come to my house and we'd just stuff ourselves with brownies."

Buffy nods, "Any word on Amber?"

Willow pulls a paper from her bookbag, "Nothing thrilling. Average student - got detention once for smoking - regular smoking, with a cigarette. Not being smoky. All pretty normal."

Piper frowns, "None of what happened yesterday makes sense."

Buffy nods, "We'll just have to see what happens next. Maybe nothing will."

Piper nods, "Well I need to get to Quake, Buffy. Phoebe why don't you go back to the manor and go back through the Books. Just in case we missed something yesterday."

Phoebe, "Ok. I'll see you at home Buffy."

They head out.

Later kids mill about after lunch in the quad. Xander and Willow walk through them.

Willow nods, "I told Buffy about Amber."

Xander smiles, "Cool. Was she wearing it?" Willow glares at him. "The bracelet. She was wearing it, right? That's pretty much like we're going out."

Willow shakes her head, "Except without the hugging or kissing or her knowing about it."

Xander nods, "So now I'm a figure of fun. I should just ask, right?"

Willow nods, "Won't know till you ask."

Xander smiles, "See, this is why you're cool. You're like a guy. You're my guy friend that knows about girl stuff."

Willow sighs, "Oh great. I'm a guy."

Xander sees the Senior Cheerleader moving towards the bulletin board, list in hand. Girls begin to gather. "Hey, they're posting the list!"

He bolts for the bulletin board. A sizable crowd has gathered. The Senior Cheerleader posts the list and goes. Girls stand on tiptoe, push and poke, trying to see. Buffy and Amy are on the periphery as Xander and Willow move up. A girl in tears breaks out of the crowd, runs off.

Lishanne, reading the list, jumps up and down with some friends. "Yess!"

Amy frowns, "I can't take this..."

Buffy tries to wedge into the crowd but two contenders step right in front of her.

Xander nods, "Spot me, I'm goin' in." He takes a little dive into the throng, works his way to the front where he finds himself nose to nose with Cordelia at the list. He lets her check it out first. "Women and children first."

Cordelia emerges, triumphant. "You're lucky."

Amy smiles, "I made it?"

Cordelia shakes her head, "I made it." She moves off

Xander, rubbing his arm, emerges from the throng. "One of those girls hit me really hard - we have to start testing for steroids - okay, not only did you make it, but you, Miss Summers, are the number one alternate and Amy's the number three!"

Amy's face falls, she turns and walks off.

Xander frowns, "What better way to celebrate than with a romantic drive-through for two at…"

Willow frowns, "Xander, alternates are the ones who didn't make the team. They only fill in if something happens to the ones who did."

Buffy goes after Amy, "Excuse me."

Xander nods, "For I am Xander, King of the Cretins, and all lesser cretins must bow before me."

Buffy walks over to Amy who is trying to control her feelings. "At least it's over. And you know what I think we should do about it? Brownie pig-out, my house, now."

Amy sighs, "How many more hours a day can I practice? How much more can I do? This would never have happened to my mom. Never." She takes off. Buffy watches her go.

The next morning in the kitchen. Buffy is getting her books together. Piper enters carrying an old yearbook. "Look what I found! I was sorting through some of your mom's stuff and found her old yearbook. Oh, look, there she is."

Buffy looks for a second. "Wow, who knew she had Farrah hair."

Piper shakes her head, "I think they called it Gidget hair."

Buffy nods, "Did Phoebe find anything yesterday?"

Piper shakes her head, "No. I hate to say it but this may not be something we can do anything about as witches."

Buffy nods, "Okay. I better get or I will miss school."

At school Cordelia, walks slowly, passes Xander and Willow.

Xander smiles, "Morning your Highness, beheadings at noon as usual? Okay, see how she has now clue I'm even a mammal, much less a human being?"

Willow nods, "None."

Xander sighs, "This invisible man syndrome, a blessing in Cordelia's case, a curse in Buffy's."

Willow shakes her head, "You're not invisible to Buffy."

Xander nods, "Worse, I'm just part of the scenery, like an old shoe, or a rug you walk on every day but you never really see…"

Willow trying to be helpful, "…like a pen that's all chewed up and you know you should throw it away but you don't, not 'cause you really like it that much but more 'cause you're just so used to it and…"

Xander nods, "Will. That is the point and let's not drive it through my head like a railroad spike. What I have do - what I'm going to do - is just what you said…"

Willow nods, "Throw away the pen, forget about Buffy." She tosses pen in trash.

Xander nods, "What I have to do - what I'm going to do - is be a man and ask her out. No more i.d. bracelets, subtle innuendo, or Polaroids outside her bedroom window late at night - that last is a joke to relieve the tension because here she comes."

Buffy rounds a corner, heading their way.

Willow nods, "I know I'm relieved."

Xander sighs, "Alright. Into battle I go. Would you ask her out for me? No. Man. Me. Battle." Buffy passes Cordelia at her locker. Buffy sees Cordelia reach for her combination - her fingers miss it, find it. Buffy moves on, is intercepted by Xander. "Buffy, how would you like to..."

Buffy looks back at Cordelia, "Is that even Cordelia's locker?"

Xander frowns, "Huh? I don't know, what I'm saying here is, accompany me Friday night..."

Buffy, not really listening, sees Cordelia give up on the locker which won't open for her, walk off. "Hang on, Xander, I have to... we can pick this up later, you don't mind, do you?" She turns and goes.

Xander watches her. A small high-pitched sound builds slowly in the back of his throat - the sound of a plan going down, down, down. "Pplllewww!"

Cordelia moves slowly, making her way across campus.

Buffy exits a building fifty yards or so behind Cordelia. Follows her, concerned.

Cordelia makes her way over towards the Driver's Ed area. Orange cones are set up in a little course on the blacktop. A driver's ed car, Mr. Pole, and two students are waiting for her. Cordelia walks up.

Mr. Pole frowns, "Nice of you to join us Cordelia. We didn't keep you waiting or anything did we? It's your turn to drive. Let's buckle up, people."

Mr. Pole and students move to the car.

Cordelia shakes her head, "I don't want to drive today, Mr. Pole."

Mr. Pole looks wildly uncomfortable for a moment, "You've flunked Driver's Ed twice - show me some moves or you'll be taking the bus to college."

Cordelia marches to the car, climbs behind the wheel.

Buffy moves up, keeping an eye on Cordelia.

Mr. Pole buckles up in the passenger seat. "Check your brake, your mirrors, start the engine, put the car in drive..." Cordelia looks at the gear shift indicator. It's a big blur. This girl is having trouble seeing. "...let' move forward and through the cones in a gentle, even turn to the…" Cordelia puts the car in reverse, steps on the gas. The car jerks backwards, knocking into a pole. "…brakes!"

Cordelia slams on the brakes, jams the car through every gear until she finds drive, hits the gas. The car screeches forward.

Mr. Pole frowns, "Slow down, turn right, right, BRAKES, BRAKES!"

Cordelia does as she's told, yanking the wheel, stomping on the brakes.

The car launches into a nasty skid, right off the blacktop, onto the grass, careening out of control now towards the street.

Buffy starts running like hell.

Mr. Pole and the Kids in the back scream.

The car skids into the street and stops. A car swerves around them, tires squealing, horn blaring.

Mr. Pole frowns, "Everyone out!"

Cordelia, Mr. Pole, the students scramble out. Mr. Pole and the students run. Cordelia looks around, completely disoriented.

Dark and murky, dimmest shape of a UPS size truck bearing down on her. She takes a step away, then another - in about five seconds she's going to be hamburger.

Buffy tears across the grass onto the sidewalk.

Cordelia screams, terrified, expecting the worst.

The truck hits its breaks, heading right at Cordelia.

Buffy leaps on a parked car, using it as a booster to send her airborne. She flies through the air, tackles Cordelia carrying her out of harm's way as the truck screeches past.

Cordelia looks around without seeing. "What's happening?! I can't see anything!"

Buffy frowns, "Cordelia, it's okay, you're gonna be - Oh, god..." She looks at Cordelia whose eyes glaze over to murky white.

Cordelia in hysterics, "What's happening to me!?"

Later in the Library...

Giles nods, "Witchcraft. Blinding your enemy to disable and disorient them is a classic."

Buffy shakes her head, "That's nothing I would do."

Giles nods, "That's because you are a good witch."

Xander frowns, "First vampires, now witches... No offense, Buffy. Anyways it's no wonder you can still afford a house in San Francisco."

Giles nods, "Why would someone want to harm Cordelia?"

Willow shrugs, "Maybe because... they met her. Did I say that?"

Giles nods, "Then why was Amber set ablaze?"

Xander nods, "Yeah, those guys don't hang."

Buffy sighs, "They're both cheerleaders."

Giles frowns, "Someone doesn't like cheerleading."

Buffy nods, "Or likes it too much."

Willow nods, "Amy."

Buffy nods, "Amy."

Xander nods, "So you guys are leaning towards Amy."

Buffy nods, "She's desperate to get on that team... I get the feeling she'd do anything to make her mom's dream come true."

Giles nods, "Now I do want to make sure I've got this right. This witch is casting horrible, disfiguring spells so that she can be a cheerleader."

Buffy sighs, "Your point being?"

Giles nods, "Priorities. Really, if I had the power of the black mass I'd set my sights a little higher than making the pep squad."

Buffy nods, "I think you're underestimating the amount of pressure a parent can lay on you. If you're not a picture perfect carbon copy they tend to wig. Shoot Prue is kind of that way."

Willow nods, "Cheerleading was kind of her mom's last hurrah."

Xander nods, "We still gotta stop Amy. We should grab her before…"

Giles flipping through the text, "Let's be certain she's the witch before we arouse her suspicions. She's capable of some fairly ugly things."

Buffy nods, "All right, you're a high school girl, you're desperate to make the team and please your mom, you turn to witchcraft. What's the first thing you do?"

Willow smiles, "Check out the books on witchcraft!" She moves to the computer at check-out desk, scanning records.

Xander shakes his head, "That's the last thing you do! You don't leave a paper trail. Forget that…"

Willow nods, "It'll just take a minute…"

Xander looks around nervous, "We don't have a minute. Cheerleaders' lives are in danger - Buffy's in danger." He grabs Buffy, tries to hustle her out. "You were the first alternate. You're on the team now that Cordelia's out - you could be next, we have to get you to a safe house."

Buffy glares at Xander, "First off I'm a witch with an active power. Second we don't even know if I would be the next to be targeted."

Willow sees something on computer, "Xander..."

Xander innocent, "Yes?"

Willow nods, "Witches - Historic Roots to Modern Practice checked out by Alexander Harris."

Buffy moves to computer, "The Pagan Rites, checked out by Alexander…"

Xander nods, "All right, all right. It's not what you think."

Willow smiles, "You like to look at the semi-nude engravings?"

Xander nods, "Oh. Well, then it is what you think."

Giles nods, "We'll need a conclusive test anyway. There should be one - yes! The dunking stool. We throw her in the pond. If she floats, she's a witch; if she drowns, she's innocent."

Buffy frowns, "Please. I may not have been a witch for long but even I know that one doesn't actually work."

Giles nods, "Some of my texts are a bit outdated."

Buffy nods, "You think?"

Giles looks in another book, "Ah! Yes. This should work. You'll need some of her hair, a little quicksilver and aqua fortis."

Buffy nods, "We may have some of that at home."

Willow nods, "That's just mercury and nitric acid, we can get it in the science lab."

Giles nods, "Heat ingredients and apply to witch, if a spell has been cast in previous forty-eight hours witch's skin will turn blue. Oh, and you'll need some eye of newt."

Later in science class… Dr. Gregory is demonstrating dissecting a frog, "Those on track one may begin their dissections. Those on track two, add your hydrochloric acid and ammonium hydroxide to your beakers..."

Xander holds a scalpel poised over a frog. He lowers the scalpel, "I can't." He puts the scalpel down.

Willow takes it, makes a quick neat incision. "One eye of newt..."

Xander nods, "Wow, you've got a killer streak I've never seen before. Hope I never cross you."

Buffy rolls her eyes.

Willow nods, "I do too, then I'd have to carve you up in neat little pieces." She holds up the scalpel, gives him her sweet Willow smile.

Xander laughs, "Ha ha." He takes scalpel respectfully. "How's Buffy coming with the hair?"

Buffy moves past Lishanne.

Lishanne sarcastically, "Isn't this exciting?"

Buffy laughs, "Oh yeah." She reaches Amy. "Help. Which is the hydrochloric acid and which is the ammonium hydroxide?"

Amy nods, "Well, the bottle that says hydrochloric acid is usually the hydrochloric acid."

Buffy smiles, "Read the bottles - what a concept." She drops her pen, bends down to pick it up, as she does, her hand slips inside Amy's purse, grabs some hair off Amy's brush. She straightens up.

Amy's looking at Buffy.

Buffy moves back to her seat. Keeping her back to Willow and Xander, she reaches back, drops the hair in front of Willow who adds it to a chemical mix on a Bunsen burner.

Amy glances at them.

Xander through his teeth, "Smile and wave to the nice witch."

Buffy rolls her eyes.

Willow hands the beaker to Buffy. "All set. You have a plan?"

Buffy nods, "Spill it on her, try and make it look natural."

Xander nods, "We'll be right behind you. Only farther away."

Buffy heads for Amy's desk with beaker.

Dr. Gregory nods, "Lishanne, can you tell me why these chemicals have this reaction?" Buffy casually spills a drops or two on Amy's arm. Buffy looks at Amy's arm the drops do turn blue. Amy's eyes locked are locked on Lishanne. Buffy turns to follow Amy's gaze. "Lishanne? Are you - Oh my god."

Lishanne knocks a few beakers over as she stumblingly rises and turns, grabbing at the first thing she sees - which is Amy. Amy is brought face to face with Lishanne – who has no mouth. Amy backs away, terrified by what she sees.

After science class Buffy, Willow and Xander are clustered, conferring in the hall.

Xander nods, "Did you see? Amy was as freaked out as the rest of us."

Willow shakes her head, "So it's not her?"

Buffy sighs, "The test was positive. She's our Sabrina. I just don't think she realizes what she's doing."

Willow nods, "Should we talk to her?"

Buffy sighs, "Maybe we should talk to her mother. I wonder if she knows what she's created."

The next morning Buffy wakes at the sound of her alarm clock going off. She lumps around under the cover, mewling in protest before she reaches for the clock. She grabs it and casually crushes it with her hand. Pulls her head out from under the covers to look at what she has wrought.

Buffy laughs, "Oops."

A bit later Buffy enters the kitchen. Piper is making breakfast. Buffy comes in in a really good mood.

Buffy sings to herself, "MACHO MACHO MAN... Hey, juice." She downs an entire glass in one sip. "Quality juice. Not from concentrate."

Piper tentatively, "You're in a good mood."

Buffy nods, "I am. I'm on the squad. Which is great because I feel like cheering. And leading others to cheer. Hey, juice!" She downs Piper's as well.

Piper nods, "Did anything happen yesterday?"

Buffy nods, "Yeah Cordelia lost her eyesight. And it's looking like we may have a witch casting spells to get herself on the cheerleading squad."

Piper frowns, "I'm coming to school with you."

Buffy shakes her head, "I'm ok Piper, really."

Piper nods, "Okay but if you decide to confront this supposed witch you give me, Prue and Phoebe a call so we can be there to back you up with the power of three."

Buffy nods, "Will do, Peeper."

Piper frowns, "Buffy, are you feeling well?"

Buffy smiles, "I can't be in a good mood? That's a new house rule? Fine, I don't mind, cuz I'm a…" She begins to sing again. "MACHO MACHO MAN..."

She sings her way out, leaving Piper somewhat worried.

Later in the Gym Buffy is with the rest of the cheerleading squad. "Turn up the music!"

The cheerleaders - Buffy, Senior Cheerleader and the rest practice. Buffy has a big, happy grin on her face, she's workin' this cheer - unfortunately she's workin' it completely out of sync with everyone else. Buffy stomps on the Senior Cheerleader's foot.

Senior Cheerleader frowns, "Ow! Get it together, Buffy, we have a game in less than four hours."

Willow and Xander slip in to watch.

Buffy yells, "Hey Willow, Xander! My buds are here. I love my buds."

Xander frowns, "Is it me, or is Buffy somewhat looped?"

Each girl launches the one next to her into a spinning cartwheel. Buffy is launched.

Willow nods, "We better get her out of there."

Xander nods, "Yeah, before she..." Buffy cartwheels to the Senior Cheerleader, grabs her and hurls her like a flying sack of potatoes. Willow and Xander wince. "...hurts somebody."

The Senior Cheerleader is splatted in the corner of the gym where she landed. She gets up, way more angry than hurt.

Buffy frowns, "Did I do that?"

The Senior Cheerleader nods, "You are so out of here!"

Willow and Xander rush in, grab Buffy.

Willow smiles, "It's not her fault…"

Xander nods, "She's on medication…"

The Senior Cheerleader frowns, "Obviously not enough. Who's our next alternate - oh." Amy is right there, in costume. "Amy, you just made cheerleader."

Buffy shakes her head, "No no no, you don't want her, she's a wi…"

Xander clamps a hand over Buffy's mouth as Willow and he hustle her out. "A wise choice indeed."

Amy stands, innocently joins the line,

Willow and Xander drag Buffy out, shut the door.

Buffy smiles, "She's a witchy!"

Willow frowns, "Buffy…"

Buffy nods, "I just got kicked off the team, didn't I?"

Xander nods, "I don't think it's your fault."

Buffy smiles, "I know you don't. That's cause you're my friend. You're my Xander-shaped friend. ...do you have any idea why I love you so, Xander?"

Willow nods, "We gotta get you to…"

Xander nods, "Let her speak!"

Buffy smiles, "I'll tell you. You're not like other guys at all..."

Xander nods, "Well..."

Buffy smiles, "You are completely and totally one of the girls. I'm that comfy with you."

Willow can't help but look a little pleased.

Xander looks like he just got cancer. "That's great."

Buffy nods, "Any other guy gave me a bracelet, they'd want to date me, it'd be a thing, but you - you …" She staggers a bit. "Oh. I don't feel so good." She slumps over, pale and sweaty.

Willow frowns, "Buffy?"

Buffy frowns, "Something is really... not good..." She collapses in their arms.

Willow looks at Xander, "Get her to Giles office. I'll go call her cousins."

Short time later in the library Buffy's laid out in two easy chairs. A cold compress on her head. She's conscious but very sick.

Giles, Willow and Xander stand over her, concerned.

Prue, Piper, and Phoebe come in.

Willow nods, "We gotta get her to a hospital."

Giles nods, "They can't help her. This is a Bloodstone Vengeance Spell, hits the body hard, like drinking a quart of alcohol, then eradicates the immune system."

Prue frowns, "Vengeance spell?

Xander shakes his head, "Like she's getting even with Buffy?"

Buffy weak, "'Cause she knows I know she's a witch."

Giles nods, "The others she just wanted out of the running, you she intends to..."

Buffy nods, "Kill."

Piper frowns, "How much time do we have?"

Giles nods, "I'm sure we have…"

Buffy sighs, "Truth please."

Giles nods, "Couple of hours, three at most."

Xander frowns, "So how do we reverse Buffy's spell?"

Giles nods, "I've been researching that. We can reverse all the spells if we can get our hands on Amy's spell book…"

Willow nods, "And if we can't get our hands on it?"

Giles sighs, "The only other way is to cut the witch's head off."

Phoebe frowns, "She's still human Giles. Unless she's a warlock and then there might be a vanquish for her."

Xander raises his hand, "Show of hands..."

Buffy shakes her head, "No. It's not Amy's fault. She became a witch to survive her mother."

Xander nods, "I don't care why, I care that you go on breathing."

Prue, Piper and Phoebe nod in agreement.

Buffy nods, "Giles, where would she be casting these spells?"

Giles nods, "She needs a sacred space with a pentagram, a large pot..."

Phoebe rolls her eyes, "You're kidding right? Cause we don't."

Buffy looks at Phoebe and nods, "At home. Help me get up." Giles and Prue helps her up. "We'll go to her house, find her book…"

Willow nods, "We'll go with you."

Buffy shakes her head, "No. Stay here, keep an eye on Amy."

Giles nods, "And keep her away from the science lab. We'll need it to cast our counter spells. Prue I suggest you go there now and do what you need to prepare. You and your sisters are more powerful than I when it comes to magic. Phoebe go with Willow and Xander. Piper you come with Buffy and I to Amy's house. Your power to freeze could come in handy if we need it."

A short time later Giles pulls up outside Amy's house. Giles and Piper help Buffy out of the car. They walk up to the front door and Giles knocks loudly. Buffy peeks in the window by the door.

Inside the house Catherine starts at the sound of knocking. She takes something and slides it under the coffee table. Comes anxiously to the door. She opens it to find Giles, Piper and Buffy.

Catherine nods, "What do you want? Is there something wrong?"

Giles nods, "Mrs. Madison, we need to talk to you about your daughter."

Catherine shakes her head, "I'm not allowed to - you'll have to come back." She tries to shut the door - Giles pushes it open rather forcefully.

Giles and Piper ushers Buffy in. They move Buffy to the couch.

Giles turns to Catherine. "Your daughter is up to something very dangerous. Are you aware of that?"

Catherine shakes her head, "I don't know what you're talking about."

Piper nods, "I think you know very well."

Catherine frowns, "You have to go. She's gonna be home soon."

Giles frowns, "This girl is very sick. You will shut up and you will listen to us. You daughter has access to some very powerful magics. Somehow your obsession with cheerleading has made her…"

Catherine near tears, "I don't care about cheerleading! It's not my fault she's doing stuff."

Buffy stares intently at Catherine.

Giles nods, "As her mother, you should accept some responsibility for her actions."

Catherine laughs. "Well, these kids today..."

Buffy looks at her, then looks at what Amy hid under the table. She sees under the table is a plate of brownies.

Buffy stands, weakly. Piper turns and helps her up.

Catherine shakes her head, "She's out of her mind. Ever since..."

Piper shakes her head, "You're afraid of her."

Catherine turns to look at Buffy and Piper, who approaches her slowly. Giles turns as well.

Buffy shakes her head, "Amy?" Catherine takes a step back, wide eyed. "Are you Amy?"

Giles frowns, "I don't understand..."

Buffy nods, "She switched, didn't she? She switched your bodies. She wanted to relive her glory days. Catherine the Great."

Giles frowns, "Good lord..."

Piper nods in agreement.

Catherine nods, quietly. "She said I was wasting my youth... So she took it."

Catherine sits down on the couch next to Buffy and Piper. She is terrified and fighting back tears. "I didn't know about her... her power. When my dad was here they would fight, he called her a witch. I thought he meant something else. When he left I wanted to go with him but she wouldn't even let me call. She got crazy. She'd lock herself upstairs for days. And she'd get down on me all the time. She said I didn't deserve to have it so easy, that I didn't know how hard it was to be her. I guess she showed me, huh?" She does cry now, quietly.

It takes all of Buffy's effort to say, "Amy, it's gonna be okay."

Piper nods in agreement, "My cousin is right, Amy."

Catherine nods, "A few months ago I woke up in her bed, I didn't know where I was... and I looked in the mirror..."

Giles nods, "She locked herself upstairs. Where?"

Catherine nods, "She has a room in the attic."

Buffy looks at Piper, "Why is it always the attic?"

Giles nods, "Show me."

The door to the attic burst opens a moment later as Giles and Piper enter the attic.

Catherine stays in the doorway, too afraid to enter as Giles comes up to the dolls. "If she finds out I've been in here she'll kill me."

Giles frowns, "My God... Piper."

Piper makes her way over next to Giles and sees what he is looking at two dolls; a woman and a girl. The dolls are lashed together with a thorny vine.

Piper shakes her head, "This is nothing like I've seen before."

Giles nods, "I believe we can reverse your mother's spell. All of them, in fact."

Piper looks to Giles, "You sure?"

Catherine smiles, "You really could?"

Giles nods, "Yes, but we need her Book of Shadows."

He looks around. Tentatively, Catherine enters, and helps. They rummage about in the dark recesses of the place, looking on shelves, under old blankets.

Giles discovers a small trunk. As he pulls it open he says to Catherine, "Collect those dolls, and all the personal…" A cat leaps out a Giles, screeching. Giles jumps back as the cat hits the floor and takes off out of the room. Giles takes a moment to recover himself. "Nice kitty..." He looks in the trunk. "What were you guarding? Yes..." He pulls out the book. "This is it."

Giles comes back down with the book, Catherine with the box of talismans. Piper follows behind them.

Buffy is back on the couch. She looks ghastly, but she looks up to Giles and Piper with hope. "Did we find?"

Giles nods, "We found."

Giles gently helps Buffy to her feet. He hands the book to Piper and picks Buffy up.

Catherine nods, "Where are you going?"

Giles nods, "We're going to school. And you're coming with us."

Later at school they enter the science lab. Prue is finishing setting everything they might need up. Giles places Buffy on a table. He takes off his jacket and places it under Buffy's head for a pillow. "We're going to stop this. I promise. Just hang on." He stands up, digs in the box for the book.

Piper looks at Buffy

Catherine nods, "How is she?"

Giles nods, "We only have a few minutes." He pulls the book out of the box, starts looking through it. "Let's see... We'll need lead, sulphur, some sort of diacetate..."

He goes over to the glass cabinet with the chemicals in it. It's locked. Casually, still looking down at the book for reference, he picks up a metal beaker and smashes the glass. He looks in and starts picking out vials of useful substances.

Catherine nods, "What should I do?"

Giles turns to her. "Find me a frog."

A moment later something is bubbling in a beaker, a Bunsen burner under it.

Catherine is nearby, reluctantly prying out a dead frog's eyes.

Giles nods, "Right. Prue, Piper."

They nod and go to the book as Giles throws in a powder. They read from the book, "The center is dark. The darkness breathes. The listener hears."

Giles throws in another powder.

Prue nods, "Hear me."

Catherine is reeling shaking off a momentary change. "It's working..."

Prue and Piper continue to read, "Unlock the gate, let the darkness shine. Cover us with holy fear. Show me. Show me"

The lights in the room blow out.

Catherine is reeling from the flashes. She looks up suddenly. "She's heading this way."

Prue and Piper continue to read, "Corsheth, and Gilail, the gate is closed. Receive the dark, release the unworthy... Take of mine energy and be sated!"

They plunge their hands into the brew! Huge colored cloud shoots up.

Catherine sees the door rattle, startles back in terror

Prue and Piper pull out their dripping hands as they continue to read, "Be sated! Release the unworthy!" An axe hits the door, burying itself above the lock. "Release! Release!" The door bursts open, An axe wielding Amy running in. She takes one quick look around, heads for Buffy. "RELEASE!"

Amy raises the axe - there is a flash of light - and she stops. Lowers it as Buffy stands, completely restored.

Buffy and Amy look at each other in wonder. "Amy?"

Catherine flies, screaming and tackling Buffy. The woman has gone completely apeshit. Giles comes at her and she just looks up at him and a desk moves at him, knocking him down.

Prue and Piper come around the table heading for Buffy. Prue telekinetically throws Catherine against the wall.

Catherine stands, comes toward the cowering Amy. Nothing but hate in her gaze. "You. You little brat."

Amy shakes her head, "Mom, please..." She is retreating, raising the axe more for protection than anything else.

Catherine merely cocks her head and the axe flies out of Amy's hand and into her own. Amy stifles a scream. "Raise a hand to your own mother? Who gave you birth, who gave up her life, her LIFE so you could drag your worthless carcass around and call it living?" She slams the axe into a table top.

Amy looks from the axe to her mother.

Something is happening - energy begins emanating from Catherine - like sparks, only black. Something very powerful is brewing in her. "You were never anything but trouble. I'll put you where you'll never make trouble again."

Buffy appears right behind Catherine. "Hey, guess what?" Catherine turns. "I feel better."

Buffy hits Catherine and she flies over a table, hits the ground with all attendant smashing of glass things.

Buffy comes around the table and Catherine pops back up, wired with fury.

Catherine frowns, "That body was mine! Mine!"

Buffy nods, "Oh, grow up."

Catherine throws her head back in a mystical shriek - and Buffy is flung back over the teacher's desk. She rises to see Catherine shaking, about to cast the spell.

Buffy looks to Prue and Piper, "Prue, Piper." They nod coming around the table to Buffy and clasps her hands. "Power of Three spell?"

Prue and Piper nods as they and Buffy begin to chant, "The Power of Three will set us free."

Catherin begins chanting her own spell, "I shall look upon my enemy…" Her arms crackle with energy - she opens her eyes and they are glowing darkly- she throws her arms forward with the final phrase. "…I shall look upon her and the dark place will have her soul! Corsheth! Take her!"

Catherine's spell rebounds off Prue, Piper and Buffy's Power of Three spell back at Catherine. She screams. Glows. Energy singing around her, wrapping her up. Then there's nothing.

Giles, no longer pinned, gets up, creeps forward with Amy. Buffy, Piper, and Prue comes from behind the desk. They all look around them, but they are alone. After a while...

Giles nods, "Well, that was interesting. Remind me never to get on your guys bad side."

Piper nods, "Will do."

Buffy nods, "Are you guys okay?"

Amy feelingly, "I'm fine."

Buffy smiles at her.

Giles nods, "I think all the spells were reversed."

Buffy looks at her cousins, "You guys saved my life."

Prue nods, "Just don't make a habit of it, Buffy."

Piper rolls her eyes, "Any time, Buffy. Any time."

They head for the door as Xander leaps out at Amy, tackles her. "I got her! I got her! Cut her head off!"

Buffy frowns, "Xander, what are you doing?"

Xander smiles, "Saving you." Buffy pulls him off Amy. "But she's evil!"

Giles shakes his head, "Well, it wasn't exactly her."

Amy nods, "It was my mom."

Xander blinks, "Oh." It takes a moment for him to realize he has no idea what they're talking about.

Willow runs in now, carrying a baseball bat. "Where is she?"

Xander smiles, "Willow! It's cool."

Willow nods, "It is?"

Xander nods, "Oh yeah. I took care of it."

Buffy, Prue and Piper roll their eyes.

The next day in the Gym Foyer Buffy and Amy are walking through the hall.

Amy smiles, "Dad is so impossible. He doesn't ever want me going anywhere, wants to spend total quality time together. I'm like, "Dad, I can go out, it's perfectly safe." He's got all this guilt at leaving me with mom and he's being a total pain."

Buffy nods, "You're loving it."

Amy nods, "Every single minute."

Cordelia breezes by with the other cheerleaders as they get out of the gym. "Hey, I'm really sorry you guys got bumped back to alternate. Hold it - wait - no I'm not."

Amy nods, "Well, I know I'll miss the intellectual thrill of spelling words out with my arms."

Cordelia frowns, "Ooh, these grapes are sour." She exits, passing Buffy, who is staring at the trophy case.

Amy looks to her, the smile leaving her face. "Oh, I'm sorry. I forgot you actually wanted to be on the squad."

Buffy shakes her head, "No, that's okay. Cheerleading is just a little too hairy these days."

Amy nods, "That's for sure." For a moment they both look at Catherine's trophy. "Catherine the Great."

Buffy nods, "And there's been no sign of her?"

Amy shakes her head, "That last spell, she said I'd never make trouble again. Wherever she is, I don't think we have to worry."

Buffy nods, "And if she comes back you know who to call. But remember you can't tell anyone that Prue, Phoebe, Piper or I are witches."

Amy nods, "I will on both accounts. Anyways I'm just happy to have my body back." They walk off. "I'm thinking of getting fat."

Buffy smiles, "Well, that look is in for spring."


	8. Chapter 8: The Fifth Sister

**Author's Notes:** Can anyone guess what Buffy's first power was. Hint it is not the Fire power and she has had it since Chapter 1.

* * *

**Chapter 8: The Fifth Sister**

In Aviva's room at her aunt's house. Aviva puts a small statue on the rug in front of her. She is also in front of the mirror. Aviva is dressed in black and has black candles lit around her. All but one. She lights it. She then gets into meditating position. "Come to me Kali. I conjure thee Kali. Come to me Kali. I conjure thee Kali."

In the mirror, Kali appears. "I'm here Aviva."

Aviva nods, "It's been over a week."

Kali smiles, "I know. Be patient Aviva."

Aviva nods, "But I've done everything that you've asked. I've followed the Halliwell sisters and their cousin. I know their every move."

Kali smiles, "Which will all become valuable in good time. You must trust me. You must make them want you as badly as you want them."

Aviva looks at the closet. "I talked to my mom today."

Kali nods, "How is she?"

Aviva sighs, "I don't know. She's better...I think. I miss her."

Kali smiles, "She's gonna be so proud of you."

Aviva nods, "Yeah? I hope so."

Kali smiles, "Are you ready to receive your power?"

Aviva giggling a little, "You know I am."

Kali nods, "Remember, it's a sacred power. If I give it to you, you must use it only as I say."

Aviva nods, "I will. I promise."

Kali smiles, "Very well. Reach for the mirror. Put out your hands. Feel the power." Aviva reaches her hands towards the mirror. Aviva's hands begin to glow. She receives the power. Her hands stop glowing and she puts them down. "You know what to do. Go to Buffy, Phoebe, Piper, and Prue."

Aviva grabs her coat and leaves.

In the living room of the manor. Piper is sitting in the chair holding reward flyers for Kit. Leo walks in. He moves the fireplace screen from the fireplace and looks in the fireplace and sticks a tool up at it.

Leo nods, "Uh... well I think I see... yep. There's definitely something here."

Piper smiles, "Definitely."

Buffy and Phoebe enters the living room.

Phoebe has a mug of coffee and makes her way around the sofa while saying, "Oh my. Santa, you've changed."

Buffy rolls her eyes.

Piper nods, "He's looking for Kit."

Phoebe nods, "The cat. Right. Four legs and fur. I remember." Mouthing to Piper. "Oh my god!"

Buffy shakes her head and nudges Phoebe and mouths, "Can you be any more obvious?"

Leo gets up from the fireplace. "Sorry. You know, have you tried the shelter?"

Piper nods, "Yeah. Nothing."

Leo nods, "Well, she had her collar on right? With your number on it and everything?"

Buffy nods, "A very distinctive collar actually."

Piper nods, "Anyway..." She stands up. "Uh, thanks for looking. I'm sure you must be hungry after all that work."

Leo shakes his head, "All what work?"

Phoebe laughs a little and puts her arm around Piper. "Oh, that's just Piper. She's gotta be everyone's mom. Think of her as your mom. I know I do."

Buffy rolls her eyes.

They all laugh a little.

Piper smiles, "Isn't she a scream?"

Leo nods, "Well thanks, um...let me go put up these flyers first and I'll be right back, OK?" He bumps into the fireplace screen.

Buffy shakes her head, "Oh careful."

Leo nods, "Oh."

Piper smiles, "You all right?"

Leo nods, "Yeah. Yeah. I'll just..." He puts the fireplace screen back.

Piper nods, "Antique."

Phoebe nods, "Grandma's."

Buffy blinks, "Grams?"

Piper nods, "Yeah."

Buffy, Phoebe and Piper watch Leo leave.

Phoebe smiles, "Oh. Quite possibly the finest glutes in the city."

Piper nods, "In the state."

Buffy rolls her eyes, "Well I will admit he is attractive looking. You two are acting my age you know that?"

Phoebe smiles, "In all the land."

Piper nods, "I saw him first."

Phoebe shakes her head, "Uh-uh."

Piper nods, "Uh-huh."

Phoebe nods, "Oh."

Buffy sighs, "Or younger."

A bit later in kitchen. Piper takes a cinnamon roll out of the microwave and puts it on a plate. She then pours a glass of milk.

Buffy walks in, "Oh cinnamon roll and milk. How did you know that's what I wanted?" She reaches for the cinnamon roll.

Piper swats Buffy's hand away, "This is not for you." She takes the plate and glass out of the kitchen.

Buffy follows behind her as they come out of the kitchen with the cinnamon and milk.

Piper goes to Leo. "Here you go Leo. Non-fat milk right?"

Buffy rolls her eyes as if to say 'why am I not surprised.'

Piper gives Leo the glass of milk and cinnamon roll.

Leo smiles, "Right. Thanks."

Piper nods, "Just don't call me mom."

Phoebe and Prue come down the stairs.

Phoebe nods, "Trust me. One hot night is all you guys need to get back on track."

They walk to the foyer.

Prue sighs, "Yeah. I hope you're right."

Phoebe nods, "Andy's a cop. You're a witch."

Buffy coughs, "Ahem."

Phoebe nods, "Except complications."

Prue smiles, "Hey, Leo. How's it going?"

Leo smiles, "Good. Uh, this wall only needs two coats and then I gotta do the moulding and then I'm done in here. Buffy's room was next wasn't it?"

Phoebe smiles, "Ah, are you sure it doesn't need 3 coats?"

Leo frowns, "Uh..."

Buffy nods, "Yeah my room was next."

Piper smiles, "Nice outfit... for 9 o'clock in the morning with no place to go."

Phoebe nods, "Hmm. I'm glad you like it." Leo drinks some milk. "Oh. Leo. Come here." She wipes the milk moustache off her face. "Got milk?"

Buffy rolls her eyes.

Prue smiles, "Uh...Phoebe, come here." Phoebe doesn't. "Phoebe!" She grabs Phoebe's arm and heads towards the kitchen. Buffy and Prue follow.

Prue nods, "I think that Piper likes Leo." She goes and gets a mug and begins making coffee.

Buffy nods, "She does."

Phoebe smiles, "What's not to like? He's a great guy."

Prue shakes her head, "No. I mean... really likes him."

Phoebe sighs, "Your point being?"

Buffy rolls her eyes.

Prue sighs, "Never mind." She looks at Buffy, "Classic Phoebe."

Buffy nods, "So I've noticed."

Phoebe frowns, "Wait. Define that."

Prue nods, "I think you know.

Phoebe sighs, "Okay. Look Prue, I think we need to put some major closer on this or we're gonna be in rocking chairs slurping oatmeal out of rubber spoons and I'm still gonna hear about Roger." Piper enters to get coffee. "Piper, am I a boyfriend thief?"

Piper nods, "Totally."

Phoebe shakes her head, "Besides Roger, whom again Prue, I never touched."

Piper nods, "My boyfriend. Billy Wilson."

Buffy shakes her head, "Dang Phoebe."

Phoebe laughs a little. "Billy Wil... Eight grade Billy Wilson?"

Piper nods, "You kissed him at homecoming."

Phoebe shakes her head, "No I did not kiss him at homecoming. I was helping him find a contact lens."

Piper frowns, "Oh please. You were all over him with your breasts all...whatever."

Phoebe shakes her head, "I didn't even have breasts back then."

Piper shakes her head, "Phoebe, you've always had breasts."

Buffy laughs, "Dang guys this is better than watching TV."

Prue nods, "So, I think I'll just let you two work this out on your own. But, um, just remember, I get the house tonight. Just Andy and me. No warlocks, no innocents to protect and especially, no sisters and no cousin." She leaves.

Piper nods, "So you know... it's not like either one of us has a problem finding guys."

Phoebe snorts, "Please."

Piper nods, "So if one of us... got Leo... it'd be OK with the other one."

Phoebe nods, "Absolutely."

Piper smiles, "So we can just consider this a friendly competition."

Phoebe nods, "Sibling rivalry."

Piper nods, "War."

Phoebe: Exactly.

Buffy shakes her head, "Really guys. All this over a guy."

In Aviva's room at her aunt's house. Aviva is lying on her bed writing in her diary while listening to music. "Dear Diary..."

Aunt Jackie knocks on the door. "Aviva, open the door."

Aviva sighs, "Life sucks here."

Aunt Jackie calls through the door, "I'm gonna be late for work."

Aunt Jackie opens the door.

Aviva puts her diary under her bed and sits up. "So that part about this being my room, that was a lie?"

Aunt Jackie frowns, "It's my apartment Aviva."

Aviva shakes her head, "So you keep reminding me Aunt Jackie."

Aunt Jackie nods, "Why don't you get some light and air in here?" She goes to open the curtain.

Aviva stands up. "Because I like it dark and stale."

Aunt Jackie stops and turns around. "Why are you so antagonistic to me?"

Aviva frowns, "How come you haven't called my mom yet?"

Aunt Jackie frowns, "What?"

Aviva nods, "To see how she's doing, or just to say "hello"? It would help her you know. I mean, it's not like she's got a lot of family."

Aunt Jackie shakes her head, "She has to take responsibility for her own actions."

Aviva sighs, "She's not in jail. She's in rehab. She didn't do anything wrong to take responsibility for. She's sick and that's it. It's nothing to be ashamed of."

Aunt Jackie frowns, "Whatever." She leaves.

Aviva slams the door close. As soon as she hears Aunt Jackie leave she moves front of her mirror. "I conjure thee Kali."

In the mirror, Kali appears. "I'm here Aviva."

Aviva sighs, "I'm going crazy here Kali. I can't wait any longer."

Kali nods, "The Halliwells' don't understand our way. They don't know the full uses and joys of their powers."

Aviva nods, "I'll show them."

Kali smiles, "You must gain their trust first. You must let them welcome you into their coven."

Aviva nods, "I won't disappoint you. I swear."

Kali nods, "Then it's time." The closet door opens. Aviva goes to it and gets Kit. "Take the cat back to the Halliwells."

At the manor Piper looks into the foyer from the dining room and sees Leo sanding down something. She pretty herself up and then goes over to Leo. "About done for the day?"

Leo nods, "Just about. Now Buffy isn't going to be able to sleep in her room tonight."

Piper nods, "Yeah we know. Uh...well, Prue's got a date so we kinda gotta clear out. I was thinking about catching a movie. Wanna go?"

Leo shakes his head, "I can't do it." He goes to another corner of the room.

Piper nods, "OK."

Buffy enters through the front door, "Hey Piper… Leo."

Leo smiles, "Hey Buffy."

Piper nods, "How was school?"

Buffy smiles, "It was good."

Leo nods, "You know...these are original to the house. I mean, they really should be sanded down, finished off with steal wool, and... and restrained. Not covered in paint."

Piper nods, "Oh, right. Sort of like risotto with minute rice." Leo chuckles a little. "It's a cooking analogy."

Buffy rolls her eyes, "Those from my room?"

Leo nods, "Yeah. Anyway uh...I have some stain samples at home if you're interested. I can bring them by tomorrow and show them to you, your sisters, and Buffy.

Piper nods, "Or better yet, why don't you just bring them by the restaurant? Say about lunchtime? Prue's so busy and Phoebe doesn't really care it is Buffy's room after all. Phoebe's more into stucco. It's really up to you Buffy."

Buffy nods, "Sure why not."

Leo nods, "OK."

Piper smiles, OK."

Leo nods, "So what time's that movie?"

Buffy smiles, "You going to a movie, Piper?"

The doorbell rings.

Phoebe comes out of the living room, "I got it." She opens the door. Aviva is standing there with Kit. "Kit! Oh my god. Where did you find her? We were worried sick." She takes Kit.

Aviva smiles, "I was just walking by and I um, saw one of your flyers and poof. There she was. Like magic."

Phoebe laughs nervously. "Wow." She closes the door. "I can't even believe she let you hold her."

Buffy walks next to Phoebe, "Yeah Kit hates just about everyone."

Phoebe, Buffy and Aviva go in the living room.

Piper enters. "Oh. Welcome home Kitty!" Phoebe laughs a little as she hands Piper Kit. Leo enters, "Oh. You must be starving." She sits down in the armchair.

Aviva sits down on the couch. "I fed her."

Buffy sits down next to Aviva. "I thought you said you just found her."

Aviva nods, "I did. Oh, um, a couple of hours ago. I mean."

Piper shakes her head, "And she didn't try to scratch you?"

Aviva nods, "Mm-mmm."

Leo smiles, "You know, I'll take the flyers down tomorrow. Let me uh, clean up before the movie."

Phoebe smiles, "Movie? What movie?"

Piper nods, "A war movie."

Phoebe nods, "I love war movies. Mind if I tag along?"

Buffy rolls her eyes, "Might as well make it a family outing. Either that or leave a sixteen year old girl to roam the streets for a couple hours so Prue can have her date."

Leo nods, "Uh sure. Why not? I'll be right back." He leaves.

Aviva frowns, "You guys aren't going out are you? I mean, you just got your cat back."

Piper nods, "Oh she'll be fine. Let me get my purse." She puts Kit down and goes towards the table. "Uh, what's your name?"

Aviva shakes her head, "Oh. No. No. I don't want your money."

Prue and Andy enter from the parlor.

"Hey Andy!" Piper, Phoebe and Buffy say at the same time.

Andy smiles, "Hey!"

Prue frowns, "Hey. I thought we all had plans tonight?"

Buffy sighs, "We're just waiting on Leo then were going out to see a movie."

Phoebe smiles, "This girl just found our cat for us."

Aviva nods, "Aviva."

Prue nods, "Well that's great. Um, is fifty bucks enough?"

Aviva shakes her head, "Uh, I don't... I don't want a reward." She stands up. "We need to talk."

Prue frowns, "About what?"

Aviva nods, "About wicca."

Prue shakes her head, "Uh..." Leo enters. "Andy Trudeau, this is Leo Wyatt. You guys chat. We'll be right back."

Phoebe nods, "OK. Buffy, Piper and Phoebe get up and lead Aviva away.

Andy smiles, "Hey." Andy and Leo shake hands.

Piper nods, "Thanks again."

They push Aviva away.

Phoebe nods, "Yeah. I'm sorry you can't stay."

Aviva smiles, "I'm...not leaving. Don't you understand? I'm one of you."

Buffy growls.

Aviva points at the popcorn Andy has and it began to rise.

Piper frowns, "No." She stops time.

Aviva doesn't freeze. "Very cool." She walks around Leo and Andy.

Buffy frowns, "Uh Piper why didn't she freeze?"

Aviva walks back to them. "That's because I'm a witch too."

Prue frowns, "A what?"

Aviva smiles, "Look, I just want to be friends."

Piper shakes her head, "Uh, guys, we have about 20 seconds until they unfreeze."

Phoebe nods, "How did you find out about us?"

Aviva smiles, "I'm gonna need more than 20 seconds for that."

Buffy frowns, "We really need to move things along here. Before Andy and Leo unfreeze."

Prue nods, "OK. You need to leave here now."

Aviva shakes her head, "What? A...why?"

Prue nods, "Because we don't know who the hell you really are, so just leave. OK? Go. Go. Go." She pushes Aviva.

Aviva frowns, "No. I'm not leaving. I just saved your cat."

Prue frowns, "Leave now or else."

Aviva frowns, "Or else what." She looks at the tape Prue has and it burns. Prue drops it.

Buffy growls, "She warned you, out before you have to deal with the Slayer."

Aviva frowns as she looks at Buffy. She then turns and leaves. Time unfreezes. The popcorn bursts open and popcorn is thrown all over the place.

Andy frowns, "What the hell?" He and Leo clean the popcorn off themselves.

Leo smiles, "Hey, where did that girl go?"

Buffy smiles, "Uh. She just..."

Prue uses her power to make the front door slam. "Uh! Uh. Left."

In Aviva's room, she's talking to Kali. "You said if I brought them back their cat..."

Kali nods, "Was it the oldest? Was it Prue that sent you away?"

Aviva nods, "Yes. But there was this other girl about my age also. She said something about dealing with the Slayer if I didn't leave."

Kali frowns at hearing about the Slayer. "Avoid them. They are the strongest. You must separate them. Together the sisters are Charmed. Impenetrable. The Slayer is a tough adversary, if she is a witch also she will be extremely formidable."

Aviva nods, "But what if they don't want me?"

Kali smiles, "Phoebe will. In her own way. She's searching for someone to relate to. Someone to share her witchcraft with. What's the problem?"

Aviva shakes her head, "I... I don't know."

Kali smiles, "You're the one that came to me remember? You're the one who wanted... sisters."

Aviva nods, "I know. I want a family. I don't have anybody. What do you get out of it? I mean, you know, you never really said."

Kali smiles, "Halliwell magic is old and powerful, and I want it. And since they're new to the craft, if I'm ever going to get it, it has to be now...through you. Just do as I say Aviva. Make Phoebe convent your power, then we'll both get what we want."

At the Manor. Next morning. Prue is on the phone with Andy as she brings a towel out from the laundry room. "It's not what you think Andy. It's hard to explain. It's just..."

Andy on the phone, "Just another one of those things you can't explain. It's a broken record Prue."

Prue starts sorting laundry. "Look, I wanted you to stay. You have to believe me."

Andy on the phone, "Andy: Then what happened? Why'd you want me to leave all of a sudden?"

Prue sighs, "I told you. Something came up. Sister stuff. I can't really go into detail without betraying someone's secret.

Buffy enters the kitchen walks past Prue to the fridge.

Andy on the phone, "Prue..."

Prue sighs, "Look Andy, I'm unpredictable. OK? That's just part of who I am and you have to accept that because I can't change it."

Andy on the phone, "I don't want you to change Prue. I just... I just want to have a normal date. That's all. Is that too much to ask for."

Prue looks to Buffy, "All right. Let's just try it again. Tonight? Uh, same time? Same place?"

Buffy rolls her eyes and mouths at Prue, 'Great another night out. Maybe I can go to Willow's tonight.'

Andy on the phone, "Same movie?"

Prue picks up the burnt movie. "Uh, yeah. OK, so what? 8 o'clock?" She looks to Buffy and mouths, 'Sure Buffy, just make sure her parents are ok with it.'

Andy on the phone, "I'll be there. Bye."

Prue nods, "All right. Bye." She hangs up and goes to the laundry room. "If I ever see that little fire bug again..."

Buffy rolls her eyes, "I hope you're talking about the other girl and not me. I didn't even use my power last night."

Prue sighs and nods, "Yes I meant that other girl."

Piper and Phoebe come in.

Piper smiles, "Just got done dodging Leo's questions about her. That was close."

Prue nods, "Too close. The question is, who is she?"

Piper nods, "And what does she want?"

Buffy nods, "Agreed. Though if she's evil I wonder why my spidey sense wasn't going off on her?"

Phoebe smiles, "Let us not forget Aviva found Kit."

Prue nods, "Yeah. She's probably the one who stole the cat in the first place."

Buffy nods, "Wouldn't surprise me."

Phoebe frowns, "Hello? Paranoia check."

Prue shakes her head, "Phoebe, for all we know, she's a warlock."

Buffy nods, "Especially with that power. I'm the only one so far other than this Aviva that has a fire power. And we all know the reason I got mine was cause of my being the Slayer."

Piper shakes her head, "She can't be. She didn't freeze."

Phoebe nods, "Beside, she said she was a witch."

Prue sighs, "OK, a bad witch maybe."

Phoebe nods, "Yeah, a bad witch with a really cool power. Better than mine. That's for sure."

Buffy rolls her eyes, "You think hers is cool, but not mine. She has the same power I do. Though she did seem to have better control over it than I do."

Prue nods, "Why are you so quick to defend her?"

Phoebe looks to Buffy, "Actually it wasn't exactly the same. She seemed to generate heat instead of fire." She looks to Prue, "Why are you so quick to condemn her?"

Piper nods, "If she is a witch, a good witch, then it might be kinda cool considering she's the first one we've run across."

Buffy nods, "Piper has a point. All we've run across so far is warlocks, vampires and one bad witch. Be nice to know there was another good witch out there."

Phoebe smiles, "Exactly."

Prue sighs, "Guys, we don't know anything about her—how she got her powers. How she found out about us?"

Phoebe nods, "She tried to tell us, but you kicked her out."

Prue nods, "Yeah. She would have exposed us if I hadn't."

Phoebe shakes her head, "Prue, she's just a kid. Besides, if she is a witch, she probably feels just as alone as we do. Maybe she just needs some friends."

Prue nods, "Or maybe she's out to destroy us. It wouldn't be the first time."

Phoebe nods, "OK."

Prue nods, "All right, until she knows who she really is, let's just steer clear. OK?"

Buffy nods, "I will get Willow to check Gateway's school records see if we can find anything out about her. If she lives in the area she will go to school there. And if she does I can tail her."

Phoebe nods.

Prue looks at Buffy, "Be careful if you do. Remember we know nothing about her. I'm late for work." She leaves.

Piper nods, "Me too."

Buffy nods, "Can you drop me off at school?"

Piper nods, "Sure, Buffy." They leave

The moment Piper dropped Buffy off at the school she went in search of Willow.

Willow looked Aviva and found only one student by that name. "She has massive amount of absences and tardies."

Buffy nodded, "Then I better find her, before she skips again. Thanks Will."

Willow smiles, "No problem."

An hour later Buffy found Aviva outside making her way along the fence line. She quietly followed the girl and frowned as Aviva walked up parallel to where Phoebe waited.

Buffy shook her head, "What are you doing Phoebe."

Aviva smiles, "I'm so glad that you came."

Phoebe nods, "I'm glad that you called actually."

They walk along the fence towards the gate. Buffy followed at a discreet distance.

Aviva nods, "Bet you got a few questions huh?"

Phoebe smiled, "A few. Uh, what time does school let out?"

Aviva smiles, "Uh, now." She goes under the fence lock.

Buffy frowned and made her way over to the fence and jumped over it.

Phoebe nods, "Uh, whoa. Whoa. Hey, what are you doing?"

Aviva smiles, "Oh, the same thing I'm sure you did a thousand times. Am I right?

Phoebe smiled, "Well…"

Aviva nods, "I am right. Um, you didn't tell your bitch sister about this, did you?"

Phoebe shakes her head, "Hey, watch your mouth. Prue had every right to be upset about what you did."

Aviva nods, "It's funny how you knew that I was talking about Prue and not Piper. Hey, come on." She heads towards a car. "Let's go for a ride. I'll tell you everything that you want to know."

Buffy frowned, "Damn. I better join them or I will lose them." She walks over to Phoebe and Aviva, "Got room for one more."

Aviva frowned, "Sure."

Later that evening Buffy, Phoebe and Aviva walk into the manor through the kitchen.

Phoebe nods, "This is the dining room. This is the parlor. That's the conservatory, which is just another fancy name for family room."

Aviva smiles, "This is so totally cool. Oh, I love it here."

Buffy rolled her eyes.

They walk towards the living room. Aviva opens the door.

Phoebe nods, "And welcome to planet Leo."

They walk into the living room.

Aviva nods, "You are liking this Leo."

Phoebe nods, "Uh, maybe."

Buffy laughs, "Yeah she does. But so does Piper."

Aviva nods, "Does he like you? I mean, how can he not? You are so gorgeous." She goes and sits down on the couch holding Kit.

Phoebe nods, "Well, you see, Piper and I have sort of have this little competition going over him." She sits in a chair.

Buffy sits on the arm of the chair next to Phoebe.

Aviva nods, "So just use your powers. Cast a spell on him or something. You do have powers, don't you?"

Phoebe frowns, "What makes you think we do?"

Aviva smiles, "Please. You're both witches."

Buffy frowned, "Yeah, which brings us back to how do you know that."

Phoebe nods, "You promised."

Aviva smiles, "I have this teacher. She's great. She's like my mom. She told me."

Phoebe nods, "Who is she?"

Aviva smiles, "Another witch. Like a high priestess or something. She said you were the coolest Phoebe and I would like you the best. She was right."

Phoebe nods, "Well I'd like to meet her sometime."

Buffy leans over and whispers, "Careful Pheebs."

Aviva smiles, "Yeah?" Phoebe nods. "Is your room up there?"

Phoebe nods, "Mm-hmm."

Aviva nods, "Come on. I want to share something with you." She puts Kit down and stands up. "You're gonna love it. I promise."

Phoebe and Buffy get up and they head upstairs to Phoebe's room.

Aviva puts on black lipstick. "I like mirrors. They never lie to you. They always tell you the truth whether you like it or not. It's basic black. The color of my soul. Do either of you want to try it?"

Buffy shakes her head, "No thanks. It looks good on you though."

Phoebe shakes her head, "You're soul's not black."

Aviva smiles, "You know the feeling that I mean. You're different, you know, you'll never want what they want. You belong on the edge. We aren't pink people Phoebe." She turns around. "You want to see something incredible? Better yet, you want to try it?"

Buffy nods, "Try what?"

Aviva smiles, "I'll show you my power if you show me yours."

Buffy, Phoebe and Aviva sit on the floor Indian style. In between them they lay our a handkerchief with some candles.

Aviva smiles, "Don't be afraid." She holds out the palm of her hands. Phoebe grabs them."

Phoebe nods, "OK. Now what?"

Aviva glances at the mirror. Kali appears slightly and then disappears. Aviva giggles a little. "She's giving it to you too."

Phoebe frowns, "Who is? Giving me what?"

Aviva nods, "The power. Here." She puts a potted plant in front of Phoebe. "Touch this." Phoebe does. The plant begins to grow. "It's the power of heat. Your hand is like the sun."

Buffy blinks, "That is so different than mine."

Phoebe nods, "Whoa."

Aviva smiles, "That's pretty cool huh?" She looks to Buffy, "How is it different than yours?" Buffy powers up a fireball. "Ah I see yours is fire based. Yeah it is different."

Buffy extinguishes the fireball as Prue opens the door.

Prue nods, "Phoebe… Buffy, are you..." She sees Aviva.

Phoebe smiles, "Prue..."

Phoebe, Buffy and Aviva stand up.

Prue frowns, "What are you two doing?"

Aviva shakes her head, "Get out. This is her room."

Phoebe sighs, "Aviva..."

Aviva shakes her head, "No. She treats you worse than my aunt treats me. It's not right."

Buffy shakes her head, "It's OK. Relax."

The doorbell rings. Prue and Phoebe heads downstairs

Buffy and Aviva kneels down and blows out the candles. "Aviva I hope we didn't get off on the wrong foot yesterday. We didn't know you. We just had to be cautious."

Aviva nods, "Just like when you had your friend hack into my school records this morning? Yeah I knew. Hey it's okay. I would have done the same thing. And yeah we did get off on the wrong foot. But I can see you're a good person, hey you ditched school with me so how bad can you be."

Buffy nods as she and Aviva go downstairs.

Prue nods, "I know. Believe me. You have every right to be upset, and I can't talk about it right now but I will. I promise. Tomorrow? Quake? 1:00? Please?"

Andy sighs, "OK. Tomorrow 1:00." He waves to Phoebe and Buffy before leaving who waves back. Prue closes the door and begins to walk away. She passes Phoebe.

Phoebe shakes her head, "I am so sorry." She, Buffy and Aviva follows Prue. "I totally forgot." They stops walking.

Prue frowns, "What the hell is she doing here? What's a matter with you two?"

Buffy sighs, "Prue."

Aviva shakes her head, "This is their house too, OK? They can do whatever they want."

Phoebe shakes her head, "Aviva..." She looks to Prue, "She's not what you think she is."

Buffy nods, "Phoebe is right, we've had a chance to get to know her Prue."

Aviva sighs, "She doesn't understand Phoebe… Buffy. She'll never understand." She leaves.

In Aviva's room, she's talking to Kali. "If there were no Prue, Phoebe would be with us now. Though I am disappointed you didn't stay away from the Slayer."

Aviva nods, "I hate Prue and wish that she were dead. About Buffy I think she actually came around. Were kind of kindred, both the same age both with a similar power."

Kali nods, "You are sure she can be trusted?"

Aviva nods, "Positive."

Aunt Jackie outside the door, "Aviva? What's going on? Who's in there with you?" She opens the door and comes in. "You skipped school today and I want to know why."

Aviva frowns, "Get out of my room!"

Aunt Jackie shakes her head, "How dare you speak to me in that tone!" She notices the candles as Aviva stands up. "What's going on here?"

Aviva shakes her head, "I said get out of my room! Leave me alone or else..." In the mirror, Kali is her demon self. She throws a fireball at Aunt Jackie. It hits the bottom of her dress. She screams and tries to put it out by slapping it with a jacket. "Aunt Jackie?" She goes out of the room while slapping and hits the wall. "Oh god." Aunt Jackie falls down the stairs. Aviva comes out and runs downstairs. "Aunt Jackie?" She stops short and sees her aunt on the floor motionless.

A short time later Aviva is on the stairs. The cops and paramedics are there. They take Aunt Jackie away in a stretcher. Aviva walks up the stairs. to her room.

Kali nods, "What did you tell the police?"

Aviva smiles, "That the candle caught her dress on fire and she fell down the stairs. Oh my god. What have I done? I didn't mean to hurt her."

Kali nods, "Your powers are growing."

Aviva nods, "I know, but as soon as Aunt Jackie wakes up, she'll tell them what really happened. I've got to get out of here."

Kali frowns, "No!"

Aviva shakes her head, "Why not?"

Kali nods, "You must go back to the Halliwell's. You must complete what you've started."

Aviva sighs, "But how?"

Kali nods, "Piper won't stop you, and Phoebe's already an ally. As is Buffy despite my thinking she would have been a problem. Only Prue stands in our way. You must use your powers. You must take Prue's place in the power of three. Don't disappoint me Aviva. You said you wanted a family. And now you'll have one."

In the kitchen at the manor Phoebe pours Aviva a cup of tea and gives it to her. Piper is on the phone in the background. Buffy and Prue is also there.

Aviva smiles, "Thanks."

Phoebe nods, "You poor thing. You're shivering."

Aviva nods, "I'm OK." She looks to Prue, "I know that you don't like me and I know that the last thing you want to do is help me. But I don't know where else to turn. I don't have anybody else."

Piper comes to them. "She's telling the truth. Her aunt was admitted to the hospital."

Aviva nods, "How is she? Is she OK?"

Piper smiles, "She has a broken arm and a concussion."

Prue nods, "How did she fall again?"

Buffy shakes her head, "Prue."

Aviva sighs, "I don't know. I...I heard her scream and, and then I found her on the floor and I called 911. I promise, if you just let me spend the night and get some sleep, I'll tell you everything you want to know about me tomorrow."

Piper nods, "She can't stay alone."

Buffy nods, "She can sleep in my room."

Prue nods, "No magic."

Aviva smiles, "I swear."

Later that night in Buffy's room Buffy is asleep, but Aviva is awake.

Kali appears in the mirror. "Now... is the time."

Aviva goes out into the hallway. Kali appears as her demon self.

Aviva opens the door to Prue's room slightly and sees Prue asleep. She then prepares to use a fireball.

Piper frowns, "What are you doing?"

Aviva smiles, "Um..." She closes the door. "I was just looking for the bathroom."

Piper nods, "Oh. It's down the hall to the right."

Aviva nods, "Great. Thanks. Good night." She goes to the bathroom. Piper looks in Prue's room. She's still asleep. Piper closes the door.

The next day Phoebe is on the ladder putting a light bulb in a lamp in the dining room. Buffy and Prue is with her.

Prue nods, "I'm going to the hospital to see her aunt in an hour. I'll be back OK?"

Buffy smiles, "I'm going to go with you, Prue."

Leo walks into the kitchen and opens the door. He almost hits Aviva. "Whoa. Sorry. Didn't know you were there."

Phoebe turns on the light and steps down.

Aviva nods, "That's OK."

Leo leaves.

Prue nods, "Aviva, Buffy and I are going to go see you aunt. Let her know where you are. We'll talk when we get back OK?"

Aviva nods, "Yeah. Sure. Tell her I love her."

Buffy smiles, "Will do."

Prue and Buffy leaves.

At the Hospital. Buffy and Prue is sitting by Aunt Jackie's hospital bed. Aunt Jackie is sitting up. "I don't understand. Why is Aviva staying with you? I don't even know who you are."

Buffy smiles, "She didn't mention me? We go to school together."

Prue nods, "Um, actually we just met your niece. We lost our cat and she found it for us."

Aunt Jackie nods, "Oh. That's what she was hiding."

Buffy shakes her head, "Hiding?"

Aunt Jackie nods, "In the closet. She wouldn't let me go anywhere near it. You're lucky she didn't sacrifice the poor thing."

Prue looks at Buffy, "I'm sorry?"

Aunt Jackie leans closer. "She's a strange kid. Very troubled. Into all sorts of wired stuff. Black magic, voodoo. God know what else. No wonder she doesn't have any friends."

Buffy shakes her head thinking back to Amy and her mom, "What makes you think she's into black magic?"

Aunt Jackie sighs, "You should see her room. It seems like every time I walk past there she's in there...chanting or something. Sometimes, I swear, I even hear other voices. I know she's not happy there. I'm only taking care of her until her mom gets out of rehab."

Prue nods, "Do you mind if we stop by your place and pick up some things for Aviva?"

Aunt Jackie shakes her head, "No."

Prue smiles, "Great. Thanks. Feel better."

Buffy nods, "Yeah you feel better."

They leave.

In Aviva's room. Buffy and Prue walks in. They looks around.

Prue opens the closet and sees some black candles and the other stuff Aviva uses when she calls Kali.

Buffy sees Aviva's diary by the bed. She picks it up and reads one of the pages.

Kali appears in the mirror behind Prue in demon form and then disappears. Prue looks over her shoulder at the mirror.

Buffy shakes her head, "Prue look at this. 'Kali says we're close to taking over the Halliwell coven. I hate lying to them.' You were right."

Prue sighs and nods, "I don't know, Buffy. I think she maybe being used."

Buffy puts the diary down as Prue picks up her cell phone and dials.

Phoebe on the phone, "Hello."

Prue smiles, "Uh, Phoebe. It's me."

Phoebe on the phone, "Prue, where are you? Piper called. She says you were supposed to meet Andy at Quake."

Prue shakes her head, "Um. Listen, we have a bigger problems to deal with. Call her back and tell her to come home. Buffy and I will explain it to you guys later." They begins to leave. "And Phoebe, whatever you do, don't let Aviva out of your site. OK?"

Phoebe on the phone, "Yeah sure."

Prue smiles, "All right. Bye." She hangs up, "We have to get back."

They leave.

At the manor in the kitchen Leo comes out of the laundry room as Phoebe comes in.

Phoebe smiles, "Wait, Leo, what did Piper say to you?"

Leo shrugs, "Uh, it doesn't matter, really... forget it." He begins washing his hands.

Phoebe nods, "Well, whatever she said, you should probably take it with a grain of salt, 'cuz sometimes her medication makes her say the strangest things! But, not to worry-her shrinks are on it."

Leo frowns, "Shrinks?"

Phoebe nods and chuckles behind his back. She sees Aviva's jacket on the chair and picks it up. She has a premonition. In it, Buffy opens the door to her room and Aviva throws a fireball at her. The premonition ends.

Phoebe frowns, "Oh my god. Aviva."

Leo hears a car door close and looks out the window. He looks back at Phoebe. "Prue and Buffy's home."

Phoebe frowns, "Oh no." She heads upstairs.

In Buffy's room, Aviva puts something in the middle of the candles. She hears someone run upstairs.

Phoebe opens the door as Aviva throws a fireball. "Aviva?" The fireball heads towards Phoebe, who catches it with Aviva's jacket. It catches on fire. Aviva stands up. "Aviva!" She shakes the jacket and throws it on the ground. She stomps on it. "What the hell are you doing?" She holds her arm.

Aviva shakes her head, "Phoebe... I'm sorry." She leaves.

Downstairs in the kitchen Phoebe is sitting on a stool. Piper brings her a pack of ice. Prue, Buffy and Leo are also there.

Piper nods, "Maybe we should take you to the hospital."

Phoebe shakes her head, "No. It's not that bad."

Leo nods, "Well, how did it happen anyway?"

Phoebe smiles, "Uh, candles. Aviva had some candles lit and I guess the sweater got to close, and then she ran out of the house."

Leo nods, "It sure caught fire fast."

Prue nods, "Um, Leo, we got this. We wouldn't want you to be late for that estimate."

Leo smiles, "Are you sure? I don't mind."

Phoebe nods, "No. Prue's right. I'm fine. You go ahead."

Leo nods, "OK. I'll stop by later to see how you're doing."

"Great." Piper and Phoebe said.

Leo leaves.

Buffy sighs, "OK. So, how did this happen?"

Phoebe nods, "I had a premonition...that Aviva was going to hurt you, Buffy. So I tried to stop her. I should have listened to you Prue. You were right about Aviva. She's evil."

Buffy shakes her head, "No."

Prue nods, "Actually, she's not, but she is being used by an evil spirit and I think we know which one, so come on."

They all upstairs.

In Aviva's room. Aviva is putting stuff in her backpack. She goes to the closet.

Kali appears in the mirror. "Where are you going Aviva?"

Aviva sighs, "Go away. I don't want anything to do with you. I don't want to be a witch anymore."

Kali frowns, "But you haven't finished what we've started."

Aviva frowns, "But I'm hurting people. Don't you understand? First Aunt Jackie, now Phoebe. I have to leave."

Kali nods, "Aren't you going to say good-bye first? Touch the mirror, Aviva. It's OK. I'm not upset. Touch the mirror and I'll go away too." She does. Kali goes into Aviva's body. "Hello..." Her voice changes to evil… "...Aviva?"

In the attic Prue, Piper, and Phoebe are looking through their Book. Buffy is looking through hers.

Prue nods, "Kali. Kali. Kali."

Piper nods, "There, there. An evil sorceress cursed into her own dimension. She appears in reflections and has the power to possess..."

Buffy finds the page in her book, "...innocents and use them as pawns to steal a witch's power."

Piper shakes her head, "Wait. I don't understand. So she's using Aviva to try to turn us into bad witches?"

Phoebe shakes her head, "Does it say anything about how to get rid of her?"

Prue nods, "Uh, yeah. To get rid of her: shatter her reflection. However the hell we do that. Here." She gives Piper the book. The door slams open and there stands Kali in Aviva's body.

Buffy looks up, "Aviva?"

Kali walks towards them, "Hello Buffy. Phoebe, how's," her voice changes to Kali's voice, "the arm?"

Phoebe frowns, "You're not Aviva?"

Kali smiles, "You're not kidding."

She throws a fireball at them. Prue pushes her sisters to the left and she goes to the right.

Buffy powers up her own fireball, "Two can play at that game."

Aviva calls out, "Buffy… Phoebe! Help me!"

Kali shakes her head, "Never mind." Piper puts the book down. Kali throws a fireball at them. Buffy throws her the fireballs collide in midair exploding. Kali looks at Prue. "My powers greater than yours Prue and yours Buffy. It's only a matter of time." Phoebe and Piper are now kneeling

Phoebe smiles, "Time? Piper, that's it!" Kali looks at them. "Freeze her!" Piper looks at her.

Piper shakes her head, "Aviva doesn't freeze."

Kali looks at Prue and Buffy.

Phoebe nods, "Yeah, but Kali will."

Piper freezes Kali.

Kali screams, "No!"

Aviva's body falls to the floor. Piper looks behind her and pulls down a sheet, revealing a mirror.

Piper nods, "Prue! The mirror! Get her to the mirror!" Prue uses her power to throw Kali in the mirror.

Kali calls out, "No!"

Buffy powers up a fireball and throws it at the mirror. Kali screams as the fireball shatters the glass. Kali disappears.

In Buffy's room Phoebe is there holding Kit. Buffy sits on her bed.

Aviva is standing by the mirror. Her hair is washed and she's wearing a dress that's dark red. "Thanks for the dress."

Buffy smiles, "No problem. It's Prue's."

Phoebe puts Kit down on the dresser and walks to Aviva, who grabs her jacket. "All set?"

Aviva nods, "Yeah. I'm all set."

Buffy smiles, "You OK?"

Aviva shakes her head, "I don't think, uh, looking into a mirror is ever going to be the same." She turns around.

Buffy nods, "Yeah, well, the demon's gone Aviva, forever."

Aviva smiles, "Yeah, well, unfortunately all the other ones remain. It's so hard."

Phoebe smiles, "Oh, I know. It was hard for me too when I was your age."

Aviva smiles, "Yeah?"

Phoebe nods, "Are you kidding?" Aviva goes by the dresser and grabs on her coat. "These are the hardest years of your life." Phoebe sits next to Buffy on her bed.  
"The one thing I learned is you just gotta be yourself."

Aviva giggles a little as she puts on her coat. "Easy for you to say. What if yourself sucks?"

Phoebe smiles, "Well, you don't have to worry about that. No. Aviva, I'm serious. You are a great kid. I could totally see us hanging out together in school. A couple of troublemakers." She, Buffy and Aviva laugh a little.

Aviva smiles, "I'm going to miss being a witch. Having powers...and having sisters."

Phoebe nods, "Yeah, well, you've got your mom. And your aunt will be home from the hospital tomorrow." She stands up. "OK, now remember, do not tell anyone about us Halliwell sisters right?"

Buffy nods, "Or about me."

Phoebe nods, "It's just our little secret."

Aviva smiles, "I promise."

Phoebe nods, "OK."

Buffy smiles, "Now one more thing before you leave. You may not have powers anymore. But you know what you don't need them to have sisters or friends. You can join Willow, Xander and I for lunch any time you like. Or if you know, just you know want to hang."

Aviva smiles, "I'd like that Buffy."


	9. Chapter 9: The Witch is Back

**Chapter 9: The Witch is Back**

In Salem, Massachusetts in the year 1692. Melinda Warren watches as her cell door opens and Matthew Tate walks in.

Melinda frowns, "Matthew."

Matthew smiles, "Hello, Melinda."

Melinda shakes her head, "Why? Why did you betray me?"

Matthew nods, "You got what you deserve."

Melinda sighs, "So you've never loved me? All the passion, all the heat?"

Matthew smiles, "I had to make you trust me. It was the only way to share your powers."

Melinda frowns, "And so now you have them. So why would you turn me in? You know I'll burn."

Matthew laughs, "I had to keep my secret."

Melinda nods, "Well, you can keep your trinkets too." She pulls off a locket that was around her neck and throws it at him.

Matthew nods, "I'll find another witch to give it to." He opens the locket.

Melinda smiles, "Maybe not."

Matthew takes out a little piece of paper and it catches on fire. He throws it on the ground. "What magic is this?"

Melinda nods, "I'm taking back the powers you stole from me. Outside of time, outside of gain, know only sorrow, know only pain."

It gets really windy and Matthew gets sucked into the locket.

300 years later in Prue's office at Buckland's Rex puts some jewelry on Prue's desk. He picks up the locket and tries to open it.

Prue walks in. "Rex?"

Rex nods, "Ah, good morning, Prue. I've, uh, left a few things for you to catalogue. A marvellous shipment from an estate back east."

Prue nods, "I'll get right on it."

Rex smiles, "Thanks." He leaves.

Prue sees the locket and picks it up. She opens it. The door slams shut and

Matthew comes out of the locket. "At last, freedom. The world has changed. What time is this?"

Prue frowns, "Excuse me?"

Matthew nods, "Where am I?"

Prue shakes her head, "Who are you?"

Matthew smiles, "Matthew Tate, and if you freed me from that locket you are descendant of Melinda Warren." He walks closer to her and she uses her power and he flies across the room. "Thank you."

Prue frowns, "For what?"

Matthew nods, "I tricked you into using your power on me. Now, I have it." He uses her power and a chair pushes her against the wall. He then disappears, she runs in the middle of the room and he appears behind her. "Behind you, witch."

Prue frowns, "How did you do that?"

Matthew smiles, "I can share your power but you can't share mine."

Prue shakes her head, "What do you want?"

Matthew nods, "I want what Melinda took from me. I want all three powers back." He grabs her. "Defend yourself. Stop time."

Prue shakes her head, "I can't."

Matthew nods, "Ah, so you're not alone. There are others." He disappears and appears in front of the desk. "And the family name is now Halliwell."

Rex from outside the door, "Prue, are you okay in there?"

Matthew uses Prue's power to break the glass on the window. He jumps out the window and floats down to the ground, landing on his feet. He walks away.

In the kitchen at the Manor Leo's under the sink, fixing it. Phoebe and Buffy's sitting at the table and Piper's standing up.

Piper nods, "So I suggested we add crab satay to the, uh, lunch menu and it was great. Sold out. Do you like crab, Leo?"

Leo nods, "You know what I'd love, Piper?"

Piper smiles, "What's that?"

Leo nods, "Is the, uh, ratchet extension. Could you hand that to me?"

Piper smiles, "Sure." Piper looks in his toolbox but doesn't know what it is. Phoebe walks over and pulls out the ratchet extension. "I knew that." She takes it off Phoebe and gives it to Leo. "Here you go."

Buffy shakes her head, "Pheebs."

Leo nods, "Thanks."

Piper whispers to Phoebe, "Stop it. Go away." She tries to get Phoebe to leave. "Be right back, Leo."

Leo nods, "No problem."

Buffy, Piper and Phoebe go in the dining room.

Piper sighs, "Stop it."

Phoebe smiles, "My sentiments exactly. Stop hinting around and ask him out already. Give him some of your crab."

Piper sighs, "Don't be disgusting."

Buffy nods, "Yeah Pheebs."

Phoebe nods, "Don't be so shy."

Piper frowns, "What if he says no?"

Phoebe nods, "Yeah, like that'll happen."

Piper nods, "No, I'm serious."

Buffy rolls her eyes, "You'll never know if you don't try, Piper."

Phoebe smiles, "So am I."

Piper sighs, "I'm very serious. I've never... you know..."

Buffy blinks, "You are kidding, right?"

Piper sighs, "No."

Phoebe nods, "You've never asked a guy out before?"

Piper sighs, "Not on a real date, no."

Phoebe smiles, "I don't understand. Am I the only person in this family who's inherited the take-a-chance gene?"

Buffy shrugs.

Piper nods, "Probably. 'Cause if I remember my biology correctly, it's attached to the can't-mind-my-own-business gene."

Phoebe laughs, "Ooh. Go." She pushes Piper back in the kitchen.

Leo comes out from under the sink. "Well, part of the pipe is stuck. I'm almost finished here."

Piper smiles, "Terrific. Can I get you some tea?"

Leo nods, "Yeah, that'd be great." Piper gets the tea out of the fridge. Phoebe and Buffy walks back in.

Phoebe nods, " What would be great?"

Piper shakes her head, "Nothing." Piper puts the tea on the bench and Phoebe accidentally knocks it off. Piper freezes if before it falls on the floor. "Leo?"

Phoebe smiles, "Frozen. Quick, have your way with him."

Buffy shakes her head, "Pheebs you have a dirty mind."

Piper frowns, "Do you never stop?"

Phoebe laughs. Piper holds a bucket under the tea. "Looks like a Kodak moment to me." She pretends to take photos.

Piper sighs, "Phoebe, you're such a help."

Phoebe nods, "Smile."

Buffy swats at Phoebe's hands, "Your embarrassing, Piper."

Leo and the tea unfreeze.

Prue walks in. "You guys, we are in serious trouble." Buffy points to Leo. "Uh, hi, Leo."

Leo smiles, "Hey, Prue."

Prue nods, "Hey, uh, sisters and cousins. Upstairs now."

They head upstairs into the attic.

Piper frowns, "What did you say his name was?"

Prue nods, "Matthew Tate. And somehow he knows that we're related to Melinda Warren."

Buffy blinks, "The Book of Shadows Melinda? Our ancestor?"

Piper frowns, "The one who burned at stake and started this whole mess."

Prue nods, "Uh, he came out of the locket. And he has strong powers. Stronger than mine, I mean, he did the weirdest thing. One minute he was in front of me, the next he was behind me and then twelve stories down landed right on his feet."

Phoebe nods, "If it walks like warlock, and talks like a warlock..."

Prue sighs, "Yeah, well, he's powerful and he means business. And he wants all three of our powers."

Phoebe nods, "Can I see the locket?"

Prue hands the locket to Phoebe. "We have to figure out who he is before he finds the two of you."

Phoebe opens the locket and has a premonition. "You said Matthew came out of the locket? I think I just saw Melinda put him in."

Prue blinks, "You saw the past?"

Buffy shakes her head, "But you only see the future."

Phoebe nods, "Not anymore."

Prue nods, "We always knew that our powers would grow."

Phoebe sighs, "Yes, but somehow I thought I was gonna get to fly."

Buffy, Prue and Piper smile.

A short time later Phoebe's looking at a photo album and Piper's looking through the Book of Shadows.

Phoebe smiles, "I was right. It was Melinda in my vision. Isn't she beautiful."

Buffy nods, "Very pretty, she kind of looks like mom."

Prue nods, "She does kind of look like Aunt Joyce."

Piper nods, "Listen to this. And because the warlock had stolen her love, she cursed him into the pewter heart, where he could spend eternity knowing the sting of betrayal."

Phoebe nods, "That must be what I saw."

Prue frowns, "And I let him out early. Great."

Buffy shakes her head, "It's not your fault, Prue. You couldn't have known."

Piper nods, "You're not kidding. The legend says that the warlock must never be freed or he will destroy the Warren line. That'd be us, all of us including Buffy."

Phoebe nods, "Yeah, well, he'll have to take a number and get in line behind the others warlocks."

Prue sighs, "We've never been up against anyone like him before."

Buffy nods, "So, what do we do?"

Piper smiles, "I say we hide."

Prue frowns, "No, we have to find out exactly what we're up against. And we start with the locket and how it wound up on my desk."

They walk downstairs into the conservatory.

Leo's watching the TV, "Hey, Prue, your work's on the news, check it out."

Reporter on the TV, "This morning witnesses claim they saw a man fall twelve stories. He apparently got up and walked away unharmed."

Prue frowns, "We gotta find him before he hurts somebody else, especially an innocent."

Phoebe nods, "There's that I word again."

Buffy smiles, "Look, Andy's on TV."

Phoebe nods, "He's here, too." The doorbell rings. Phoebe answers it. "Andy, what a surprise. How you been?"

Andy nods, "I need to talk with Prue, Phoebe."

Phoebe smiles, "Prue, wow. How out of the loop am I? And here I thought you guys broke up."

Andy shakes his head, "It's not about that. It's police business."

Phoebe nods, "Oh, well, uh, she's not home. She's at work."

Andy shakes his head, "No, she's not."

Phoebe nods, "Well, then, I don't know where she is, but I'll tell her that you stopped by, okay? Ciao!"

Phoebe tries to leave but Andy grabs her arm. "A man fell out of Prue's office window. Which is suspicious enough. But then a man matching the same description went and killed a lawyer down the street. A lawyer named Halliwell. Now I know she knows who he is. One more time, Phoebe, where's your sister?"

Phoebe frowns, "Where's your warrant?" She goes back inside. Andy leaves.

Prue frowns, "Great, so now I'm being hunted by a warlock and the San Francisco P.D."

Buffy shakes her head, "Nobody ever said you led a boring life, Prue."

Piper nods, "Maybe Andy can help."

Prue sighs, "Oh, yeah. You want to have that conversation with him? Hey Andy, I hate to bother you but this seventeenth century warlock is trying to kill me and my sisters. Any thoughts?"

Piper nods, "Okay, it was a bad idea. But the point is we need help."

Prue frowns, "Yeah, well, unfortunately more than Andy can give."

Phoebe nods, "What we need is someone who's done this before, someone like Melinda Warren."

Prue sighs, "Okay, so what are we supposed to do? Reach back in time, grab her and tell her that we need her help?"

Buffy smiles, "Yes. And I know exactly how to do it. As long as you don't mind losing a little blood."

A short time later in the attic Buffy, Prue, Piper and Phoebe are sitting around a table where they have placed candles, a dagger and other items.

Piper shakes her head, "Am I the only one having the second thoughts?"

Phoebe nods, "Yes."

Prue nods, "We don't really have any others options."

Piper sighs, "But aren't we, like, raising the dead? What if she's all..."

Buffy shakes her head, "I read The Book of Shadows very carefully. She will come back as a real live person, flesh and blood. She will have her powers too. Well your powers. I guess it's possible she could have mine but I doubt it." She picks up the knife.

Piper frowns, "What's that for?"

Buffy smiles, "Well, the spell works by blood calling blood, so it shouldn't hurt... much."

Buffy hands the knife to Phoebe who stabs her finger. "You liar. Okay, come on guys. It'll be just like the summer by the lake. Remember when we made a blood oath to be friends forever, not just sisters?"

Prue takes the knife off of Phoebe.

Piper nods, "I remember my finger got infected."

Buffy frowns, "Ouch."

Prue stabs her finger. "Ow. Yeah, but the oath worked."

Prue holds out the knife for Piper. "And I couldn't go in the water for three weeks. Don't hand me that knife."

Prue frowns, "How are you gonna cut yourself?"

Piper shakes her head, "I'm not."

Buffy sighs, "Piper..."

Piper nods, "I can't stand the sight of blood."

Prue shakes her head, "Evil beings have blown up in our attic..."

Phoebe nods, "Disintegrated to dust right before our very eyes..."

Prue smiles, "And you're afraid of a little drop of blood?"

Piper sighs, "Okay, just cut my finger." She holds out her hand.

Prue looks to Buffy, "You do it." She hands Buffy the knife.

Piper covers her eyes and Buffy stabs her finger. "Ow!"

Buffy then takes the knife and pricks her own finger.

Prue nods, "Okay, here."

They squeeze their fingers and the blood drips into a locket.

Buffy closes it and places it in a bowl. "Melinda Warren, blood of our blood..."

"Our great, great, great, great, great, great, grandmother." Buffy, Piper, Prue and Phoebe said.

Buffy nods, "We summon thee."

Stardust floats through the air and Melinda appears. "Oh, blessed be."

Short time later in Phoebe's room. Buffy, Phoebe and Melinda are there. Phoebe unzips a dress.

Melinda shakes her head, "No, don't-don't rip the dress to make it fit me."

Phoebe smiles, "Oh, no, no, I'm not ripping it. It's called a zipper, see?" She zips up the dress.

Melinda smiles, "Oh, a wise witch made this." She takes the dress off of Phoebe and plays with the zipper.

Buffy nods, "Yeah, and wise witches in this century keep a low profile. You slip that dress on, you'll blend right in."

Melinda starts putting on the dress. "It's so odd to be here again. To breathe and feel. What sheep has wool so soft?"

Phoebe nods, "A synthetic one."

Melinda nods, "Oh!" Phoebe zips up the dress. "So did it, did it take you long to make the dress?"

Phoebe frowns, "Make it? No, no, I bought it."

Melinda nods, "Oh, you must be rich."

Buffy shakes her head, "I wish."

Prue and Piper walk in.

Prue shakes her head, "No, she's got credit cards."

Piper smiles, "Oh, wow, Melinda, you look great."

Buffy nods, "You do, Melinda."

Melinda smiles, "Thank you. Oh, but how do you keep your legs warm?"

Prue nods, "We drink coffee."

Buffy rolls her eyes, "They drink coffee. I drink hot chocolate."

Leo approaches the doorway. "Oh, sorry, I let myself in and it didn't occur to me."

Piper shakes her head, "Leo, uh, it's okay. This is, uh..."

Phoebe smiles, "Our cousin, Melinda."

Buffy nods, "Yeah my older sister." She gives Phoebe a look.

Leo nods, "Nice to meet you."

Piper smiles, "Leo's fixing our plumbing."

Melinda nods, "What's that?"

Prue smiles, "Uh, we've got to go now."

Melinda smiles, "To work with one's hands is a great gift."

Leo nods, "Well, I am a true laborer. I earn that I eat, get that I wear."

Melinda smiles, "Owe no man hate, envy no man's happiness."

"Shakespeare." Leo and Melinda said.

Melinda giggles.

Buffy rolls her eyes.

Prue nods, "Wasn't that fun? Okay, let's go now."

They walk out of the room and Leo walks in.

Melinda nods, "He is a treasure, Piper."

Piper looks at Melinda, puzzled, "Why you telling me?"

They make their way downstairs into the dining room. Piper, Phoebe, Buffy and Melinda are sits at the table. Prue puts the locket around Melinda's neck.

Melinda nods, "Once Matthew had what he wanted, he told the town council I was a witch and they arrested me. Then they burned me at the stake."

Piper shakes her head, "Why didn't you save yourself?"

Buffy nods, "Yeah, why didn't you use your powers to escape?"

Melinda smiles, "I had a daughter. Her name was Prudence. She meant everything to me. If I had used my powers, I would've proven Matthew's charge and Prudence would've burned too. So I thought, I'll accept this and pray some kind soul will take pity on my daughter and raise her in a safe home. Only then could the Warren line continue. And it must've worked because here you are."

Phoebe nods, "Why do Warren witches lose their moms so early?"

Buffy nods, "Yeah."

Melinda shakes her head, "Phoebe… Buffy, I can't change the past but I think I can protect the future."

Prue sighs, "How? Matthew is so strong and he has this wild power. He can be at one place and then another."

Melinda nods, "In the blink of an eye?"

Prue nods, "Exactly."

Melinda smiles, "It's called blinking. He must've copied it from another witch. I stripped him of all the powers he copied from me but who knows what other powers he still has?"

Phoebe frowns, "What you mean copied from you?"

Melinda nods, "Matthew's gift is to copy the power of a good witch when it's used against him."

Prue frowns, "Then he definitely has mine."

Buffy shakes her head, "It would probably be a good idea he not get mine."

Melinda nods, "Once he's copied a power, it has no effect on him. Should he gain all three powers, he will be impossible to vanquish. So Buffy what is your power?"

Buffy smiles, "Probably something you yourself don't have." She powers up a fireball.

Melinda nods, "True indeed. In fact I wouldn't have thought it possible for someone of the Warren line to have such a power."

Buffy nods, "With Prue, Phoebe and Piper having your powers. There had to be something for me right? And with me being the Slayer…"

Melinda blinks, "You are a Slayer? That explains how you probably got that power. The Slayer within influenced the witch within and made it so you would have an active power to help in your duties as a Slayer."

Buffy nods, "You know about the Slayer?"

Melinda nods, "Yes I actually met one."

Buffy smiles, "Anyways that's what we thought about how my powers manifested."

Prue nods, "So what do we do, about Matthew?"

Melinda smiles, "We curse him back in the locket."

Piper nods, "And if we can't?"

A short time later they walk in the attic.

Melinda sighs, "I can't believe I don't remember all the ingredients."

Prue nods, "It's been a while since you cursed Matthew."

Phoebe smiles, "Yeah, like three hundred years."

Piper nods, "Whatever you don't remember should be in the book."

They walk over to the Charmed Book Of Shadows.

Melinda smiles, "The Book Of Shadows. Oh, my, it's gotten so thick." She notice's Buffy's Book of Shadows on the nearby podium. "Two?"

Buffy nods, "We don't know exactly why there is two but that one is mine. It's nearly identical some pages in Prue, Piper and Phoebe's book are missing from mine. Others the spells are just plain worded different. All the spells in it are geared for me alone."

Prue nods, "It wasn't always, big?"

Melinda shakes her head, "No, no. But obviously each generation of Warren witches has added to it over the years and has made it so. Have you added anything?"

Phoebe shakes her head, "Us? Are you kidding? We're new at this. We can't just make up our own spell... wait, can we?"

Buffy smiles, "Nope we haven't added anything to either book."

Melinda nods, "All things in time, Phoebe. The book will grow as you grow. Sometimes you add to it, sometimes it teaches you. Oh, here's the curse."

Prue hands her a pencil and paper. Melinda looks at it confused. "Just start writing."

Melinda nods, "No ink?"

Prue shakes her head, "No."

Melinda starts writing. "Ha!" She smiles.

Piper looks at the book, "Grams must've added this one."

They look at the opposite page.

Melinda nods, "To Increase Patience."

Buffy flipped through her book, "Mine doesn't have that one. But it does have Melinda's spell."

Phoebe smiles, "I bet she used that spell a lot raising us, huh?"

Prue sighs, "We weren't all troublemakers, Phoebe."

Phoebe shakes her head, "I was not a troublemaker. I was just..."

Piper nods, "A pain."

Phoebe: A free spirit.

Buffy rolls her eyes, "You see what I have to put up with?"

Prue shakes her head, "A handful."

Melinda smiles, "A Warren. It's a family trait. So are the short tempers, the great cheekbones, the strong wills, and of course the powers. All blessings, all signs of where you came from. This book… These books are your connection and it all began with me."

Prue nods, "Well, let's make sure it doesn't end with us. We need to get going."

In the kitchen everyone's there. They are making a potion and Prue is staring out the window. Buffy walks into the kitchen.

Melinda nods, "The curse is really simple as long as you have the ingredients I need."

Piper smiles, "Phoebe can do the spices and I'll chop the scallions."

Phoebe nods, "This is so cool. We've never done a curse before."

Buffy nods in agreement, "After what Amy's mom did to me I really don't want to do one ever."

Melinda nods, "Oh, I'm glad. They're not to be taken lightly."

Phoebe nods, "I just feel like there's so much we could be learning or doing if we had the right teacher."

Melinda nods, "I'd savor my first gift before I move on to the next one."

Buffy nods, "I really hope your not saying being the Slayer is a gift. Cause having a destiny that says I could die before I'm eighteen. Well let's just say that's not fun."

Phoebe nods, "I see pictures. What's to savor?"

Melinda smiles at Buffy, "Being the Slayer is a gift, Buffy. Just as being a witch is. Don't let what happened to previous Slayers cloud that. Just because they died before they were eighteen doesn't mean you will." She looks Phoebe, "No, but you see visions of the future and the past. That'll allow you to protect and to heal."

Phoebe smiles, "Hmm. Did you hear that Prue?"

Piper nods, "Prue, stop looking for Andy, he should be long gone by now."

Prue sighs, "Yeah, he'll be back, probably with a warrant."

Phoebe shakes her head, "Yeah, like Andy would ever arrest you."

Buffy nods, "Yeah he wouldn't Prue."

Prue walks over to them. "So do we have everything?"

Piper nods, "Actually there's a few herbs we don't have but I can get them at the restaurant."

Phoebe sighs, "The only problem is the feather from the spotted owl."

Melinda frowns, "Is that a problem?"

Prue nods, "Well, they're an endangered species. Um, certain animals from your time aren't really around anymore."

Melinda shakes her head, "Why?"

Buffy sighs, "Deforestation, pollution... it's a long story."

Piper nods, "Do you think they have one at the zoo?"

Melinda frowns, "What's a zoo?"

Phoebe nods, "In theory it's this big garden kind of place where all the animals are caged and..."

Prue sighs, "You know what? I'll work on the feather. Piper, can you handle the herbs?"

Piper nods, "Uh, yeah, after I get to Quake, though I might have a problem getting out because I'm supposed to work the night shift."

Phoebe: Well, I'll come with you and bring back the stuff if you get hung up.

Buffy nods, "And I'll go with you Prue. Safer in pairs."

Melinda shakes her head, "No, you can't leave the house. You are the three Matthew needs. Buffy your power would make him invincible."

Piper nods, "We'll be fine. How could Matthew even know about Quake?"

Buffy nods, "How would he know to look for Prue and I in the zoo?"

At Quake. Piper and Phoebe walk in.

Piper nods, "You go ahead into the kitchen, I'm gonna cough on Martin and tell him I'm highly contagious so can I go home."

Phoebe smiles, "Love the plan."

Phoebe goes in the kitchen.

In the kitchen Phoebe is holding a rolling pin and Matthew is backing her into a corner. Phoebe goes to hit him with the rolling pin but he grabs it and throws it on the floor. He then grabs Phoebe and she has a premonition.

Matthew smiles, "Now I have your power. And I see Melinda's here. Good. She will die at my hand. Oh and there is a fourth member of the Warren line. Not a sister but a cousin. Interesting. Her power shall become mine also." He pushes her on the ground and he blinks out of the room.

Piper comes in. "Are you okay?"

Phoebe nods, "Yeah. It was Matthew. He's gone, but he copied my power. And he knows about Melinda and Buffy."

At the manor Buffy, Prue and Melinda are walking down the stairs.

Prue nods, "All right, I found a spotted owl at the museum where I used to work. Stuffed."

Melinda nods, "But we only need one feather."

Prue smiles, "Good. Maybe that'll keep it down to a misdemeanor. Look, I'll be back as soon as I can."

Buffy rolls her eyes, "We'll be back as quick as possible."

Melinda nods, "Okay."

Buffy and Prue leaves.

Outside Prue and Buffy drives down the street. Andy follows them.

Awhile later at the manor Phoebe, Piper and Melinda are in the kitchen. Melinda's scooping the potion into a small pouch. "We're ready now. All we need is the feather."

Piper nods, "And Prue and Buffy. What's keeping them? You don't think..."

Phoebe shakes her head, "No… They're fine. He already has Prue's power. He doesn't know Buffy is with her."

Melinda nods, "Besides, I sent him to the zoo."

Phoebe nods, "She's probably stuck in traffic."

Melinda smiles, "When they return, we'll add the feather and seek out Matthew."

Phoebe nods, "Do you think he's gonna be hard to find?"

Matthew appears. "Not at all. I have waited too long for this moment, to hide."

Melinda frowns, "This is our battle, Matthew. Leave them alone."

Matthew smiles, "I will have what I came for." He uses telekinesis and Piper moves towards him. He grabs her. "Your powers and your death. Then I will search out the last of the Warren line and take her power before I kill her."

Phoebe frowns, "Piper!"

Matthew smiles, "Freeze me, witch."

Piper shakes her head, "In your dreams."

Matthew gets out his gun and points it at Phoebe's head. "I said freeze me. Save yourself. No? Then save your sister."

Piper frowns, "Phoebe!"

Buffy and Prue walks in.

Buffy smiles, "Save yourself." She powers up a fireball. "And there are ways to keep you occupied without actually using my power on you."

Matthew lets go of Piper and she runs back over to Phoebe and Melinda. "Give me that feather."

Prue uses her power and the gun flies out of his hands. Then a chair flies up, Buffy throws her fireball at the chair which catches on fire. The flaming chair hits him knocking him back. She runs over and hands the feather to Melinda.

Melinda puts it in the pouch. "Piper, now!" Piper freezes Matthew. "Outside of time, outside of gain, know only sorrow, know only pain." Matthew unfreezes and wind surrounds him. "It's what you deserve."

Matthew frowns, "This is not the end!" He gets sucked into the locket.

Melinda smiles, "Yes it is. This is for eternity."

Buffy smiles, "Nicely put, Melinda.

The next morning at the Manor. Piper runs down the stairs. Leo's there.

Piper smiles, "Leo. You're here. Why are you here?"

Leo nods, "I thought I'd work on the plumbing in the downstairs bathroom."

Piper nods, "Oh, now's not really a good time. We're getting our cousin Melinda ready to go away. Can you come back later? Like, tomorrow?"

Leo nods, "Sure. No problem." He turns to leave.

Piper nods, "Uh, Leo?" He turns back around. "Would you like to go out sometime? With me, that is."

Leo smiles, "I'd love to. Give me a call."

Piper nods, "Okay." She goes back upstairs in the attic.

Buffy nods, "Who was it?"

Piper smiles, "It was Leo."

Prue nods, "Is he gone?"

Piper nods, "We're perfectly safe."

Melinda smiles, "Then let's begin."

Piper joins the others around the table. Melinda is dressed in her normal clothes. She hands Phoebe's dress back to her.

Phoebe shakes her head, "Oh, we can't take those back."

Melinda frowns, "Why not?"

Buffy smiles, "Because that means you're leaving"

Melinda nods, "Well, I have to go."

Phoebe sighs, "Why? Why can't you stay here and have the life that you should've had?"

Melinda shakes her head, "Because this isn't my time. It's your time, and Prue's, and Buffy's and Piper's."

Piper nods, "We don't mind sharing."

Buffy smiles, "Yeah."

Melinda smiles, "You four give me great joy. I've seen the Charmed Ones and the Charmed Slayer. Good witches. Women of strength and grace."

Phoebe takes Melinda's hand and holds it up to her heart. "Tell me what you see."

Melinda smiles, "I see the future. Many more generations of my beautiful daughters. I see my dreams fulfilled. Oh, thank you for that." She holds out her hand to Buffy who takes it. Melinda smiles, "And you I see that you indeed will become the longest living Slayer. And you like your cousins will have many more generations of my beautiful daughters." She puts on the locket and they all join hands.

Prue starts to recite the spell only to be stopped by Buffy.

Buffy smiles, "Please." Prue nods understanding. "Melinda Warren, blood of our blood, we release you."

Melinda smiles, "Blessed be, my daughters. I love you."

Buffy nods, "Blessed be."

Stardust surrounds her and Melinda disappears.

Phoebe sighs, "I'm gonna miss her."

Piper nods, "Me too."

Buffy nods, "Me three."

Prue: We can always bring her back.


	10. Chapter 10: The Pack

**Chapter 10: The Pack**

On a school bus Buffy, Xander and Willow, squeezed by Bobby.

Buffy can hardly breathe. She glances behind her and nudges Xander, "What's with the spaceage?"

Xander nods, "First field trip, huh?"

Buffy nods, "Maybe it's non-obvious, but wouldn't our trip to the Zoo be a teensy bit more comfortable if... one of us sat in the back?"

Willow shakes her head, "Reserved for cool people. That's why we're in the front."

Xander smiles at Buffy look of confusion, "Those are the "So-shes." Also known as the "Hotsnots," the "Attack Pack"..."

Buffy frowns, "So what do they do?"

Xander nods, "They're not like jocks or cheerleaders where they actually do something…"

Willow nods, "People just want to hang with them."

Buffy sighs, "Oh - sort of our version of the Royal Family."

Willow nods, "Worse. They have self-confidence. It's like they know they're in, and anyone who's not them is, by definition, out."

Kyle nudges Rhonda. He points to Lance. "Hey, Lance - you look uncomfortable. Join us." Lance brightens, comes over. Kyle makes room on his seat. Lance sits. "You know, Lance, for lunch, I'm thinking pepperoni pizza. You like greasy food, Lance?"

Lance nods, "Oh, thanks Kyle, but my dermatologist wants me to lay off greasy foods."

Rhonda rolls her eyes, "Oh riiight, your skin. That must be horrible. Do you get it on your back, too?"

Tor, Mick and Heidi snicker.

Buffy can't hear the conversation, but watch Kyle and Rhonda put their arms around Lance's shoulders. "They're being nice to Lance."

Xander smiles knowing better, "You know at Marineland - how Shamu and the other Killer Whales like to play with bouncy red balls?"

Buffy gets it, "Lance is now a bouncy red ball."

Xander nods, "Count on it."

At the zoo a Video is playing, "...Nowhere are hierarchies and cruel pecking orders more pronounced than in the Animal Kingdom..."

Buffy sighs, "They obviously haven't ridden the bus."

On the video, two mountain goats butt horns to show off for ewes chewing their cuds. Two nearby male students do a Lakers Chest-Butt as three girls lazily chew gum, watching them.

Buffy, Willow and Xander watch the horrifying face of a cackling hyena on another monitor.

"...And perhaps no animals are more cruel than the Hyenas, who taunt and wound their victims before going in the for the kill..."

On the video, Hyenas attack a Zebra, as Buffy notices Kyle, his arm around Lance, look back at the "Soshes" with a wink.

"...Their powerful jaws tear flesh, and crush bones to powder, all the while emitting the Hyena's hideous laughter..."

Kyle laughs, "C'mon Lance, let's check 'em out."

Buffy watches in concern as Kyle waves for his cohorts to follow him toward the padlocked door barring entry onto the dark pathway. A sign on the door says: HYENA CAGE. POSITIVELY NO ADMITTANCE.

"...Hyenas mark their territory by secreting a smelly paste from glands in their hindquarters..."

Buffy nods watching Kyle and his friends, "Enjoy. You guys should have a lot in common."

A Zookeeper blocks their path. Points to the sign. "Are you illiterate, or do you just have bad eyesight? Because Hyenas are quick to prey on the weak."

Rhonda shrugs, "Why can't we go in there?"

The Zookeeper smiles, "Quarantine. They just came from Africa. So keep out." He begins to walk away. Then turns back. "...Even if they call your name."

Buffy shakes her head, "What're you talking about?"

The Zookeeper obviously relishes this part of the job. "A Masai tribesman once told me that Hyenas can understand human speech. They follow humans by day, learning their names. At night, when the campfire has died, they call out to the person. And once that person is separated… the pack devours him."

The students are transfixed for a moment. Chilled - except for Kyle, who regards the Zookeeper with contempt. "Nice hat."

Kyle and his friends laughs. Fuming, the Zookeeper leads the other students, including Buffy and Willow around a corner.

Xander turns back, just in time to see Kyle and his friends, headed down the ominous pathway. Kyle still has his arm around Lance, who's just glad to be included. Xander, disgusted, shakes his head and moves after them.

In the Hyena Room Kyle and his friends and Lance approach the seemingly empty cage. "Pretty fun, huh Lance? I hope they don't call our names…" He presses his face against the mesh cage. "Hy-eeena - I'm Kyyyyle..."

Suddenly, two Hyenas move out of the shadows. Their wiry coats and horrible hunchbacks creep toward them.

Lance realizes he's the only one whose face is still pressed against the cage. He tries to pull back, but can't.

Kyle holds Lance's face against the cage as his friends laugh hysterically at this. The Hyenas sidewind closer to the horrified Lance, their narrow eyes flashing interest.

Kyle smiles, "What's wrong, Laaaance - they just want to learn your name."

Lance frowns, "Okay - I think they know it now..."

Lance struggles, when suddenly, Xander pushes Kyle and pries Lance free. Kyle and Xander are about to fight when a shrill, horrifying Hyena cackle stops everyone cold -

The Hyena's eyes flash yellow. Then Xander, Kyle and his friend's eyes flash yellow.

Lance never looking back, climbs the boarded-up cave entrance, but slips, falling back to the ground injuring his knee. "Owwwww…"

Kyle and his friends, then turn as one to look at Lance - only Xander doesn't turn his head. Then, Kyle begins a cruel laugh...

Lance's crying and Kyle's laughter mingle eerily with the Hyenas' CACKLING from the splintered shadows as Xander finally turns toward Lance.

On the school bus that evening the field trip is over. Buffy, Willow and Xander sit together in the front row. Bobby squeezes in. Everyone inhales.

Xander nods, "So tonight, you guys Bronze-bound?"

Willow shakes her head, "Didn't you get enough "crowded and sweaty" at the Zoo?"

Buffy nods, "Yeah, that Reptile House was definitely working the not-so-fresh motif."

Kyle, Rhonda, Tor, Heidi and Mick enter the bus.

(_**A/N Kyle, Rhonda, Tor, Heidi and Mick are collectively referred to hereafter as the Hyena People.)**_

Kyle suddenly stops at Bobby, smiling darkly. Buffy and Willow sense trouble.

Rhonda lifts Bobby's headphones, startling him. "Hey, Bobby - wanna go to the Bronze with us tonight?"

Bobby's eyes widen, "Really - me?"

Kyle all friendly like, "Yeah, get there early and save us the table by the stage."

Bobby nods, "But that means I'd have to get there by six thir... okay, thanks."

Rhonda lets the headphone SNAP back on his head as the Hyena People move confidently back to their reserved bus seats.

Bobby bounces his head with a private sense of acceptance.

Buffy shakes her head, "Guess Shamu's found a new red rubber ball."

Lance limps to the back, hoping to find a seat. As he approaches, the Hyena People variously stretch out their legs or scoot to the aisle side of their seats, blocking Lance from sitting with them.

Rhonda smiles, "Sorry, Lance."

Several students crane their heads to see this. All are privately grateful it's not them receiving the icy cruelty of the So-shes.

Lance frowns, "But... before..."

Kyle nods, "Lance, look around. There's us - then there's you."

Rhonda pulls out a compact mirror. Holds it up to Lance. "One of these things. Doesn't belong here..."

Kyle looks in the mirror. Points. "Oh yea - see? It's the telephone pole with acne."

Lance, humiliated, limps away.

Willow shakes her head, "That is so not okay." She turns back to see Xander snickering along with the Hyena People.

At the Bronze later Buffy and Willow struggle through the crowd.

Willow shakes her head, "We're not really welcome to sit there - those are the jocks..." She points "Those are the Grungers... the Gear-heads..."

Buffy sighed, "Never realized the Bronze is so much like the Zoo - except without the helpful educational videos."

Willow nods, "When Xander gets here, we'll be three and have our group." She smiles, relieved as she sees Xander enter and survey the crowd. Only he walks like a Rock Star - greets a comely Cheerleader with an unctuous kiss.

Buffy nods, "Guess now our group's got four."

Xander glides through the dance floor as the Cheerleader watches him go - confusion and interest now splashed across her face. Xander moves to Buffy and Willow - something's very different about him.

Willow frowns, "I thought you didn't know Suzy Peterson?"

Xander shakes his head, "I don't. But tonight... I just feel so alive, so confident - I doubt any woman could deny..." He locks eyes with Buffy. He smiles and moves to her. "-My animal magnetism." He leans into Buffy's ear, nibbles it. Willow's shocked.

Buffy pushes Xander away, "Have you been drinking your cologne?"

The Hyena People enter. The crowd parts like the Red Sea as they walk to see the table by the dance floor where BOBBY sits alone at an empty table, eating Nachos. He sees them and beams with delight.

Rhonda smiles, "Bobby - let's play Psychic Hotline. You try to guess why we're talking to you."

Buffy frowns, "Cause I got here at 6:30 like you asked, to save the table for us?"

Kyle laughs, "Us? You hang with us?"

Rhonda shakes her head, "Shouldn't you be hovering over a football stadium with a "GOODYEAR" written on you?"

Bobby, completely deflated, takes his Nachos and quickly retreats.

Rhonda regards the table with contempt. "This tables munches."

Kyle shrugs, "We'll check out the view."

They desert the hard-won table, toward the stairs.

Xander leans confidentially into Buffy. Places one hand on the wall next to her head. "...All my high school life, I've stood against the wall, one foot tucked under my butt, silently mouthing "I love you" to every girl passing me by. But tonight..." He puts his other hand on the other side of Buffy's head. Willow watches this, disbelieving. "-It's different - I feel different –" He leans closer. "It's like I see better, hear better, smell better... taste better -"

Buffy pushes him away, "When did you become Peppy Le Pew?"

The Hyena People approach. Crowds part as they near them.

Willow's anxious. "Uh-oh - here come the winged monkeys."

The Hyena People lock eyes with Xander and stop. They regard Xander with an almost animal intensity, as if some primal connection is being made.

Then, without a word exchanged, the Hyena People move on through the parting crowd.

The next day in at Gateway High School Mr. Flutie screams and just leaps out of the way. "LOOK OUT! It's gotten loose!"

Students peer out from classroom doorways, then jump back in shock.

Mr. Flutie frowns, "STOP THE BEAST!"

Buffy runs in trying to catch whatever Mr. Flutie is after.

Finally, Bobby Hurls himself on it.

Mr. Flutie smiles, "Good work, Bobby." Smiling Bobby hands Mr. Flutie a squirming 30-pound pink Pig, Herbert. "Naughty little Herbert, gave Mr. Flutie quite a scare, didn't he?" Several students, including Buffy, gather around Mr. Flutie. "Students, I'd like you all the meet Herbert, our new mascot for the Gateway High Razorbacks!"

Buffy shakes her head, "It's a pig."

Mr. Flutie frowns, "Oh, no no no, it's a Razorback - See, here are the tusks, and... a scary... razor back."

Buffy laughs, "Maybe we could change to the Gateway Pure Pork Sausages."

Several students laugh.

Mr. Flutie gets defensive. "Well, what do you expect when you only raise $23.48 at the Mascot Car Wash. You're just lucky my Uncle Merle owns a farm."

Mr. Flutie hands Herbert back to Bobby. "Here you go, young man. I'll give you the honor of returning him to his pen - our Ragin' Razorback!"

Bobby holds the pig proudly as Mr. Flutie walks away.

Buffy turns to him, smiling. "Way to go, Bobby - I couldn't even grab its squiggly pink tail."

Bobby responds with false modesty, "Well, Buffy, you did have the moves - but sometimes you just gotta rely on tonnage."

Willow and Xander walk out of a classroom together. Xander is upset.

Willow sighs, "Don't just give up, Xander! So you're having trouble with a few equations -"

Xander shakes his head, "No! Now I don't even get the numbers!"

Willow fishes his book out of the trash and hands it to him. "Here - tonight I'll help you -"

Xander erupts, "-WHAT'S WRONG WITH ME?" His face suddenly darkens as he savagely rips the book cover in half and hurls it away. Willow just stares after him, disbelieving, as he stalks around the corner, past Bobby holding Herbert the pig. The Pig sees Xander and shrieks with primal terror. Bobby barely holds onto the Pig, as Xander walks past, unconcerned by the Pig's reaction.

Willow joins Buffy in the Hallway and they watch, concern growing, as their friend disappears into the locker room, followed by Kyle, Tor and Mick.

Later in the Gym Coach Herrold walks in, "Bobby, get over here! People, line up and choose sides for Dodge Ball! Lance - take off those glasses!" He chooses Buffy and Kyle as team captains.

Kyle chooses the Hyena People and Xander for his team, while Buffy picks anyone but them - Theatre Clubbers, "Dirty Girls"... Willow looks like the best she's got.

Lance and Bobby are the last to be picked. Buffy picks Bobby. Kyle chooses Lance, who reluctantly sets his glasses to the side of the bleachers. Then, near-blind, he walks to the group, squinting. Coach Herrold blows his whistle.

The balls start flying between the two teams. Bobby's the first out, taking a red dodge ball to the gut.

Dodge balls whiz all around Xander's team, but the Hyena People leap over them with animal finesse. Xander easily catches a ball, hurls it back with intensity, hitting Willow in the arm. She walks to the sidelines, looking more hurt that Xander was the one who hurled the blow.

The Hyena People hold fire, gather up their balls.

Buffy stands alone, determined, awaiting their onslaught. Suddenly, Xander and the Hyena People turn on Lance, their own teammate. Lance squints, trying to protect himself until he falls, hands over head when

Buffy whips a ball straight into Tor, which ricochets into Heidi, knocking them to the ground. Another ball whips into Mick, Rhonda, Kyle and Xander, knocking the wind out of them. They're out. Buffy won. The Hyena People glower back with a newly respectful hatred.

Coach Herrold blows his whistle.

Buffy helps up a grateful Lance but she locks eyes with Xander - who leaves with the Hyena People. The silence is deafening.

After Gym in hallway Buffy's on a tear, livid, with Willow right behind.

Willow shakes her head, "-He's just fallen in with a bad influence -"

Buffy frowns, "No, "bad influence" is a Rob Lowe movie. Xander's just gone bad - there's no excuse for what he did!"

Xander and the Hyena People come down the Hallway, tight now, like a Pack. Buffy heads toward them, fists clenched, but Willow beats her to him.

Willow frowns, "What's wrong with you, Xander?"

Xander suddenly turns toward Willow - only it's the old Xander with the gentle eyes. He pulls her slightly away from the Pack and Buffy. Leans in, somewhat confidentially. "Guess you've noticed - I've been different around you, lately.:

Willow nods, "Yes."

Xander looks around awkwardly. Then directly to Willow. "I think... I think it's because \my feelings... for you... have been changing... We've been friends for such a long time... and... well... I feel like I need to tell you something..." Willow softens a bit. "I've... I've decided to drop Algebra... so..." Willow just looks at Xander, confused. "I won't need your math help anymore... which means... won't have to look at your paste-white face again."

The Pack laughs hysterically, while Willow just stands there - as if he'd hit her in the stomach.

Buffy is also stunned - she can't believe what she heard. She moves to confront them, but Willow walks past, internalizing the pain, and Buffy turns to comfort her friend.

As they go, the laughter continues, but Kyle's laugh suddenly changes, rising into a bone-chilling, high-pitched, Hyena-like cackle.

Buffy turns. Locks eyes with Xander. He turns to the others.

Xander nods, "Let's do lunch."

Xander and the Hyena People turn away, still laughing. Buffy watches as they move as one, up the empty Hallway.

Later in the courtyard Willow and Buffy are walking and talking.

Willow sighs, "I've been friends with Xander since we were five. Now first chance he gets, he insults me to join the "Soshes." - And it's my fault. Because I'm not like you!" She begins to cry and Buffy hugs her, confused. She's a Slayer, not a psychiatrist.

Buffy shakes her head, "Hey c'mon, Willow - I'm no Sosh."

Willow shakes her head, "No, but you're cool enough to be one. He wants you in - you saw how he treated you last night at the Bronze -"

Buffy sighs, "Willow - that wasn't Xander last night. That was Buddy Love."

Willow frowns, "No, it's just like those Zoo videos said about the Animal Kingdom - high school as a Pecking Order -" She looks up, tears in her eyes. "And I just have to face it - I'm a really low peck."

Buffy shakes her head, "Pity-party over. Look, it's not just you that Xander and the rest of the Attack Pack are harassing." She takes Willow's hand. "Remember that other Zoo video, the way the Hyena cackled when they attacked that poor Zebra? Well this morning in the hallway - the way Kyle laughed, it was just like that - Freddie Krugers scary -" Willow looks at her, skeptical. "You know, those Hyena were quarantined for a reason - I think Xander's caught something from them."

"Right. The Hyena flu. Everyone's catching it." Willow sarcastically said.

Buffy sighs, "Fine. Don't believe me. But I know somebody who will."

Buffy makes her way into the library.

Giles furrows his brow. Animatedly restates Buffy's findings. "Xander's taken to teasing the less fortunate?"

Buffy nods, "Yes."

Giles nods, "There's been a radical change for the worse in both clothing and hair styling?"

Buffy smiles, "Uh-huh."

Giles sighs, "And otherwise all his spare time, spent lounging about with imbeciles?"

Buffy nods, "Yes - don't you see..."

Giles nods, "Of course! He's turned into a 16 year old boy! How terrifying! Get out your stake, Slayer!"

Buffy shakes her head. Back to square one. "I'm telling you, in the Hallway - that laugh - it wasn't human - it's something... okay, I'll just say it - like a Hyena. I think something supernatural is..."

Giles shakes his head, "-Buffy, there's an old saying - If you're a hammer, everything looks like a nail."

Buffy sighed, "Yes, I know, my Mom listened to Simon and Garfunkel too."

Giles frowns, "Who? Anyway, the point is, look for the most likely explanation first."

Buffy sighs, "Which is?"

Giles nods, "The youthful budding of testosterone. Hang on to your hat, little lady, it's only likely to get worse."

Willow bursts through the door, breathless. "Herbert - they found him!"

Buffy frowns, "Herbert - the pig?"

Willow nods, "Dead - In the Biology Room - totally... eaten! Mr. Flutie's even crying!"

Giles frowns, "Eaten... by what?"

Willow nods all ominous, "By "whom"... I overheard Principal Flutie talking to the Biology Teacher - some of the teeth marks - were from braces."

Buffy nods, "Just a sixteen year old boy, huh?"

Giles sheepishly points to an aisle of Library books. "The Hyena section is this way -"

Sometime later Buffy and Willow are surrounded by books and empty Diet Slice cans. Buffy turns the page of the antique book. "Check this out - Hyenas." She shows Willow an engraving of Noah casting two angry Hyena off his Arm into a driving rain. Willow skims the text.

Buffy shakes her head, "Wow. Apparently, Noah rejected Hyenas from the Ark because he thought they were an evil, impure mixture of dogs and cats." She turns a page. "Just another reason not to date out of species."

Willow shakes her head, "I don't get it - He obviously let cockroaches on board."

Willow nods, "So what happened? The Hyena survived anyway."

Buffy sighs, "Barely. But afterwards, they definitely had some issues with Noah..."

Giles enters, holding another ancient book. "Perhaps I've discovered the way in which they intended to get even."

Willow frowns, "How?"

Giles places the book on their table. He shows them an engraving of an animal making eye contact with a human. Horrible squiggles connect their eyes. "The Masai of the Serengeti Plain believe it is possible for animals to possess the souls of humans in order to accomplish their various desires."

Buffy nods, "Do you think Xander could've been possessed by... the Hyenas?"

Willow is skeptical, "C'mon - do you really believe this stuff about "animal possessions"?"

Giles turns the page, "Perhaps Willow's right - otherwise, I should think we would recognize our young friend's behavior in these..."

Giles suddenly looks horrified. Buffy and Willow lean in, to see what he sees.

The engraving shows a group of possessed humans tear apart a small animal with their bare hands and mouths.

Buffy jumps up, "I've gotta find Xander! You guys call Prue, Piper and Phoebe."

They watch her as she bolts out the door.

Outside in the courtyard it is getting close to dusk. The Hyena People prowls across the empty Courtyard. Their's are now the hunched, low movements of animals as they slink onward.

Xander moves with them. Then he stops. Sniffs their air. The rest of the Hyena People continues on.

Buffy suddenly jumps off the building onto Xander, knocking him to the ground. She and Xander wrestle, back and forth, around and around, until Xander rolls on top, pinning her with his knees.

Xander smiles, "I've been waiting for you to jump my bones."

Buffy frowns, "Get off me!"

Xander nods, "Is that what you really want? We both know what you really want." He shifts off Buffy's arms. Buffy rolls onto her hands and knees. They're now face to face on hands and knees, exhausted from the struggle, panting like animals. "You want danger, don't you - you like your men dangerous -"

Buffy shakes her head, "You're in trouble - infected with some Hyena thing, like a demonic possession -"

Xander nods, "-Dangerous and mean, right? Like Mr. Black Leather Motorcycle Guy - Well, guess who just got mean -" He pushes toward Buffy, menacing, and she backs up.

Buffy shakes her head, "I don't want to hurt you, Xander."

Xander sniffs the air. "I knew you were following me. I'd know your smell a mile away." He begins sniffing Buffy's shoulder.

Buffy frowns, "You and the others - ate Herbert alive -"

Xander nods, "-You know how long I've waited? Until you'd stop pretending we aren't attracted-" Buffy rolls away and jumps to her feet. He follows her. "Until Willow'd stop kidding herself, that I'd settle for anyone but you -"

Buffy shakes her head. "No, stop it - You're scaring me."

Xander suddenly tackles her. "Being scared make you wanna hurt me? C'mon, Slayer - I like it when you smell scared." He climbs on top, straddling her. "-The more I scare you, the better you smell." He roughly grabs Buffy's jaw. Begins kissing her, biting her lips - but Buffy ROLLS him on his back, pinning his wrists against the ground.

Now Buffy's in control. "What part of "NO" don't you understand!"

Xander smiles, "The "N."" Suddenly, Xander thrusts Buffy's arms away, throwing her backward - with a power that shocks her. Buffy's head hits the ground, just missing a pile of bricks. He leans into her face - for the first time, we see his powerful biceps. "Welcome to the jungle."

It was at that moment that Xander went flying as Prue, Piper and Phoebe stepped up next to Buffy. He lands hard against a pile a bricks and is knocked unconscious.

A short time later Willow and Giles look up from their research startled and anxious. Buffy enters, dragging an unconscious Xander. Prue, Piper and Phoebe follow behind them.

Buffy nods, "Hurry - we've gotta lock him up somehow, before he comes to."

Willow turns off the Video she's been studying. "Ohmigod, Xander - is he alright?"

Buffy nods, "Oh fine. He's just enjoying a little brick-induced coma designed to prevent felony sexual assault."

Buffy heaves Xander into a steel-mesh book-return cage. She slams the door and locks it. Hangs the keys on a nearby hook.

Giles nods, "Oh Buffy, the Hyena in him didn't -"

Buffy shakes her head, "No, but it's safe to say that in his current state, his idea of wooing somebody doesn't include a Yanni CD and a bottle of Chianti. And there's five more of them out there. What've you found?

Giles flips pages in an ancient book, frustrated. "The book says nothing about Hyena exorcisms..."

Prue frowns, "Hyena exorcism?"

Giles nods and explains that Xander is possessed by the spirit of a Hyena.

Willow sighs, "How'd they stop it in the past?"

Giles sighs, "I'm afraid the only solution is..." He reads. "Shoot to kill."

Phoebe frowns, "But he's an innocent, isn't he?"

Buffy sighs, "Shoot to kill! Now what?"

Giles nods, "We buy guns?"

Buffy shakes her head, "Who wrote this book - the Michigan Militia? They're just teenagers. Plus like Phoebe said they innocents and we protect the innocents."

Giles shuts the old book, frustrated. "And I thought I'd found such a distinctly American solution to the problem. Well, I honestly don't know where else to look -" He gets an idea. "Malleus Maleficarum!"

Willow shakes her head, "Swearing is never appropriate in any language."

Giles has already disappeared into the stacks, as he speaks excitedly. "No, no, no - the Malleus Maleficarum, written by Sprenger and Kraemer in 1486, speaks directly to all demonic possessions!" He returns, carefully holding a very dusty volume. He carefully opens and turns the pages. "Its knowledge of the occult is so comprehensive, Pope Innocent authorized that only twenty-eight editions be published -" He turns another page and his eyes devour the text. "YES! The entire procedure described - we simply need to transfer the evil spirits…" He frowns, "...Into some other human or an animal..."

Buffy smiles, "The Hyenas at the Zoo! The Zookeeper knew they were sick in the first place -"

Giles shuts the book and stands, motioning for Buffy. "Willow, continue your video research - whatever you do - don't let Xander out. Piper may I suggest you stay with Willow. Your freezing power could help keep him sedated… Buffy, Prue, Phoebe, you three come with me. We must find that Zookeeper -"

Buffy nods, "-Before those Hyena Kids get the munchies for more than bacon."

Motivated, Willow returns to work. Ejects the video cassette. Static, then the T.V. shifts out of VCR mode.

A news reporter stands in a clearing in the woods, as Paramedics remove a ripped up tennis shoe.

Piper shakes her head, "Buffy, Prue."

Willow nods, "Guys..."

Buffy, Prue, Phoebe and Giles stop at the door, then slowly approach the T.V. with growing horror.

A reporter on TV is talking, "...Where just hours ago, a young man, identified only by the label in his underwear as "Bobby," was mauled to death by a pack of wild dogs."

An ominous silence as they just look at each other, then at Xander - and what he's become.

Then Prue, Phoebe, Buffy and Giles turn quickly and leave.

At the Zoo Buffy and Giles urgently pace, look at their watches, as the Zookeeper sits. Prue and Phoebe stand there looking at the Zookeeper.

The Zookeeper looks like someone punched him in the stomach. "Thank goodness you came to me. You see, I was afraid this might happen when I brought the Hyenas from Africa..."

Prue, Phoebe, Giles and Buffy react to that incensed.

Giles is outraged. "-Excuse me. You knew your Hyena were possessed with an evil spirit, yet you -"

The Zookeeper nods, "-I explicitly warned those students -"

Buffy shakes her head, "-Reality Burrito, Senor. To High School students, an explicit warning is an invitation."

The Zookeeper points to a series of diplomas. "Young Lady - I have advanced degrees in Zoology, anthropology, primitive cultures - if I had ever thought that -"

Prue frowns, "It don't matter how many degrees you have. You should have been more careful..."

Giles nods, "Yes, well now the unthinkable has occurred -"

The Zookeeper shakes his head, "That young man's death is only the beginning." Buffy and Giles look at each other, shocked. "By my calculations, in the next several hours, the possessed students will be totally transformed by the Hyena Spirits. Once that occurs, the students can never return to normal."

Buffy horrified, "No more Xander..."

The Zookeeper is ominous, "Then, they'll be as dangerous to the public as if our own Hyenas had escaped the Zoo."

Buffy and Giles exchange an urgent glance.

Prue shakes her head, "Not if you help us."

The Zookeeper shakes his head, "I can't. I don't know how."

Giles nods, "What if we know something you don't know."

The Zookeeper is all pompous, I am the foremost authority on animal trans-possessions. If I haven't written the book, I've read it."

Giles nods, "You've obviously not read all the books on the subject, sir - the Malleus Maleficarum was quite clear regarding trans-possession."

The Zookeeper stares at Giles, shocked and impressed. "You have a copy? That book's been out of print since 1486... Who are you, anyway?"

Giles proudly removes some notes from his pocket. "I, sir, am a High School Librarian." He reads. "Trans-possession simply requires that one stare deeply into the Hyena's eyes while involved in a cruel act -"

The Zookeeper is lost in thought, "A cruel act... I see... of course... it's... so simple...No wonder good people can't find a cure - by their very nature they're incapable of committing the necessary cruel act."

Buffy nods, "-We just need your Hyenas as a receptacle for the flying spirits."

The Zookeeper nods, "Maybe I can help you after all-" Buffy and Giles look at him, hopeful. Prue and Phoebe look at him, skeptical. "The possessed students - how soon can you get them to the Hyena Cage?"

Buffy nods, "We caught one - but there's five more."

The Zookeeper reacts, suddenly anxious.

Giles nods, "Not to worry, Sir. That boy is secure in a cage in the school a library."

The Zookeeper shakes his head, "Oh no no no - after the Hyena People eat, they sleep - but the moment they wake, they'll search for the missing member of their Pack! They won't rest until they find him."

Giles and Buffy look at one another, horrified.

Buffy shakes her head, "Willow!" She then looks at Prue and Phoebe, "And Piper!"

They quickly make their way out of the Zoo and back to the school.

At the school Piper and Willow watches a tape.

Kyle calls out from somewhere, "Wil-lowwww... Wil-lowww..."

Willow storms out of her seat toward Xander, furious. "Xander, shut up."

Xander suddenly looks up, caught - the Cage Door's almost off its hinges. Then, while she's looking straight at Xander's face -

Kyle calls out again, "Wil-lowww... Wil-lowww..."

Piper frowns, "Willow it's not Xander."

Willow realizes something else terrifying: that Piper is right Xander's not the one calling her. She turns and sees five sets of yellow eyes staring through the library windows. Then there is a crash behind her. She turns back to see the cage door flings off its hinges. Willow shrieks as Xander lunges at her.

Piper freezes Xander, "Run I can't freeze them all."

They start to run as a another crash is heard behind them. Willow twists again to see the library windows crash open as the Hyena People suddenly lunge through the open windows, teeth flashing hideously.

Willow and Piper run across the library, but the growling, whooping, cackling Hyena People close in on them. They swipe at Willow, but she disappears around the corner of a bookcase.

Piper is close behind Willow as she runs around the corner of a bookcase.

Heidi and Tor stalk silently. Then, Willow and Piper pushes a bookcase over, burying them under a pile of books.

Xander unfreezes.

The rest of the Hyena People just jump over the pile of books, unfazed, moving in on their prey. They turn the corner and stop suddenly.

The Hyena People don't even talk. They split up through the stacks, searching for Willow and Piper. Xander sniffs the air.

Willow and Piper hide underneath a desk, holding their breath. Willow's eyes are closed, praying. Then her eyes open. The room is silent. She sighs, relieved... peers around the corner...

Xander smiles, "Wil-lowww... Piiip-per…"

Willow looks up. Xander lunges at her, teeth bared!

Willow dives away, but the Hyena People now race to the desk, growling and whooping in anticipation, when the library doors burst open. Buffy rushes toward.

Kyle turns to face Buffy, his mouth open. She shoves a book into it.

Buffy smiles, "Read more. Piper freeze who you can then get Willow out of here."

Buffy quickly vaults over the choking Kyle, flips and lands just in front of Xander, Rhonda and Mick - who let go of Willow. Buffy slams a chair across their faces. Piper grabs Willow's hand, pulling her away.

Giles and Phoebe stands at the open door, waving them on. "With dispatch! Quickly!" Giles said.

Piper and WILLOW race past the pile of overturned books, Buffy is not far behind. Suddenly, Heidi and Tor pop out of them - they lunge for Piper and Willow, when

Prue whacks Heidi and Tor across their faces with a three foot long newspaper spindle.

Giles smiles, "Periodical?"

Piper and Willow race through the library door, followed by Giles, Prue and Buffy. Buffy slams the library door in the pursuing Hyenas' faces. Giles locks it.

The library door shudders from the impact on the other side, as Willow and Giles jump back in fear.

Phoebe looks at Prue and Buffy, "What do we do now?"

Willow and Giles cringe, hoping the door will hold.

Buffy shakes her head, "Hold them for a moment."

Then suddenly, quiet. Willow cautiously approaches. Places her ear on the door. "They're gone -" Willow recoils slightly at the sound of breaking glass.

Giles looks at his watch, "If we don't change them back in the next hour, it's too late - they'll be Hyenas forever. And our friend -"

Willow nods, "-Xander will be lost."

Buffy moves suddenly for the door. "I'll catch them. Prue your with me. Piper, Phoebe you go with Giles and Willow.

Giles holds her arm to stop her. "Buffy - this isn't simply about plunging stakes into the Undead - You're over your head on this one. Let me come with you and Prue."

Buffy shakes her head, "You can't keep up. Prue will barely be able to. But I need her telekinesis power."

Giles and Willow just stare after Buffy as she and Prue books out of the doors.

Buffy and Prue runs through the empty Courtyard. Buffy Suddenly stops, searching.

Prue frowns, "Where did they go?"

Somewhere the Anderson Family sit in their car they hear a low growl.

Mrs. Anderson shakes her head, "Joey, that's ignorant and you know it."

Mr. Anderson nods, "Joey, how many times I tell you - chew with your mouth closed!"

Joey looks up, mouth full of food. "My mouth wath clothed!"

Rhonda calls out from outside the car, "Joe-yyy... Joe-yyy..."

Joey turns, agitated, to his sister. "Tiffany, thut up!"

But the little girl's FACE is frozen in fear.

Kyle leers at Tiffany, upside down, outside her window. "Tif-fanyyy... Tif-fanyyy..."

Suddenly, the car rocks violently as the horrified family sees Tor and Heidi jump on their hood. Mick and Xander climb onto the trunk, growling.

Then, the windshield shatters! Kyle and Rhonda reach in to grab the shrieking family.

Xander smashes through the back window, grabs Tiffany. Suddenly Xander goes flying away from the parked car.

The Hyena People stop, shocked.

Buffy smiles, "Hey, Xander! Didn't your Mom teach you? Don't play with your food."

Prue rolls her eyes.

Xander doesn't have a snappy comeback. The possession of the Hyena people has now reduced them to snarls and growls. He just bears his teeth and lunges onto the besieged Volvo - but Buffy's already running toward the Woods, taunting them.

Prue is right beside Buffy, "I really hope this works."

Buffy smiles, "Trust me, Prue. It will work."

Without hesitation, Xander forgets the Family and moves after Buffy. The other Hyena People follow Xander, Buffy and Prue as they penetrate the dark woods.

Xander chases Buffy and Prue through the Woods, toward the Zoo. Surreal moonlight illuminates the rising mist as Xander gains on them.

The Hyena People run with animal intensity. They can't speak - only growl and cackle, as they close in on Buffy and Prue.

Willow, Piper, Phoebe and Giles walk through the zoo. Willow's heart pounds anxiously as her eyes search the empty Zoo.

A shrill shriek pierces the still night. They stop, lost. Then Willow sees something and nods for Giles, Piper and Phoebe to follow her. "The pathway to the Hyena Pit."

Giles's eyes warily study the ominous pathway that dissolves into the blackness beyond. He swallows, summoning courage. "I'll go in and prepare the Zookeeper. Piper, Phoebe and Willow, you three stay here - you'll forewarn us when Buffy, Prue and the others approach.

Another animal shrieks. Willow watches Giles take another deep breath and disappear down the pathway.

Willow's eyes anxiously scan the surrounding area. Then she hears the sounds of cackling and growling - getting nearer.

Piper nods, "Willow go let them know. We'll wait out here for Buffy and Prue."

Willow nods and turns as she runs up the pathway, toward the Hyena Cage.

In the Hyena area Willow runs into the walkway, through the swirling fog. "They're almost here! Giles... Giles?..."

Only the silence. As she walks toward the cage, she sees an orange glow flickering, eerie, through the fog.

The Zookeeper chants. His wiry, well-cut body is covered with electric blue body paint, except for inch-thick WHITE CIRCLES around his mouth and eyes. Willow screams.

The Zookeeper shakes his head, "Don't scream. It's all part of the Masai tradition."

Willow looks around the empty cage. "Where are the Hyenas for the trans-possession?"

The Zookeeper nods, "Over there, in the feeding area."

Willow turns to see a low wall just outside the glowing altar. She can hear Hyenas pacing and growling. She moves to the wall, but the Zookeeper suddenly pulls her back.

The Zookeeper shakes his head, "Stay clear. They haven't been fed."

Willow looks around, "Where's Giles?"

The Zookeeper nods, "Don't worry. He's involved with his part of the plan."

Piper comes running in, "They're almost here."

Willow nods, "Shouldn't you bring the Hyenas out?"

The Zookeeper nods, "When the time is right." He looks to Piper, "Go back outside wait for them to come in and then come in behind them so they don't try and escape back out."

Piper nods and goes back outside to wait with Phoebe.

Buffy calls out as she gets closer to the entrance, "THEY'RE RIGHT... BEHIND ME!"

Willow nods, "That's Buffy! Get ready!" Willow is suddenly grabbed by the Zookeeper at knifepoint. "What're you doing?"

The Zookeeper smiles, "The cruel act, remember?"

Willow is uncertain, "Oh, right - you'll pretend to slash my throat and put The Evil in the Hyenas behind the wall -"

The Zookeeper nods, "Something like that." He presses the knife tighter.

Willow's dreadful realization sinks in. Buffy enters the caged area, exhausted. "BUFFY! IT'S A TRAP!"

Buffy sees Willow held at knifepoint. Jumps up to help her just as Xander dives on top of Buffy, knocking her to the ground.

The Hyena People race into the Hyena Cage and lunge for Buffy - their mouths and hands begin tearing greedily. Prue and Piper and Phoebe run in behind them.

The Zookeeper holds a horrified Willow, knife denting the skin of her throat.

Prue is about to telekinetically throw one of the Hyena People when she hears the Zookeeper.

Zookeeper incants, "NYMBA YA SANAA!"

The Hyena People stop. They look up from Buffy's body to meet the Zookeeper's electric eyes.

Suddenly the Zookeeper is infused with six demonic hyena spirits, he lets the knife clatter to the ground and grabs Willow's hair with one hand, her arm with his other, just about to rip into her when

Xander's eyes alive with fury, leaps up from the ground and dives on the Zookeeper, jarring Willow loose. The Zookeeper quickly regroups, picks up Xander for the final blow, when Buffy kicks him backwards, against the inner wall that separates them from the feeding area.

Buffy turns to see the dispossessed Hyena People running for their lives out of the cage. "Guess it's just us."

Willow helps Xander to his feet.

Xander nods, "That's all we'll need."

A feroucious growl and Xander suddenly turns to see the Zookeeper withhatred and hunger on his face, lunging for Willow. Xander kicks him the way Buffy did before - only without the same results - as the Zookeeper simply grabs Xander's ankle, pulling Xander's leg to his open mouth, when Willow lying on the ground nearby, lifts the knife with both hands and reluctantly drive in into the top of the Zookeeper's FOOT. The Zookeeper HOWLS in pain, immobile.

Buffy takes advantage of this while Xander grabs Willow, pulling her to safety. Buffy charges and jumps to deliver a two-footed flying drop-kick when the Zookeeper catches Buffy's feet in the mid-air and THROWS her backwards.

Buffy lands in a heap, the wind knocked out of her, directly in front of the internal wall which contains the Hyenas. We can HEAR their hungry GROWLING behind the wall.

The Zookeeper pulls the knife out of his foot, howling with the ferocity of a wounded animal and charges at Buffy.

She desperately looks around, her back to the wall. Suddenly, Buffy drops and grabs both of the Zookeeper's legs at the knees, then lifts and HEAVES him up and over the inside the wall containing the real Hyenas. The real hyenas cackle and whoop behind the wall, clawing on the Zookeeper's legs.

The Zookeeper appears just above the wall - barely pulling himself up.

Buffy instinctively reaches out to help him, when she hears a spine-chilling roar and the Zookeeper's yanked below the wall, out of sight.

Everyone reacts as they listen to the horrible chewing, crunching, slurping sounds of the Hyenas feeding time. Then they hear another noise.

Giles, rubs his head as he approaches from the walkway. "Did I miss anything?"

Buffy looks at Prue, Piper and Phoebe.

That evening back at the Manor Prue, Piper, Phoebe and Buffy sit in the living room.

Buffy shakes her head, "Why couldn't I save him. I know he wasn't good but he was still a human being. Which technically made him an innocent even if it meant trying to protect him from himself."

Prue nods, "One thing I think we can all agree on here is not all innocents can be saved."

Piper nods, "Besides he did try and kill you after the Hyena spirit went into him."

Buffy sighs, "I know, I just wish there had been a way to save him is all."

The next day in the library Buffy, Willow and Giles watch a shocked Xander read The San Francisco Chronicle. He looks at the Newspaper Headline: "HYENA KILL ZOOKEEPER' SENT BACK TO AFRICA."

Willow sighs, "...First we thought you'd gone "Sosh" on us -"

Xander nods, "C'mon, I could never be that snotty..."

Buffy sighs, "At the end, you were minutes away from going full-time Hyena."

Xander nods, "Hey believe me, I don't remember anything. Nothing - From when I tried to save Lance in the Hyena Pit, to when I woke up there and tried to save Willow -"

Willow leans into Xander. "So you do remember saving my life?"

Xander leans into her, sincere. "No one messes with my Willow."

Willow beams. This is all she needed to hear.

Buffy nods, "You better not remember, because you talked some trash to me that -"

Xander nods, "Hey, I wish I could say that I went to this beautiful place - and you were there, and you were there, and you were there - But I can't." He shrugs. "All those slides are missing."

Buffy and Willow look at each other. Willow nods okay. "Alright...well... We're just glad you're back - on two feet again."

Buffy and Willow leave.

Xander smiles until they're safely out the door. Then he turns to see Giles hold up the Malleus Maleficarum with a knowing expression.

Giles nods, "I think they bought that - Hyena Boy."

Suddenly, Xander's smile fades, realizing Giles knows. "Shoot me, stuff me, mount me-" He grabs his head and rolls off the chair. "I am so HUMILIATED!"


	11. Chapter 11: Wicca Envy

**Chapter 11: Wicca Envy**

In the Foyer at the Manor Prue, Buffy and Phoebe are carrying lots of shopping bags.

Prue shakes her head, "I don't know Phoebe, the Betsey Johnson dress may be a bit too much for work."

Phoebe nods, "That's what a new wardrobe's all about. Pushing the limit."

Buffy nods, "Yeah Prue."

Prue sighs, "Yeah, and stretching the budget. Maybe I should just check with Piper."

They hear Piper laughing and then Piper and Leo run in the foyer.

Piper sees them. "Oh my God, Prue." She freezes Leo, trips over his leg and slides across the floor and stops at Prue and Phoebe's feet. They help her up. "I'm so embarrassed."

Buffy notices that the shirt that Piper is wearing is unbuttoned. "Seems Piper might have other things on her mind like having her way with the handyman."

Piper sighs, "I thought you guys were supposed to be shopping."

Prue nods, "Obviously."

Phoebe notices Piper's shirt unbuttoned. "Oh, look, front clasp bra. She means business."

Prue nods, "Serious business."

Piper frowns, "Do you three mind?"

Phoebe smiles, "No, are you kidding? I think it's great. As long as he's not still on the clock."

Piper sighs, "That's what I mean. You guys have to get out of here before he unfreezes. I never know how long this things lasts." Piper sees all the shopping bags. "How much did you guys spend?"

Phoebe nods, "Lots. Buffy and Prue's new looks are perfect for two SHW."

Prue shakes her head, "SHW?"

Phoebe smiles, "Single Hot Witch."

Buffy rolls her eyes, "Hmm."

Piper nods, "Prue, are you sure this isn't depression buying, you know, post-breakup?"

Phoebe gets some red, sexy lingerie out of a bag. "Does this look like something a depressed woman would wear?"

Prue looks at Piper, "Hmm, maybe you should borrow it."

Piper sighs, "Okay, time's up. You three gotta go." She pushes them in the living room. "Go, go in there and be quiet."

Buffy rolls her eyes, "We will if you will. I have a test to study for and would be nice not to hear all…"

Piper walks over to Leo and stands where she was standing. He unfreezes and they run up the stairs.

The next morning in Prue's room. Prue is trying on all her clothes she bought the day before. She picks out an outfit and goes downstairs. Phoebe's at the bottom of the stairs wearing a suit. Buffy also is standing at the bottom of the stairs.

Phoebe smiles, "If you ran an Employment Agency, wouldn't you want me?"

Prue shrugs, "Maybe, but I'd definitely want my suit back."

Buffy rolls her eyes, "Maybe, Pheebs. Then again Maybe, not."

Phoebe nods, "No, this is part of your old wardrobe, Prue. I'm just recycling."

Prue nods, "Well, the environment thanks you."

Phoebe sighs, "But, take it off, I know, I know."

Buffy nods, "Yeah one thing Prue doesn't like is sharing her clothes."

Piper comes down the stairs. "Hi. Bye."

Prue nods, "Piper, didn't you have to go in early this morning?"

Piper smiles, "Right, that was the plan. I'm running a little late. Um, just took a little longer to get out of bed this morning than I planned. Okay, bye." She turns and heads for the door.

"Wait." Prue, Phoebe and Buffy said.

They stand in Piper's way.

Phoebe smiles, "Whoa, whoa, whoa. You, Leo, last night, dish."

Piper nods, "Um, well, it was nice. It was... well, it was wonderful. We just had a few problems."

Buffy shakes her head, "Problems?"

Prue nods, "What problems?"

Piper smiles, "Well, it's been a while since, you know, I-I was a little nervous, and I kinda kept freezing him."

Prue frowns, "Piper, you didn't?"

Piper sighs, "I didn't mean to... the first time."

Phoebe making little noises, "Ohh!"

Prue nods, "Okay, so, um, at what point exactly in the process exactly did you freeze him?"

Piper doesn't say a word.

Buffy shakes her head, "You're kidding, right?"

Phoebe blinks, "Hello?"

Piper nods, "I gotta go." She walks around them and heads for the door.

Prue shakes her head, "No, no Piper, we're only teasing you."

Phoebe nods, "Yeah, the truth is we're just jealous."

Buffy nods, "Yeah, jealous."

Prue nods, "Yeah, seriously, we're just happy to see you with a great guy finally."

Phoebe smiles, "I mean, between you and Leo, and Prue, the new Hot Wicca Woman, and me, soon to be employed, things are looking up. And Buffy the late to school Slayer."

Piper shakes her head, "Don't say that! The moment someone says that, everything always goes south."

Buffy sighs, "I'm not late. Prue is. Remember you were going to drop me off on your way to Bucklands."

Phoebe smiles, "Unless you freeze him." Piper grabs her coat. "Oh, I couldn't help it. It was so good."

Prue nods, "Okay, okay, come on. If you're gonna borrow the car, let's go."

Leo comes down the stairs. "Good morning."

Buffy smiles, "Yeah, we heard."

Piper laughs nervously. Prue, Buffy and Phoebe grabs their coats.

Prue nods, "Ah, bye."

Phoebe smiles, "Yeah, have a magical day."

They leave.

That evening at Quake at the bar. Piper's counting money from the cash register.

Buffy smiles, "You're glowing."

Piper shakes her head, "Hmm?"

Prue nods, "Your face, total afterglow."

Piper sighs, "It is not. It's just warm in here."

Prue looks at Buffy, "Do you believe her?"

Buffy smiles, "Mmm hmm."

Piper sighs, "So, How much was that tiara worth, anyway?"

Buffy frowns, "Tiara?"

Prue sighs, "A tiara was stole from Bucklands last night." She looks to Piper. "Well, I didn't get a chance to have it appraised we just got it in yesterday. But I would say well over a million dollars."

Piper blinks, "Wow. Do they have any idea who stole it?"

Prue sighs, "Yeah, me."

Buffy frowns, "What?"

Piper shakes her head, "Huh?"

Phoebe and Rex arrive. "So, what's on the dessert menu?"

Piper smiles, "Hey, how was the concert?"

Phoebe nods, "The best. It was amazing."

Prue frowns, "Still recycling. I see."

Rex nods, "Thanks for taking care of things tonight, Prue. I really appreciate it."

Phoebe nods, "Mmm. Don't you just love that accent?"

Buffy shakes her head, "It's ok. No offense meant Rex. That accent is just not my thing."

Rex smiles, "None taken, Buffy." He looks to Prue. "By the way, how'd it go with the police?"

Prue nods, "Uh, well, they think it's an inside job, actually."

Rex frowns, "Do they? How disturbing."

Buffy looks at Rex and for the first time since Prue started working at Bucklands her spidey sense seems to be going off on Rex.

Phoebe nods, "Okay, shop talk later. We're gonna grab a table, okay?"

Piper smiles, "Take that one by the window. I'll send, uh, Cindy over."

Rex nods, "Uh, you're welcome to join us, Prue. Buffy.

Prue shakes her head, "No, thanks. I think I'll pass."

Buffy smiles, "Thanks for the offer, but I think I will pass also."

Phoebe and Rex walk over to the table.

Piper smiles, "She's a big girl, Prue."

Prue sighs, "Meaning?"

Piper nods, "He's rich, he's stable, he's handsome. You should be happy for her."

Prue nods, "I'm thrilled."

Buffy shakes her head, "Are you jealous?"

Prue shakes her head, "No, no! More like territorial. Okay, I would just like to keep my work world separate from my home world, is that okay?"

Piper nods, "Good Luck."

Buffy looks at Rex wondering what's up with him.

The next morning in the living room at the Manor. Prue and Piper are sitting on the couch. Piper's on the phone and Prue's reading the paper. Buffy and Phoebe comes down the stairs.

Buffy nods, "Morning everyone."

Phoebe smiles, "Good morning. Wow, roses. Who are they for?"

Prue sighs, "Guess."

Piper nods, "Leo, I need to call you back. Something's about to come up. I'll see you later, okay? Bye."

Phoebe reads the card. "Phoebe, thank you for a lovely evening, the job is on its way. Rex." She smiles. "Oh, what a sweetheart. Wait, who opened the box?"

Piper nods, "I can't get over how beautiful these are, can you Prue? Buffy?"

Buffy nods, "They are at that."

Prue sighs, "So, it must have been quite a night, you know, after the concert."

Phoebe nods, "Hmm."

Piper smiles, "I'll put these in some water." She goes to the kitchen.

Phoebe sighs, "All I did was tell Rex that I was going to the employment agency. He said he'd make a few calls and help me out. So, what's the big problem?"

Prue shakes her head, "Phoebe, really, it's none of my business." The doorbell rings. "It's just, watch what you say to him, okay? Because there are certain things I don't want my boss to know about me?" Prue walks in the foyer and opens the door. Andy and Morris are standing there. "Andy, uh, what are you doing here?"

Andy nods, "We're here to search your house for the tiara, Prue. We've got a search warrant." He holds up the search warrant and walks inside.

Buffy blinks and mouths to Phoebe, 'Oh shit. If they see my weapon's chest we're in trouble.'

Phoebe nods.

They head upstairs to Prue's room. Everyone walks in.

Phoebe frowns, "Wait, how can you guys even think that Prue stole the tiara?"

Andy shakes his head, "We don't, Phoebe. Not necessarily."

Andy and Darryl start looking in drawers.

Buffy nods, "Yeah, well, then what are you doing here? Spring cleaning?"

Darryl nods, "Any idea where the vault security cam tape is?"

Prue frowns, "I gave you the tapes."

Darryl frowns, "Uh uh, not that one."

Andy nods, "It wasn't there, Prue."

Buffy blinks, "Surely it was."

Andy opens a drawer and Piper notices the tiara in there.

Piper frowns, "Whoo!" She freezes Darryl and Andy.

Prue shakes her head, "Why did you do that?"

Piper gets the tiara out of the drawer. "That's why."

Prue frowns, "Uh, no no no. Wait. That is not possible. How did it get there?"

Buffy shakes her head, "Worry about that later. Hide it now before they find it."

Piper nods, "I don't know but you better come up with an answer quick before they unfreeze."

Phoebe shakes her head, "Someone must have planted it there"

Piper frowns, "Who? Somebody's been in our house?"

Rex astral projects in Prue's room.

Prue nods, "It doesn't matter. Just let them find it. I've nothing to hide. I'm innocent."

Phoebe sighs, "That doesn't look very innocent. Buffy's right - Piper, hide it.

Piper hides it under a pillow on the bed. Andy and Darryl unfreeze.

Rex invisible to everyone else looks an Andy, "I think you should check under the pillows."

Andy nods, "Morris, check under the pillows."

Piper freezes them and gets the tiara. "How did he know to look there?"

Buffy shakes her head, "I don't know but move it someplace else, quickly."

Phoebe nods, "Uh, put it in the dresser. He's already looked there."

Piper puts it in the dresser. Darryl and Andy unfreeze.

Rex smiles, "You want to look in the dresser again."

Andy walks over to the dresser. Piper freezes them again.

Rex walks behind Piper. "This is getting ridiculous!"

Piper sighs, "This is getting ridiculous."

Prue shakes her head, "No, eerie is more like it."

Buffy gets the tiara out of the dresser. "Be right back." She walks out of the room.

Piper nods, "Don't worry. I'll just keep freezing them until they give up."

Rex looks at Piper, "You're a miserable witch."

Piper gets a funny look on her face.

Prue frowns, "What's the matter?"

Piper sighs, "I don't know. I feel like calling a shrink for some reason."

Phoebe rolls her eyes.

Buffy returns. "Okay, I put it in the, uh..." Andy and Darryl unfreeze. She whispers to Prue. "Attic, attic."

Rex disappears.

Andy nods, "Nothing. I think that's good enough for now, Morris. I'm sorry about all this, Prue. I really am."

Prue smiles, "Yeah, I know."

Darryl nods, "Come on, Trudeau. Let's go."

After Andy and Darryl have left Prue, Buffy, Piper and Phoebe are in the living room.

Prue sighs, "Somebody is obviously trying to set me up, and they're using magic to do it."

Buffy nods, "But who? And how?"

Phoebe shakes her head, "Pick a warlock. Any warlock."

Leo walks in. "Hey, uh, what were the police doing here?"

Piper smiles, "Oh, nothing much, really."

Leo nods, "Is it all right if I go upstairs and fix the bathroom sink?"

Phoebe nods, "Oh, knock yourself out, Leo."

Leo leaves.

Buffy watches Leo leave, "Did anyone ever think that maybe he's a warlock?"

Piper frowns, "Why is it always someone I'm dating that gets accused of being that? Don't answer that." The phone rings. "Answer that. It's safer."

Prue answers the phone. "Hello? Uh, yeah, hi Rex. Look, I'm on my away in. Of course. Hold on."

Prue hands the phone to Phoebe, "It's for you."

Phoebe takes the phone off of Prue. "Hello? Yes, I got the flowers. And they're beautiful. That was so sweet of you. They made quite an impression over here, too. A dinner party? Yes, I would love to. Hold on, let me get a pen." She walks out of the living room.

Piper sighs, "So, what are you gonna do?"

Prue shakes her head, "What can I do? My sister's dating my boss. I don't really have a..."

Piper shakes her head, "I meant about who's setting you up. Do you have any idea who it could be?"

Buffy sighs, "Maybe it's Rex." Prue glares at her. "Sorry but I didn't want to say anything unless I was sure. But my spidey senses went off on him last night. They never did that before."

Prue shakes her head, "Why would he want to set me up, Buffy? But I do agree it has got to be someone at the auction house. And if I had to guess, I would start with the person who said that they were out to destroy me."

"Hannah?" Buffy and Piper asked.

Prue smiles, "Smart girls. Buffy why don't you come with me just in case."

At Bucklands Prue and Buffy's walking down the hallway.

Jaime comes up behind them. "Working late?" Prue gets a fright. "Sorry, didn't mean scare you."

Buffy rolls her eyes.

Prue smiles, "It's okay, uh, I guess I'm just a little jumpy lately."

Jaime nods, "Can't blame you with everything that's been going on."

Prue nods, "Yeah, um, listen, Jaime, I was wondering. When the tiara was stolen, was anyone else still here? Like Hannah or-or-or Rex, maybe?"

Jaime shakes her head, "No, you were the last one out. Just like tonight. Hardest working woman I've ever met. For what it's worth, Prue, I know you didn't take it. I mean, of all people, there's no way."

Buffy nods, "Neither do we."

Prue smiles, "Thanks." Jaime walks away. "Hannah's computer." She walks in Hannah's office and sits at the desk. She types in Hannah's name and searches for it. It says 'no listing'. She types in Rex's name and 'no listing' comes up.

Rex astral projects behind her and Buffy. "Someone's after the both of you. Behind you." Buffy and Prue looks behind them. "You fear it's a warlock. With power greater than yours."

Prue runs out of the office followed by Buffy. They run to the elevator as Prue presses the elevator button.

Rex astral projects next to them. "You hear a scream. An innocent to protect in the warehouse."

Prue looks to Buffy, "Did you hear that?"

Buffy nods, "Yeah, Jaime?"

Prue nods, "Jaime."

They take off towards the warehouse.

Rex smiles, "Either of you are to grab the artifact just inside the door."

The run in to the warehouse. Prue comes in and picks up the artifact. Buffy is right on her heels. They sees Jaime.

Prue frowns, "Jaime. Jaime."

Buffy leans over Jaime.

Phoebe runs in. "Prue?"

Prue looks up at Phoebe, "Phoebe."

Phoebe smiles, "Thank God you're all right."

Buffy sighs, "He's dead."

Sometime later in the warehouse the Police have arrived.

Darryl nods, "Tape found by the body? Security. Showing Prue exiting the vault, putting the missing tiara in her briefcase."

Prue shakes her head, "What? That can't be."

Buffy nods, "Yeah."

Darryl nods, "I just saw it for myself."

Prue looks to Phoebe and Buffy, "Somebody must have manipulated me into taking it."

Phoebe sighs, "The same away someone manipulated me into being a witness against my own sister and cousin."

Darryl frowns, "Any idea what they're talking about?"

Andy shakes his head, "Not a clue."

Prue nods, "You were with Rex tonight, weren't you?"

Phoebe sighs, "Yeah, Prue, but I don't think this is the time or place to get into that."

Buffy nods as she sees where Prue is going, "She just meant that don't you find it a little coincidental that right when you guys start dating, all this is going on?"

Phoebe shakes her head, "No, I do not. And, besides, Prue, I thought you thought that Hannah was behind all this."

Prue nods, "I do."

Darryl nods, "Excuse me. Ladies, do you mind if we ask a few questions?"

Prue nods, "I already told you what happened, okay? I-I-I was working late, Buffy was here helping me. We heard a noise, and came down and we found Jaime."

Andy nods, "You didn't know he had the tape?"

Buffy shakes her head, "No, of course not."

Andy frowns, "And why exactly did you pick up the murder weapon again, Prue?"

Phoebe shakes her head, "You think she killed him. Is that it, Andy?"

Prue shakes her head, "Phoebe!"

Phoebe frowns, "No, I want to know how far he's gonna go with this and none of this has anything to do with the fact that she dumped you, does it?"

Prue sighs, "Stop that"

Andy sighs, "Look, we got Buffy and Prue standing over the dead body of the very security guard who last saw Prue with the tiara."

Darryl nods, "With the missing security tape showing Prue taking it."

Andy nods, "And Prue holding the murder weapon which you were there to witness. What are we supposed to think?"

Prue sighs, "That I'm guilty as hell."

Buffy nods, "And that since I was there I'm likely guilty as well. Even though I wasn't holding the murder weapon I was in the same room with Prue and Jaime and that alone would make me an accomplice since I did nothing to stop it, right?"

Andy nods, "Correct, Buffy."

Phoebe sighs, "You know they didn't do this."

Darryl nods, "Then who did? Did you see anybody run past you on the way here?"

Phoebe shakes her head, "No."

Andy nods, "I'm sorry, Prue. Buffy. Brian."

Brian nods, "Yeah?"

Andy sighs, "You're both under arrest for suspicion of murder."

Brian puts handcuffs on Prue. And then puts another pair on Buffy.

Later at Rex's apartment. Piper and Phoebe walk up to the door.

Piper sighs, "We should hire a lawyer."

Phoebe shakes her head, "With what money?"

Piper sighs, "I don't know but we can't let them sit in jail all night."

Phoebe nods, "That's why we're here. To get Rex's help."

Phoebe rings the bell and knocks on the door. "What are you doing?"

Phoebe opens the door and sees the empty, dark apartment. "This is so weird."

Piper frowns, "Are you sure this is the right place?"

Phoebe picks her lipstick off the floor. "This is my lipstick, I'm positive. He couldn't have moved out that fast. It must have been an illusion, all of it. Even my premonition."

Piper frowns, "How is that possible?"

Phoebe shrugs, "Mind control, astral projection, throwing charms, who knows? Buffy is right about Rex, which means, I'm dating a warlock."

Piper smiles, "Been there, done that."

At the Manor Piper comes down the stairs holding the tiara.

Phoebe frowns, "Piper, what are you doing?"

Piper nods, "Getting rid of the evidence. They can't bust Prue for murder if they don't have a motive."

Phoebe shakes her head, "Mouth, Leo's in the kitchen."

Piper smiles, "Oh, he is? Really?"

Phoebe sighs, "Focus and think. The last thing we have to worry about is the legal system. We're up against a warlock now."

Piper nods, "Two, if Prue's right about Hannah."

Phoebe nods, "Exactly, which means we have to figure out what they want. It can't just be to frame Prue or Buffy."

Piper nods, "Unless in doing so, somehow they think they can't get her powers, which is what warlocks want."

Phoebe nods, "Which means they're trying to divide us so that we don't have the power of three or the Halliwell family magic to stop them."

Piper nods, "What are we gonna do?"

Phoebe shrugs, "We have no choice." Phoebe hides the tiara in a closet. As she walks past the couch, Rex is on the couch astral projected. "Let's go."

Piper frowns, "Go? Go where? Phoebe?"

Phoebe nods, "Piper, it's gonna be all right."

At the police station. Piper and Phoebe are around the back.

Piper frowns, "This is crazy."

Phoebe nods, "We have to get Prue and Buffy out before Rex makes his move on us."

Piper shakes her head, "But we can't break them out."

Phoebe sighs, "Yes, we can. We're witches. All you have to do is freeze the guards and then unlock Prue and Buffy's cells."

Piper frowns, "Me? What about you?"

Phoebe nods, "Somebody's gotta to stay out here in case something goes wrong. Ready? On three."

Piper shakes her head, "No Phoebe."

Phoebe smiles, "Three."

Phoebe opens the door and you see a guard standing there.

Piper freezes him. "Aaah." She walks inside and Phoebe closes the door.

Inside Piper gets the keys from a frozen guard.

Prue frowns, "What are you doing?" Piper unlocks the gate and walks over to Prue's cell. "Are you out of your mind?"

Piper nods, "Just so we're clear. This was Phoebe's idea." She unlocks Prue's cell.

Prue frowns, "What?"

Piper walks over to Buffy's cell and unlocks it, "We think Rex is a warlock and he's after our powers. Phoebe's waiting outside for you to rub her nose in it." Prue and Buffy stands there. "Well, come on, Prue. Buffy. Before they unfreeze."

Buffy shakes her head, "Piper this isn't right."

Piper nods, "Well, neither is the gas chamber. Look if we're lucky we'll vanquish them and still get you both back here by morning rounds." Prue puts pillows under the blankets on the bed to make it look like she's still there. Buffy does the same. "That's pretty lame."

Prue sighs, "Well, you got a better idea?"

Piper shakes her head, "No."

Buffy nods, "Let's go."

Buffy and Prue walks out of the cells and closes the cell doors. They walk past a guard holding a donut. Prue takes it.

Piper frowns, "Don't touch him. Don't touch him. Don't."

Prue sighs, "Come on." They run outside. "Come on."

They start running and you see a camera flash.

Rex has taken a picture. "Quite photogenic. Now I should think the police will find this very interesting, to say the least."

Buffy frowns, "Rex."

Phoebe shakes her head, "Wait, how did you know that we..."

Rex smiles, "What, that you'd be here? Well, let's just say that I've been watching your every move. Without you knowing it, of course."

Prue frowns, "You bastard."

Rex nods, "Don't get too angry, Prue. You wouldn't want to injure me with your power. I'm the only chance you have. While you were here, conducting your little prison break, Hannah was retrieving the tiara from your home. You should have gotten to rid it while you had the chance. Personally, I actually thought that was an excellent idea."

Phoebe sighs, "Astral projection."

Buffy growls, "What do you want?"

Rex smiles, "Your powers, of course. That's why I hired Prue in the first place, you know, to see if you really were the Charmed Ones, and the Charmed Slayer. Then I waited to test your strength, see how best to make my move, and here we are."

Phoebe shakes her head, "But why all the drama? Why didn't you just kill us and take our powers?"

Piper frowns, "Don't give him any ideas."

Rex shakes his head, "No no no. I have seen exactly what you can do when you're been confronted directly. That's why I opted for blackmail. See, there is a special spell in the book of shadows that strips you of your powers forever." He shows them the device that looks like a lantern. "And this device will capture those powers. Then you'll bring them to me."

Prue frowns, "Go to hell."

Rex smiles, "Yeah, I'd love to, darling. I miss it terribly. And this will help me return with honors. In return, I'll give you the photo and tell the police I simply misplaced the tiara. No theft, no motive for murder, no prison. You really don't have much time. Just until the prisons guards realize you've both escaped. Well?"

Back at the Manor they have the Book Of Shadows opened up to the spell.

Piper nods, "It's a Relinquishment spell. If we read it aloud, it takes away all of our powers."

Buffy comes downstairs with her book. "It's in here all right."

Phoebe nods, "Is there any way to reverse it?"

Buffy opens her book to the page in question and then shakes her head.

Piper sighs, "I don't know. It doesn't say."

Phoebe nods, "Well, then I say we flip to another page and find a spell that kicks Rex's warlock ass."

Prue shakes her head, "We can't."

Buffy nods in agreement, "Yeah."

Phoebe looks between Buffy and Prue, "Why can't we?"

Prue sighs, "Because for all we know he's here, right now, watching us. And if we don't do exactly as he says, he'll tell the police Buffy and I have escaped."

Phoebe sighs, "But we can't give up our powers without a fight. It's like giving up who we are, who we've become."

Piper nods, "Who we've come from."

Phoebe nods, "Exactly. These powers are gifts. Gifts that were given to us to protect and ultimately to pass on to the next generation."

Buffy sighs, "As much as I agree with you. I don't think we have much of a choice."

Prue sighs, "Don't you think that we know that? I mean, how do you think I or Buffy feel, Phoebe? I'm the one who got us into this situation. Then by accident I dragged Buffy into it. Buffy maybe underage, but she will still be tried as an adult for being an accomplice."

Piper sighs, "Prue, it's not your fault."

Phoebe nods, "It's not."

Prue sighs, "Yeah, but I'm the one that the Rex tricked. I'm the reason why we're having this conversation."

Buffy sighs, "You're not the only one he tricked Prue. He was probably astral projecting into the office when we thought we heard Jaime scream. He tricked both of us."

Prue nods, "Your right, Buffy."

Phoebe sighs, "There has gotta to be a way out of this."

Piper shakes her head, "Like what? Become fugitives? Something tells me that's not the best way to go about protecting the innocent."

Phoebe nods, "Yeah, well, we can't protect the innocent without our powers. And, even worse, if we give them up, we'd be giving them up to evil."

Prue shakes her head, "No, we can't let that happen."

Buffy nods, "Yeah we can't."

Piper sighs, "Well, we can't let either of you die in jail, either. Besides, with both of you behind bars, we'll be divided. Rex wins either way. On top of that with Buffy in jail there is no Slayer."

Phoebe sighs, "I don't wanna have to do this."

Piper nods, "Neither do I, but we don't have a choice. All we can do is take the leap of faith and hope that somehow it all works out."

Shorttime later Buffy, Prue, Piper and Phoebe are sitting around a table in the attic with both books in the middle.

Prue sighs, "From whence they came, return them now, vanish the words, vanish our powers."

Piper nods, "From whence they came, return them now, vanish the words, vanish our powers." Phoebe hesitates. "Come on, Phoebe."

Phoebe sighs, "Okay. From whence they came, return them now, vanish the words, vanish our powers."

Buffy nods, "Bye to being Charmed. From whence they came, return them now, vanish the words, vanish our powers."

Suddenly it gets really windy. All the words out of both Books disappear into the device. Phoebe flips through first one Book then the other. The pages are blank.

Phoebe nods, "Look. It was fun while it lasted."

Piper sighs, "Yep."

Prue nods, "Let's get this over with."

Buffy sighs, "Yeah, let's."

Short time later at Bucklands Buffy, Prue, Piper and Phoebe walk out of the elevator.

Phoebe sighs, "Okay, I say as soon as we get the photo and the tiara back, we knock the lantern out of Rex's hands and stomp on it."

Buffy shakes her head, "What will that do?"

Phoebe shrugs, "I don't know. Free our powers? It's better than doing anything."

Piper nods, "How do we know this isn't just a trap?"

Rex comes out of his office. "You don't, actually. Nevertheless, here you are. Powerless, I presume."

Prue frowns, "Where's Hannah?"

Rex smiles, "Lurking. That's what she does best. The lantern, if you please." Prue hands him the lantern. "It all feels a little anticlimactic, don't you think? Too easy, almost. It feels as if we need a more satisfying ending."

Hannah comes out of the office as a panther.

Phoebe frowns, "Oh, oh."

Suddenly their power starts floating out of the lantern.

Rex frowns, "No. Hannah, now. Quickly."

The panther jumps up in the air towards Buffy, Prue, Piper and Phoebe. Piper freezes the panther.

Buffy blinks, "Wait. We have our powers back?"

Piper nods, "How?"

Prue shakes her head, "Doesn't matter. Get outta here. Fast."

They get out of the way and Prue moves Rex underneath Hannah. Hannah unfreezes and lands on Rex and starts attacking him.

Hannah turns back into a human. "Rex, no. What have you four done?" Rex and Hannah start disappearing. "Wait, it wasn't my fault. I didn't fail. He did. No, please, no!"

They burn and disappear.

Piper blinks, "What the hell was that?"

Phoebe nods, "I think you just answered your own question."

Prue smiles, "Okay, we gotta get Buffy and I back to jail now. Let's go."

The next morning at the police station Andy and Darryl are at the jail cells.

Andy looks to a Guard, "We're here to see Prue and Buffy Halliwell." The guard opens the cells. "Thanks, Eric." Andy walks over to Prue. Darryl walks over to Buffy. "Prue?"

Prue's asleep in the bed. She wakes up. "Andy? What is it? What's going on?"

Buffy wakes as she hears Prue's voice, "What's going on?"

Andy smiles, "Just thought you'd both like to know you're off the hook."

Darryl nods, "Turns out you both were right. Rex and Hannah were setting you up, or whoever they were."

Prue shakes her head, "I don't understand."

Andy smiles, "Well, we think they killed two people, assumed their identities, and took over the auction house. Then they bilked it dry and tried to cap it off with stealing the tiara."

Darryl nods, "Which we found hidden in his office."

Buffy blinks, "Wow, did you catch them?"

Andy shakes his head, "Not yet. I don't suppose you two have any idea what this was doing in his office, do you?" He shows them the photo that Rex took.

Prue smiles, "Quite photogenic. Don't you agree Buffy."

Buffy nods, "Quite."

Andy rolls his eyes, "Isn't it?"

Later in the attic back at the manor Prue, Piper and Phoebe are looking through the Charmed Book Of Shadows. Buffy is flipping through her Book of Shadows.

Piper nods, "Spells, incantations, demon stuff. It's all here. Everything just like before."

Buffy smiles, "Same goes here."

Phoebe smiles, "Thank God."

Prue sighs, "But how? I mean, we certainly didn't reverse the spell."

Phoebe shakes her head, "Maybe we screwed it up?" Buffy, Prue and Piper look at her. "What? It's not like it would be the first time."

Buffy shakes her head, "No, we didn't screw it up. Something or someone must have done it. It couldn't happened on its own."

Piper nods, "Why not? It's magic."

Leo enters the attic. "Knock knock."

Piper smiles, "Leo."

Leo nods, "The front door was open. I hope it's all right. I left my tool box."

Piper frowns, "That's funny. I don't remember that being there last night."

Leo nods, "Yeah, well, you know what Freud always said about leaving things."

Piper nods, "That you secretly wanted to come back for it."

Leo smiles, "Guilty."

Prue shakes her head, "Oh, don't use that word. Right, Buffy?"

Buffy nods, "Right, Prue."

Phoebe rolls her eyes, "Uh, it's a long story. Never mind."

Buffy, Phoebe and Prue walk away.

Piper nods, "Leo, you're leaving, aren't you?"

Leo nods, "Yeah, afraid so."

Piper sighs, "Do you really have to go?"

Leo nods, "Well, I've fixed everything I came here to fix. But I'll be back. Promise." Leo kisses Piper and Prue, Buffy and Phoebe watch. "Nothing can keep me away from you too long." He grabs his toolbox and leaves.

Piper smiles, "Well, at least he wasn't a warlock."

Phoebe nods, "Hey, you don't suppose Leo was the, uh..." Prue rips the relinquishment spell out of the Book. Prue then rips the one out of Buffy's book as well. "What are you doing?"

Prue smiles, "Just getting rid of both Relinquishment spells. However we got our powers back, I certainly I don't want to risk losing them again."

Piper nods, "I second that."

Phoebe smiles, "Third."

Buffy nods, "Fourth."

Prue nods, "So, witches forever?"

Phoebe smiles, "And Damn proud of it."

Buffy nods, "Yeah were Charmed whether we like it or not."

Piper lights a match and burns the pages.


	12. Chapter 12: From Fear to Eternity

**Chapter 12: From Fear to Eternity**

Phoebe, Buffy and Prue are at an Occult shop shortly before midnight.

Tanjella smiles, "Excuse me, but I'm getting ready to close now."

Prue shakes her head, "Oh, I'm sorry. I thought that you were open until 1:00."

Tanjella nods, "Normally I am, but not on the eve of Friday the 13th. In fact, I kinda wanna be closed by midnight."

Prue nods, "All right, well, we won't be much longer will we, Pheebs?"

Buffy smiles, "Yeah come on Pheebs."

Phoebe nods, ":Okay, okay. So, input?" She holds up a necklace.

Buffy nods, "Nice. Let's go."

Phoebe sighs, "It's nice? That's it? Maybe I should look for another one."

Prue frowns, "Phoebe, the woman wants to close."

Phoebe nods, "I know, I know, but choosing the right good luck charm is a very big decision."

Prue shakes her head, "If they all bring good luck, what's the worst that can happen if you choose the wrong one?"

Pheobe sighs, "All right, you know, this is why I like shopping with Piper."

Buffy rolls her eyes, "About time Pheebs."

They walk up to the counter and hands the necklace to Tanjella.

Tanjella nods, "Okay, you want me to put this on Piper's order?"

Phoebe shakes her head, "Uh, no, I'll pay separately."

Tanjella smiles, "Cash or charge?"

Phoebe nods, "Uh, will you put it on a credit card for me? I will pay you back. And tomorrow I have a job interview and..."

Prue sighs, "And the good luck charm is going to help you get the job. How much?"

Buffy sighs, "Yeah Pheebs. Friday the 13th really has nothing to do with good or bad luck."

Tanjella smiles, "$25.50 plus tax."

Prue nods, "Okay."

Tanjella smiles, "Oh, but you get 10% off if you sign the mailing list."

Phoebe smiles, "See? Good luck already."

Phoebe writes down their names.

Tanjella nods, "If you're interested, we're having a Wicca gathering for the spring equinox."

Buffy shakes her head, "What makes you think that we would be interested?"

Tanjella nods, "Most witches are."

Prue shakes her head, "We never said that we were witches."

Phoebe looks between Buffy and Phoebe, "Do you think she knows?"

Prue shakes her head, "How could she?"

Buffy nods, "She can't."

The clock strikes twelve.

Tanjella nods, "Could you please hurry?"

Phoebe sighs, "Is there a problem?"

Tanjella nods, "I told you I just, I want to be closed by midnight."

Prue nods, "Wow, you really take this Friday the 13th stuff seriously."

Tanjella sighs, "Yeah, you should too. Especially this one."

Buffy sighs, "And why is that?"

Tanjella is all business, "Because once every thirteen hundred years, there's a universal convergence of negative energy on Friday the 13th and this is the year."

Prue gives Phoebe and Buffy a look that says let's go. "Of course it is."

Tanjella shakes her head as the clock strikes thirteen. "Did you hear that? The clock struck thirteen. It's starting already."

Phoebe sighs, "Good night, Tanjella."

They grab the necklace and leave.

Outside. Prue and Phoebe get in the car and drive off. Smoke rises out of the sewer and Barbas appears.

Inside Tanjella is blowing out the candles. She turns off the light. Barbas knocks on the door.

Tanjella shakes her head, "Sorry, we're closed." Barbas knocks on the door again. "I said, we're closed."

Barbas walks through the door like a ghost. "Not to me, witch."

Tanjella frowns, "Oh my God." She picks up an amulet.

Barbas smiles, "Amulet's don't work with this demon." He passes his hand in front of her face. "Your greatest fear is being buried alive in an earthquake." The room starts shaking and things fall off the shelves. Tanjella screams. Shelves fall down around her. "Yes. You can't run, you're frozen in fear."

Tanjella stops screaming and she falls on the floor. She is dead and her hair has turned white. Barbas walks over to the mailing list. He passes his hand above it and half of the names disappear; including Phoebe, Prue and Buffy's.

The next morning at the Manor Buffy, Piper and Phoebe walk out of the kitchen into the solarium.

Phoebe sighs, "Think about it. When has she ever said it to you?"

Buffy shakes her head, "Not since I moved in with you guys."

Piper shakes her head, "I don't remember exactly but I'm sure she must have."

Phoebe nods, "Yeah, okay, try to think of a time, just one. Whenever I say it to her, she says something like, 'oh me too' or 'same here'."

Piper nods, "You know, you're right."

Buffy sighs, "Yeah your right."

Phoebe sighs, "Yeah. The girl cannot say the words 'I love you'. It's like some weird..."

Prue walks in. "Morning."

Buffy smiles, "Morning, Prue."

Phoebe smiles, "Oh, good morning."

Prue and Phoebe sit down.

Prue smiles, "Oh, that outfit looks great on you."

Phoebe nods, "Thank you for giving it to me."

Piper blinks, "Wait, you gave her that outfit?"

Prue nods, "Yeah, it was an early birthday present."

Phoebe smiles, "For the next three years."

Buffy blinks, "Are you feeling okay?" She touches Prue's forehead.

Prue nods, "I am fine. In fact, I had a wonderful dream about mom."

Piper smiles, "Oh, how great. What about?"

Prue nods, "Um, I was a little kid like four or five and I was reaching up holding her hand and she was taking me someplace. I don't know where but it felt so safe."

Phoebe smiles, "I wish I had dreams like that."

Piper shakes her head, "Mum would have to knock before she came into your dreams."

Phoebe frowns, "Ooh!"

Buffy sighs, "I mean no respect to Aunt Patty or you guys but at least you get to remember her. I didn't even get to know her."

Phoebe reaches over to Buffy and hugs her, "Right there with you, Buffy. Remember she passed away when I was three."

Prue yawns and Piper covers her mouth. "What are you doing?"

Piper smiles, "You have to cover your mouth when you yawn or you might let the Devil in." Buffy, Phoebe and Prue laugh. "Especially on Friday the 13th."

Prue shakes her head, "Is that amulet one of the things we picked up for you last night?"

Piper nods, "Yes. And this," she holds up a stone, "and these." She holds up the other necklaces. "We're having a superstition themed fundraiser at the restaurant today. I'm going to need all the help I can get."

Buffy shakes her head, "Don't you think that you're over doing it just a little bit?"

Piper sighs, "With all the warlocks and demons we've seen. And all the vampires you've fought, Buffy. I don't think so."

Prue sighs, "Piper, those things are real. Okay, superstitions are like old wives tales invented to explain somebody's misfortune."

Piper nods, "Statistics show more bad things happen on Friday the 13th than any other day. I met Jeremy on Friday the 13th."

Phoebe frowns, "Really?"

Piper nods, "Yes, and he tried to kill me. Afterwards I find out there's a superstition. That any relationship started on Friday the 13th is doomed."

Prue nods, "More bad things happen on Friday the 13th because people put energy into believing bad things will happen."

Buffy nods, "Yeah Prue is right. I even asked Giles. He said Friday the 13th and Halloween are generally the two days of the year when evil usually stays in."

Piper sighs, "Pheebs."

Phoebe smiles, "Actually, I prefer the upside of superstition. Good fortune, which is what I hope this," she holds up a coin, "little honey brings me in my job interview with the real estate agency. Will you give me a lift? I'm running late."

Piper nods, "Okay. You want me to drop you off at school Buffy?"

Piper and Phoebe start heading towards the doorway.

Buffy shakes her head, "No school. Teacher conferences all day. I guess I could go anyways keep Phoebe from being bored. Just in case she doesn't get the job."

Phoebe smiles, "Okay, well, have a great day, Prue. I love you."

Prue nods, "Yeah, me too."

Buffy, Phoebe and Piper stop and look back at her. They look at each other and continue walking.

Piper sighs, "I wonder if she knows she does that?"

Buffy shakes her head, "I don't know. But hey I hear it from you two all the time so kind of makes up for it. Still it would be nice if Prue said it also."

They walk in the foyer and opens the door. Andy's there who was just about to knock.

Piper smiles, "Hey, Andy."

Andy nods, "Hey. Is Prue in?"

Phoebe calls out, "Prue, there's a policeman here to see you."

Piper nods, "See you later, Andy, we're running late."

Piper, Phoebe and Buffy head out the door.

Phoebe and Buffy is at SWA Properties. Phoebe's in her interview. Buffy sits in a chair reading a magazine.

Susan smiles, "As you can see we're a small firm but we've built a very successful business."

Phoebe nods, "Oh, well, size doesn't matter to me. What does excite me though, is the chance to work with successful woman. I mean, if I want to be a success who better to learn from right?"

Susan nods, "Oh, I like that. I've heard all I need to hear. When can you start?"

Phoebe is ecstatic, "Are you serious? I got the job?"

Buffy rolls her eyes.

Susan nods, "I can spot talent when I see it. Um, can you start today?"

Phoebe nods, "Uh, yeah, yes of course."

A guy walks in.

Susan looks at the guy, "Hi, honey. Give me a second." He walks back out. "Here are the keys. Louise is out of town, I've got... I'll be in Calistoga for the day, so all you have to do is answer the phones."

Phoebe nods, "Taking a romantic midweek break?"

Susan nods, "Well, yeah. Um, which reminds me, there is one special task I'll need you to handle from time to time. If my husband calls, I'll need you to cover for me."

Phoebe's eyes widen and she laughs nervously. "Oh, uh, sure."

Susan smiles, "Our little secret?"

Buffy sighs.

Phoebe nods, "Oh, of course."

Susan nods, "Well, you have my pager number. Have fun."

Phoebe smiles, "Okay." Susan leaves. "You too."

Buffy shakes her head, "You're not really going to lie to her husband are you?"

Phoebe sighs, "I don't know."

Later at Quake Buffy, Prue, Phoebe and Piper are sitting at a table.

Piper sighs, "What did you tell Andy?"

Prue shakes her head, "I didn't talk to Andy. I didn't want him to know I was anywhere near there so I called 911 and I left."

Phoebe nods, "Are you sure you're okay?"

Prue sighs, "Yeah, it's just, uh, I can't get her face out of my mind, you know. There was so much fear and her hair was pure white, the terror that she must of felt. It's just..."

Phoebe nods, "Okay, I'm scared enough, thank you. So now what?"

Piper nods, "We avoid any place he can use to terrorize us."

Buffy nods, "And what about all the other witches?"

Prue nods, "Well, I took Zoe's day runner. Some of the names in there have got to be witches. I'll start making phone calls." She reaches for the salt and knocks the jar over spilling some salt.

Piper frowns, "Oh, oh, quick. Throw some over your shoulder."

Prue sighs, "Don't be ridiculous."

Piper nods, "It's bad luck. You could be attacked by evil spirits."

Prue nods, "Piper, we have been attacked by plenty of evil spirits and they had nothing to do with salt. And considering our powers, I can't believe that you want to rely on this for our protection."

Buffy nods in agreement.

Piper sighs, "My feeling is, you can never be too rich or too safe."

Phoebe sees a ladybug on the plant on the table. "Oh, look, a ladybug."

Prue sighs, "Is that bad luck?"

Piper pulls a face.

Phoebe shakes her head, "No, actually Grams once told me that whatever direction it flies in, you can find your ideal mate. We've gotta try it." She flicks the ladybug and it flies across the room and lands on Lucas.

Piper sighs, "Oh."

Prue smiles, "So does a positive superstition cancel out a negative one?"

Piper shrugs, "I don't know."

Buffy shakes her head, "Wait, what's going on?"

Prue nods, "That guy has been trying to talk to Piper all day and she has been avoiding him because she..."

A waiter trips and spills drinks all over Prue. Buffy, Phoebe and Piper wipe her with napkins.

Piper sighs, "You should've thrown the..."

Prue nods, "You know what? Piper, don't even say it. I'm going home to change."

Buffy smiles, "Be careful, I love you."

Prue nods, "Yeah." She leaves.

Piper sighs, "Okay, she can't say it. Maybe she's afraid it'll make her look too vulnerable. Ever since mum died, you know, she has to be the strong one to take care of us and everything. It's probably just all part of that. And no offense Buffy, but since you came into our lives she kinda been thrust back into that role."

Buffy sighs, "None taken, Piper. All three of you have been thrust into the role of being a parent. Well Phoebe is more like a sister. But still…"

Phoebe nods, "Maybe. Hey, I gotta get back to work. You coming back with me Buffy?"

Piper nods, "How's the new job?"

Buffy nods, "Sure, Pheebs."

Phoebe sighs, "Great, except my new boss wants me to lie to her husband about an affair that she's been having."

Buffy nods, "Yeah."

Piper sighs, "Oh, how nice. What are you gonna do?"

Phoebe nods, "Buffy asked me the same thing. And I still don't know. I'm just hoping it never comes up. Hey good luck."

Buffy and Phoebe leaves.

Later back at SWA Properties. Phoebe's sitting at a desk holding a coin. Buffy is sitting in the chair opposite her reading a magazine.

Phoebe sighs, "Okay, heads - I tell him the truth, tails - I lie." Buffy rolls her eyes. She flicks the coin in the air and it lands on its edge. "Oh, that helped a lot." She picks the coin up.

Buffy shakes her head, "Pheebs."

The phone rings. Phoebe reaches for it and knocks over a bottle of water. "Oh! Hold on please." She picks up the bottle and has a premonition that water has filled up in the shower and Prue's stuck inside. "Prue. Uh, no one's in, call back later." She hangs up and then dials another number.

Buffy frowns, "What did you see?"

Phoebe looks to Buffy, "Prue, drowning in the shower." She then speaks into the phone. "Prue, it's Phoebe. Are you there? Pick up. Hello? Prue, I just had a premonition, you could be in trouble. Are you there? Prue, are you there?" She hangs up. "Come on we need to get back to the house."

Later back at the Manor in the living room Phoebe and Buffy walk in through the front door.

Phoebe calls out, "Prue?" She and Buffy runs in the living room. "Hi."

"Hi." Andy and Darryl said.

Phoebe smiles, "Is everything okay?"

Prue nods, "Yeah, everything's fine. So, are we done?"

Darryl nods, "Yeah, we're done."

Andy and Darryl leave.

Prue sighs, "You would not believe what happened to me."

Buffy nods, "Oh yes we would."

Phoebe nods, "I saw it." Prue takes the towel off her head and she has a streak of white hair. Buffy frowns. "Prue, he came really close, didn't he? You've got some white in your hair."

Prue looks in the mirror. She along with Phoebe and Buffy head up to the attic.

Phoebe sighs, "There's gotta be something in the Book about releasing fears. Maybe it's just not obvious." She walks over to the Book Of Shadows.

Prue shakes her head, "Phoebe, Buffy, do you smell that?"

Buffy walks over to her Book.

Phoebe shakes her head, "What?"

Buffy sniffs the air, "I don't smell anything."

Prue nods, "It's like Sandalwood."

Phoebe shakes her head, "No, I don't smell anything."

Prue sighs, "Mom used to wear a fragrance like that."

Buffy blinks, "That must be the reason mom had a bottle with that fragrance on her vanity. Mom never wore it herself. But she always kept a bottle there. I wonder if it had been meant for Aunt Patty and she had never gotten the chance to give it to her?"

Phoebe sighs, "I was too young to remember."

Prue looks at Buffy and nods, "It's possible honey. Now that I think about it things got strained between Aunt Joyce and Grams not long after mom passed away."

Phoebe looks in the Book. "Wait, I thought you said there was nothing in here about releasing your fear." Prue looks at the page. Buffy moves away from her book to stand beside them. "To let go of your fear, trust in the greatest of all powers."

Prue shakes her head, "That wasn't there this morning."

Phoebe nods, "Well, maybe because of all the stress you've been..."

Prue shakes her head, "No, Phoebe, it wasn't there alright. It's in mom's handwriting, I would of remembered."

Buffy sighs, "Okay, Prue. So, what do you think the greatest of all powers is? Do you think that's the power of three? Is it the family magic?"

Prue sighs, "I don't know."

Phoebe frowns, "What is it?"

Prue nods, "It's like I can feel her presence."

Buffy smiles, "That must be nice, I wish I could feel her presence."

Phoebe nods, "Okay, maybe you should get dressed and go to Bucklands."

Prue shakes her head, "No, um, I don't really think I'm up for that."

Phoebe sighs, "Look, Prue, you said he disappeared once Andy got there. So maybe he only attacks when you're alone. When your fear is greatest."

Buffy nods, "Plus there is no showers or pools at Bucklands."

Prue nods, "Yeah, you're right."

Phoebe nods, "Of course I am. Whatever you do, stay away from water, any water, don't even drink it."

Prue smiles, "Don't worry."

Phoebe nods, "I love you."

Prue smiles, "Me too."

Phoebe and Buffy look at each other.

Buffy sighs, "Why do you do that?"

Prue frowns, "What?"

Phoebe nods, "You never say 'I love you' to either of us."

Prue sighs, "I just did."

Buffy shakes her head, "No, you just said 'me too'."

Phoebe nods, "And you never say it to Piper either. Have you ever said 'I love you' to anybody?"

Prue sighs, "Yeah, I said it to mom and it was the last thing I said to her before she died."

Buffy and Phoebe hugs Prue.

Buffy sighs, "I'm sorry, Prue. I know what it's like to lose someone…"

Prue nods, "I know Buffy and thank you."

Back at SWA Properties. Phoebe's sitting at a desk. Buffy is once again reading a magazine.

A man walks in.

Phoebe smiles, "Hi, may I help you?"

The man nods, "Hi, I was looking for Susan."

Phoebe smiles, "Oh, she's not here but I can tell her you came by. What's your name?"

Richard nods, "Richard Warner."

Phoebe looks at Buffy who nods, "Oh, you're Susan's husband."

Richard smiles, "Unless she's got one I don't know about."

Phoebe laughs. "No, no. She doesn't have another husband."

Buffy nods, "That we know about for sure."

Richard nods, "I thought I'd surprise her and take her to dinner. Do you know where she is?"

Phoebe nods, "Uh, yes. She went out."

Buffy rolls her eyes, she mouths, 'Just tell him.'

Richard nods, "Okay, well, I think we established that. Do you know where?"

Phoebe shakes her head, "Uh, well, she... that's actually interesting, she, uh... I can't do this."

Richard frowns, "I don't understand."

Phoebe stands, "I'm sorry, Mr. Warner, but I can't be the assistant your wife wants without compromising my beliefs and I just won't do that."

Buffy stands, "Yeah and no offense neither can I."

Richard shakes his head, "Wait a minute, slow down."

Phoebe nods, "Don't worry about the office, I will lock up." She writes a note.

Richard sighs, "Thank you. Both of you."

Buffy blinks, "For what?"

Richard nods, "For not lying to me about Susan's affair."

Phoebe's eyes go wide, "You knew?"

Richard nods, "I've tried denying it for some time now but I guess there comes a time when you have to face the truth."

Phoebe sighs, "I'm so sorry."

Buffy nods, "So am I."

Richard shakes his head, "Don't be. And listen, don't quit on my behalf."

Phoebe smiles, "I'm not."

Buffy nods, "She's not. She's quitting on principle."

Richard leaves.

The phone rings and Phoebe answers it. "SWA Property."

Woman on phone, "Hello, may I speak to Susan?"

Phoebe shakes her head, "Uh, no, she's not in right now. Can I take a message?"

Woman on phone, "This is Mrs. Joffee. I'm outside a house Susan's supposed to show me and she's not here."

Phoebe sighs, "Uh, well, I'm sorry but she must have forgotten. She's out for the rest of the day."

Woman on phone, "Can anybody help me? I flew in from L.A. just to see this house. I'm under a terrible deadline to move from my other house."

Phoebe shakes her head, "Uh, no one's here. But you know, since you flew in and all, I guess I can show you the property. What's the address?"

Somewhere in town at the property. Phoebe walks in the yard. "Mrs. Joffee? Hello? Mrs. Joffee? SWA Properties." She hears a voice behind her.

Woman smiles, "Hello, dear." Phoebe turns around and it's Barbas imitating a woman's voice." Thanks so, his voice changes back, "much for coming out." He grabs her.

Phoebe frowns, "Let go or I'll scream."

Barbas smiles, "I could use the fix. Besides it will get the witch you left out front running back here." He passes his hand in front of her face.

Phoebe smiles, "I know how you kill. There are no elevators around here."

Barbas shakes his head, "Elevators? That's what you think your greatest fear is? You mortals need to look deeper. Down where the real truth lies. Your greatest fear is losing a sister and I get two for one."

Out front Buffy waits for Phoebe to return. She finally gets tired of waiting and goes back into the backyard, "Phoebe?"

Phoebe's voice comes from behind Buffy, "Right here." Buffy turns to face Barbas as his voice changes back to normal. "Thanks for coming back to find me."

Buffy shakes her head, "Really not much you can do to me. It's not dark so you can't really attack me with my fear."

Barbas laughs, "You think your greatest fear is dying at the hands of a vampire? You really should look deeper." He passes his hand in front of her. "Well that's a nice surprise it looks like I will get three for one. Your greatest fear is that you will lose a cousin."

In Prue's office at Bucklands. Prue's on the phone. "He's only a threat till midnight, okay. All right, well, take care and don't look in any closets till then." The other line rings. "All right, look, I gotta go, somebody's calling me. Bye." She picks up the other line. "Hello?"

Phoebe is on the phone, "Prue, it's Phoebe. Buffy and I got stuck at a house I was showing. Can you come and get us?"

Prue nods, "Yeah, sure. Where are you?"

At the property Barbas is on the phone imitating Phoebe's voice. "We're at 3112 Napa Street."

Prue on the phone, "All right, I'm on my way."

Barbas looks at Phoebe and Buffy who are tied up with tapes over their mouths.

Shortime later Prue walks to the gate. "Phoebe? Buffy? She opens the gate.

Phoebe calls out, "We're in the backyard. You won't believe the view from here."

Prue walks in the yard. "Pheebs, Buffy, where are you?" She walks near the swimming pool. "Phoebe? Buffy?"

Prue turns around and sees Buffy and Phoebe tied up and Barbas standing there.

Barbas imitates Phoebe's voice, "Isn't that a great view?" He pushes Prue in the pool. "That's right." Prue sinks to the bottom. She tries to swim back up to the top but can't. "Feed me your fear."

Buffy's eyes go wide.

A bright light appears in the pool.

Prue can hear Patty's voice, "Prue, Prue. You must face your fears, Prue. You must trust in the greatest of all powers. Love."

Prue looks up at Patty, "Mom?"

Patty's ghost smiles, "Save yourself. Save your sister and you're cousin." Patty holds out her hand. "Don't be afraid."

Prue reaches out and holds Patty's hand. Patty pulls her up to the top. "It's over."

Buffy smiles under the duct tape.

Prue uses her power and Barbas flies across the yard. She gets out of the pool.

Barbas frowns, "Your fear."

Prue shakes her head, "I'm not afraid anymore."

Barbas frowns, "Nooo!" He burns and explodes. The rope disappears off Buffy and Phoebe. Buffy, Prue and Phoebe hug.

Phoebe sighs, "Oh my God, I was so scared."

Buffy nods, "So was I."

Prue nods, "I know. I'm just glad you're both safe."

Phoebe nods, "I don't know what would happen if I ever lost you. I love you."

Buffy nods, "I don't what I would have done either. I love you."

Prue smiles, "I love both of you."

In the living room at the Manor. Piper's sitting on the floor in front of the fire place. Buffy, Phoebe and Prue walk in.

Phoebe smiles, "Hey, what are you doing?"

Piper sighs, "Kicking myself. I just lost probably the greatest catch in San Francisco."

Buffy shakes her head, "What happened?"

Piper nods, "He doesn't like women who rely on superstitions to make decisions. And I'm not so sure he's wrong."

Phoebe smiles, "So, Prue vanquished the demon of fear."

Buffy nods, "And saved me and Phoebe at the same time."

Prue nods, "Well, at least put him back in the bottle for another thirteen hundred years."

Piper blinks, "Wait, whoa, what? What happened?"

Phoebe sighs, "Well, he pushed her into a pool and then..."

Prue nods, "And mom helped me out."

Piper blinks, "Mom?"

Prue sighs, "Okay, I know it sounds crazy but I saw her. It was just like my dream. She was this incredible vision, so peaceful and she took my hand and brought me to the surface."

Piper shakes her head, "That doesn't sound crazy. I wish I could've seen her."

Phoebe nods, "Me too."

Buffy smiles, "Me three."

Piper nods, "I'm just glad you're all right."

They hug.

Prue smiles, "I love you."

Piper breaks the hug. "What did you just say?"

Buffy nods, "Yeah she said it."

Prue smiles, "I love you."

Buffy, Piper and Phoebe smile.

Piper smiles, "I think that's the first time you've said that to me."

Prue sighs, "Yeah, I know, I wish I had of said it a long time ago. Ever since mom died I've been afraid to say it. I didn't want to lose anybody else."

Piper nods, "Well, we're not going anywhere."

Buffy nods, "Yeah you're stuck with us for a good long time. We'll all be sitting in the old witches home together reminiscing about our glory days."

Prue sighs, "Okay. I'm exhausted. I'll see you three in the morning." She leaves the room.

Piper sighs, "Uh, what happened to her in that pool?"

Phoebe shakes her head, "I don't know. But whatever it was, it must have been incredible."

Buffy nods, "Yeah incredible. I think I will head on up also." She heads up to the attic to find Prue's sitting in a chair holding the Book Of Shadows.

Prue sees words magically appear on a page and she hears Patty say, "Thanks for letting them into your heart."

Prue sighs, "I miss you, mom."

Buffy walks over to Prue and wraps her arms around Prue's shoulders. "You're not alone Prue. I miss her, too."

Prue looks up at Buffy and smiles.


	13. Chapter 13: Angel

**Chapter 13: Angel**

At the Bronze a Girl screams, "Cockroach!"

Buffy and Willow sit on couches. Buffy stirs her drink idly, lost in thought.

Willow smiles, "Hard to believe it's the fumigation party already . . ."

Buffy nods, "Hmm?"

Willow looks to Buffy, "It's an annual tradition, the closing of the Bronze for a few days to nuke the cockroaches."

Buffy smiles, "Oh."

Willow nods, "It's a lot of fun. What's it like where you are?"

Buffy shakes her head, "I'm sorry. I was just . . . thinking about . . . things. And stuff."

Willow nods, "Things and stuff. So we're talking about a guy."

Buffy shakes her head, "Not exactly. For us to have a conversation about a guy there would have to be a guy for us to have a conversation about. Was that a sentence?"

Willow laughs, "You lack a guy?"

Buffy nods, "I do. Which is fine, most of the time, but..."

Willow nods, "What about Angel?"

Buffy sighs, "Angel. Yeah, I can see him in a relationship. Hi honey, you're in grave danger, see you next month."

Willow nods, "He doesn't stay around much, it's true."

Buffy sighs, "He disappears! Every time. Tells me there's trouble then poof. Gone. But when he's around... It's like the lights dim everywhere else. You know how that happens with some guys?"

Willow nods, "Oh yeah." She gazes over at the dance floor where Xander is working out, dancing next to a rather pretty girl.

Xander notices the guy the girl is with and leaves bumping briefly into Cordelia before coming over to Buffy and Willow. Boy that Cordelia's a regular breath of vile air - what are you vixens up to?"

Willow smiles, "Just sitting here watching our barren lives pass us by. Oh look, a cockroach." She stomps on the cockroach.

Xander looks from Willow to Buffy who's lost in thought. "Whoah, stop this crazy whirlygig of fun. I'm dizzy."

Buffy sighs, "All right, now I'm infecting those near and dear to me. I'll see you guys tomorrow." She gets up.

Willow shakes her head, "Don't go..."

Xander nods, "Yeah, it's early! We could, um, dance."

Buffy sighs, "Raincheck. Besides I promised Prue I would be home early anyways. Night." She goes.

Angel watches Buffy from the balcony above.

Almost as if Buffy can sense Angel, she turns, looks up. "No Angel. Just party animals. Buffy heads out the door.

Buffy walks alone. A dim sound behind her alerts her senses. She slows, looks back at the empty street. She walks on. Again she hears a sound. She walks some more, stops, doesn't turn around. "It's late, I'm tired, I don't want to play games. Show yourself." Something drops behind her. She turns to face a vamp. "You really should talk to your orthodontist about a refund."

Buffy whips a stake out of her jacket. Moves in on the vampire. Raises it high to strike. Her wrist is grabbed from behind another vamp.

The vamp holding her wrist twists it painfully until she drops the stake. She notices a third vamp standing beside the ones holding her wrist.

Buffy frowns, "Hey, ow, okay, I'm letting go. I don't want to fight all three of you..." She suddenly kicks one of them between the legs. "...unless I have to."

She elbows another as the biggest and meanest one slams her in the back - she stumbles into the first two who grab her, hold her fast. She is grabbed and the meanest vamp, fangs bared, inches toward her neck when he's grabbed by the neck-"

Angel shakes his head, "Good dogs don't bite."

The meanest vamp turns to face Angel - who smashes him in the face. This distracts the other two - Buffy wrenches her arms free, grabs them by the hair and smashes their heads together.

Angel and the mean vamp trade kicks and punches. Angel's fast and deadly. He ducks a punch and blocks a kick by catching the meanest vamp's boot and hurling him back into a wrought iron fence.

Meanwhile, Buffy hits vamp 2, elbows vamp 3. Vamp 2 sweep-kicks her off her feet. She goes down.

Angel closes in on the meanest vamp - but vamp 3 hits him from behind. He turns to battle vamp 3.

Buffy, on her back, kicks vamp 2, leaps to her feet, sees the meanest rip a pointed iron spike right off the wrought iron fence and come at Angel from behind. "Look out!"

Angel spins, sees the spike, jumps back - not quite fast enough - he's slashed in his ribs.

Buffy bolts to them as the mean vamp slashes again - and gets her foot in his face, knocking him down. "Run!"

They do, rounding a corner as the vamps struggle to their feet and give chase.

Buffy and Angel run down the street. He's holding his wounded side.

Buffy and Angel run to the front door. The vamps are very close.

Buffy opens the door, herds Angel inside. "Get in! Come on!" She is shutting the door as the meanest vampire leaps onto the porch, grabbing for her. She slams the door on his hand - it withdraws - and she shuts it. Looks out the window, worried.

ANGEL

It's all right. A vampire can't come in unless it's invited.

BUFFY

I heard that, but I never put it to the test before.

She looks out and sees:

ANGLE: ON THE PORCH

The Vamps back into the darkness, but they don't leave.

Buffy turns from the window to Angel, concerned about his wound.

BUFFY

I'll get some bandages, take your jacket and shirt off.

She exits into:

INT. KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS

She gets the first aid kit. Angel follows her in, slipping out of his shirt. She takes a moment to register the fact of Angel naked from the waist up.

BUFFY

Nice tattoo.

He has a WINGED LION tattoo behind his left shoulder. She moves to him, bandages him under:

BUFFY

I was lucky you came along. How did you happen to come along anyway?

ANGEL

I live nearby. I was just out walking.

BUFFY

So you weren't following me? I had this feeling you were . . .

ANGEL

Why would I do that?

BUFFY

You tell me, you're the Mystery Guy who appears out of nowhere - I'm not saying I'm not happy about it tonight - but if you are hanging around me I'd like to know why.

She finishes the bandage, straightens up, quite close to him.

ANGEL

Maybe I like you.

BUFFY

"Maybe"?

They hear the SOUND of the front door opening.

INT. BUFFY'S LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

Buffy bolts to the front door as Prue unlocks it, Prue, Piper and Phoebe enters. Buffy scans the darkness for vampires, pulls her cousins in.

Prue frowns, "Buffy, what are you...?"

Buffy frowns, "Was followed home by some vamps."

Prue frowns, "Vamps? Are you okay?"

Buffy nods, "Yeah."

Prue nods and looks past Buffy, "Hi."

Buffy follows Prue's gaze to Angel, he has his shirt and jacket on, who has entered from the kitchen. "Oh. Prue and Piper, this is Angel, Angel this is Prue and Piper. And you remember Phoebe?"

Angel nods, "Hello, nice to meet you."

Prue frowns, "Why is he here, Buffy?"

Buffy smiles, "He ran into me when I was dealing with the vamps. Don't worry he knows about vampires. He's the one that gave me the crosses your all wearing. I felt it safe for both him and myself that he come with me till it's safe."

Prue nods, "Okay. You can sleep on the couch, Angel."`

Buffy nods, "I'll get you a pillow and a blanket." She heads upstairs. Prue, Piper and Phoebe head up to bed. Buffy comes back down and they head into the living room.

Angel sighs, "Look, I don't want to get you in any trouble."

Buffy shakes her head, "And I don't want to get you dead - they could still be out there. So, you're spending the night."

Angel nods, "Okay." He smiles, moves to the window. "I don't see them..."

Buffy sighs, "You know, I'm the Chosen One. It's my job to fight guys like that. What's your excuse?"

Angel nods, "Somebody has to."

Buffy nods, "Well, what does your family think of your career choice?"

Angel sighs, "They're dead."

Buffy sighs. "Was it vampires?"

Angel turns, "It was."

Buffy looks down, "I'm sorry."

Angel nods, "It was a long while ago."

"So this is a vengeance gig for you?" Buffy asks. "Well sleep tight." She hands him a pillow and then heads upstairs.

The next morning in the library Giles, text in hand, paces, concerned as Willow, Buffy and Xander talk.

"He spent the night?" Xander asks astonished.

Buffy nods, "Yeah downstairs in the living room on the couch."

Giles sighs, "-Could I just steer this riveting conversation back to the events that took place earlier in the evening? You left the Bronze and were set upon by three unusually virile vampires..." He shows her engraving of three warrior vamps. "Did they look like this?"

Buffy nods, "Yeah, what's with the uniforms?"

Giles frowns, "You encountered the Three - warrior vampires, very proud and strong."

Willow shakes her head, "How is it you always know this stuff? You always know what's going on - I never know what's going on."

Giles points to pile of books, "Yes, well, you weren't here from midnight to six researching it."

"No, I was sleeping." Willow said.

"You're really starting to hurt the Master, he wouldn't send the Three for just anyone." Giles said. "We must step up our training with weapons..."

Buffy rolls her eyes, "Prue will just love that."

Xander nods, "Buff, you better stay at my place until these Samurai-guys are history." Buffy tries to speak. "Don't worry about Angel. Willow can run over to your house and tell him to get out of town fast."

Buffy rolls her eyes, "Xander did you forget who I am. Prue, Piper, Phoebe and I can deal with them if they come to the manor again."

Giles smiles, "Anyways Buffy and Angel aren't in immediate jeopardy. Eventually the Master will send others but the Three, having failed, will now offer up their own lives as penance."

Xander nods, "And what if he doesn't take their lives?"

"Oh right, I forgot, the Master's such a kind and forgiving sort of chap." Giles said sarcastically.

Later in the library Giles locks the doors. He moves to Buffy. She is pouring over a large chest o' weapons. She pulls out a deadly looking metal crossbow and several steel-tipped arrows. "Cool, a crossbow. And look at these babies, goodbye stakes, hello flying fatality." She looks around. "What can I shoot?"

Giles takes the crossbow from her, "Nothing. The crossbow comes after you prove your proficiency with the jousting poles which, incidentally, training." He tosses her a big jousting pole.

Buffy sighs, "Giles, twentieth century, I'm not gonna be fighting Friar Tuck."

"You never know whom - or what - you may be fighting." Giles said. "And these traditions have been handed down through the ages, show me good, steady progress with the jousting and in due time we'll discuss the crossbow." He dons padded headgear. "Now put on your pads."

"I'm not gonna need pads for you." Buffy said.

Giles accepts her challenge, "We'll see about that. En garde." He leaps into a pretty impressive jousting position.

Buffy twirls her pole a couple of times then engages Giles. They block and parry several times and then she wipes the floor with him, hitting him high, low and in the middle a bunch of times and knocking him flat on his ass.

Giles - on the floor, breathing hard; takes off head gear. "Good. Let's move on to the crossbow."

That evening back at the Manor Buffy, Piper, Prue and Phoebe eat dinner. Angel was there but not eating.

Piper sighs, "We have to call the exterminator, I heard mice or something downstairs today..."

Buffy nods, "I bet they'll go away in a day or so.

Piper nods and looks at Angel, "Not hungry?"

Angel smiles, "The food's great Ms. Halliwell. I just happen to be on a very strict diet. It's my fault really I should have told you so you wouldn't go to all that trouble. I do appreciate the thought though."

Piper nods, "You just let me know and I will make sure to prepare it."

Angel nods, "I will."

Buffy smiled at Angel, "So was Phoebe good company or were you bored?"

"I read mostly. You all have an excellent collection." Angel said.

Prue looked at Piper to say, 'Did he go in the attic?'

Phoebe shook her head to indicate Angel had not gone into the attic.

Angel slowly stands, "I think I should be off. Those vampires are more than likely dead so will not pose a problem for me to get home. Thank you for your hospitality."

Buffy nods, "Let me show you out, Angel." She stood up and showed Angel to the door.

Angel sighs, "I did a lot of thinking today, I can't really be around you..." Buffy nods, absorbing this. "Because when I am..."

Buffy smiles, "Hey, no big. Water over the bridge -"

"...all I can think about is how badly I want to kiss you -"

"-it's under the bridge, over the dam," Buffy looks at Angel astonished, "kiss me?"

Angel nods, "I'm older than you and this can't ever..." He steps out the door. "...I better go."

Buffy sighs, "...how much older?"

Angel hesitates. They look in each other's eyes. "I really should…"

Buffy nods, "Go, you said."

Angel reaches for her, she moves to him. He takes her in his arms and they kiss, tender, tentative. Then it grows more passionate. And then he's suddenly and a little violently trying to pull himself free."

Angel moves back and Buffy see that he is a vampire. It's sudden, shocking and Buffy lets out a mortal screams. Angel runs into the night.

Prue, Piper and Phoebe come running into the living room.

Prue looks around, "Buffy, what happened?"

Buffy looks at her eldest cousin and sighs, "Angel's a vampire."

Piper looks at Buffy astonished, "You're sure?"

Buffy nods, "Yes. We kissed and his face morphed into a vampire."

Phoebe started laughing. They all turned and glared at her. "What? Well you have to admit it's funny. Piper dated a Warlock, fell for a ghost. I was interested in a demon. So it only makes sense that the guy Buffy would be interested in is a vampire."

At Gateway High kids are arriving for school. A noticeably shaken Buffy walks with Xander, Willow, Giles, and Piper.

Willow shakes her head, "Angel's a vampire?"

Buffy sighs, "I can't believe this is happening... one minute we're kissing, the next minute... can a vampire ever been a good person? Couldn't it happen?"

"A vampire isn't a person at all. It may have the movements, the memories, even the personality of the person it takes over, but it is a demon at the core. There's no halfway." Giles said.

Willow sighs, "So that's a no, huh?"

Piper shakes her head, "Well then what was he doing? Why was he... good to us? Was it all some part of the Master's plan? It doesn't make sense."

Buffy sits on one of the benches in front of school.

Xander sits next to her. "All right, you have a problem and it's not a small one. Let's just take a breath and look at this calmly and objectively." Buffy looks at him - he's making sense. "Angel's a vampire, you're a Slayer - it's obvious what you have to do."

Buffy looks to Giles and Piper.

Piper nods, "He has a point, Buffy."

Giles sighs, "It is the Slayer's duty."

None of them notice Cordelia approaching.

Xander nods, "I know you have feelings but it's not like you're in love with him or anything, right?" Buffy's expression tells him she just might be. Xander loses his cool. "You're in love with a vampire?! Are you out of your mind?"

Cordelia is stands right next to Xander. Her eyes go wide and she gasps. They look up, realize she's staring right at him.

"Not vampire, I mean... How can you love an umpire? Everybody hates them!" Xander said.

Cordelia looks past Xander and frowns, "Where did you get that dress?!" They follow her gaze past Xander to another girl in the exact same outfit as Cordelia. Cordelia fingers her own dress. "This is a one of a kind Todd Oldham. Do you have any idea how much it cost?"

Cordelia marches to the girl, grabs at the back of her dress, trying to read the label. "It's a knock-off, isn't it?" The girl backs away from Cordelia and they disappear into the morning throng. "It's a cheesy knock-off. This is what happens when you sign these Free Trade Agreements..."

Buffy sighs, "And we think we have problems."

A BELL rings.

Willow smiles, "Oh boy, time for geometry. It's fun if you make it fun."

Piper looks to Giles, "You have my number at Quake. If you come up with something call me?"

Giles nods, "Of course, Piper."

They move off.

The last of several kids enter rooms and the hall is quiet. Except . . . for Xander at a drinking fountain. Drinking up a storm. A nearby class door opens, Willow exits.

Willow smiles, "Geometry's starting."

Xander nods, "Yup."

"But you're out here drinking." Willow said."

Later in the library Xander, Willow and Buffy sit at the table.

Giles nods, "Here's something at last!"

Xander jumps about a foot out of his chair as Giles suddenly appears out of the stacks. "Can you please warn us before you do that?"

Giles holds some aged diaries. "Nothing about Angel in the texts, but then it occurred to me it's been ages since I read the diaries of the Watchers who came before me." He opens one of the diaries. "There's mention over two hundred years ago in Ireland of Angelus, the one with the angelic face."

Buffy nods, "They got that right."

Xander snorts. Willow looks at him. "I'm not saying anything, I have nothing to say."

"Does your Angel - this Angel - have a tattoo behind his right shoulder?" Giles asked.

Buffy nods, "A bird or something."

Xander frowns, "Now I'm saying something. You saw him naked?"

"So Angel's been around for a while." Willow asked.

Giles shakes his head, "Not that long for a vampire, two hundred and forty years or so."

Buffy laughs, "Two hundred and forty. Well, he did say he was older."

Giles picks up another diary, "Angelus leaves Ireland, wreaks havoc in Europe for several decades. Then, about eighty years ago, a most curious thing happens..." He picks up a third diary. "...he comes to America where he shuns other vampires and lives alone. There's no record of him hunting here..."

"So he is a good vampire. I mean on a scale of one to ten, ten being someone who's out there killing and maiming every night and one being someone who's... not..." Willow said.

Giles sighs, "There's no record but... vampires hunt and kill, it's what they do."

Xander nods, "Fish gotta swim, birds gotta fly."

"He could have fed on me, Piper, Prue, or Phoebe. He didn't." Buffy said.

Xander nods, "Question, the hundred years or so before he came to our shores, what was he like then?"

Giles frowns, "Like all of them, a vicious, violent animal."

Later Buffy and Willow are studying. Or rather Willow is studying and Buffy is thinking about Angel.

"Okay, so Reconstruction began, when? Buffy?" Willow asked.

Buffy looks at Willow confused, "Huh? Reconstruction? It began after the, ah, construction which was shoddy and so they had to reconstruct -"

Willow shakes her head, "After the destruction of the Civil War."

"Right. The Civil War, during which Angel was already like a hundred and change." Buffy said.

Willow sighs, "Are we going to talk about boys or are we going to help you pass history?" She waits a moment for an answer and then shuts the book. "Sometimes I have this fantasy that Xander is going to just grab me and kiss me, right on the lips."

Buffy smiles, "You want Xander to... you got to speak up, girl."

"No, no, no. No speaking up. That way leads to madness and sweaty palms." Willow said. At one of the doors in the back of the library Darla appears, unnoticed, cracks the door to listen. "Okay, here's something I gotta know: when Angel kissed you, I mean before he turned into... how was it?"

Buffy blushes, "Unbelievable."

Willow smiles, "Wow. And it is kind of novel how he'll stay young and handsome forever - although you'll still get wrinkly and die - oooo, and what about the children - I'll be quiet now."

Buffy sighs, "No, speak up. I've got to get over him so I can..."

"So you can...?" Willow mimes "staking" someone and makes a stabbing noise.

Buffy nods, "Like Xander said, I'm a Slayer, he's a vampire. Oh god, I can't. He's never done anything to hurt me. I gotta stop thinking about this." She opens the book. "Give me another half hour, maybe something will sink in. Then I'm going home for some major moping."

Darla quietly removes a couple of books and leaves.

Willow nods as she looks back at the book, "The era of congressional Reconstruction, usually called Radical Reconstruction, lasted ten years..."

At the Manor Piper works at the table, pouring over paperwork. She hears a noise, looks up. Nothing. "Buffy? Prue? Phoebe?"

No answer. Piper starts working again and there is another noise - outside, perhaps. Piper stands, a little spooked. She goes to the back door, peers out the window. Nothing.

She turns, brow furrowed. Looks toward the hall. As she moves away from the window Darla is right outside the window behind her in full grinning vampire mode. A moment more and Darla moves silently and quickly from the window.

Piper enters, still looking around tentatively. The doorbell rings and Piper jumps, startled. She goes to the door, opens it. Darla, looking friendly and innocent, school books in hand, is on the front porch. "Hello...?"

Darla smiles, "Hi. I'm Darla, a friend of Buffy's?"

Piper nods, "Oh, nice to meet you."

"She didn't mention anything about me coming over for a study date?" Darla asked.

Piper shakes her head, "No. I thought she was studying with Willow at the library."

Darla nods, "Oh, she is, Willow's the Civil War expert, but then I was supposed to help her with the War of Independence. My family kind of goes back to those days."

"I know she's supposed to be home soon. Would you like to come in and wait?" Piper asks.

Darla smiles, "That's very nice of you to invite me into your home." Her phrasing sounds a little odd, but not a big deal to Piper.

Piper nods, "...you're welcome." Darla enters. "I've been working on the books for Quake all night - would you like something to eat?"

Darla studies Piper's neck. "I'd love that."

Piper nods, "Let's see what we have."

Darla follows her into the kitchen.

Piper rummages in cupboards, the fridge. "Do you feel like something little or something big?"

"Something big." Darla says.

Darla is now in vampface!

Angel walks up, moves to the front door, reaches for doorbell, thinks better of it, moves away.

That's when he hears the big scream coming from the back of the house. He bolts to the back. Angel bursts in. Darla has her teeth in Piper's neck. Piper is weak and out of it, not cognizant of much. "Let her go."

Darla leans her head back, laughs, holding Piper around the waist like a limp doll. "I only took a little, there's plenty more. Aren'tcha hungry for something warm after all this time?" Angel hesitates, starting to breathe a little harder. "Come on, Angel..."

Angel, breathing harder still, shakes his head "no".

Darla nods, "Just say yes." She heaves Piper into Angel's arms. Angel morphs into vampface. "Welcome home." She fades back, leaving the two of them together.

Angel doesn't even see her go, he is staring at the pinpricks of blood on Piper's neck.

Darla slips out the door.

Angel shuts his eyes, trying to control himself. Opens them. Moves his head down toward Piper's neck -

"Piper? Prue? Phoebe?" Buffy appears from the hall entry. "...I'm home." She freezes, seeing Angel in vamp mode poised over Piper. Her eyes dart to the small but distinctive wound in her cousin's neck, then to Angel's terrifying face.

A moment later Angel comes crashing through the front window and lands in a heap on the lawn. He gets up, looks back.

Buffy looks at him with quiet hatred, "You're not welcome here. Come near us and I'll kill you."

Angel looks at her a beat - then moves off into the night.

Buffy watches for a second from the broken window, turns and runs back into the kitchen. "Piper, Piper can you hear me?"

Piper groans, she's alive. Buffy grabs the phone, punches in 911. "I need an ambulance, 1329 Prescott Street. My cousin… cut herself, she's lost a lot of blood... please hurry -"

The back door opens and Willow and Xander enter. "Hey, Buffy, we - Oh my god." Xander says.

They hear the front door open. "Piper? Buffy? We're home."

Willow frowns, "What happened?"

Buffy's voice is full of anger, "Angel." She looks back towards the kitchen door, "Prue, Phoebe in here."

Prue and Phoebe come running into the kitchen.

"Buffy?" Prue says.

Buffy looks at Prue, "She's alive. I called an ambulance."

Prue nods, "What happened?"

"Angel." Buffy spits out.

Later at the hospital Giles moves down the hall fast into Piper's room.

Piper is in bed, resting, a small bandage on her neck. Buffy, Prue and Phoebe are next to her. Willow and Xander stand nearby.

Buffy sighs, "Do you remember anything, Piper?

Piper nods, "Just... your friend came over, I was going to make a snack..."

Buffy turns, glares at Giles, Prue, Phoebe, Willow and Xander.

Buffy frowns, "My friend..."

Piper nods, "I guess I slipped and cut my neck on... the doctor said it looked like a barbeque fork, we don't have a barbeque fork...

Buffy nods, "Piper, get some rest now." She gives Piper a kiss on the cheek. Turns to go. She, Prue, Phoebe, Giles, Willow and Xander exit into hall. "The doctor says she's going to be okay. They gave her some iron, her blood count's a little..." She takes a moment to control her feelings.

Giles nods, "A little low, it presents like a mild anemia... you're lucky you got to her as soon as you did.

Buffy frowns, "Lucky and oh-so-stupid."

"Buffy, this isn't your fault." Prue said.

Buffy sighs, "Oh no? I invited him into our home, Prue. And even after I knew who he was - what he was - I didn't do anything about it. Because I had feelings, because I cared about him."

"If you care about somebody..." Willow glances at Xander. "...you care about them. You can't change that just by -"

Buffy frowns, "Killing them? Maybe not, but it's a start."

Xander nods, "We'll keep an eye on Piper."

"Thanks. The Three found me near the Bronze and so did he. He lives nearby... Prue, Phoebe you with me?" She starts to go as Prue and Phoebe follow.

Giles stops her, "This is no ordinary vampire – if there is such a thing - he knows you, he's faced the Three, I think it's going to take more than simple stake."

Buffy nods, "So do I."

Later at the library Buffy pulls the crossbow and several steel arrows out of Giles' weapons chest. Feels the point of an arrow - sharp. Locks an arrow onto crossbow - KA-CHING - it's a killing tool. She hands it to Prue. She then grabs another crossbow and arrows and hands it to Phoebe.

They comes out of the office loaded for bear, crossbow in Prue and Phoebe's hands and four shafts each stuck in their belts.

Buffy looks around for something to test them on. She stands near the check-out desk, sights on the back wall. Next to one of the doors in back is a poster of a senior boy.

Buffy looks to her cousins, "Try hitting the heart on that poster."

Prue fires and has good aim. Phoebe misses her first shot and hits the second time.

Buffy nods, "Let's go."

At the hospital A nurse moves past. Giles leans against the wall, thinking. Xander stands next to him in a bit of a daze, staring at Giles' coat for a long moment. "What?"

"Why do they call it tweed?" Xander asks.

Willow emerges from Piper's room. "Piper's asking for you."

Giles disappears into Piper's room. And moves next to Piper who is still a little groggy.

Piper smiles, "She talks about you all the time... it's important to have teachers who make an impression..."

Giles nods, "She makes quite an impression herself."

Piper sighs, "I know she's having trouble with history. Is it too difficult for her or is she not applying herself?"

"She lives very much in the now and of course history is very much about "the then", but there's no reason..." Giles said.

Piper nods, "She's studying with Willow, she's studying with Darla, she is trying..."

Giles frowns, "Darla. I don't believe I know..."

Piper nods, "Her friend, the one who came over tonight."

"Darla came to your house tonight, she was the friend you mentioned earlier? Not Angel?"

Piper shakes her head, "I would have frozen Angel the moment I saw him."

Giles nods, "Thank you, Piper." He heads out of the room fast to Willow and Xander. "We've got a problem."

At the Bronze up on the balcony. Buffy lets herself , Prue and Phoebe in through the broken window.

They prowls the balcony, crossbows in hand. Doesn't find Angel. They head downstairs.

Angel watches them move away from him, towards the bar.

Buffy sensing Angel, spins around, aiming towards the stage.

Angel's not there.

Buffy, Prue and Phoebe continues their prowl. Moves toward the bar. Hears the floor boards squeak from the direction of the dance floor.

Prue aims the crossbow into the darkness, looking for him. "We know you're there..."

Phoebe aims the bow this way and that, trying to find him.

Buffy nods, "And I finally know what you are."

Angel calls out from the darkness, "Do you..." Buffy zeros in on the right side of the stage. But suddenly his voice comes from the left. "I'm just an animal, right?"

"You're not an animal. Animals I like." Buffy says as she quickly shifts her weapon to the left.

Angel steps out of the darkness on her right - and much closer than Buffy was expecting. "Let's get it done." He charges Buffy. Extremely fast, too fast for Prue or Phoebe to shoot without hitting Buffy. It takes Buffy a second to adjust, but she does, bringing the crossbow up, sighting and FIRING! Angel hits the pool table and vaults straight up to the balcony as the arrow shoots across the club, missing him.

Buffy loads another arrow, creeps around the pool table, aiming up into the dark hole. She sights one side of the hole, then another - then Angel drops down behind her from the stairs.

Phoebe and Prue looks around trying to find Angel.

Buffy spins. Too late. He knocks the bow out of her arms. She punches. He blocks. He punches, she gets hit. She lands a kick and punches him in the ribs where he was wounded. He HOWLS in pain and rage, leaps for her. Just misses as she ducks and powers up a fireball.

Angel coming at her from behind.

Prue spots Angel, "Buffy behind you."

Buffy spins, aims at him. He stops. She's got a good, clean shot.

Angel's vampire face morphs into his regular face. Buffy. Seeing him this way, she hesitates. "Come on. Don't go soft on me now."

Buffy swings her hand wide and throws the fireball clearly missing him.

"A little wide..." Angel says.

Buffy sighs, "Why? Why didn't you just attack me when you had the chance? Was it just a joke? To make me feel for you and then... I've killed a lot of vampires. I've never hated one before."

Angel nods, "Feels good, doesn't it? Feels simple."

Buffy nods, "You play me, "She looks to Prue and Phoebe. "Us like a fool. Come into our home. And then you attack my family..."

"Why not? I killed mine." Angel says as he starts closing in on her. She backs up ever so slightly. Prue and Phoebe waiting for their chance to fire their crossbows. "I killed their friends, and their friends' children. For a hundred years I offered an ugly death to everyone I met. And I did it with a song in my heart."

Buffy nods, "A hundred years."

"And then I made an error of judgment. Fed on a girl about your age. Beautiful. Dumb as a post, but a favorite among her clan."

Prue frowns, "Her clan?"

Angel nods, "The Romani -"

Phoebe nods understanding, "Gypsies."

"Yes Gypsies. It was just before the turn of the century. Their elders conjured the perfect punishment for me. They restored my soul." Angel said.

"What, they were all out of boils and blinding torment?" Buffy asked.

Angel nods, "When you become a vampire, the demon takes your body. But it doesn't get the soul. That's gone. No conscience, no remorse... it's an easy way to live. You have no idea what it's like to have done the things I've done, and to care. I haven't fed on a living human being since that day."

Prue frowns, "So you start with my sister?"

Angel shakes his head, "I didn't bite her."

Buffy looks at Angel confused, "Then why didn't you say something -"

"But I wanted to. I can walk like a man but I'm not one. I wanted to kill you tonight." Angel says.

Buffy considers this, then, never taking her eyes off him. She motions for Prue and Phoebe to set the crossbows down. "Then go ahead."

Prue frowns, "Buffy?"

Angel looks at Buffy. Then he just shakes his head.

"Not as easy as it looks." Buffy says.

Angel almost smiles.

"Sure it is." Darla says as she appears from the back stage door. Strolls towards them, her hands girlishly clasped behind her back. "Do you know what the saddest thing in the world is?"

Phoebe laughs, "Bad hair on top of that outfit? To love someone who used to love you."

Buffy keeps her eyes on Darla. Buffy holds her hands behind her back as she powers up a fireball. "So you guys were... involved."

Darla nods, "For several generations."

"Well you're going to pile up a few ex's when you've been around since Columbus. You are older than him, right? One gal to another, you look a little worn around the eyes." Buffy says.

Darla bares her fangs in a smile. "I made him. And I brought him that Gypsy girl... there was a time when we shared everything. Wasn't there, Angelus. You had a chance to come home, to rule with me in the Master's court for a thousand years. You gave all that up because of her, you love someone who hates us."

Buffy looks over at Angel. He loves her?

"You're sick and you'll always be sick and you'll always remember what it was like to watch her die. You don't think I came alone do you?"

Buffy smiles, "I know I didn't." She whips her hand around showing Darla the fireball.

Darla smiles, "Scary." And Darla unclasps her hands, revealing the two Smith and Wesson .357 revolvers she's been holding behind her back. "Scarier." She casually fires!

Buffy DIVES under the pool table. Angel takes a bullet and slams into the wall and slides to the floor.

Buffy frowns, "Angel!"

"Don't worry, bullets can't kill vampires, they can hurt like hell, but -" She fires at the pool table. The bullet takes out a chunk of it just above Buffy's head.

Prue is about to telekinetically throw Darla when Phoebe stops her.

"You could accidentally cause the vampire to shoot Buffy." Phoebe says.

Darla closes in, guns in hand. "So many body parts, so few bullets... let's begin with the kneecaps, no fun dancing without them..." She fires! Buffy pops up and throws a fireball, it goes a little wide.

Darla smirks, "Close."

Giles, Willow, Xander crawl in through the window upstairs. Peer down at the carnage below.

Xander nods, "We need to distract her."

Willow shouts, "Buffy, Prue, Phoebe, it wasn't Angel who attacked Piper, it was Darla!"

Darla turns, fires in their direction. They duck.

Xander nods, "Good, enough distraction!"

Buffy rises and pulls the pool table, yanking Darla off her feet. Darla lands on her back as Buffy pushes the table with all her might - the table flies back toward the stage. Buffy turns and runs to the counter.

Darla fires continuously at Buffy, the glass case shattering from the gunfire as Buffy flies over and behind it.

Giles spies a light mixing board near him. He scrambles to the light board, starts pounding and punching buttons like crazy. Spotlights go on, off and then a strobe.

Xander shakes his head, "I don't think we can save them with Disco Fever... Oooo, strobes..."

Angel gets to his knees, tries to stand.

Darla looks around her, momentarily thrown, then advances again on Buffy, her movements oddly jerky in the strobe's constant flash. She fires - advancing on Buffy who crouches behind the bar. "Come on, Buffy... Take it like a man."

Buffy smiles, "Sure why not." She pops up and throws a fireball at Darla just as Angel plunges the steel-tipped arrow in Darla's back."

Giles bangs on the console. The strobe stops. All that's left in the room is moonlight and silence.

Darla staggers, drops the guns. She turns to see, "Angel..."

The fireball hits Darla and she dusts. Angel looks down at the remains of his old lover, saying nothing.

Buffy looks at Angel. There is a long moment between them, then Angel steps back into total darkness. And is gone.

A couple days later in the backyard at the Manor. Buffy dishes up a plate of healthy vegetables and carries it to Piper at the table. "Here Piper, you gotta eat this. It's what the doctor said, to build up your iron. How are you feeling?"

Piper smiles, "I'm thinking I should say not so good so you'll continue to wait on me hand and foot but I cannot tell a lie: I feel fine."

Buffy nods, "Good. I was so worried about you, I mean it actually made me feel sick. If anything happened to you, Prue or Phoebe..."

Buffy looks at Piper who puts her hand on Buffy's.

"Now you know how I feel about you, Prue and Phoebe every minute of every day." Piper says.

Buffy smiles, "I guess I do. Ouch, and now I am so sorry for about a kazillion things I've put you three through since moving in." Piper smiles, they hug. "Now eat your vegetables."

Piper laughs, "I did!"

Buffy shakes her head, "Piper…"

Piper nods, "I had two big bites."

Prue and Phoebe enter the backyard. They move to stand next to Buffy. "She still not eating her vegetables?" Prue asks.

Buffy smiles, "No she's good." She winks at Piper.

That evening at the Bronze It's crowded again, music and people milling about.

Buffy, Xander and Willow enter.

Xander nods, "Ah, the post-fumigation party."

Phoebe steps in behind them.

Buffy sighs, "What's the difference between this and the pre-fumigation party?"

Phoebe laughs, "Much heartier cockroaches."

Buffy is looking around - for someone in particular, as Willow notices.

"No word from Angel?" Willow asks.

Buffy shakes her head, "No. I don't think he'll be around. It's weird, though. In a way I feel like he's still watching me."

Phoebe shakes her head, "Well, in a way, he is. In the way of that he's right over there."

Buffy, Willow and Xander turn, with very different expressions. Buffy heads for Angel. Phoebe, Xander sits with Willow, deliberately turning his back.

"I just wanted to make sure you and your sisters are okay." Angel says.

Buffy smiles, "We're all good. You?"

Angel nods, "If I can go a little while without getting shot or stabbed I'll be all right. Look... this can't..."

Buffy nods, "I know, ever be anything. For one thing you're like two hundred and twenty-four years older than I am."

Angel nods, "I just gotta... I gotta walk away from this."

"I know. Me, too." Buffy says, but neither one goes. "One of us has to go here."

Angel sighs, "I know." Still neither leaves. Then he shakes his head like he's going to go but instead he bends to kiss her. And her arms go around his neck. And oh do they kiss.

"What's going on?" Xander asks.

"Nothing." Phoebe says as she smiles. She looks at Willow who smiles.

Xander nods, "Well, as long as they're not kissing..."

Buffy and Angel finally break. She looks up at him, the cross he gave her glinting at her throat. "Are you okay?"

Angel nods, "It's just..."

Buffy nods, "Painful, I know... I'll see you around." She turns and walks away. He watches her go, pain playing on his features.


	14. Chapter 14: Secrets and Guys

**Chapter 14: Secrets and Guys**

Buffy, Prue, Piper, and Phoebe are sitting at a table spring-cleaning in the attic. Piper is looking through a box of toys and Phoebe is painting her nails.

Phoebe smiles, "Can I just say I am absolutely enjoying this?"

Buffy nods in agreement, "Yeah this is fun."

Piper sighs, "That's because you two are not doing anything."

Phoebe shakes her head, "Not true. I've painted my fingers and my toes."

Buffy smiles, "Hey it would personal gain if I helped. I don't think whoever chose me to be the Slayer meant for me to be lifting heavy objects."

Prue nods, "I just hope that this doesn't fall under the personal gain category."

Piper sighs, "How could it? A good witch is a clean witch."

Phoebe nods "Yep. I think we should spring clean like this more often. You go girl."

Prue uses her power to close drawers, put things in a box, clean the window, straighten toys and books on a shelf, and lift some trophies while dusting.

Buffy sighs, "Fine, I will take some of the heavier boxes down. I'm your friendly pack mule today."

Piper smiles, "That's the spirit, Buffy." She looks to Prue, "Good job Prue." Prue uses her power to put away a broom. "Oh look. More toys. I told you Grams wouldn't throw them away."

Prue nods, "Yeah. But we will. Why don't you just put that stuff in the discard pile? Along with the rest of the stuff Buffy can cart downstairs."

Phoebe shakes her head, "Wait. What's in there?"

Buffy rolls her eyes.

Piper smiles, "Stuffed animals without eyeballs. Dollies that look like they've been through the mill once or twice... and looky here. Miss. Phoebe's diaries."

Buffy smiles, "Give me I want to see…"

Phoebe glares at Buffy, "The place where I kept all my secrets. Give me those." She takes her diaries before Buffy can grab them and she giggles. Prue and Piper give her a look. "What?"

Prue shakes her head, "The place where you kept your secrets?"

Buffy rolls her eyes.

Phoebe nods, "Uh-huh."

Piper sighs, "Phoebe, you could never keep a secret."

Phoebe shakes her head, "Oh. That is so not true."

Piper nods, "OK. Maybe Prue's surprise birthday party."

Prue smiles, "Guess again."

Buffy laughs, "Why does that not surprise me."

"You knew?" Piper asked.

Prue nodded, "Mm-hmm."

Piper hits Phoebe playfully. "Phoebe, you swore you wouldn't tell her."

Phoebe rolls her eyes, "I'm sorry. OK? It was an accident." Piper sighs. "I say we keep all the toys."

Prue shakes her head, "Subject changer."

Phoebe smiles, "For our children, for our future."

Buffy sighs, "I probably won't have any." The look all at her. "Remember Slayer. Destined to die young."

Piper nods, "That's a good idea." She looks at Buffy, "You will live a long life and just like Melinda said will have children. You just have to think positive."

Prue sighs, "Well, you can get rid of mine." Piper and Phoebe give her the "what" look. "What? It's just that, you know, we live in a world with so much violence and then you add the evil demons and it's a pretty scary place to raise kids in. Besides, I don't really think I'm cut out to be a mom."

Piper frowns, "How can you say that?"

"Why don't we have this conversation later? Like say 5 years?" Prue says.

Buffy nods, "Yeah five years. That sounds like a good time for me too."

Piper frowns, "Good. Ooh. Ooh. I think dinner's burning. Phoebe, lend me a hand." She leaves.

Phoebe shakes her head, "Don't look in my diaries." She leaves.

Prue looks to Buffy thinking.

The pointer starts to move on the spirit board.

Buffy frowns, "Piper. Phoebe. Get in here."

Prue begins writing down the letters. Piper and Phoebe enter.

"What is it?" Phoebe asks.

Prue points to the spirit board. Phoebe sighs.

Piper frowns, "Oh no. Not again."

Phoebe shakes her head, "What's it saying?"

Prue shows them the notepad that says HELP MAX. "Help Max."

The next morning in the parlor Piper is on the phone. Phoebe, Buffy and Prue come in with the spirit board and sit at a table.

"So maybe Max is a ghost. I mean, after all, that is a spirit board." Pheobe says.

Prue sighs, "A ghost who needs our help? I don't think so."

Buffy nods, "I have to agree."

Phoebe smiles, "Well, it wouldn't be the first time."

Prue nods, "What if it's just someone in trouble crying out?"

"Well, it would have to be someone with powers. That's not exactly AT&T." Phoebe says.

Buffy nods, "Help Max. That's not a lot to go on."

Phoebe nods, "Yeah. I mean there's nothing really you can do unless he sends another message." She looks to Piper. "What... are you on hold or something?"

Piper sighs, "It's Harry, the new chef at Quake. He threw out all my Henckel knives. Apparently, he prefers Forschners!"

Phoebe shakes her head, "You follow any of that?"

"No. Look, we wouldn't have gotten the message if it wasn't important." Prue says.

"OK. So what do you wanna do?" Buffy asks.

"Maybe go see Andy. See if he knows anything about a Max needing help." Prue says.

Phoebe nods, "Can you say long shot? Buffy and Prue gives Phoebe a look. "All right. You're both obsessed. I accept that. I'll thumb through the Book of Shadows. See if there's anything in there about spirit board SOS's."

Prue smiles, "And maybe Piper can…"

Piper sighs, "Look. Wait. I'm the manager. If I say I want Henckel, then I want…hello?" She hangs up. "The jerk hung up on me." She slams the phone on the table. "OK. How can I help you two?"

"I think we got it under control." Prue says.

Buffy nods in agreement.

Piper smiles, "OK. Then I'm going to Quake before Harry does anymore damage."

Piper leaves. Prue gives Phoebe a "what" look. Phoebe giggles.

In the foyer. Piper grabs her coat and opens the door to find Leo there.

Leo smiles, "Ha. Ding-dong."

They both laugh a little

"Leo. You're back. Come in." Leo hugs Piper. "It's so good to see you. How are you?" Piper says.

Leo nods, "Better now." They stop hugging. "How are you Piper?"

In the background, Buffy, Phoebe and Prue, who's carrying the spirit board and pointer, enter.

Piper smiles, "Uh, I'm better now too."

Phoebe smiles, "Leo!"

"Hey, Leo." Buffy says.

Prue nods, "Hey stranger. Good to see you."

"Yeah. What brings you back?" Phoebe asks.

"Phoebe." Prue and Buffy say.

Phoebe sighs, "You know, the chandelier in the living room keeps flickering."

Leo nods, "Yeah? Well, I'll get my tools."

Phoebe smiles, "Oh no. No. Take your time."

"Uh, attic. Remember? You have some reading to do." Prue says.

Phoebe sighs, "Right."

Prue: Mm-hmm.

Phoebe heads towards the attic

"Is that a spirit board?" Leo asks.

Prue nods, "Uh, this? Yeah it is. Um, I'm just talking it to the auction house to have it appraised."

Buffy smiles, "Uhm Prue. Do you need any help today?"

Prue looks back at Phoebe, "Don't you…"

Buffy rolls her eyes as she mouths, 'Please.'

Prue nods, "Ok come on." She grabs her coat. "So, we'll call if we hear anything."

Buffy grabs her coat and follows Prue out the door.

At the Police Station, Prue is sitting by Andy's desk and Buffy stands next to her.

"OK. Let me get this straight. You think a guy named Max might be in some kind of trouble, but you have no idea why. You've never meet him, and you really don't have no idea who he is. Is that about right?" Andy asks.

Buffy nods, "Yeah."

Prue nods, "OK. Fine. See, I had a dream last night and uh, in my dream my sisters and I were cleaning the attic when we found this old ouija-type board and the pointer started to move until it spelled out 'Help Max'." A couple of seconds pass. "That's it."

Andy types MAX on the computer and presses ENTER. "You know, I hear a lot of stories in my line of work, but yours are always very entertaining."

Prue smiles, "Thank you."

Andy nods, "You're welcome." He looks up at Buffy, "I hope your taking good notes here Buffy. Prue's a master she could probably write her own book."

"I have to agree Prue does have some interesting stories." Buffy says.

Andy looks at the computer. "Sorry. Nothing on anyone named Max."

Prue nods, "Oh. Thanks for checking."

Andy smiles, "Anytime."

Prue and Andy stare at each other. Prue giggles. "OK."

"OK." Andy says.

Buffy grabs Prue's arm, "We'll see ya later, Andy. Thanks for the help."

Andy nods, "No problem, Buffy. Bye Prue."

Buffy and Prue exit the station and head for Bucklands.

Later in Prue's office at Buckland's. Prue is typing on her laptop. Buffy is cataloging a few items for Prue. Someone knocks on the door. The door opens and Andy comes in. "Got a minute?" Andy asks.

Prue smiles, "Uh, sure." Andy closes the door. Prue puts the spirit board down so Andy can't see. Andy comes to her desk. Buffy moves over beside Prue so she can see the spirit board. "Why don't you just sit down here?" Andy sits down. "That's perfect. So, um, what's up?"

Andy nods, "I got some interesting information about a boy named Max."

"A boy?" Buffy asks.

Andy sighs, "Named Max. Yes."

Prue looks up at Buffy, "Whoa."

Andy nods, "Curious huh?"

"Very." Buffy says.

As Andy talks, the pointer on the spirit board starts spell out another message.

Andy nods, "Earlier today, a microchip plant was broken into but nothing was taken." Prue sees the pointer move and begins to write down the message. "Stranger still, the alarms were turned off before the front door was opened on the outside."

Prue frowns, "Uh, what does this have to do with this boy Max?"

"Well, uh, security cameras picked up a car in the front parking lot with a boy in the back seat…matching this photo taken at an arcade last week..." Andy says as he shows them a picture of Max and another boy. "...where a couple of kids sunk in in much the same way. Same boy. Max Franklin."

Buffy nods, "Do you know who was in the front seat?"

Andy shakes his head. "Just that they shot and wounded a security guard at the scene. This boy's in serious trouble Prue, Buffy. This is not a dream." Andy leans closer. "I need to know what you two know about this."

Prue shakes her head, "Well, I mean, why would we know anything? I think that you need to talk to his family."

Andy leans back in his chair. "I did. His father. He pretended not to know anything either. Clamed the boy was out of state visiting grandparents, will be back tomorrow, but something's wrong. He wanted to tell me something, but he was scared. He was afraid to say anything. What are you writing?"

Prue looks up after completing the message. "Nothing. I'm just doodling."

Buffy looks down at what Prue has written and nods.

"Neither of you are going to tell me anything are you?" Andy stands up. "One day, I'm going to figure out your secret Prue. Count on it." He leaves. Prue looks at the message. It reads KIDNAPPED AUTO SHOP. She looks up at Buffy who nods.

Prue puts the phone on speaker and dials Quake.

Piper over the phone, "Hello?"

"Hey. Um, look, Max is a boy, Piper, and he's been kidnapped." Prue says.

Piper on the phone, "What?"

Buffy nods, "Yeah. we got another message on the spirit board. I think Prue and I have to help."

Piper on the phone, "Uh, I think we should call the police."

"Uh, Andy's already been here and I think I have an idea what to do." Prue says.

Piper on the phone, "Uh, OK. So you've got everything under control?"

Later at Franklin's house. Buffy and Prue walks up to the door and Prue rings the bell. Mr. Franklin answers the door.

Prue smiles, "Mr. Franklin?"

Mr. Franklin nods, "Yes."

Prue nods, "My name's Prue Halliwell and this is my cousin Buffy. We need to talk to you about your son."

Mr. Franklin shakes his head, "Sorry, um, you have to leave, OK?"

"Look, we know that he's been kidnapped. We know that he's in trouble." Buffy says.

Mr. Franklin frowns, "I don't know what you're talking about."

Prue sighs, "I think you do. What I don't understand is why you won't talk to the police."

"Please. You gotta leave. Alright? Thank you." Mr. Franklin says as he begins to close the door and Prue holds the door open.

"Unless you can't talk to the police. The kidnappers won't let you, will they? That's why you wouldn't say anything to Inspector Trudeau." Prue says.

Mr. Franklin sighs, "Look, I don't know who you two are, but I'm begging you…"

Buffy nods, "We can help."

Mr. Franklin shakes his head, "No. No. You can't. Alright? Good-bye." He begins to close the door and Prue holds the door open.

Prue smiles, "Mr. Franklin..." She uses her power to send a picture flying into Mr. Franklin's hand.

Mr. Franklin catches the picture. Buffy powers up a fireball, quickly shows it to him before extenquishing it. "Dear God." He says.

A few minutes later they are in the living room. Buffy and Prue are sitting on the couch. Mr. Franklin is holding a picture of Max, Mr. Franklin, and Mrs. Franklin.

"Then they hit me and I passed out." Mr. Franklin says as he sits in an armchair and puts the picture down. "I've been going out of my mind crazy ever since last night. Should I go to the police? Should I do what they say? They promised to bring him back, but after what the police said happened this morning, I... I don't even know if he's alright."

Buffy shakes her head, "No. We know that Max is OK right now. If he wasn't, he couldn't have sent us that last message."

Mr. Franklin nods, "So I take it you two are a... witches too huh?"

Prue nods, "Is that what your son says he is?"

Mr. Franklin sighs, "It's what Paulette, my wife, says he is. It's what she was. You know, it would have been a hell of a lot easier to handle her family secret had it been revealed a lot sooner."

Prue looks to Buffy, "Maybe she was afraid of how you would react. Maybe she was afraid that you might not accept her or love her."

Buffy looks down. She can understand that feeling. When she had found out from Gavin Thomas about Prue, Phoebe and Piper. She had been worried how they would take her being the Slayer.

Mr. Franklin nods, "Speaking from personal experience?"

Prue smiles, "Yes I am."

"Well, when Paulette, she had to tell me, she was running out of time. She passed away 3 months ago. Then suddenly, Max, he starts having this power. I don't have a clue what to tell him what it all means. And he uses it and he nearly gets busted at an arcade and now this." Mr. Franklin says.

Prue smiles, "I'm sure that Max..."

Mr. Franklin shakes her head, "Do you have any children?"

Prue sighs, "No, but..."

Mr. Franklin frowns, "Then you possibly couldn't understand what I'm feeling."

Buffy sighs, "She does understand, Mr. Franklin. My mom passed away around the same time your wife did. Prue was thrust into being a parent when I was placed with her and her sisters. Prue, Piper, and Phoebe maybe my cousins. But Prue is also kind of my parent now also. She looks out for me, she takes care of me like any other parent would. Just like you do for Max."

Prue nods, "Buffy is correct. I may not have any children but I guess Buffy is right I am a parent now. Anyways I'm sorry... about what happened to Max and your wife, but if you could just find a way. Forgive her."

"Forgive her. She shouldn't have told me. Maybe if she had I would have been better able to protect Max." Mr. Franklin says.

Buffy nods, "Do you know of anybody who owns an auto shop of any kind?"

Mr. Franklin shakes his head. "Why?"

Prue sighs, "We think your son was trying to send us a clue."

Mr. Franklin sighs, "No I-I... although I think Max's friend, Danny, his brother works at one over in Oakland."

Prue smiles, "Is Danny the friend that broke into the arcade with Max?" Mr. Franklin's eyes widen. "Got an address?"

At the Auto shop. Max is trying to get free. Prue and Buffy appears in the doorway.

"Max?" Prue calls out.

Max looks up, "Who there?"

Prue and Buffy goes to Max and tries to help get him free.

Prue smiles, "My name is Prue, and this is my cousin Buffy. We're here to take you home?"

Buffy nods, "Max don't move okay." She powers up a fireball. "I don't want to burn you."

Max frowns, "But how'd you two find me? Burn me?"

Prue looks to Buffy, "Be careful, Buffy." She looks to Max. "We had a little chat with your friend Danny. Look, you're dad, he's waiting for you."

"You know my dad?" Max asked.

Buffy nods, "Yeah, he..." Mickey appears in the doorway. "Prue."

Prue stands up.

Mickey frowns, "Hey. Who the hell are you two?" Prue uses her power to push him back. "Aah!" He hits the tire bend. And falls to the floor.

Max looks at Prue with wide eyes. David enters. Prue uses her power to push him back too. He hits the tire bend and falls to the floor. Buffy finally manages to burn through the ropes.

Prue helps Max up. "Come on. We need to hurry."

Max looks at Mickey and David and then the ropes, "You two have powers?"

Buffy smiles, "Yeah."

We'll explain them to you in the car, OK?" Prue says.

Max shakes his head, "I can't leave. They'll kill my dad if I do."

Mickey comes up and hits Prue in knocking her to the floor unconscious. He then looks to Buffy, "Sit."

Buffy looks to Prue and nods deciding to comply for now.

Sometime later Buffy and Prue is tied up next to Max. Max has been tied back up.

Mickey shakes Prue. "Hey. Naptime's over. Wake up." Prue wakes up. "I got a little surprise for you."

Prue looks between Max and Buffy, "Max, Buffy, are you both OK?"

Buffy and Max shakes their heads.

Mickey smiles, "They're fine."

Prue frowns, "Look, don't worry..."

Mickey hits Prue on the shoulder. "I said they're fine! Now before you go trying to pull any of that magical, uh, hocus pocus crap again, I wanna show you something." He pulls out a little trigger with a red button on it.

Prue frowns, "What is it?"

"All that matters is what happens when I flick that little switch. Now I flick that little switch, and Max and your friend here takes a nap. A long one." Mickey says.

"Mickey, why don't..." David says.

Mickey frowns, "Shut up!" Mickey goes over to Max and kneels down beside him. David leaves. Mickey show Prue a bomb attached to Max's waist. He then shows Prue the bomb attached to Buffy's waist. "Plastic explosives. Little trick I picked up in Corcoran. Prison system's very educational."

Prue frowns, "Mickey, They're just children." Buffy glares at Prue. "He's already proven that he's not going anywhere. Buffy wouldn't either not without me. If you're going to wire anyone. Wire me."

"What is it with the three of you? What are you, like magicians or freaks of natures? Aliens? What?"

Buffy smiles, "Witches."

Mickey laughs and leaves the room.

Prue nods, "You OK?"

Max nods, "I'm scared."

Buffy sighs, "Your in good company. I always knew being the Slayer came with an early expiration date. But I never figured it would be at the hands of a human being."

Prue sighs, "I know. Just uh, do as they say and everything will be fine. They need you, remember?"

"I'm sorry I got you two into this. Sorry I have these stupid powers." Max says

"No Max. Don't ever be sorry about that. It's a gift. It's like being a, uh, musician or athlete." Buffy says.

Max sighs, "It's a pain. I'm a freak. My dad hates it too. He hates me."

Prue shakes her head, "No. No, he doesn't. He just doesn't understand it, that's all. It's new to him too. Don't worry Max. We won't let anything happen to you. We promise. OK?"

Buffy nods, "Yeah."

Max nods, "OK."

Prue smiles, "OK."

Max and Buffy both smile.

In the other room inside the auto shop where David and Mickey are discussing the plan.

David frowns, "You really think it's necessary? Wiring the kid or that girl like that?"

Mickey nods, "You saw what that chick did. Pretty cool actually. And the girl she didn't have lighter on her yet she burned through those ropes. They might come in handy tonight. It's the only reason either of them is still breathing."

A few minutes later Mickey is in a van preparing for the robbery. David walks over to him with the blue prints. "So the thing is, once Max shorts out the alarm, we got like 3 minutes till the guard realize there's a signal interruption."

Mickey smiles, "Just make sure the kid knows what he's supposed to do. And keep an eye on those girls. I don't trust either of them."

Max sighs, "Has anything like this ever happened to you before?"

Buffy shakes her head, "Uh…not exactly like this. Usually the demons that we have to deal with..."

Max frowns, "Demons?"

"Your mom didn't get to tell you much about being a witch did she?" Prue asks.

"No. I just found out about my power when she died." Max replies.

Prue nods, "You know, my mom died when I was young too. And Buffy's mom passed away around the same time yours did. We know how much it hurts, and it doesn't ever really go away. Neither of us even knew that our powers were coming. We've had to figure it out all by ourselves, which means so can you. Especially with your dad's help."

Max sighs, "He'll never understand."

Prue smiles, "Max, you have to help him understand."

Max sighs, "You sound just like my mom."

Buffy laughs, "She's had a lot of practice in the last few months."

Prue nods, "Well, I care a lot about you too." She looks at Buffy, "About both of you."

Buffy nods, "I know."

"I wish you could be my mom right now." Max says.

"So, what is your power anyway?" Buffy asks.

Max nods, "Mom called it psychokineses. It means I can move things I can't see."

Mickey comes to them. "All right. Remember, just do everything I say. And uh, nobody gets hurt."

David nods, "Let's roll."

Mr. Franklin shows up. "Max?"

Max smiles, "Dad."

Mickey and David point guns at Mr. Franklin.

"Hold it. Hold it. Don't shoot. I'm unarmed. Nobody else knows you're here. I swear. I found you the same way they did. Through your brother." Mr. Franklin says.

Mickey frowns, "Your brother?"

Prue shakes her head, "Gordan, they have him and Buffy wired."

Mickey frowns, "Shut up."

"Dad?" Max says.

Mr. Franklin nods, "It's alright son. Look man. I'll give you anything else you want. Just... let me have my boy, please?"

Mickey lowers his gun. "Alright David. Go, um, go put them in the van. Do it."

David, Buffy, Prue, and Max walk past Mr. Franklin.

Mr. Franklin smiles, "My son." David pushes him aside. "Max. Max." Buffy, Prue, Max, and David go in the van. As Mr. Franklin takes, Mickey loads the gun. "Please man, let him go. I beg you. Please. He's my son. I beg you. Please."

Mickey points the gun at Mr. Franklin's chest.

Buffy's jaw drops as she watches, "Prue."

Prue looks up out the back window of the van.

"Sorry." Mickey says as he shoots Mr. Franklin. Buffy and Prue see Mr. Franklin fall to the floor. Max is burying his face in Prue's coat. Mickey hops in front and closes the door. "Drive." He looks at Prue and Buffy.

Buffy and Prue look at Mr. Franklin as the van drives away.

Outside the bank David parks on the side of the road. He then turns around and looks at Max. "Alright. It'll be just like this morning Max." He shows Max the blueprints for the bank. "That's where the alarm panel is. You know the rest."

Max looks at Mickey.

Mickey frowns, "What are you looking at?"

"What are you going to do with my dad?" Max asks.

Buffy sighs, "Max, the sooner this is over, the sooner we can get to him. We need to hurry."

Max looks at the map. He then uses his power to short out the alarms, open the gate, and open the vault. "OK."

Mickey smiles, "Out."

Mickey and David pull on their bank robbers masks. They get out of the van and make Max and Prue come with them. They go in the bank and to the vault.

David nods, "We got 2 minutes."

"Alright. You get the cash. I'll watch them." Mickey says.

David goes in the vault. Mickey watches him.

Prue smiles, "Use your power."

Max is confused. Prue uses her power to show him to use it on the bomb on himself and Buffy.

Mickey looks at them. He grabs Max. "I don't want you three getting any ideas." Max looks at Prue while Mickey looks at David. Prue nods. Max begins using his power on the bombs. "What the hell are you doing?"

Max shorts out the bombs. An alarm rings.

Guard #1 yells, "At the vault!"

Two guards arrive on the scene. Mickey pushes Max away. Buffy and Prue grabs Max and holds him, making sure he doesn't get hurt.

"Hold it right there!" Guard #2 says.

David and Mickey get their guns.

Guard #1 frowns, "Drop it!"

Buffy looks to Prue, "Prue."

Prue uses her power to push the guards out of the way of the firing bullets. They stop.

"Big mistake." Mickey says as he pushes the button on the trigger. Nothing happens.

Prue smiles, "Yeah. Right back at you." She uses her power to push David and Mickey in the vault, closes it, and locks it. "Come on."

They begin to leave.

Max nods, "Shouldn't we wait for the cops? Explain everything?"

Buffy shakes her head, "No. Look, we cannot explain without telling and you have to protect yourself by protecting your secret."

Prue smiles at her cousin, "Buffy is right. Besides we really need to get back to your dad, OK?"

Later at the auto shop the van comes in. Buffy, Max and Prue get out.

Max runs over to Mr. Franklin, "Dad, you OK?"

Mr. Franklin smiles, "Max." Mr. Franklin gets up and hugs his son. "Oh. Ooh. I'm fine Max. Thank you God. Thank you. Thank you. Ooh. You're alright."

Prue looks to Buffy who nods, "But we saw you get... you're not bleeding."

"It's a miracle. Thank you... thank you both for protecting my son." Mr. Franklin says.

Prue smiles, "I'm just glad it all worked out. Raise the boy well." Mr. Franklin looks at Buffy and Prue strangely. "What?"

Mr. Franklin nods, "There's somewhere we need to go." He looks to Buffy and Prue. "I'd like you both to come with us."

The next morning at the cemetery. Max and Mr. Franklin put two pink rose with ribbons by Paulette's grave. Buffy and Prue is standing behind them.

"I was so busy being angry at your mother for leaving, for not telling me her secret, your secret... it was like a... a weight on my heart. I hope you both can forgive me." Mr. Franklin says.

Max hugs his dad.

Buffy smiles and looks at Prue and then hugs her cousin. I think I'm ready."

Prue nods in agreement.

Later back at the Manor in the attic. A toy train goes across the floor. Phoebe picks it up. Piper is carrying a box of toys behind her. They go to a little table. Phoebe sits down. Piper puts the box down.

Prue smiles, "Can you believe that? Dad's old train."

Piper shakes her head, "I can't believe you two. You get mad at me for chasing monsters on my own."

Prue smiles, "Well, I figured we could handle it when we realized they weren't demons, but I think Buffy and I both agree we probably should have asked for help."

Buffy nods, "Yeah."

"Even though that killed you, and it almost did." Phoebe says.

Prue smiles, "Live and learn."

Piper nods, "Yeah, you didn't even get to say good-bye to Leo."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Phoebe asks.

Piper sighs, "I don't know. It's just weird. I felt like... he was holding something back form me."

Buffy shakes her head, "Holding something back? What do you mean?"

"Who knows? It just seems like he wasn't telling me the whole story. Like... he had some secret he was afraid I couldn't handle." Piper says.

Phoebe nods, "Well that's his call..." Buffy, Prue and Piper give her the "what" look. "Uh, assuming that he had a secret. Might not have."

Piper shakes her head, "What are you talking about?"

Phoebe sighs, "OK. OK. You don't have to beat it out of me. Leo is a Whitelighter. They're sort of guardian angels for witches. And they're not supposed to get involved with witches. But Leo couldn't help it. He fell in love with you and that broke all the rules and got him in all sorts of trouble. And even though he'll love you forever, you will probably never see him again."

Buffy, Prue and Piper begin laughing.

"What? Phoebe, that's... that's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. Oh god. Don't be so silly." Piper says as she tosses Phoebe a doll.

Phoebe smiles, "That's me. Silly."

Piper nods, "I gotta go get some more tea." She leaves.

Prue smiles, "Yeah. You know, Pheebs. With an imagination like that, you should be writing children's books or something."

Buffy nods in agreement, "Yeah, Pheebs."

Phoebe shakes her head, "No. But I didn't... I didn't... even think of that. That's a really good idea Prue." She moves the toy train to the box of toys going.

"Oh. Oh." Prue says as she grabs the toy train. "That stays here."

Phoebe blinks, "Wait. I thought all of the toys were going to the salvation army."

Buffy smiles, "Well, like you said."

Prue nods in agreement, "We should save some for our children."

"Do I sense a hormonal shift here?" Phoebe asks.

Prue shakes her head, "It's no big deal. Buffy and I just had some time to think."

Buffy smiles, "Yeah time to think."

Phoebe shakes her head, "Yeah. In all that spare time of yours."

"And I realize that I do want kids. I think that I'd make a great mom." Prue says.

Buffy laughs, "You already do, mom."

Prue laughs and slaps at Buffy playfully.

Phoebe smiles, "So, did you two save Max or did Max save the both of you?"

Buffy and Prue doesn't answer.

Phoebe picks up the box and leaves.

Buffy smiles at Prue, "I think he saved us both."

Prue nods in agreement.


	15. Chapter 15: That Seventies Episode

**Chapter 15: That Seventies Episode**

At the Manor Buffy, Prue and Phoebe are looking through photo albums.

Phoebe shakes her head, "There aren't any pictures of me growing up."

Prue shakes her head, "That seems impossible. I mean, you weren't exactly camera shy."

Buffy sighs, "I see none of mom here either. I wonder if Grams cut her out like she did Uncle Victor. I wish I knew what caused them to have a falling out."

Prue looks to Buffy, "So would I. I remember she did come to visit a few times. But it was always without you or your dad."

Phoebe sighs, "Yeah, well neither were you and Piper, or you and Grams, or you and Dad. Oh look, there's another one of you and Piper."

Prue nods, "Okay, here's a picture of you and Grams."

"Oh, wasn't she just cute." Buffy says.

Prue nods, "Here's one of you and Mom."

Phoebe looks at the picture astonished, "Wow, I don't even remember that. What was I, about two?" Prue nods, "She died on us a year later."

Buffy sighs. She knows how Phoebe feels. Prue and Piper remember Patty. Phoebe was three when Patty died and has no memories of her. And Buffy was not even born. She wishes she could meet the woman just once.

Prue sighs, "Phoebe."

Piper enters the room. "Okay, all right, I need a pen and paper." She tries to open a drawer but it's stuck. "Quick, we don't have a lot of time." Phoebe hits it twice and kicks it and the drawer opens. "I always wondered how you got into my candy drawer."

Phoebe smiles, "Yeah, too bad all the candy's gone."

"I thought it would be easier for us to just write him a note." Piper says.

Buffy blinks, "Who him?"

Piper nods as she looks at Prue and Phoebe, "You know, what's his name." The doorbell rings. "Grams little friend comes every year, same day, same time. Says you know, the flowers are from a secret admirer when it's obvious he's the admirer." She opens the door. "Hi, come on in." The clock chimes in the background. "How are you?"

"Flowers for Miss Penny Halliwell." Nicholas says as he goes to hand them to Piper but he drops them and Piper freezes him and the flowers.

"Every year. What a klutz. At least this year I can freeze him so I can spare myself the clean up." Piper says.

Phoebe nods, "Why did you want to write him a note?"

Piper sighs, "To tell him Grams is dead."

"Oh, you're gonna break his heart." Prue says.

Buffy nods in agreement, "Yeah."

Piper gets the vase of flowers that's frozen in the air. The man unfreezes.

Nicholas smiles, "Five chimes."

Piper frowns, "Excuse me?"

"The clock. I only heard five chimes. It's noon. That means you froze me. Which means you have your powers at last." Nicholas says.

Piper smiles, "Uh, I don't know what you're talking about Mister but thanks for the flowers, okay, bye."

Nicholas nods, "Call me Nicholas. Both of your mothers did." He puts on a ring and he becomes younger. "I had to appear to age over the years otherwise you would've been suspicious."

"What?" Buffy and Prue say.

Nicholas smiles, "You see, twenty-four years ago today, both of your mothers and I made a pact. To spare their lives, they gave up your future powers to me. They blessed this ring. Which gave me immunity from your powers." Piper tries to freeze him. "Immunity so that I could kill you and take the powers on for my own. To become invincible."

Buffy powers up a fireball and throws it. It has no effect.

Prue shakes her head, "Our mother would never give away our powers."

Buffy nods, "Neither would mine."

"They didn't have much of a choice. Your blood is boiling. Soon your lungs will sear." Nicholas says as he points the ring at them and they double over in agony. "Your organs will over heat and death will come."

Phoebe kicks him in the leg and he falls over. Prue, Piper and Phoebe run upstairs to the Charmed Book of Shadows. Buffy runs over to her Book of Shadows.

"Why would mom and Aunt Joyce make a deal like that?" Prue asks.

Buffy flips through her Book, "Good question."

Piper sighs, "More importantly, what are we gonna do?"

Phoebe flips to a page in the Charmed Book, "Wait, I think I found a spell. To unbind a bond."

Buffy moves to stand next to Prue, Piper and Phoebe.

Nicholas calls up from downstairs, "You can't run from me."

"Okay, we have no choice." Prue says.

Buffy nods, "Okay, Phoebe, hurry."

Phoebe sighs, "Okay. The bond which was not to be done, Give us the power to see it undone, And turn back time to whence it was begun." Twinkling lights encircled them, they disappear for a few seconds and reappear in the same spot. "It didn't work?"

"Nothing happened." Prue says.

A phone rings from downstairs. Phoebe opens the attic door. "Who's phone is that?"

Piper looks to Prue who shakes her head, "Not ours."

Buffy nods, "Definitely not mine. I wouldn't have a ringtone like that."

Grams downstairs, "Halliwell residence."

Piper nods, "You go."

"Nah-uh, you go." Phoebe says.

Buffy shakes her head, "Nah-uh, she goes." They push Prue out the door.

Prue sees Grams talking on the phone.

Grams shakes her head, "I beg your pardon? Well, Donna, I'm just hurt that you would suspect my little angels of such a thing."

Prue blinks, "Grams?"

A young Prue and Piper run past Grams.

"Prue. Uh, just a moment, Donna. Prue, Piper, girls, don't run in the house. Yes, yes." Grams says.

Prue goes back in the attic.

Piper looks to Prue, "What did you see?"

Phoebe nods, "The warlock?"

Prue shakes her head, "No. Us." She explains what she saw.

Buffy frowns, "Us?" She and Phoebe are looking through the Book of Shadows.

Piper nods, "How do we know we're back in time? What if we just brought the past to us accidentally. We've done it before."

"Piper, look around. What do you see?" Prue asks.

"A messy attic, like always." Piper replies.

Buffy looks up, "No. Not just like always."

Prue nods in agreement, "We have a black light, a typewriter, eight-track tapes and a pet rock. I mean, we got rid of this stuff years ago, remember?"

Piper sighs, "And you saw us? As kids?"

Prue nods, "Yeah. Well you and me as kids anyways."

"This can't be happening. I'm getting a migraine." Piper says.

Phoebe smiles, "Better not. I don't think Advil's been invented yet. And apparently neither has this spell. It's not in here anywhere. "

Buffy nods, "And my book is nowhere to be seen. So either mom is not living here or she hasn't copied yours yet."

Piper frowns, "But we just cast it, that's how we got back... here."

"Yeah, well, wherever here is, it's before the spell was written." Phoebe says.

Prue nods, "So, there's nothing in there about how to get back to our own time?"

Buffy sighs, "Nothing. Uh, let me be the first to say we're screwed."

Phoebe nods, "Second."

Prue sighs, "No, okay, at least we're alive, I mean if we stayed in our own time, Nicholas would have killed all of us. We barely got away as it was... is... will be... you know, I've never been good with tenses."

Buffy rolls her eyes.

"What are we gonna do?" Piper asks.

Prue nods, "Well, Grams is right downstairs, maybe we should just go and tell her who we are."

Phoebe smiles, "And say what? Hi, we're the ghosts of grandchildren future. Come on, even Grams is going to have a little trouble with that."

Piper nods, "Plus, she has that heart condition."

Prue nods, "Okay, fine, so we need another plan, but first we need to get out of the house."

Prue, Buffy, Piper and Phoebe sneak downstairs. Grams is talking on the phone. "You're talking to fast. Patty, sweetheart, slow down."

"Patty?" Piper asks.

Prue nods, "Mom."

Buffy blinks, "Aunt Patty?"

Prue nods.

"What premonition? That's impossible, you don't have premonitions. " Grams says.

Phoebe frowns, "But I thought you said mom's power was to freeze time."

Grams answers Phoebe's question for Prue, "Patience has premonitions."

Buffy blinks, "Mom?"

Prue sighs and pulls Buffy into an embrace.

Grams nods, "Maybe you should go see a doctor."

Piper picks up the other phone.

Patty's Voice on the phone, "I don't need to go to the doctor, mom."

Prue releases Buffy and turns to Piper, "Piper!"

Patty's Voice on the phone, "I need you to listen to what I'm saying."

Phoebe, Buffy and Prue listen in on the conversation too.

Piper nods, "She's talking to mom."

Patty's Voice on the phone, "I can't explain it either, mom. It just happened. I felt a twinge in my stomach and then bam! I saw it."

Grams nods, "Saw what?"

Patty's Voice on the phone, "Four women. Warlocks. And one of them was taking Prue."

"Do you really think that's mom's voice?" Phoebe asks.

Piper nods, "Yes."

Grams sighs, "Are you still nauseous? Why don't, why don't you come home from Buddy's."

Patty's Voice on the phone, "I can't. And it was not a daydream."

Buffy shakes her head, "Four warlocks? She can't be talking about us, can she?"

Grams hangs up the phone.

Prue nods, "Okay, let's get out of here."

They walk down the stairs.

Grams calls out from another room, "Prudence! Piper!"

They see two kids run through a room. Little Prue moves a couch across the doorway.

Little Piper calls out, "No fair, using magic."

Piper blinks, "Whoa!"

Buffy shakes her head, "Wait, you guys had powers back then?"

Phoebe: Oh, this is freaky.

They walk into the room where little Prue and Piper are standing.

Prue smiles, "Hey."

Little Prue smiles, "Hi." She points to Prue's freckle that's on her face.

Prue nods, "You got one too. Come here." She gives Little Prue a big hug.

Grams walks in the room. "How many times have I told you girls..." She sees Prue, Buffy, Piper and Phoebe.

Prue frowns, "Um, Grams, we can explain."

"Warlocks be gone!" Grams says as Prue, Buffy, Piper and Phoebe fly out of the house.

Outside they run down the street.

Prue frowns, "Grams definitely had her power down."

Piper nods, "She is one scary witch. I don't remember having powers at that age, do you?"

Prue shakes her head, "No, I thought we got them for the first time a few months ago."

Buffy shakes her head, "Apparently not. You must of lost them before you could even remember having them."

"Yeah, how weird was that seeing us as kids. Totally bizarre." Prue says.

Phoebe picks up a newspaper. "Mom is barely pregnant with me. Here, March 24, 1975."

Buffy nods, "And I won't be born for another 6 years."

Phoebe nods, "That's the day that mom and Aunt Joyce made the pact with Nicholas."

"So maybe that's why the spell sent us back here, to stop the pact." Prue says.

Piper nods, "Which means it could be the only way for us to get back to our own time. We've got to go see mom and Aunt Joyce and warn them about Nicholas."

Prue: Yeah, but we have to do a better job of convincing mom and Aunt Joyce then we did Grams. This time we have to use our powers."

Piper sighs, "The problem is mom's on the lookout for four warlocks now. So maybe we should find Aunt Joyce?"

Buffy shakes her head, "I think mom could have a hard time believing us since I'm not born yet. She wouldn't accept readily that I am her daughter. That leaves Aunt Patty."

Prue nods, "So, then maybe only two or three of us should approach mom just in case."

"Well, since I don't have any powers to show mom I think it should be you three. I'll just stand outside and watch for Nicholas." Phoebe says.

Piper sighs, "That doesn't seem fair to you, Phoebe, not being able to see mom."

Phoebe nods, "I know, it's not, but I got over that a long time ago. I don't need to see her now. Really, it's okay. We better get going, though, before we miss her."

At Buddy's Buffy, Prue and Piper enter and sit at a table by the door.

Prue blinks, "Whoa, scary. Buddy's has not changed a bit. Wouldn't... didn't...?"

Piper shakes her head, "Give it up, I know what you mean. I don't see mom anywhere, do you?"

Buffy looks around, "No."

Piper looks around, "Buffy. Prue."

They see Patty walking out of the kitchen.

Prue smiles, "Mom."

Buffy nods, "She's so beautiful."

Prue nods, "Yeah, she is."

Buffy looks between Prue and Piper, "I can see where you guys get your good looks."

"I don't remember her working here." Piper says.

Prue nods, "Yeah, with dad gone she had to pay the bills somehow. I remember she used to come home late at night and she'd kiss me and she always smelt like burgers."

Piper sighs, "You're lucky, you have a lot more memories than I do."

Prue nods, "At least you have some. Poor Phoebe, she doesn't have any. And Buffy was born 5 years after she… Here she comes."

"What do we do if she recognizes us?" Buffy asks.

Prue nods, "Um, Piper you freeze the place and when she sees that we don't freeze either than she'll believe us when we tell her who we are."

Piper nods, "Okay, how do I look?"

"Great." Prue and Buffy say.

Patty walks up to their table, "Ready to order?" They just stare at her. "Take your time, I'll come back."

Piper smiles, "No, wait. We're ready aren't we, Prue?"

"Ah, Prunes. Um, Prunes. She wants to know if you have any prunes." Prue says.

Patty thinks for a moment, "Prunes, sure. Yeah, I think so. I just started here, I'll go check."

Buffy shakes her head, "No! She can order something else."

Patty nods, "Have we met before? You look familiar." She looks at Buffy. "It's weird you look just like my sister, Patience."

Buffy smiles, "Now that I think about it you look familiar. Now."

Piper tries to freeze everyone several times but her power won't work.

Prue whispers to Piper, "What's the matter?"

"It's not working. You try." Piper whispers back.

Prue tries to move her glass. "Okay, how is that possible?"

Buffy tries to power up a fireball and nothing happens.

Another waitress calls out, "Patty, phone."

Patty calls back, "Oh, okay, thanks. I'll uh, be back."

Piper smiles, "Wait! We know you're pregnant."

Patty looks at Piper astonished at what she said. "What?"

Piper smiles, "This is going to sound really weird but we're actually your..."

Prue nods, "Cousins. From outta town."

Buffy rolls her eyes.

Piper nods, "Right, cousins. And we need to tell you something really important about the baby that you're carrying, sort of."

Patty sighs, "Not that this is any of your business but I can't get pregnant anymore. Medically impossible. Excuse me." She leaves.

Buffy rolls her eyes, "Way to be subtle, Piper."

"I panicked. I thought, you know, close family would know she was pregnant." Piper says.

Prue nods, "Yeah, well, not only does she not know that she's pregnant, she doesn't even think she can get pregnant."

Buffy sighs, "Yeah, well, we got bigger problems. We have no powers which means we have no way of stopping Nicholas."

Prue nods, "Yeah, how do we not have powers? I mean little Prue and little Piper, they have powers."

Piper shrugs, "I don't know. Maybe only one set of us can have powers at the same time in the same time."

Buffy rolls her eyes, "That don't explain me, though Piper. I have no duplicate."

Phoebe runs into Buddy's.

Prue frowns, "Phoebe, what are you doing?"

"Nicholas is here." Phoebe says.

"What? Where?" Piper says.

Phoebe nods, "Run!"

They run out of Buddy's.

On Prescott Street Buffy, Prue, Piper and Phoebe are walking down the street.]

Buffy sighs, "Was Nicholas wearing his ring?"

Phoebe shrugs, "I don't know. I don't think so."

Piper nods, "It's a good thing you were there, Pheebs, That was probably when Nicholas was gonna make his move on mom."

Phoebe shakes her head, "No, I don't think so otherwise we'd be back in our own time by now."

"Hey, are you all right?" Prue asks.

Phoebe smiles, "Yeah, uh, just seeing mom for the first time and talking to her, I just didn't expect to feel so..."

Prue nods, "Feel what, good?"

Buffy shakes her head, "No, probably overwhelmed. Am I right?"

Phoebe nods, "Yeah, overwhelmed. You too?"

Buffy nods, "A little."

Piper looks across the street and sees Patty's car, "Well, mom's car is here, at least we know where she is."

"Yeah, but the question is, how do we get to her? Grams must have told her about us by now. She probably thinks we're the warlocks." Prue says.

Piper sighs, "Our only option is to wait for Nicholas to show. But what are we going to do without our powers?"

Phoebe nods, "Well, technically you still have your powers. If you count little Prue and little Piper. We need our powers and they have them. Come on."

They turn to look at Buffy who is walking over to Patty's car. She places her hands on the rear bumper and lifts the rear of the car, "Looks like I might still be the Slayer." She sets the car down.

They turn and enter through the back door.

"Coast is clear." Phoebe says.

Piper nods, "What if Grams catches us?"

Prue sighs, "She'll kill us before Nicholas has a chance."

Buffy shakes her head, "Let's hope it doesn't come to that."

Phoebe nods, "She won't catch us. Observe." She opens the heating duct and they can hear Grams and Patty talking.

Patty's Voice comes through the vent, "You said yourself the girls are safe with you. Besides, I want to go."

Grams Voice comes through the vent, "You are making a big mistake, Patty, Victor is not coming back."

"How did you...?" Prue asks.

Phoebe smiles, "Heating duct to upstairs. I used to listen to you guys for hours. Especially when you used to sneak Andy up to your bedroom in high school."

Prue glares at Phoebe, "Oohh... Okay, you and Buffy stay here and keep tabs on them, we're gonna try and find the little girls." She and Piper leave.

Patty's Voice comes through the vent, "Victor sent me a note. He asked me to stop by his hotel after my shift."

Buffy blinks, "Uncle Victor?"

"Dad?" Phoebe says.

Grams Voice comes through the vent, "You know it was doomed from the start. You never even took his last name."

Patty's Voice comes through the vent, "You wouldn't let me."

Buffy shakes her head, "Wouldn't let her? How come mom was able to then? Never mind I think I know why."

Grams Voice comes through the vent, "Well, that's beside the point. Why can't you just wear your uniform to see him?"

Patty's Voice comes through the vent, "Because I don't want him to know I'm a waitress. Look, it can't hurt to talk, right?"

Grams Voice comes through the vent, "Well, let him go I say. If husbands were supposed to stay married, God would have made them live longer.

Patty's Voice comes through the vent, "Mother!

Phoebe laughs, "Grams."

They listened till they heard Grams and Patty leave the upstairs room. They run quickly to find Prue and Piper.

"Prue, Piper, mum's coming down... "Phoebe says as she and Buffy notice that they're frozen. "Oh, boy."

Buffy nods, "Yeah."

They hear Patty and Grams coming down the stairs.

Grams Voice comes from the stairs, "Fine, if you must go, go. I can't stop you, but I also can't promise I won't teach the girl's a new spell while you're gone."

Patty's Voice comes from the stairs, "Can't you bake cookies with them like all the other grandmothers?"

Grams Voice comes from the stairs, "The recipes they learn from me don't come from Betty Crocker, dear."

Patty's Voice comes from the front door, "Bye girls, love you."

Everyone unfreezes.

Little Andy looks to Phoebe and Buffy, "Whoa, where'd you two come from?"

Prue frowns, "Yeah, that's a good question."

Buffy shakes her head, "Don't ask. Okay, we gotta go Patty just left and Grams is..."

Grams calls out as she comes towards them, "Prudence. Piper."

"Coming." Buffy finishes.

Prue nods, "Go, go, go, go."

Piper shakes her head, "Shh, shh, shh." They run towards the door.

Little Andy follows behind them, "I wanna go too."

Phoebe shakes her head, "No, Andy, you have to stay here."

Little Andy frowns, "No!"

"Okay, we got it, we got it." Piper says.

Buffy smiles, "Oh, Little Andy Trudeau is so cute."

"All right, ready? Freeze him." Piper says as they close the door. Little Piper freezes Andy. They open the door again. "Okay, cool. Come on. Let's go, let's go."

"Okay, maybe that's why Andy is so suspicious of us." Prue says.

Piper sighs, "Okay, Grams keeps the keys in the same spot. Yes, good."

Grams enters the room where Andy is. "Oh, Andy. Did Piper freeze you again? Oh, you poor dear. You won't remember a thing." He unfreezes. "Do you know where the girls went?"

"I think the strange ladies took them." Little Andy says.

At the Park Phoebe sits on a bench. Prue holds a ball and stands before Little Prue and Little Piper. Buffy is looking around keeping watch.

Prue smiles, "Okay, girls. If we see a bad guy what do we do?"

Little Prue looks to Little Piper, "She's gonna cry."

Buffy laughs.

Little Piper shakes her head, "Am not. I'm gonna freeze him."

"And then I'm gonna move him." Little Prue says.

Prue nods, "Okay, then we'll take care of him and then we will all..."

"Run like the wind!" Little Prue and Little Piper say.

Prue smiles, "Exactly. All right, so let's give it a try. Ready?" She throws a ball up in the air.

Little Piper freezes it and Little Prue moves it.

Little Prue smiles, "Can we do it again?"

"Yes, yes. Practice makes perfect. Okay, go try it." Prue says.

Phoebe nods, "Those girls have major juice. They have control, they can aim."

Prue smiles, "Yeah, well, they've had their powers a lot longer than we have. I mean did. I think."

Buffy looks back at her cousins, "What do you think happened to your powers when you were kids?"

Prue sighs, "Well, we lost a lot growing up. Somehow we must have lost them too."

Piper comes up to them. "I finally found a pay phone. Mom is at work until five and Nicholas is on duty until six."

Prue nods, "Good, at least we know where he is. The girls are ready."

Phoebe: Well, I'm not.

"Why not?" Prue askss

Phoebe shakes her head, "Mom died before I could grab onto enough to keep her alive in my head. And now she's here alive, pregnant with me. If we stop Nicholas, we have to go back to our own time. And there's no mom there."

Buffy sighs, "I know how you feel Buffy. I never got to know Aunt Patty either. Plus my mom is alive now also."

Piper nods, "We don't have much of a choice, Phoebe. Buffy."

A cop car pulls up and a cop gets out walking towards them, "Is this your car?"

At the Hotel. Patty is walking to Victor's room. She knocks on the door.

Victor calls out, "Come in."

"Victor?" Patty says as someone grabs her. "Get off me."

It's Nicholas. He handcuffs her hands together. "I won't let you freeze me, Patty."

Patty frowns, "You."

Nicholas smiles, "Call me Nicholas."

"Where's Victor?" Patty asks.

Nicholas shakes his head, "Not here. Bait for the hook." Patty hits him in the stomach. "Your blood is boiling, and then death will come."

Patty doubles over in pain, "What do you want?"

Nicholas smiles, "What does any warlock want? I want your power Patty. At least I wanted it first. Till I realized you were the mother of the Charmed Ones. And your sister was the mother of the Charmed Slayer."

Patty shakes her head, "No, no. You're mistaken. I only have two children. And Patience has none."

"Oh, but there will be a third child. And your sister will have a child as well. Where did that premonition of yours come from, Patty? If not from the unborn child inside you. I tapped your phone. And I heard you and the old witch talking about it." Nicholas says.

Patty shakes her head, "I saw four warlocks. Women."

Nicholas nods, "I saw them too, at the diner. Rivals, perhaps. I got to you first."

A short time later a knock comes at the door.

Patty calls out, "Come in."

Joyce walks in, "Patty?"

Nicholas smiles, "She's right there. Be a nice witch and sit down beside her."

Joyce sees Patty handcuffed and nods sitting next to her sister. "Are you ok?"

Patty nods.

Nicholas gets his ring out of a drawer.

"I beg you. Don't hurt them." Patty says.

Joyce frowns, "Hurt who. Prue and Piper?"

Patty nods, "And my unborn child and your future child."

Nicholas smiles, "There is another option, Patty. Patience."

Buffy, Prue, Piper and Phoebe are at the police station in a Jail. Cell.

Piper sighs, "I can't believe we got arrested for kidnapping ourselves."

Buffy rolls her eyes, "I can't believe I'm in here. I'm underage, I would have thought they would shipped me off to juvie or something."

Prue shrugs, "Who knows Buffy. Maybe your old enough to be tried as an adult. Anyways , well, it should make for a pretty interesting defense for all of us."

"Do you think this is funny? Prue, we're not just stuck in jail, we're stuck in the past." Piper says.

Prue sighs, "Yes, I know Piper, I've been following."

Buffy smiles, "Uh, bright side?"

"Well, maybe we can get to know mum better." Phoebe says. "Or, in my case finally. I mean, if we really are stuck here, we might as well take advantage of it, right? And maybe we can keep her from dying young this time."

"Five minutes, ma'ams." A police officer says.

Joyce and Patty comes up to them.

Patty sighs, "How'd you know I was pregnant? Who are you people?"

Phoebe smiles, "Your daughters."

Buffy smiles and looks at Joyce, "And I am yours."

A short time later Outside the police station.

Patty nods, "Okay, Patience and I bailed you out. You just better not be warlocks."

Prue nods, "Well, we wouldn't have needed you to bail us out if we were."

Patty smiles, "I've seen some magic in my life, but this is a miracle. Don't you think, Patience?"

Joyce nods, "Agreed this is a miracle."

"More than you know, mom. Aunt Jo… Patience." Phoebe says.

Buffy smiles, "Mom."

Piper nods, "Where are the little ones?"

"Home with Grams. We called her before we came here. That's how we found out you were arrested." Patty says.

Prue nods, "Did you two tell her about us?"

Patty shakes her head, "No. We didn't know what to say. We didn't know who you were ourselves. You're all so beautiful. More than I ever would have imagined. Phoebe. Phoebe. Talk about miracles. I must have named you after my favorite aunt. But, if you don't like the name I can always change it."

Joyce shakes her head, "And not one named after your favorite sister."

Phoebe smiles, "No. I love it."

Patty looked at Joyce and nods, "Well obviously you didn't name yours after me." She looks at Buffy. "No offense…" She looks back at Joyce, "But what kind of name is Buffy?"

Joyce looks at Buffy, "Must have been her father's idea?"

Buffy shrugs, "I have no idea whose idea my name was."

Prue sighs, "Ah, mom, Aunt Patience. We cast a spell to come back in time to help the both of you. To stop the both of you."

Patty frowns, "To stop us from what?"

"From making a pact with a warlock named Nicholas." Prue says.

Joyce frowns, "Then you're too late."

"What?" Piper and Buffy say.

Patty nods, "I thought I was going to see Victor, your father. But it turned out to be a trap."

Joyce nods, "Then I got a call from what I thought was from your mom. Asking to see me. I, like your mom, assumed something that wasn't real. But when I got there it was a trap."

Prue frowns, "Nicholas."

"He tried to kill me. Phoebe too. Then when Patience came and she saw me there she didn't give him the chance to try and kill her also. We had to give him immunity to your powers in exchange for your lives. I'd rather love you as mortal daughters and niece, than have to mourn you as dead witches." Patty says with a sigh.

Joyce nods, "Agreed."

"But he's gonna kill us anyway to get our powers." Piper says.

Patty shakes her head, "No, not until Buffy's born. And all your powers are complete, all four of you. We bought us some time in the hopes that Grams could help us. Oh, she's going to be so thrilled when she sees you. The Charmed Ones and the Charmed Slayer."

They all hug.

Back at the Halliwell manor in the living room. Prue, Piper, Buffy, Phoebe, Patty and Grams are there.

Grams nods, "Where was I born?"

"Mom." Patty and Joyce say.

Grams sighs, "I'm still not convinced that they're not warlocks."

Patty nods, "We have a pact to undo. We should be looking for a spell."

Prue nods, "Boston. In a hotel room, breech."

Grams nods, "What was my husband's name?"

Prue smiles, "Which husband?"

Buffy, Piper and Phoebe laugh.

Grams nods, "Who's Melinda Warren?"

"The beginning of our family line. She gave us our powers. Our destiny." Phoebe says.

Buffy rolls her eyes, "Well she only gave me my destiny as a witch. My powers were influenced by the Slayer. It's why they aren't a duplicate of yours."

Grams nods, "What's the secret ingredient in my blueberry cobbler?"

Piper smiles, "Honey and a splash of rum."

"What's IBM selling at in your time?" Grams asks.

"Mom!" Patty and Joyce exclaim.

Grams sighs, "What?"

Patty shakes her head, "It's not the time for personal gain."

Grams nods, "If they could just nod their heads. Okay, forget it. Well, look at you. The four of you. Oh, Patty, Patience, I always knew I would deliver the Charmed Ones and the Charmed Slayer." Joyce and Patty glare at Grams. "Once removed, of course. Prue." Prue nods. "Piper." Piper waves. "And..."

Phoebe smiles, "Phoebe!"

Grams blinks, "Oh, another 'P'. What a surprise."

Buffy sighs, "Well I think you can blame my dad for mine. No P's… Buffy Anne. I think Anne was his mother's name."

Grams nods, "And your Patience daughter, correct?"

Buffy nods, "Yes, Grams."

Joyce smiles.

"About the pact?" Patty asks.

Grams nods, "We must keep the girls safe until we can reverse it. I'll have to bind their powers. And bind Buffy's when she's born if we haven't reversed it by then."

Piper frowns, "Uh, bind our powers?"

Grams nods, "Strip them from the young ones. So Nicholas can't get a hold of them. It doesn't have to be done right away. As soon as Phoebe's born. I'll cast a spell and suspend their, uh, your powers. And I will have Patience suspend Buffy's powers when she is born."

"Um, but that's exactly what you did... or do... will do... you know what I mean." Prue says.

Piper nods, "Well, that explains why we don't remember having our powers when we were younger."

Grams frowns, "What do you mean? Well, how old were you when you got your powers back?"

Piper sighs, "We just got them."

Joyce looks at Buffy who nods. "Yeah." Buffy says.

Grams frowns, "What? Patience and I unbound your powers without having broken the pact? Why would we do that? "

Joyce saw where Grams was going, "Oh Buffy, I'm so sorry."

Grams looks at them with realization sits in, "I mean unless we died which of course would automatically... unbind your powers." She looks at Patience. "I guess we're not going to make it to the next millennium, huh?"

Buffy smiles, "It's ok, mom. At least I got to see you again. Besides I get to live now with my three favorite cousins in the whole world. I was a little sad when you passed away, but I'm happy now."

Phoebe nods, "Uh, speaking of that, mom..."

"No. We mustn't know anymore about the future." Grams says. "You came back for one reason, to break the pact. You mustn't tamper with anything else. It's much too risky. Heaven knows what damage you've already done by coming back here."

Prue nods, "We haven't done anything, we missed our chance to stop the pact."

Grams nods, "And there's a reason for that. Destiny always gets its own way. It's not as easy to change the past as you think. If you do it incorrectly, everything will change. The evil you vanquished, the good that you've done, none of it may've ever happened."

Piper nods, "Well, we have to change this, we can't go back and let him kill us."

"The only way to vanquish him in your time would be for Patience and I to unbless the ring and take away its immunity. It's in a drawer in his hotel room." Patty says.

Joyce nods in agreement.

Phoebe nods, "Okay, well, let's go to Nicholas' hotel room and steal back the ring. Hopefully it'll be there."

Patty shakes her head, "No, it's too dangerous, you don't have powers. Patience and I will go."

"No. If something happened to you or Aunt Patience, future history could be changed forever. Just like Grams said. We have to go." Prue says.

Buffy nods, "Plus I may not have powers but I am still the Slayer. I can protect them."

Grams nods, "Well, I'm glad to see you finally learned to listen to me. You better hurry. In the meantime, I'll write a new spell that will get you back to your own time."

"Wait, you can do that? You can send us home?" Piper asks.

Grams snukesm "We're witches, dear, we can do anything."

Phoebe sighs, "I wish that were true."

Buffy nods, "Yeah."

Joyce looks at Buffy and smiles, "Everything happens for a reason, Buffy. I believe that."

Buffy nods, "I know. I just wish, I could have had more time with you."

"I know." Joyce says.

Prue nods, "Okay, we need to go."

Patty nods, "Be careful."

At the Hotel. Phoebe is picking the lock. Buffy is keeping watch.

Prue shakes her head, "Why am I not surprised that you know how to do this?"

Phoebe smiles, "Let's just hope Nicholas isn't inside."

Prue nods, "The concierge says he's not and Piper's outside watching for him."

Buffy sighs, "Front door is not the only way in. Let me go in first to be on the safe side." She opens the door and turns on the light. "Clear."

Phoebe and Prue walk in to the room, "Mom said it's in a drawer." Phoebe says.

After some searching Prue opens a drawer, "Found it. Okay, we gotta get it back to mom and Aunt Joyce."

In the Attic back at the manor Buffy, Prue, Piper and Phoebe walk in.

Prue nods, "We have the ring, here it is."

Piper smiles, "Okay, now what?"

"Go back to where you belong." Grams says.

Patty nods, "Then Patience and I will unbless the ring and get it back to the hotel before Nicholas finds it missing."

Grams nods, "Now remember, there is no time to lose. You will return at the exact moment you left, which means Nicholas will be there too."

Phoebe writes a letter. It says: Mom, Be careful on February 28, 1978, or a warlock will drown you.

Piper nods, "Hopefully without immunity to our powers."

Prue nods, "We'll be ready. Phoebe?"

Buffy hugs Joyce, "It was nice to see you again, mom."

Joyce smiles, "It was nice to see you as well, Buffy. Be good my darling."

"Okay, I'm coming." Phoebe says as she puts her letter in the Book of Shadows

Prue hugs Patty, "I love you, mom."

Piper smiles, "I'm never gonna learn to like lima beans Grams, but thanks for everything else." She and Grams hug.

Grams looks to Phoebe, "You're going to be a handful aren't you?"

Phoebe smiles, "You'll learn to love me." She goes and hugs Patty. "I'm gonna miss you."

Buffy then goes and hugs Patty, "It was nice to see you Aunt Patty."

Prue, Piper, and Phoebe hug Joyce.

Patty hugs Buffy back, "You don't give your cousins, too much trouble."

Buffy smiles, "I won't." She then walks over to Grams. "And it was nice to see you too Grams."

Grams nods, "You take care, Buffy."

Buffy smiles, "I will." She walks over to stand next to Prue, Piper and Phoebe.

"A time for everything, And to everything its place, Return what has been moved, Through time and space." Grams chants.

Nothing happens.

Patty nods, "Let me help."

"A time for everything, And to everything its place, Return what has been moved, Through time and space." Grams and Patty chants.

Twinkling lights encircle Prue, Piper, Phoebe and Buffy and they disappear.

Grams smiles, "You did well, Patty. Patience. Oh, they're fabulous."

Patty sighs, "I just hope they're safe."

Joyce nods, "So do I."

The girls reappear.

Prue frowns, "Oops."

Grams nods, "What happened?"

"Where did you go?" Joyce asks.

Piper shakes her head, "We didn't go anywhere. We were just standing here…"

Buffy nods, "And the next thing we knew..."

"We were just standing here." Phoebe says.

Patty sighs, "I told you to use poplar buds."

Grams shakes her head, "It's a perfectly good spell. I mean, it moved them through time."

Joyce sighs, "Yeah, ten seconds."

"I'm telling you, it's not the spell. It must be the power behind the spell, there's not enough power." Grams says.

Piper nods, "Maybe we need the power of three."

Phoebe shakes her head, "The only problem is it doesn't exist yet."

Grams' looks through the Book of Shadows. "Nothing."

Phoebe sighs, "Maybe this is our destiny."

"Not for the Charmed Ones or the Charmed Slayer." Grams says.

Piper shakes her head, "We don't exist yet."

"Yes you do." Patty and Joyce says.

Prue shakes her head, "No, not with powers. And Buffy doesn't exist at all not for another 6 years."

Patty nods, "Yes, little Prue and Piper have their powers and Phoebe gave me a premonition so she must have hers. If we can teach the girls the chant, maybe the three of us can get you back to your time. And Patience can stand in for Buffy and add in her augmentation power."

Buffy frowns, "Augmentation?"

Joyce nods, "Yes I have the ability to enhance my own or another witches power."

Buffy looks to her cousins, "That's it. My first power was never the fire power. I inherited mom's augmentation power. I've been able to, unknowingly, augment your guys powers. That's how a power of three spell worked with me."

Prue smiles at Buffy, "Buffy you just might be right. So the power of three, augmented by Aunt Patience… it's worth a try."

Nicholas calls up from downstairs, "Where are you, witches? Where's my ring?"

"Nicholas." Patty and Joyce say.

Grams frowns, "Patty. You, Patience and Piper get the girls, we'll fend him off." Everyone goes out of the attic except Phoebe who gets the letter out of the Book of Shadows. "Come on, Phoebe."

Downstairs Nick starts walking up the stairs but Grams uses her powers on him and he flies through the air.

Prue nods, "Grams don't get too close, his power."

Grams nods, "I know, I know."

"We can't risk you being hurt, go upstairs and help mom and Aunt Patience start the spell." Phoebe says.

Prue nods, "Phoebe, Buffy and I will take care of him. Come on."

Buffy goes and kicks Nick in the head throwing all of her Slayer strength into it.

In the attic.

Patty looks to Little Prue and Little Piper, "We're gonna play a little game, okay. Now give me your hands."

Piper nods, "Okay, hurry."

Patty smiles, "Now, repeat after me and Aunt Patience."

"A time for everything, And to everything its place..." Patty and Joyce say.

"A time for everything, And to everything its place..." Little Prue and Little Piper repeat.

"Returned what has been moved, Through time and space." Patty and Joyce say.

"Return what has been moved, Through time and space." Little Prue and Little Piper repeat.

Buffy, Prue and Phoebe enter the attic.

Prue nods, "All right, we don't have much time."

Piper nods, "What about his ring?"

Grams shakes her head, "Don't worry about the ring now. Let's just get you back."

"Well, but it is unblessed, right?" Prue asks.

Grams nods, "Yes, but there wasn't time to test it."

Phoebe gets a camera and takes two pictures of Joyce, Patty, little Prue and little Piper.

"Then how will we know it works?" Buffy asks.

Grams shakes her head, "You won't. Not until you get back. And since time will pick up right where it left off, he won't know either. Goodbye, girls. Be good, darlings."

They all hug.

Joyce, Patty, Little Prue and Little Piper chant, "A time for everything, And everything its place, Return what has been moved, Through time and space."

Twinkling lights encircle them and they disappear and reappear in their own time.

Prue smiles, "It worked, we're back."

Nicholas is running up the stairs.

Phoebe nods, "Hurry."

They flip through the Charmed Book of Shadows to find a spell.

Nicholas barges through the door. "Time is up."

Prue uses her powers and Nick flies through the air. "All right, the ring's unblessed."

Piper freezes him. "Phoebe, find anything?"

Phoebe nods, "How about the 'Nicholas Must Die' spell. Buffy it says you need to read it, too."

Buffy nods and steps beside Phoebe.

"That wasn't there before." Piper says.

Prue smiles, "Well, maybe it's just Grams' way of saying, you know, welcome back... or, or front."

Phoebe nods, "Spell pouch included at no extra charge."

Prue gets a mortar and pestle.

"Lavender, mimosa, holy thistle..." Phoebe and Buffy chant.

Piper pours powder from the pouch into the mortar. It goes up in a puff of smoke. "Oh dear!"

"Cleanse this evil from our midst, scatter its cells throughout time, let this Nick no more exist." Buffy and Phoebe chant.

Nick spins around very fast and turns into dust. The ring drops to the floor.

Prue smiles, "Wow. I'm really glad I never got on Grams' bad side."

Later Prue, Buffy and Phoebe are looking at photos in the conservatory. Piper brings in the vase of flowers.

Phoebe: I can't stop thinking about mom. How I lost her and then I found her again.

Buffy nods, "I'm right there with you Phoebe. Not just for my mom but for Aunt Patty as well."

Prue smiles, "I'm just glad that you both finally have memories of her."

Phoebe points to the flowers.

Piper shakes her head, "What? I'm supposed to throw out perfectly good flowers 'cause they came from a creep? If that was the rule then we'd never have flowers in this house."

Prue nods, "Well, they didn't just come from a creep, they came from a warlock who tried to kill us."

Phoebe nods, "Still, if it weren't for him, I probably would've never gotten to know mom."

Buffy nods, "Yeah if it weren't for him, I would've never known Aunt Patty."

Piper nods, "We all wanted to save mom, Pheebs. Buffy. But both mom, Aunt Joyce and Grams said we can't change destiny."

Phoebe sighs, "But, um, I still wrote her a note anyway."

Prue shakes her head, "You did?"

Phoebe nods, "Yes, I wrote her a note telling her to stay away from water on the day that she died. And then I put it in the Book of Shadows."

Piper frowns, "I can't believe you did that."

Phoebe sighs, "You don't understand. Every time I've made a wish, I wished for time with mom. And I believed in my heart that someday, somehow, that wish would come true and when it finally did, I didn't wanna let her go. You know, but then I realized that I had to let her go, so I took the note out and put it in my pocket."

Prue nods, "Maturity sucks, doesn't it?"

Piper smiles, "Still, faith has its rewards." She shows them the picture that Phoebe took in the attic. She hands the second one to Buffy. "It's a pretty good one of us, but once again, not a great one of you, Pheebs. Or you Buffy."

Phoebe takes the picture from Piper, "Are you kidding? That is the best picture of me I've ever taken."

Buffy smiles, "I don't mind not being in it. It's nice to actually have a little family portrait. I think I will frame this and put it by my bed." They look at her and nod. "Plus it was nice to finally see Aunt Patty in the flesh and even get to meet her."

A knock is heard at the door.

Buffy gets up and goes to answer it. "Dad?"

Hank smiles, "Hey sweetie. I have something addressed to you. I was going through some of my old stuff and found it. The writing is in your mother's handwriting."

Buffy smiles and takes the envelope, "Thanks, dad. You want to come in?"

Hank shakes his head, "I have a meeting in an hour. How about we get together this weekend?"

Buffy nods, "I'd like that." She watches Hank walk back to his car before she closes the door. She then walks back into the living room.

Prue looks up at Buffy, "Who was at the door?"

Buffy smiles, "Dad."

Piper nods, "What did he want?"

Buffy holds up the envelope, "To give me this. It's addressed to me and is in my mom's handrwriting." She opens the envelope and takes out a letter and a picture.

* * *

_Dear Buffy,_

_I write this as I watch you sleeping in your crib, your almost two months old now. It has been six years since your visit from the future with your cousins. Your name was your father's idea. If I had the choice I would have named you Payson Patricia. After my two favorite people in the world your Aunt Patty and your great grandmother Payson. I had wanted to continue the family tradition but your father wouldn't have it. So that is why you were named Buffy Anne. If you want to change your name to the one I picked out, I won't mind one bit. Your father might, but I won't._

_By the time you are reading this you know that your Aunt Patty passed away three years after Phoebe was born. And that your Grams and I have passed away also since you and your cousins powers are unbound. Take care of your cousins, Buffy. Just as I am sure they will take good care of you._

_Know that no matter what I love you. Never forget that, no matter what. Be strong my daughter. Know that I am proud of the beautiful young woman you have become._

_Enclosed you will find a picture taken shortly after you were born. _

_Be good my darling, I love you._

_Blessed Be_

_Patience Joyce (Halliwell) Summers_

_March 15__th__ 1981_

* * *

Buffy smiles and then hands the letter to Prue, Piper and Phoebe who read it. She looks at the picture that shows a newborn Buffy with Joyce.

Prue nods, "So Payson, what do you think?"

Buffy nods, "I love it." She then shows them her picture.

Phoebe smiles, "That's a wonderful one of you, Buffy. Or is it going to be Payson now?"

Buffy nods, "I don't know. On one hand I've been Buffy since I was born. On the other hand Payson is what mom wanted to name me and while I already honor mom's memory since I use the Halliwell name... Maybe I will change my legal name to Payson Patricia Halliwell and you guys and my friends can still call me Buffy."


	16. Chapter 16: I Robot, You Jane

**Chapter 16: I Robot, You Jane**

At Gateway High School Library Buffy prys the lid of a crate and looks inside disappointed. "Oh, great. A book." She pulls out the book, idly tracing the rune on the cover as Giles comes over.

Giles nods, "I haven't gone through the new arrivals. Put it in that pile – He points near Willow.

Dave comes up to Buffy. "Here, I got it."

Buffy smiles, "Thanks, Dave. The Willow pile."

Giles nods, "After I've examined it, you can, uh... skim it in."

Ms. Calendar shakes her head, "Scan it, Rupert. Scan it."

"Of course..." Giles says his voice dripping polite venom.

Ms. Calendar regards the flustered Giles with amusement. "I know our ways are strange to you, but soon you will join us in the 20th century... with three whole years to spare!"

Giles scoffs, "Ms. Calendar, I happen to believe that one can function in modern society without being a slave to the idiot box."

Ms. Calender laughs, "That's TV. The idiot box is the TV. This is a good box."

Giles nods, "Well, I still prefer a good book."

Buffy rolls her eyes.

Fritz smiles, "The printed page is obsolete. Information isn't bound up anymore, it's an entity. The only reality is virtual. If you're not jacked in, you're not alive." He walks off.

"Thank you, Fritz... for making us all sound like crazy people." Ms. Calendar says before turning back to Giles. "Fritz comes on a little strong, but he has a point. You know for the last two years there was more E-mail sent than regular mail? More digitalized information went over phone lines than conversations."

Giles nods, "That is a fact that I regard with genuine horror."

Ms. Calender nods, "I'll bet it is. All right, guys, let's wrap it up for the day."

People start moving out.

Willow smiles, "I've just got a few more to do. I'll hang for a bit."

"Cool, thanks." Ms. Calendar says.

Willow looks to Xander, "Xander, you want to stay and help me?"

"Are you kidding?" Xander says.

Willow sighs, "Yes, it was a joke I made up."

Xander smiles, "Willow, I love you, but bye." He heads out.

Willow calls after him, "I'll see you tomorrow..."

Xander nods, "Buffy, wait up!"

Willow watches Xander's retreating figure a bit piningly, then goes back to work.

"I have to stay and clean up. I'll be back in the Middle Ages." Giles says.

Ms. Calendar nods, "Did you ever leave?"

A few moments later Willow is alone solemnly scanning in books. She takes the ancient volume and waves the glowing scanner over the first page... On screen, data streams into a file, BOOKl2, in a directory labeled WILLOW - strange characters like in the book...

The last characters stream into the BOOKl2 file. The screen goes BLACK. After a beat, words appear: Where am I?

Seven days later Willow walks along a hall at school, happily lost in thought.

Buffy spies her, approaches, calling out, "Willow! Willow! Hey, wait up!"

Willow finally notices Buffy as she comes abreast of her. "Buffy! I didn't even see you."

Buffy nods, "Or hear me. What was up last night? I tried your line like a million times."

Willow smiles, "Oh, I was... I was talking."

"Talking to..." Buffy asks. Willow smiles. "Okay, that's it. You have a secret and that is not allowed."

Willow shakes her head, "Why not?"

Buffy petulantly, "'Cause... there's a rule."

Willow nods, "Well... I sort of met someone."

"I knew it! This is so important. When did you meet?" Buffy asks.

"Last week. Right after we did the scanning project in the Library."

"Does he go here? What's his name? Have you kissed him? What's he like?" Buffy says rapid fire.

Willow shakes her head, "No, Malcolm, no, and very nice."

Buffy smiles, "You are a thing of evil for not telling me this right away."

Willow nods, "Well, I wasn't sure there was anything to tell. But last night - oh, we talked all night. It was amazing. He's so smart, Buffy, and he's romantic and we agree about everything."

"What's he look like?" Buffy asks.

Willow cheerfully responds, "I don't know."

Buffy tries to work that one out as they exit the hall into the computer lab.

It is silent in here. The only people in here are Fritz and Dave, both staring at their computer screens intensely. After a moment, Dave speaks quietly, "Yes... I will. I promise."

Buffy and Willow enter, Buffy still puzzling. "You've been seeing a guy and you don't know what he looks like. Okay, it's a puzzle. No wait, I'm good at these. Does it involve a midget and a block of ice?"

"I met him on line." Willow says.

Buffy shakes her head, "On line for what?" Willow indicates a computer. "Oh. On line. As in - right. Duhh."

Ms. Calendar enters. "Morning, kids. Payson, are you supposed to be somewhere?"

Buffy looks to Ms. Calendar, "I have a free."

Ms. Calendar nods, "Cool. But this is lab time so let's make it a nice short visit, okay?"

Buffy nods, "Oh sure."

Willow has sat at the computer and logged on. Buffy sits next to her. "I still can't get used to people calling you Payson. Though I think it's nice you decided to change your name to honor your mom's memory."

Buffy smiles, "Yeah so do I."

The compuer flashes: You have mail!

"It's him..." Willow says excitedly as she accesses her mail. She reads the simple message: I'm thinking about you. Willow is totally charmed. Buffy slightly less so. "He's so sweet."

"Uh, yeah, he's a sweetie." Buffy says.

Willow nods, "What should I write back?"

Buffy shakes her head, "Uh, Willow... I think it's great that you've got a cool pen pal, but... you seem to be kind of rushing all into this. You know what I mean?

Willow doesn't hear a word of what Buffy just said, I'm thinking of you too! No, that's incredibly stupid."

"Will. Down girl. Let's focus. What do you really know about this guy?" Buffy says.

Willow sighs, "See, I knew you'd react like this."

Buffy shakes her head, "Like what? I just think you should be, well, careful."

Willow frowns, "Buffy -"

Buffy shakes her head, "He could be different than you think."

"His name is Malcolm Black, he's eighteen, he lives in Elmwood which is like eighty miles from here and he likes me." Willow says.

Buffy nods, "Short, tall, skinny, fat..."

Willow shakes her head, "Why does everything have to be about looks?"

Buffy sighs, "Not everything. But some stuff is. I mean, what if you guys get really intense and then you find out he... has a hairy back?"

Willow almost wavers, "Well... no. He doesn't talk like the kind of person who has a hairy back. And anyway that stuff doesn't matter if you really care about each other." She looks to be a little vulnerable. "Maybe I'm not his ideal of babelitude either."

Buffy softens the moment, "Hey. I just want to make sure he's good enough for you, that's all. I think it's great that you're -"

Fritz appears behind Buffy, "Hey! Are you done?"

Buffy looks up, "What?"

"I'm trying to work." Fritz states."

Buffy sighs, "Okay, sorry..." She throws Willow a look as Fritz leaves. "Boy, Fritz is even more charming than usual."

Willow nods, "I don't know what his problem is lately."

"He needs to get out more. Or ever." Buffy says.

Later in the Quad

A male student sits by the fountain, staring in disbelief at his laptop. "This isn't my report. "Nazi Germany was a model of a well-ordered society"? I didn't write that! Who's been in my files?"

Willow passes him, not noticing anything.

Xander comes up behind her and puts his hands over her eyes. "Guess who."

"Xander." Willow says.

Xander smiles, "Well, yeah, but keep guessing anyway."

Willow laughs, "Xander."

Xander removes his hands, "I can't fool you. You see right through my petty charade. Are we going to the Bronze tonight?"

Willow shakes her head, "Not me. I think I'm gonna make it an early night."

"Malcolm, huh? That's right, I heard. Okay, but you're missing out. I'm planning to be witty. I'll be making fun of all the people who won't talk to me." Xander says.

Willow nods, "That's nice. Have a good time." She ambles off, in her own space.

Xander watches as Buffy comes abreast of him.

Buffy smiles, "She certainly looks perky."

"Color in the cheeks, a bounce in the step - I don't like it. It isn't healthy." Xander says as he turns to Buffy. "So what about you? Bronze? No, you probably have to slay vampires or some lame endeavor like that. Everybody deserts me."

Buffy laughs, "Check out the jealous man."

"What are you talking about?" Xander asks.

Buffy smiles, "You're jealous!"

Xander shakes his head, "Of what?"

"Willow's got a thang and Xander's left hanging." Buffy says.

Xander frowns, "That's meaningless drivel. I'm not interested in Willow like that."

Buffy nods, "Yeah, but you got used to being the belle of the ball."

"No, it's just... this Malcolm guy. What's his deal? Admit that it wigs you slightly." Xander says.

Buffy nods, "Slightly. I mean, just not knowing what he's really like."

"How about who he really is?" Xander asks. "Oh sure, he says he's a high school student. I could say I was a high school student."

Buffy rolls her eyes, "You are."

Xander shakes his head, "Okay, but I could also say I was an elderly Dutch woman, get me? Who's to say I'm not? If I'm in the elderly Dutch chat room -"

Buffy frowns, "I get your guy could be anything. Old, weird, crazy... he could be a circus freak!"

Xander nods, "You know, you read about these things all the time. Two people meet on the net, they talk, they get together, dinner, a show, horrible axe murder..."

"Willow axe-murdered by a circus freak. What do we do?" Buffy asks before she realizes they are overreacting. "What are we doing?" She hits Xander's arm. "Xander, you get me started... we're totally over-reacting."

Xander laughs. "I know, but isn't it fun?"

Next day in the Girls Locker Room Buffy has just finished changing for gym as Willow rushes in, starts pulling off her sweater. "Whoah, you're the late girl."

Willow nods, "I overslept."

"Till fifth period? Talking to Malcolm last night?" Buffy asks.

Willow smiles, "Yeah. What."

Buffy shakes her head, "Nothing."

Willow sighs, "You're having an expression."

"I'm not. But if I was, it would be saying... It's just not like you." Buffy says.

"Not like me to have a boyfriend?" Willow asks.

Buffy blinks, "He's... boyfriendly?"

Willow shakes her head, "I don't understand why you don't want me to have this. Boys don't chase me around all the time-I thought you'd be happy for me."

Buffy smiles, "I just want you to be sure. To meet him face to face-in a crowded place - in daylight – with some friends. You know, before you get all obsessive."

"Malcolm and I really care about each other. Big deal if I blow off a couple of classes." Willow says.

Buffy shakes her head, "I thought you overslept."

Willow turns away, "Malcolm said you wouldn't understand."

Buffy stands. "Malcolm was right." She heads out into the gym.

That afternoon Dave sits at a computer console in the computer lab, typing furiously. A less enthusiastic student leaves as Buffy enters. She spies Dave and approaches. "Hi Dave." He doesn't look up. "Hey there Dave." No response. "Anybody home?" She touches his shoulder and he jumps, turns.

"Oh. What do you want?" Dave asks.

Buffy smiles, "I wanted to ask you something. If you had a minute..."

Dave is a little scattered, "A minute. Okay. Yeah, a minute... What is it?"

Buffy smiles, "Well, you're a computer geek - nius... I have a technical problem. If I wanted to find out something about someone, if someone E-mailed me, could I trace the letter?"

Dave nods, "Well, you can pull up someone's profile based on their user name."

Buffy sighs, "But they write the profile themselves, right? So they could say anything they want."

"True." Dave says.

Buffy smiles, "Wow, I had knowledge." Dave smiles - she's bringing him out a bit. "Well, is there a way to find out exactly where a letter – an E-letter - came from? I mean the actual location of the computer?"

Dave is intrigued, "It's a challenge..."

"'Cause Willow's got this friend Malcolm and it's like he's -" Buffy says.

Dave frowns, "Leave Willow alone." The color has drained from his face.

His abrupt change startles Buffy, who looks at him in concern. "What do you mean?" Buffy asks.

Dave shakes his head, "That's none of your business."

Buffy smiles, "Dave... are you Malcolm?"

"Of course not. I have to get back to work." Dave says. He turns, bringing his hands back to the keyboard.

Buffy notices Dave's hands for the first time. "Your hands..." Dave's fingertips all have bandaids on them. Buffy takes one in hers but Dave pulls it away.

"It's nothing. I'm typing a lot." Dave says.

Buffy frowns, "What's going on?"

"Look, I'll talk to you later. I've got work to do." Dave says.

Buffy rises, starts out, saying to herself, "So do I."

A few minutes later Buffy is in the library talking to Giles, "There's something going on. It's not just Willow; Dave and Fritz, they're all wicked jumpy."

"Well, those boys aren't sparklingly normal as it is." Giles says.

Buffy sighs, "Giles, trust me."

Giles nods, "I do. But I don't really know how to advise you. Things involving the computer fill me with a childlike terror. Now if it were a nice Ogre or some such I'd be more in my element."

"And our resident computer expert is too wrapped up in her new cyber-beau to help out. I gotta figure this out." Buffy says.

Giles nods, "Well, I suppose you could "tail" Dave, see if he's up to something."

Buffy thinks for a moment, "Follow Dave? What, in a trench coat and dark glasses? Please. I'll work this out. Willow's been acting weird since we scanned those books. Fritz has been acting weird since birth... I don't know. I've got all the pieces but no puzzle. Or, I've got puzzle pieces but some of them are missing. Or they're in the wrong place in the puzzle... I hate metaphors. I'm gonna follow Dave."

Later out front of the school as students leave, Dave steps out of school and heads for his old car.

As he does, Buffy is waiting by the front door. She heads over to Piper's car and gets in. "Thanks for doing this Piper."

Piper nods, "No problem, Buffy."

They follow Dave to a large, blocky, government building surrounded by a high fence. A sign says CRD in large letters above the door. Workmen are bringing in large boxes into the building with hand-dollies and a forklift.

Dave's car pulls up to the building.

Piper parks a short distance away from the gates. Buffy jumps out and runs up and stands outside the gate, watching.

Dave heads toward the building. He is greeted by a couple of scientists who speak with barely an expression. They enter together. A security guard, equally expressionless, stands by the door.

As Buffy watches a security camera mounted on top of the gate turns automatically to look at Buffy.

The next day Buffy and Piper walk into the library to find Giles and Xander there.

"Whatever Dave is into, it's large." Buffy says.

Giles nods, "What was the name of the place?"

Buffy nods, "Said CRD. I couldn't get close enough to see what it was -"

Xander nods, "Calax Research and Development. Computer research lab. Third biggest employer in Gateway, till it closed last year. What, I can't have information sometimes?"

Giles smirks, "It's just somewhat unprecedented."

Piper thinks, "Didn't they go out of business last year?"

Xander nods, "Yeah."

"Looked pretty functional from where I stood. I don't have a clue what they were doing..."

Xander nods, "And what do they need Dave for?"

"Something about computers, right? I mean he is off-the-charts-smart." Buffy says.

Giles sighs, "We still don't know a terrible lot. Whatever's going on there could be on the up and up."

Piper nods, "If CRD re-opened it'd be in the news. It was a major company in San Francisco."

Buffy nods, "Besides, I can just tell something's wrong. My spider-sense is tingling."

Giles frowns, "Your spider-sense?"

Buffy smiles, "Pop-culture reference."

Piper rolls her eyes.

Giles nods, "Yes, well, I think we're at a standstill. Short of breaking into the place, I don't see-"

"Breaking in. This then is the plan." Buffy says.

Xander nods, "I'm free tonight."

Piper frowns, "Buffy."

Buffy looks at Piper, "Piper, Willow could be in trouble."

Piper nods, "Alright. But were going in there with the Power of Three."

Buffy nods, "Ok. Tonight it is then."

Giles scoldingly, "A moment, please, of quiet reflection - I did not suggest that you illegally enter…" Ms. Calendar enters the library. "…the data into the file and then the book will be listed by title as well as author."

Ms. Calendar smiles, "Hi."

"Hello." Giles says.

Ms. Calendar nods, "I was gonna check your new database, make sure your cross reference table isn't glitching. 'Cause I'm guessing you haven't gone near it."

Giles nods, "A safe assumption."

Ms. Calendar looks to Buffy and Xander, "You here again? You kids really dig on the library, don't you?"

Buffy nods, "We're literary."

Xander nods, "To read is makes our speaking English good."

Ms. Calendar looks to Piper, "You don't look like a student."

Piper smiles, "Because I'm not. I'm Piper Halliwell. One of Buffy's legal guardians."

Ms. Calendar looks confused, "Buffy?" Buffy raises her hand. "Oh you mean Payson. I forgot you changed your name."

Buffy smiles, "It's alright. At least your trying. Most of the teachers continue to want to call me Buffy even though my legal name was changed to Payson." She grabs Xander's arm. "Anyways we gotta go. Piper you want to drive us to that thing."

Piper nods, "Sure Buffy. It was nice meeting you."

Ms. Calendar nods, "And you Ms. Halliwell."

Giles pointedly, "Yes, we'll continue our conversation another time."

Buffy shakes her head, "No, I think we're done." She, Piper and Xander head out of the library. "Our speaking English good?"

Xander sighs, "I panicked, okay?"

Outside a school nurse talks to a teacher, very upset. "But I checked the computer! There was nothing in his file about being allergic to penicillin."

Piper and Buffy walks past, Buffy is accosted by Dave.

Dave is even antsier than usual. "Buffy."

"Dave. How're you doing?" Buffy asks.

Dave smiles, "I'm okay. I'm sorry about yesterday. I haven't been sleeping much."

Buffy nods, "Don't sweat it."

"Uh, Willow was looking for you." Dave says.

Buffy smiles, "Oh, great, I wanted to catch her before she went home. Do you know where she is?"

Dave nods, "She said she would be in the girl's locker room."

Buffy smiles, "Great. Thanks." She and Piper heads off. Dave watches them go, upset.

A moment later Piper and Buffy enter the girl's locker room. It's dark and empty.

"Willow?" Buffy calls out as she moves down the line of lockers, turns the corner. Nothing. She looks back at Piper. Buffy hears the water going, starts toward it. "Will? You taking a shower?" She enters the shower area, but it's empty. "Guess not." She steps into the shower area to turn off the faucet.

Piper walks around the lockers and notices the wires.

Buffy looks at Piper standing in the puddle, "This is how droughts are started."

Piper frowns, "Buffy out, NOW!"

Buffy looks around and notices the wires, she launches into the locker room out of the shower stall, a massive jolt running through her. She lands hard on the bench, thence to the floor. She lies there, shaking, trying to catch her breath.

Piper runs over to her and kneels down, "Are you okay?"

Buffy nods, "Yeah I think so."

In the library a bit later Buffy is sitting, Piper and Giles are looking at her with concern. Xander paces, upset. Buffy is taking it slow, a little frazzled.

Xander frowns, "I'm gonna kill Dave." He looks at Piper and Giles. "Is she gonna be okay?"

Giles nods, "Thanks to Piper seeing the wires, she was only grounded for a moment." He looks to Buffy, "Still, if you'd been anyone but the Slayer..."

Buffy with quiet concern, "Tell me the truth. How's my hair?"

Piper rolls her eyes, "Really, Buffy."

Xander smiles, "It's great. It's your best hair ever."

"Oh yes." Giles says.

Buffy nods, "I just don't understand what would make Dave do a thing like that."

Giles nods, "I think perhaps I do."

Piper frowns, "The suspense is killing me. Out with it."

Giles nods and holds up a book. "Does this look familiar to either of you?"

Buffy nods, "Yeah, sure. It looks like a book."

"I knew that one." Xander says.

Piper shakes her head, "Don't look at me I'm not here enough."

Prue and Phoebe burst into the library.

Giles nods. "Well, this particular book was sent to me by an archeologist friend who found it in an old monastery."

Prue runs over to Buffy, "Are you all right?"

Buffy nods, "Yeah Prue. Just a little shock."

Xander sighs, "Wow, that's really boring."

Giles glares at Xander, "There are certain books that are not meant to be read. Ever. They have things trapped within them."

Prue looks up at Giles, "Things?"

Giles nods, "Demons."

"Here we go..." Buffy says.

Giles nods, "In the Dark Ages Demons' souls were sometimes trapped in certain volumes. The demon would remain in the book, harmless, unless the book was read aloud." He points to the picture on the cover. "If I'm not mistaken, this is Moloch, the corruptor. A very deadly and seductive demon. He draws people to him with promises of love, power, knowledge. Preys on impressionable minds."

Xander nods, "Like Dave's."

"Dave, and who knows how many others." Giles says.

"And Moloch is in that book?" Piper asks.

Giles show them that the book is blank, "Not anymore."

Xander frowns, "You released Moloch!?"

Giles sighs, "I didn't read it! That awful Calendar woman found it and it was already blank."

Phoebe nods, "So a powerful demon is walking around Gateway? And nobody's noticing?"

Xander nods, "If he's so big and strong, why bother with Dave? Why didn't he just attack Buffy himself? Or go after Prue, Piper and Phoebe?"

Buffy looks at her cousins, "He does have a point. We're usually the first targets for demons."

"I don't know. And I don't know who could have read the book. It wasn't even in English." Giles says.

Buffy frowns, "Where was it?"

Giles nods, "In a pile, with the other books that were... scanned..."

Everybody gets real quiet. As one, they turn to the computer sitting on the desk.

Buffy nods, "Willow scanned all the new books."

Xander nods, "And that released the demon."

Prue nods, "Which means he's not out here. He's in there." She points to the computer.

Giles works it out, "The scanner read the book. Brought Moloch out - as information to be absorbed."

Buffy nods, "He's gone binary on us."

"Okay, for those of us in our studio audience who are me, you guys are saying that Moloch is in this computer." Xander asks.

Buffy nods, "And in every computer connected to it by a modem."

Giles sighs, "He's everywhere."

Xander nods, "So what do we do?"

"Put him back in the book?" Phoebe asks.

Giles shakes his head, "Willow scanned him into her file. This may be a futile gesture, but I suggest we delete it."

Buffy nods, "Solid." She sits, turns on the computer.

Xander nods, "Don't get too close."

Buffy looks at the computer and then at everyone around her, "So, which file is it? Willow. That'd probably be the one. I'll just delete the whole thing."

On the screen the Willow file icon is highlighted, dragged to the trash. Suddenly a digitalized image of Moloch's horrible face fills the screen, turning and looking right at them. "Stay away from Willow. It's none of your business."

And the computer turns itself off. All three stare at it in shock.

Buffy frowns, "Stay away. That's just what Dave said when I asked about Willow and... Malcolm..."

"What are you thinking?" Xander asks

Buffy quietly, "I'm wishing Willow's new boyfriend was just an axe-murdering circus freak. Okay, so much for delete file."

Giles nods, "This is very bad."

Xander shakes his head, "Are we over-reacting? This guy's in a computer, what can he do?"

Buffy nods, "You mean besides convince a perfectly nice kid to try and kill me? I don't know... mess up all the medical equipment in the world..."

Giles nods, "Randomize traffic signals..."

"Access launch codes for our nuclear missiles..." Buffy says.

"Destroy the world's economy..." Giles replies.

Buffy shakes her head, "I think I pretty much capped it with the nuclear missile thing."

Giles nods, "All right, yours was best."

"Okay, he's a threat. I'm on board with that now. What do we do?" Xander asks.

Buffy nods, "I think the first thing we do is find Willow. She's probably talking to him right now. God, that creeps me out."

Prue nods, "Now you understand why I don't want you talking to someone you don't know on the internet."

Buffy smiles, "And I think you for that Prue."

"What does he want with Willow?" Xander asks.

Buffy nods, "Let's never find out." She starts out. "I'm gonna check the computer lab. You call her house."

Prue nods, "I'll come with you, Buffy."

A minute later in the computer lab Prue and Buffy enters, moving slowly.

Buffy looks around, "Willow?" She goes to the computer Willow usually works at - no one in the cubicle.

All the consoles turn on at once, Buffy takes a step back, creeped out.

Prue frowns, "This is not good."

Buffy's suddenly not anxious to make her way past all the computers to the door. She heads back into the dark, toward the other door and bumps right into Dave. He's twisting slowly, feet just above the floor, the rope creaking ever so slightly. The printed out suicide note taped to his shirt.

Buffy looks back at Prue, "Prue over here. It's Dave…"

Prue comes over and frowns, "This demon has a very big influence."

A moment later in the library Xander hangs up the phone. "No answer."

"Damn." Giles says.

Piper looks between the two, "Is it busy?"

Xander shakes his head, "Well, it's not busy either, so she's not on line." Buffy enters. "She's not home."

Giles senses Buffy's mood, "What did you find?"

"Willow isn't -" Xander says.

Prue nods, "Dave. He's dead."

Giles frowns, "My God..."

"This is really real, huh." Xander says.

Giles nods, "How -"

"Well, it looked like suicide." Buffy says.

Xander shakes his head, "With a little help from my friends?"

Buffy nods, "I'd guess Fritz. Or one of the zomboids from CRD."

"Horrible." Giles says.

Buffy looks to Xander, "We're going to Willow's house." She looks to her cousins and Giles, "You have to find a way to get Moloch out of the net."

Giles nods, "I have records of the ceremonies but that's for dealing with a creature of flesh. This could be completely different."

"Then get Ms. Calendar. Maybe she can help you." Buffy says.

Giles nods, "Even if she could, how am I going to convince her there's a demon on the internet?"

Buffy shrugs, "Okay, stay here and come up with a better plan."

Phoebe nods, "I will stay here and help you, Giles. Prue, Piper you guys go with Buffy and Xander. Your powers will be more use than mine. And since this is not a power of three demon…"

Prue nods, "Okay, Phoebe." She looks to Buffy, Xander and Piper, "Come on."

They leave Giles looking all worried. Phoebe simply smiles.

Sometime later in Giles' office, Phoebe and Giles are poring over texts, looking for help.

Giles smiles, "Binding ritual... there we are..." He looks up as Ms. Calendar enters the room.

Ms. Calendar nods, "I got your message. What's so urgent?"

Giles nods, "Thank you for coming. We need your help. But before that, we need you to believe something you may not want to." He gathers himself. "Something has gotten into... inside... There's a demon in the internet."

Ms. Calendar stares at him a moment. "I know." She smiles, slightly - Giles' expression draining to genuine concern - as she shuts the door behind her.

At Willow's House Prue, Piper, Buffy and Xander run up to Willow's house. The door swings open.

"That's not good..." Xander says.

Prue calls out, "Willow!"

They enter and search through the house.

Buffy calls out, "Willow?"

They enter Willow's room and see it's empty.

"Okay, any thoughts?" Xander asks.

Buffy reads a message on the screen, "No more waiting. I need you to see me. See him? How? And where?"

"What about CRD?"Xander asks.

Piper nods, "Makes sense. That's where we followed Dave to."

Xander nods, "I'm guessing that's Moloch central."

"I guess it's our best lead. Let's just hope Giles and Phoebe can back us up."

Back in the library Phoebe and Giles stands,

Giles is not taking his eyes off Ms. Calendar. "You already know. How exactly is that?"

Ms. Calendar nods, "Come on, there've been portents for days. Power surges, on-line shutdowns - and you should see the bones I've been casting." She's excited. "I knew this would happen sooner or later. It's probably a mischief demon - Kelkor, or -"

Phoebe sighs, "Moloch."

"The corruptor. Oh boy." Ms. Calendar says. "He was the one on your book! I should have remembered."

Giles nods, "I'm sorry, I have to say - I mean, you don't seem terribly surprised by - who are you?"

Phoebe nods, "Good question."

Ms. Calendar nods, "I teach computer science at the local high school."

"A profession that hardly lends itself to the casting of bones." Giles says.

Ms. Calendar shakes her head, "Wrong and wrong, snobby. You think the realm of the mystical is limited to ancient texts and relics? That bad old science made the magic go away? The divine exists in cyberspace same as out here."

Phoebe sighs, "Are you a witch?"

"I don't have that kind of power. Technopagan is the term. There's more of us than you'd think. Though I have heard of you and your sisters, Ms. Halliwell. Or should I say the Charmed Ones." Ms. Calendar says.

Phoebe and Giles rises, book in hand, and exits into the main room of the library. Ms. Calendar follows behind them. Giles places the book near the computer.

Giles nods, "Well, we definitely need your help. What's in cyberspace at the moment is less than divine. I have the binding rituals at hand but I am completely out of my idiom."

Phoebe nods, "Yeah Prue, Piper, Buffy and I deal with tangible demons. So were out of our league as well."

Ms. Calendar nods, "Well, I can help - I think. I hope. I mean, this is my first real... Do you know how he got in?"

Giles nods, "He was - scanned is the term, I believe."

Ms. Calendar is progressively more freaked, "And you want him back in the book. Right. Cool. But shouldn't we make sure we've got enough ammo to -"

"There's no time. Moloch seems to have fixated on Willow. We need to get him out now." Giles says.

Ms. Calendar nods, "Okay, okay... minor panic, but I'm dealing... first thing is... what does the book say?"

The phone rings. Phoebe grabs it at the check-out desk. "Prue? Buffy?"

At a payphone outside CRD Prue, Piper, Buffy and Xander are standing near the gate. Buffy holds the phone. "Yeah."

Phoebe on the phone, "Willow?"

Buffy shakes her head, "Not at home. It looks like she was taken somewhere."

Phoebe on the phone, "Where are you?"

"CRD. Whatever Moloch wants Willow for, it's probably in there." Buffy says.

Phoebe on the phone, "Giles, Ms. Calendar and I are working on getting Moloch off line."

Buffy nods, "Here's a tip: Hurry." She hangs up. Makes for the gate, Xander, Prue and Piper alongside.

Xander nods, "This place is pretty heavily secured. How do we get in?"

Buffy powers up a fireball and throws it at the gate causing it to crash open.

Xander nods, "Back way?"

Buffy smiles, "Back way."

They head towards it. Buffy tries the door. Locked. She Kicks it in.

At the library Phoebe is lighting candles.

Ms. Calendar looks to Giles, "The first thing we have to do is form the Circle of Kayless, right?"

Giles nods, "Form the Circle - But there's only three of us. It's really more of a triangle."

Ms. Calendar sits at the computer, "You're not getting it, Giles We have to form the Circle inside. I'm putting out a flash. I just hope enough of my group responds."

Phoebe looks at Ms. Calendar, "Won't Moloch just shut you down?"

Ms. Calendar shakes her head, "I'm betting he won't figure out what we're doing till it's too late."

"Hoping' and 'betting'. That's what we've got." Giles says.

Ms. Calendar nods, "You wanna throw in 'praying', be my guest."

At CRD the door from the hall opens and Buffy marches in, Prue, Piper and Xander behind her. The guard at the security station comes up to her - blocking her path and reaching for his weapon. Prue telekinetically throws the guard. He hits a wall and falls unconscious.

They head for the door opposite, but Xander stops at the security station, looks at the video monitors. "Buffy..."

Buffy, Prue and Piper join him and look at the monitor. On the screen is a security camera's view of Moloch and Willow. On the bottom of the monitor is tape with robotics lab 02 written on it.

Buffy nods, "It's her!"

Piper looks at the monitor, "Yeah. Who's the other guy?"

Buffy looks to Piper and they along with Xander and Prue head toward the door. They enter a hall and see the door marked ROBOTICS LAB 02 and head for it.

Buffy tries it and it's locked as well. "I can't bust this. This is heavy steel."

Xander nods, "Then let's find another way in -" The lights go out, emergency lights casting a dim, eerie glow. They hear the loud K-CHNK of a deadbolt locking. Xander runs back to the door they came in through - it's locked. "What's going on?"

Prue spies a security camera in the corner of the room. "The building's security system is computerized."

Xander frowns, "Whoops."

A red light marked fire starts flashing and jets of gas pour down, start filling the room.

At the library Ms. Calendar is at the computer, "Almost there."

The monitor shows a map of the world with a line from Gateway to various cities, forming a global circle.

"Couldn't you just stop Moloch by entering some computer virus?" Giles asks

Ms. Calendar shakes her head, "You've seen way too many movies. Okay we're up!" She turns to Giles. "You read, I type. Ready?"

Phoebe nods, "What you want me to do?"

Ms. Calendar looks to Phoebe, "Read with him. Maybe if we can get some Charmed magic going it might make it work faster." She spits in one hand, rubs them together. Poises them at the keyboard.

"By the power of the devine... By the essence of the word... I command you." Giles and Phoebe says.

At CRD Prue, Piper Xander and Buffy are staggering, the room filling with gas. Buffy SLAMS herself against the door in an effort to get out.

Prue looks to Buffy, "Buffy augment my power."

Buffy nods and moves to Prue.

At the library.

"By the power of the Circle of Kayless, I command you!" Phoebe and Giles say.

Giles looks at the screen, "Kayless. With a K."

Ms. Calendar nods, "Right. Sorry."

At CRD Piper and Xander drops to the floor. Buffy grasps Prue's hands and closes her eyes to concentrate.

At the Library.

"Demon, COME!" Giles and Phoebe says.

At CRD the door flies open.

The gas stops and the lights flicker on, off. Buffy tries the door - it's now unlocked. Buffy grabs Xander as Prue grabs Piper and they pull them into the lab.

Willow whirls as they pour in. "Buffy!"

Moloch comes at Willow - Buffy runs and does a flying kick to his chest, pushes him back but not over. "Ow! Guy's made of metal." Buffy says.

A scientist grabs Piper from behind.

Buffy grabs Willow and they make for the door.

Moloch moves between them and the door - then stops again, clutching his head. "No! I will not go!"

At the library Ms. Calendar is tying and the screen flashes, sparks flying. "Whoah."

"I command you!" Phoebe and Giles say.

At CRD Prue telekinetically throws the scientist of Piper.

Buffy and Willow join Prue, Piper and Xander at the door.

Moloch drops to his knees.

At the library Ms. Calendar finishes typing. A wind kicks up in her face, a huge cosmic noise booms around her - and then it all stops. Silence. The computer screen dark. "It worked..."

Giles looks at the screen. After a moment he moves to the book on the table, the one with Moloch on the cover.

Ms. Calendar smiles, "He's out of the net. He's bound."

Giles hesitates - then opens the book. The pages are still blank. "He's not in the book."

Phoebe frowns, "What do you mean?" She and Ms. Calendar comes over, looks.

"But... he's not in the book... Where is he?" Ms. Calendar asks.

At CRD Moloch raises his head. His eyes glow brighter than they ever have.

Out in the hall Prue, Piper, Xander, Buffy and Willow are headed for an open door - when they see the security guard and two other scientists running toward them from the other side of the door. Buffy shuts the door on them, locks it.

"Let's go this way!" Xander says as he takes off down the corridor -

"Wait -" Buffy says as she looks down the corridor - and Moloch smashes through the wall right behind her. He grabs her, throws her against the other wall. She sinks to the ground as he approaches.

"I was omnipotent! I was everything! Now I'm trapped in this shell..." Moloch says as he reaches for Buffy, who is still dazed -

Willow frowns, "Malcolm!" Moloch turns - and Willow SMASHES him in the head with a fire extinguisher, speaking through gritted teeth. "Remember me? Your girlfriend?" SMASH - in the head again. "I'm thinking we should break up." SMASH! "But maybe we can still be friends."

Willow brings it down again - only this time he grabs it. Throws it and her away - she flies back right at the returning Xander, knocking them both down.

Moloch turns back to Buffy, who has gotten shakily to her feet.

Buffy punches him once in the stomach area. Bad idea. "Ahhh!"

Moloch nods, "This body is all I have left, but it's enough to crush you."

Piper notices the fuse box. "Buffy!" She gestures with her eyes and Buffy nods indicating she sees the fuse box.

Buffy backs up towards the fuse box "Take your best shot."

Moloch pulls back his arm - drives his fist at her - and Buffy does a perfect split.

Drops right out the line of fire as Moloch SLAMS his fist right into the fuse box.

Moloch starts to shake, to smoke - as Buffy rolls out and comes up next to him.

Buffy smiles, "Hurts, doesn't it?" Moloch turns to her, smoke pouring from his eyes like fury. She takes a step back as he starts to spark - she turns and runs – "Get down!"

Buffy dives to the floor alongside Prue, Piper Xander and Willow as Moloch explodes!

It takes a moment for the smoke to clear. When it does, they look around.

By their feet lies Moloch's lifeless head.

A couple days later Xander, Buffy and Willow sit together in the Quad at school. Willow looks pretty glum.

"So we're going to the Bronze tonight? We three?" Xander asks.

Buffy nods, "It'll be fun."

Xander nods, "Willow? Fun? Remember fun? The thing when you smile?"

Willow sighs, "I'm sorry, guys. I'm just thinking about..."

"Malcolm?" Buffy asks

Willow nods, "Malcolm, Moloch, whatever he's called. The one boy that's really liked me and he's a demon robot. What does that say about me?"

"It doesn't say anything about you." Buffy says.

Willow sighs, "But I thought - I mean I was really falling -"

Buffy smiles, "Hey. Did you forget? The one boy I've had the hots for here turned out to be a vampire."

Xander nods, "Right! And the teacher I had a crush on: giant praying mantis."

Buffy nods, "And Piper was dating a warlock when I moved to San Francisco."

Willow smiles, "That's true..."

Xander nods, "It's life on the Hellmouth."

Buffy cheerfully, "Let's face it. None of us is ever going to have a normal, happy relationship."

Xander laughs, "We're doomed!"

Willow nods, "Yeah!"

They all laugh together. Then it kind of sputters out, and they all sit there, incredibly depressed.


	17. Chapter 17: Blind Sided

**Chapter 17: Blind Sided**

At the park. There is a little boy's birthday party there. Buffy, Prue, Piper and Phoebe are there.

Phoebe nods, "So what are you so afraid of?"

Piper shakes her head, "I'm not afraid. I'm not. I'm just not sure."

Buffy walks over with Prue, "Not sure of what?"

"Josh. He wants to have the talk with Piper." Phoebe says.

Prue nods, "What talk?"

Phoebe smiles, "Three dates, no sex. There could only be one talk he's talking about. The talk. Safe sex, prior partners. Standard dating protocol."

Buffy rolls her eyes.

Piper sighs, "And sex equals relationship."

"And you're not sure you want to be a couple?" Prue asks.

"Well, it's not that I don't like him." Piper says.

Buffy nods, "Then what's wrong with being a couple?"

Piper sighs, "Well, I thought Leo and I were a couple and then we coupled and he took off."

Prue nods, "Yeah, well, men seem to have a different definition of coupling than women do."

"I do not think that's why Leo left." Phoebe says.

Dee walks up to the girls. "Hey, Prue."

Prue smiles, "Hey, Dee, how are you? Have you met our cousin, Payson?"

Buffy waves, "Hi."

Piper looks to David, "Hey, how's the party going?"

Dee shakes her head, "No I haven't. Hello Payson."

David smiles, "Great. We're playing Squish the Squash and nobody's been able to catch me." Prue's phone rings. "Is the cake ready?"

"Uh, yeah, give us about five minutes." Piper says.

David smiles, "Awesome." He runs off. "Hey guys, five minutes until the cake."

"Thanks for doing all this, Piper. I never would have been able to afford it." Dee says.

"Hey, what are friends for? Besides, it's worth it just to see the look on David's face." Piper says.

Buffy nods, "He's a great kid."

Dee smiles, "Yeah, I know."

Prue sighs, "So much for my Saturday off. That was Claire. Something at the auction house needs to be appraised, so I gotta go. I'm so sorry."

"Bye." Dee, Piper, Buffy, and Phoebe say.

The kids are playing with a ball. One kid accidentally throws the ball in the bush.

David nods, "I'll get it." He runs in the bush and throws the ball back. He hears a cat meowing in the trees. He goes to look and a grimlock jumps out of the bush and grabs him. "Help! Let go of me!"

Buffy hears the cry for help and takes off towards David.

Prue is walking along the path and sees what's happening. She runs towards David. "David, no!" She puts her hands up and the grimlock and David fly around the air. A man just happens to see her. Prue looks at her hands and they fall to the ground. The grimlock grabs David and runs further into the bush.

In the bushes ten feet away Buffy is fighting another grimlock. She is knocked unconscious.

"Help! Help! Let go of me! Help me!" David yells.

Prue runs after the Grimlock and David. She doesn't see the other Grimlock and Buffy. The grimlock stands in a spot and a hole in the ground appears. He jumps in and the hole closes.

The other Grimlock grabs Buffy and runs deeper into the woods. He stops and a hole in the ground appears. He jumps in and the hole closes.

A short time later The police are there. Dee is crying.

Phoebe nods, "What did you tell them?"

Prue sighs, "That I saw a creature with whirling eyes take David."

"And what did he say?" Phoebe asks.

Prue nods, "What did you think he said? He thought I was nuts."

Phoebe sighs, "Yeah, well, it turns out David's not the first one to be taken. An inspector told me that another boy disappeared yesterday in the exact same spot."

Prue frowns, "A demon who steals kids. Does it get any worse?"

Phoebe nods, "Uh, yeah, apparently it also happened twenty years ago. Same park, three kids."

"Did they ever find the kids?" Prue asks.

Phoebe shrugs, "I don't know."

Prue nods, "You know, I could've saved him."

"Prue, don't go there." Phoebe says.

Prue sighs, "No, I was just so surprised and I looked down at my hand and..."

Phoebe nods, "It was the first time you channelled your power through your hands. Give yourself a break. Your power's growing."

Prue nods, "Yeah, I just hope no one saw me."

"Okay, well, look on the bright side, you won't have to squint your eyes anymore. You were starting to get those little lines. Phoebe says as Piper comes up to them. "So, how's Dee doing?"

Piper shakes her head, "Not good. It's very frustrating not being able to tell her who we are and how we can help."

Prue nods, "Yeah, well, the sooner we get to the Book of Shadows the sooner we can get David back home."

"An albino demon with whirling eyes sounds like a whole chapter to me." Phoebe says

Piper nods, "Uhm has anyone seen Buffy?"

Phoebe shakes her head, "No."

"Not since David was taken, why?" Prue asks.

Piper frowns, "Because I don't see her, anywhere. And she wouldn't have left without telling us first."

Prue's phone rings. "I forgot about the appraisal."

Piper nods, "Uh, it's okay, just go. Phoebe and I will look in the book and we'll call you if we find anything. And I will mention Buffy to the police."

Prue nods, "Are you sure?"

"Don't ya just hate cell phones? Always out of range." Phoebe says as she grabs Prue's phone and hangs up the phone.

Prue nods, "Call me. And definitely call me if you find Buffy." She walks towards her car.

Piper walks over to one of the officers, "My cousin seems to be missing."

The officer looks to Piper, "When was the last time you saw her?"

Piper nods, "Around the time Dee's son was taken."

The officer nods, "Can you give me a description or better yet a picture?"

Piper nods, "I can get you a picture from the house. She's sixteen, blonde, was wearing a red halter top and blue jeans. She answers to the name Payson or Buffy."

The officer nods, "If you can get us that picture it will help. We'll add her to the case for the boy."

In the Underground in the storm drains. The grimlocks have kids locked in cages.

David is clearly frightened, "Help! Help me! Let go of me!" One of the grimlocks have a hold of David. The other grimlock holds his hand in front of David's face. A blue light shines in his eyes. It looks as if they're taking his eyesight. "I can't see. Why can't I see? Mom! Mom?"

They push David into one of the cages and drag Buffy out. She tries to fight but they have too strong a hold on her to break free. She is held down as a grimlock holds his hands in front of Buffy's eyes. A blue light shines in her eyes. Then suddenly she too goes blind.

In the Kitchen at the manor Piper's looking through the Book of Shadows and Phoebe's on the computer.

Piper frowns, "Nothing." She closes the book and starts getting food out of the cupboards.

Phoebe nods, "Did you look under whirling eyes? Or how about demons strong enough to take a Slayer."

Piper sighs, "About an hour ago. I found demons with no eyes, demons with four eyes, eyes that grow legs, but no whirling eyes. And there is way too many demons that would be strong enough to take Buffy to narrow it down. Did you find anything?"

"I found some news clippings about the kidnapping twenty years ago. Ah, all three boys were taken in the same place as David and Buffy. And two of them was never seen again." Phoebe says.

Piper starts gathering food, "Oh, great. We need to find them an quick then. Not only to find David but Buffy as well."

Phoebe nods, "Agreed. Anyways the other one was found. It's right here. His name was, uh, Brent Miller. Look, honey, I know you're upset but that's not going to help you."

Piper sighs, "It's not for me, it's for Dee, I'm taking her a care package. Doing this keeps my mind off Buffy. Keep reading."

Phoebe turns back the computer, "Brent Miller was discovered two days after he was taken, roaming the streets. He was fine accept he'd gone blind."

Piper suddenly stops, "Blind? Buffy's going to be blind?"

Phoebe stands and hugs Piper, "We'll find her." Piper nods as Phoebe turns back to the computer. "Anyways, he claimed that some storm drain monsters stole his eyesight and of course the authority's believed he just caught a parasite."

Piper nods, "We can't tell Dee that her son might be blinded. I don't think we should tell Prue that Buffy might be blind either. I'm having a hard time dealing with her being taken, now to find out she's maybe blind. Prue will go ballisitic."

"I know how you feel Piper. She maybe our cousin. But I think of her more as a sister. Anyways, maybe if I can find this Brent Miller guy on the web he might know something that could help us." Phoebe says.

Piper sighs, "I hope you're right."

Phoebe nods, "Piper, we're gonna find David and Buffy."

A while later Phoebe is at Brent Miller's place.

The Housekeeper smiles, "Mr Miller will be in shortly."

Phoebe nods, "Wow, what a great view. You can smell the ocean."

Brent enters the room with a seeing eye dog. "And hear the traffic."

"Uh, Brent Miller?" Phoebe asks.

Brent nods, "That's what they tell me."

Phoebe smiles, "Hi. I'm Phoebe Halliwell."

"Phoebe, allow me to introduce you to Helmeth." Brent says.

Phoebe smiles, "He's beautiful. So is this place."

Brent nods, "Yeah, well, didn't think a blind guy could live so well, huh?"

Phoebe shakes her head, "Oh, no, that's not what I meant at all."

Brent nods, "I know you didn't. I design software for the visually impaired. Life has been good to me. So, how can I, how can I help you, Phoebe?"

"Actually, I wanted to talk to you about when you were kidnapped as a child." Phoebe says.

Brent shakes his head, "I'm sorry, I'm not uh, I'm not very comfortable talking about that."

Phoebe sighs, "I understand, but I read a lot about it."

Brent frowns, "I said I'm not interested in talking about it."

"Okay, but this just isn't for me..." Phoebe says.

Brent yells at Phoebe, "I said no!" His dog barks and the housekeeper comes in.

"Is everything alright, Mr. Miller?" The housekeeper asks.

Brent nods, "Yes, Lucy please just, uh, show this lady to the front door."

Phoebe turns for only a moment before turning back to Brent, "No, you know what? I'm not leaving. It's happening again. In the last twenty-four hours two little boys and a sixteen year old girl were kidnapped in the same park that you were. The girl is my cousin. Maybe by the same monsters that took you."

Brent sighs, "It's all right, Lucy." The housekeeper takes the dog in another room. "You believe my story about the monsters?"

Phoebe nods, "Yes, I do."

"Why? When everyone else has laughed at me." Brent says.

Phoebe smiles, "Well, maybe it's because I've seen my share of monsters and I haven't told anybody about them because I didn't want them to laugh at me either. Mr. Miller, I know you wouldn't want what happened to you to happen to these two little boys and my cousin. Please."

Brent nods, "There were three of them. I mean, terrifying creatures, really. They dragged me into a storm drain to a junction of some kind. They... held me down, I remember blue sparks hitting my face. My eyes felt like they were on fire and, uh, that was the last thing I ever saw."

Phoebe nods, "Why do you think they took your eyesight?"

"I don't know. But I remember them saying something about auras." Brent says.

Back at the Halliwell Manor. Piper is sitting on the stairs searching through the Book of Shadows. Phoebe sits down next to her.

Piper nods, "Auras, auras. I know I saw something in here. Here it is, auras. Grimlocks."

Phoebe reads from the book, "Underground demons who roam from city to city, killing powerful forces of good by seeing the unique auras that surround them."

Piper nods, "Which they're able to do by stealing the sight of children."

Phoebe frowns, "So, they're like hit men for the dark side. But why take Buffy. She isn't a child."

Piper nods, "Technically she is still a child. She won't be considered an adult till she hits the age of eighteen."

Piper nods as she reads, "The stolen eyesight will last only twenty-four hours but only if the children are alive. Which means we have less than fourteen hours. To destroy a grimlock gather a Schisandra root..."

Prue calls from downstairs, "Piper! Phoebe!"

They go downstairs.

"Uh oh, I know that look." Phoebe says.

Piper nods, "What's wrong?"

Prue frowns, "A reporter saw me use my powers in the park and he's threatening to write an article about it."

"What? Does he have any proof?" Phoebe asks.

Prue nods, "Just what he saw."

Phoebe frowns, "So it's your word against his."

Prue sighs, "Yeah, the difference is, his word is delivered to a half a million homes each week."

Piper nods, "Well, everything happens for a reason, maybe it's time we let the world know about us."

"Piper, being outed would only make our lives worse." Prue says.

Piper sighs, "We don't know that. At least I could tell Dee what we're doing and give her some hope."

Phoebe shakes her head, "No, Prue's right. If we're exposed we're gonna have every crazy hounding us day and night."

Prue nods, "Not to mention the media circus on our front lawn. Remember E.T?"

Piper nods, "Well, we can't worry about that now, we have to find those boys and Buffy. I'm gonna go see Josh and see if he has a map or something of the storm drain system."

Prue frowns, "Storm drains?"

"It's where these demons live." Phoebe says.

Prue nods, "Well, there's got to be at least hundred miles of storm drains in the city."

Phoebe sighs, "Well, I'll go talk to Brent again and see if he can remember where the Grimlocks took him."

"Brent?" Prue asks.

Piper nods, "Prue, the Book of Shadows said the only way to kill a Grimlock is to blind it with a potion made from Schisandra root. Can you find some?"

Prue nods, "Yeah, I'll try. As long as that reporter isn't following me."

Phoebe smiles, "Okay, be back soon. Hey, what if Josh wants to have the talk?"

Piper frowns, "I'll tell him I have a headache."

Prue nods, "Do we think these Grimlocks took Buffy?"

Piper nods, "We think so. And…" Phoebe frowns and shakes her head. "We should tell her Phoebe."

Phoebe sighs and nods.

Prue frowns, "Tell me what?"

Phoebe sighs, "We read in the book that the Grimlocks steal the sight of children so they can see auras. Buffy could be blind."

Prue sighs as Piper and Phoebe hug Prue.

Phoebe is back at Brent's place.

Brent nods, "I remember their faces. It's like a nightmare that never ends. They took me into this big area and there were a lot of pipes. I'm sorry, that's really all I remember."

"That's okay, Brent." Phoebe says.

Brent sighs, "You're disappointed."

Phoebe shakes her head, "No, no, not at all."

Brent nods, "Someone that can see your face might believe you but your voice tells another story."

Phoebe smiles, "Gave me away, huh? I guess I am a little worried about Buffy."

"You have a beautiful smile, Phoebe." Brent says.

Phoebe blinks, "How can you tell?"

Brent smiles, "I hear it in your voice, I can see it in my mind." Phoebe touches Brent's arm and she has a premonition of a little boy in the storm drain. "What's the matter? Are you okay?"

Phoebe nods, "I'm fine. Um, Brent, when they took you were you wearing a sweat shirt with jeans and black high-tops?"

"Yeah, I think I was. How did you...?" Brent asks

Phoebe nods, "And when you escaped were you running through water?"

Brent nods, "Yes, I remember that, in a tunnel."

Phoebe smiles, "Okay, Brent, I need you to think really hard. Do you remember anything, anything at all about that location? Did you hear anything or feel anything?"

"All I remember is this, uh, sound of this enormous generator... and maybe some cable cars." Brent says.

Phoebe frowns, "Cable cars?"

Brent nods, "Yeah."

Phoebe nods, "Hey, do you have a map? Oh, oh! I'm so, that was so stupid."

Brent shakes his head, "No, I actually do have a map of that area. It's over here. What are we looking for exactly?"

Phoebe shrugs, "I don't know. Cable car turnaround maybe. That generator that you heard could have been a power plant."

Brent gets a book and starts flipping through the pages. "Right. See, on this map, okay, there are two turnarounds on this page and, uh, right, here it is. There's a power plant right there on Varick."

"How can you tell?" Phoebe asks.

Brent nods, "Well, give me your hand. Okay, feel these three horizontal bumps followed by the two vertical. On this map that's the symbol for a power plant."

Phoebe nods, "I better go."

Brent nods, "Phoebe, how'd you know what I was wearing and where I was running? Are you some kind of psychic or something?"

"Like... only different." Phoebe says.

Brent nods, "Right. That's how you've seen all these other monsters that you mentioned, isn't it? Phoebe, you're a good person. That probably means you have a strong aura. Please be careful with these monsters."

Phoebe smiles, "Don't worry, I will."

Brent nods, "I hope you find the two boys and your cousin."

Underground in the storm drains. Buffy, David and a boy are locked in a cage.

Buffy nods, "Don't worry, Billy, we'll be alright."

"My mom's got a friend who's got supernatural powers. She'll get us outta here." David said.

Grimlock growls, "Shut up!"

Buffy looks around with sightless eyes trying to get her barings with her Slayer enhanced hearing.

At the opening to the storm drains. Phoebe walks up, "Bingo. Hold on Buffy we're coming." She runs off.

At the Halliwell Manor. Phoebe runs up the stairs outside and goes into their house.

Piper frowns, "Is he still out there?"

Prue nods, "Unfortunately."

"Hey, you guys, I think I found the entrance to the storm drain. What's going on?" Phoebe says.

Prue nods, "Didn't you see that guy parked out front in his car?"

Phoebe nods, "Yes."

Prue sighs, "Yeah, well, that's the reporter I told you about. He's staking us out."

Phoebe frowns, "What?"

"He tricked us into using our powers and nearly caught us." Piper says.

Prue nods, "But fortunately we figured out what he was doing before he could get any proof."

Phoebe smiles, "Oh, thank God."

Piper nods, "The only problem is how are we gonna be out looking for David and Buffy when he's camped outside. We have less than two hours."

The doorbell rings. Prue answers the door.

Eric smiles, "Hey, how's it going? Mind if I use your bathroom?" Prue tries to shut the door. "Hey, don't bother using your magical powers on me. I already hid the video tape."

Prue frowns, "What videotape?"

"Yeah, you know, best I could guess is somehow one of you stopped time. Or rewound it. I don't know. What I do know is I got the whole thing on tape." Eric says.

Prue shakes her head, "You're bluffing."

Eric smiles, "Am I? How do explain your sisters purse magically jumping to her right shoulder to her left shoulder instantaneously. You screwed up. And I got the proof. Okay, now here's the deal. I already got my story ready to print. But all I really want now from you is a tell-all exclusive. I'll write the book, we can share in movie rights, foreign sales, distribution..." Prue pushes him outside and closes the door. "Okay, I'll just wait outside until you're ready to talk."

Phoebe frowns, "What are we gonna do?"

"Alright, look, I will stay here and finish the potions, you guys go try and find the boys and Buffy. To buy us some time, keep on freezing those grimlocks, okay, until I get there. If Buffy's not blind have her try and throw some fireballs at them."

Piper nods, "What about Lohman?"

"Don't worry about him, I'll stop him from following you. Prue says as she goes outside. "Lohman. I've been thinking about what you said. Maybe we can work something out." "

Eric smiles, "Yeah? Why don't I believe you?"

Phoebe and Piper sneak towards the car.

Prue smiles, "Oh, I don't know, maybe it's your reporter instincts." They hear and see Phoebe and Piper drive off. "Oops, busted."

"Nice try." Eric says as he runs towards his car and Prue uses her powers and a garden tool gets shoved in his car tyre which flattens it. "Whoa! You did that, didn't you. I know you did that."

"Really? Prove it." Prue says.

In the storm drains. Piper steps in a puddle. "Eww, I'm not wearing the right shoes for this. Okay, talk about all roads leading to hell. Which way?"

Phoebe gets out her map. "Ah, light, light." Piper turns on a torch. "Brent said he remembered a big area with pipes. Oh, wait, there's a pipe junction. That way." They keep walking. "So, I guess this isn't a good time to ask how it went with Josh and the talk?"

"You're right, it's not." Piper says.

Piper frowns, "Who knew anything could smell so bad.:

Phoebe smiles, "Now there's a good sign." She sees a sign.

"Meaning?" Piper asks.

Phoebe nods, "I saw it in a vision that I had of Brent."

They see a rat.

"Eww, eww!" Piper and Phoebe say.

Piper falls into a big hole in the ground and is knocked unconscious.

Phoebe looks down in the whole, "Piper! Piper! Piper! Are you okay? Oh my God. Oh God." She covers the hole with a piece of board. "Piper, I'll get help."

Outside the storm drains. Phoebe is waiting for Prue. Prue's car pulls up and they get out of the car.

"What is he doing here?" Phoebe asks.

Eric smiles, "Making my career."

Prue nods, "I didn't have a choice. Where's Piper?"

Phoebe nods, "She's in through this way. Come on."

"You just stay here, all right, it's too dangerous." Prue says.

Eric shakes his head, "No, no, no. I'm coming with ya."

Prue frowns, "No! Look, there is too many lives at stake here including my sisters and my cousin. I will not have you risking them. Stay where you are, you'll get your story."

Eric nods, "Okay, I'll just wait out here."

The girls go in

Inside the storm drains. A grimlock is walking around near Piper.

Piper calls up from the hole. "Phoebe, is that you?" The grimlock hears her and moves the piece of board. "Phoebe?"

The Grimlock starts choking her with his powers. Phoebe and Prue come running in.

Phoebe frowns, "Prue!" Prue throws one of the potions and he melts away. "Nice."

"Great, just what we need. More toxic waste in our sewers. That worked well." Prue says before she telekinetically lifts Piper out of the hole.

"Ow, ow, ow!" Piper says.

Prue nods, "We've gotta get you outta here."

Piper shakes her head, "No, no."

Prue nods, "Look, Piper, just up to the street. Okay, Phoebe and I will come right back for the boys and Buffy."

"Come on, lean on me, honey." Phoebe says.

They start walking back to the street.

Andy is looking around the drains. He sees Eric lying on the ground. A grimlock walks up behind them. He sees it and shoots it but it doesn't do anything. The grimlock grabs Andy and Prue gets there just in time.

"Andy!" Prue says as she telekinetically throws the grimlock through the air. "You okay?"

Andy nods, "Yeah, thanks. So what Lohman saw you do was true?"

Phoebe and Piper appear.

"Andy, what are you doing here?" Phoebe asks.

Andy sighs, "Confirming my suspicions."

Prue nods, "He knows. A grimlock tried to kill him."

Andy frowns, "What the hell's a grimlock?"

"It's a demon." Prue says.

Andy nods, "A demon."

Prue sighs, "Yeah, um, look, Andy, I need you to get Piper up on the street, okay?"

Piper shakes her head, "No, Prue, I want to stay, I need to help."

Prue shakes head, "No, you are far too weak to use your powers."

Andy blinks, "Her too?"

"Look, Andy, will you please just get her out of here." Prue asks

Andy shakes his head, "Prue, I'm not leaving the two of you alone."

"Do I have to use my power on you?" Prue asks.

Andy nods, "I'll meet you up on the street." He helps Piper to the street.

Prue looks to Piper, "You'll be okay." She sees the video tape for the camera next to Eric on the ground. She picks it up and puts it in her pocket. "Okay, we should be coming up on a feeder drain right about now."

A grimlock stands in front of them and they scream. Phoebe opens one of the jars of potion and throws it on the grimlock. He melts away.

They keep walking.

"David!" Phoebe says upon seeing David. Then she spots Buffy, "Buffy!"

They split off into different directions.

David looks around, "Please help me."

Buffy looks up with sightless eyes, "Pheebs?"

Phoebe smiles, "David. Buffy. Oh God. Prue! I found them." The other grimlock sees Prue and starts choking her. She drops the bottle of potion. "Prue!"

Buffy looks around as she powers up a fireball, "Phoebe you have to be my eyes aim me." She holds up her hand.

Phoebe nods, "A little to the left. A little more. There."

Buffy throws the fireball narrowly missing Phoebe but hitting the Grimlock sending it flying back. Prue throws the last potion onto the grimlock. He melts away.

"Are you okay?" Prue asks.

Phoebe nods, "Are you okay?"

Prue nods, "Yeah, where's David and Buffy."

Phoebe nods, "Over there."

David, Buffy and Billy's eyes clear up.

David smiles, "I can see. I can see you. I knew you had magic powers."

Buffy rolls her eyes, "Well good news is I can see you also."

Prue nods, "Come on, get your friend and let's get out of here, okay."

At the Police station.

Darryl nods, "Exactly how did you know the kids and Ms. Halliwell were down there again?"

Andy smiles, "Anonymous tip."

Darryl nods, "And what about the kidnappers?"

"Kidnappers? There weren't any kidnappers. Kids followed a kitten into the storm drain. Got lost. And Buffy went in after them to try and find them before getting lost herself." Andy says.

Darryl nods," Really? How do you explain finding Lohman down there with a broken neck?"

Andy shrugs, "Must have slipped when he went down there after them. Anything for a story. That's too bad."

"Yeah, real shame. You don't really expect me to believe all this, do you?" Darryl says.

Andy nods, "For now."

Phoebe nods, "Have they said anything?"

Prue shakes her head, "No, they and Buffy just got back from the hospital. But who knows what they'll say once the police start questioning them."

Phoebe sighs, "So much for our secret."

Buffy walks over to them, "Boy am I glad to see you guys, you know. Being blind was no picnic."

Prue nods, "Yeah I bet it wasn't. Still it would have been nice to have a dog around the house."

Buffy laughs as she looks to Piper. "Hey, you okay?"

Piper nods, "Yeah, I was just thinking when I was in the storm drain I was kinda out of it and I kept thinking about Leo. That's weird."

"Maybe you miss him." Phoebe says.

Piper nods, "Maybe."

Prue nods, "What are you gonna do about Josh?"

"I'm gonna call him and tell him I think he should take the job in Beverly Hills." Piper says.

Phoebe smiles, "But sweetie, you can't hold out for Leo, I mean, who knows of he's ever gonna come back."

Piper nods, "I know. He may not. But if I'm thinking about Leo, then I'm definitely not thinking about Josh."

Buffy sighs, "That's too bad."

Phoebe nods, "He had really nice glutes. There's Brent. Hey Brent! Ah, over here. Hi."

Brent smiles, "Hi."

"Where's your dog?" Phoebe asks.

Brent takes off his sunglasses. "He's retired."

Phoebe blinks, "You can see? But how did that ...?"

Brent shrugs, "I don't know, I mean, you tell me. I mean someone must have slayed those monsters. Do you know anything about it?" Phoebe pretends to zip her mouth closed. "That's alright. If anyone understands the danger of telling amazing stories, I sure do. I was right, you do have a beautiful smile." Buffy walks over to them." Is this your cousin?"

Buffy nods, "That would be me, Payson Halliwell."

Brent reaches out to shake Buffy's hand, "I am glad to see your alright."

Buffy smiles, "Thank you for the help you gave Phoebe."

Brent looks back at the bench with the boys and their families, "Are those the boys?"

Phoebe nods, "Yeah."

"Maybe I should have a little talk with them." Brent says.

Phoebe smiles, "That would be so great. Thank you."

Brent shakes his head, "No. Thank you. It was nice meeting you Payson."

Buffy smiles, "Call me Buffy, my friends and family do."

Brent nods, "Buffy." He turns and heads over to the Boys.

Andy walks up to Prue.

"So, now you know." Prue says.

Andy nods, "Yeah. It's still sinking in."

Prue sighs, "Where do we go from here?"

Andy smiles, "That's a good question."

Lots of reporters come up to Andy with cameras wanting to ask him questions.


	18. Chapter 18: The Power of Two Augmented

**Chapter 18: The Power of Two Augmented**

At Halliwell Manor Phoebe is sitting on the furniture meditating trying to call a premonition. Prue and Piper are running around looking for stuff.

Buffy comes downstairs.

"Prue, have you seen my purse?" Piper says.

Prue nods, "In the kitchen. Have you seen my keys?"

Piper motions toward the TV, "They're by the T.V. I can't find my plane ticket. Did I give it to you?"

Prue shakes her head, "Maybe you packed it."

"I didn't pack it, I just saw it." Piper says.

Phoebe holds Piper's plane ticket and tries to have a premonition. It works. "I can't believe it. It worked."

"Found it, Piper." Buffy says as she snatches Piper's plane ticket off Phoebe.

Piper smiles, "Thank God. Didn't you hear me looking for this? What are you doing on the furniture?"

Phoebe shakes her head, "No, you don't understand. I've been practicing how to call a premonition and I did it. I saw a future event on command. Oh, and that's the good news, the bad news is I saw you missing your flight."

Piper frowns, " Oh, great. If I don't get to Honolulu for the convention, my boss will fire me."

Prue nods, "Well, we can't let that happen especially since my job is hanging by a thread as it is."

Buffy frowns, "Since when?"

Prue sighs, "Oh, since all the demon hunting time off I've been taking lately."

Piper nods, "I am so behind. I didn't go shopping, or pay the bills, or call the cable guy, or cancel my hair appointment."

Phoebe smiles, "Don't worry about it, sweetie, I'll do it."

"You sure?" Piper asks.

Prue nods, "Yeah, I mean, you've got time right?

Buffy smiles, "I have the day off from school anyways, so I can help her. Though now that I think about it would be easier if I had a car and a license. Prue maybe we can discuss that later after you get home from work?"

Prue looks at Buffy and nods, "Ok." She looks to Piper, "Okay, so listen, we have stopped Phoebe's premonitions from coming true before, hopefully we can do it again. Let's go.""

"Okay, but wait, whoa, whoa! I just realised the three of you haven't really ever been alone together." Piper says.

Phoebe smiles, "Piper, we're big girls now. I don't think we need you as a buffer anymore."

"All right, what about demon stuff, what if something happens and you need the power of three?" Piper asks.

Prue smiles, "Well, then the power of two will just have to do. Plus with Buffy here we can augment it to make it more powerful."

Phoebe nods, "Good one."

"All right, let's go. Um, hey Phoebe, Buffy, will you two pick up my dry cleaning on the way back from the market, please?" Prue says.

Piper nods, "And talk to the gardeners about the weeds."

Prue smiles, "Oh, and light bulbs, we need light bulbs."

"Sure, we'll just add it to the list." Phoebe says.

Piper smiles, "Great, thanks, bye."

"Go, go, go." Prue says as she and Piper leave.

Phoebe sighs, "I'm not even married and already I'm a housewife."

Buffy rolls her eyes, "Hey at least I offered to help."

The phone rings and Phoebe answers it, "Hello. Hey, Marianne. Oh, geez, I completely forgot about Alcatraz. I can't go, I have a million errands to run. You know, I, I'll be right over. Oh and you don't mind if I bring Payson along? She's home today from school and never been. Great thanks." She scrunches up the list and throws it away.

"Alcatraz? Wow. Uhm chores or seeing a famous prison. I think I will go see the prison." She and Phoebe head out of the house.

At Alcatraz a group of people including Buffy and Phoebe are touring the prison.

"Twenty-eight inmates died here, nine by attempting to escape, four by execution. Legend has it, that one of them still haunts the prison to this very day. The ghost of Alcatraz, believed to reside in this very cell." The tour guide says.

"The ghost... oh, geez." A man says as he laughs.

"Let's see if he's in, shall we?" The tour guide opens the cell and goes inside and closes the door. "Now if you listen closely, you can actually hear the ghost cries. Shh. There. Hear him?"

Jackson shakes his head, "What an idiot."

Soul Collector nods, "Look at him as your "get out of jail free" card." She does something and the tour guide drops dead.

Buffy looks between the female ghost and Jackson, "Pheebs!"

Phoebe turns to look at Buffy and see Jackson, the Soul Collector and the tour guard on the floor. "Marianne call 911, quick! What did you do?"

"Who are you?" Buffy asks.

Jackson frowns, "You two can see me?"

"Forget them for now. There's your ride off the island. Hop in." The Soul Collector says.

Phoebe shakes her head, "Oh, no. No!"

Jackson goes in the tour guide.

"Hope you enjoyed the tour. See ya." The Soul Collector says.

A short time later the tour guide's body is zipped up in a body bag. The police are questioning Phoebe and Buffy.

At Bucklands.

"In all honesty, Prue, if it weren't for you, I'm not sure the auction house would've been able to stave off bankruptcy." Claire says.

Prue nods, "Thank you."

Claire shakes her head, "No, don't thank me yet. Now, I have tolerated your unexplained absences and the endless family emergencies but no more. Buyers interested in purchasing Bucklands will be visiting in the next two days and it's important that we make a big impression. It's important that you make a big impression if you expect to keep your job. Do I make myself clear?"

"Perfectly." Prue says.

Monique opens the door. "I'm sorry, Prue, but your sister's on the phone."

Prue nods, "Ah, I'll call her back."

Monique shakes her head, "She says it's an emergency."

Prue goes out to the secretaries desk and gets the phone.

"Hey, have you ever heard of the ghost of Alcatraz?" Phoebe asks.

Prue frowns, "Are you kidding me? This is why you pulled me out of a meeting?"

"No, Prue, you don't understand. Buffy and I think the ghost really exists." Phoebe says.

Prue frowns, "Did either of you see it?"

"Ah, no, of course not, I mean how could we? We weren't at Alcatraz. WeI had way too much work around here to do." Phoebe says.

Prue nods, "So, then what makes you think there was a ghost?"

"Uh, my friend saw it. Marianne. You know Marianne. Actually, she thinks she saw two ghosts, or the other one may be something else. She's not really sure." Phoebe says.

Prue sighs, "Phoebe."

"What? Witches aren't the only people that can see ghosts. Normal people can too. Anyway, I did some research and I found out that some evil spirits need a dead body to transport them across water." Phoebe says.

Claire impatiently stands at the doorway.

Prue nods, "Okay, look, I am really sorry that the furnace exploded but you are just gonna have to handle it on your own. Okay?"

"Okay, Prue, if this ghost is on the mainland..." Phoebe says.

Prue sighs, "Don't forget to buy tampons at the market." She hangs up. She looks to Claire. "Just, uh..." She makes an exploding noise. "Singed eyebrows."

In the Kitchen at the Manor Prue walks into the kitchen. "Buffy, Phoebe, I'm home." She sees all the dirty dishes still in the sink and looks in the fridge. It's empty. "Buffy, Phoebe, you two didn't go to the market yet?"

Buffy shakes her head, "Uh, no, we sort of got side tracked with this ghost research. Besides, there isn't enough money in the household account."

Prue shakes her head, "Well, you two should've told me. I would've had some transferred in. What about the dry cleaning?"

Phoebe sighs, "I will go tomorrow, I swear."

"I wanted to wear that suit to work tomorrow." Prue says.

Phoebe nods, "Look, I know that I promised but this just seemed more important. We're not gonna get into a fight already are we? I mean, I wouldn't want to prove Piper right."

Buffy nods in agreement, "I really don't want to get grounded again. Makes patrol difficult."

The doorbell rings. Prue answers it. "Andy, hi."

Andy smiles, "Hi."

"I was wondering if I'd see you again. I thought you might be mad at me." Prue says.

Andy shakes his head, "No, I just needed some space. It's one thing to suspect what your secret was, it's another thing to actually see it with my own eyes."

Prue nods, "So does that mean that you're okay with it?"

"Actually, I'm here on a case. A kind of case where frankly before, I'd probably be looking for a more logical explanation." Andy says.

Prue nods, "Well, come on in." They go inside. "What's the case?"

Andy smiles, "The son of a former D.A. was brutally murdered. The only quote-unquote evidence points to the last man executed on Alcatraz before it was closed down."

Buffy and Phoebe join Prue and Andy. "Jackson Ward." Buffy says.

Andy nods, "How did you know that?"

Prue glares at Phoebe and Buffy, "Yeah, how did you know that?"

Phoebe smiles, "We told you,we were trying to figure out who the ghost of Alcatraz was, remember? Jackson Ward's name was at the top of the list."

"Ghost?" Andy asks.

Phoebe nods, "Yeah. Hey, what's that?" She points to the picture of the knife.

Andy frowns, "Ultraviolet fingerprint. Although, technically, there's no such thing."

Phoebe nods, "Could be the ghost's ectoplasm. It's outside the visual spectrum. Book of Shadows."

"Ectoplasm." Andy says.

Buffy nods, "Yeah. It's the ghost's skin. Hey, do you have a picture of this Ward guy?"

Andy shows them the picture of Jackson Ward.

"Yep, that's him. Exactly how Marianne described him. Amazing." Phoebe says.

Prue is a little suspicious, "Very."

Phoebe nods, "And what about this former DA's son. Did Ward know him?"

"Ward knew his father. He was the prosecutor who convicted him." Andy says.

Buffy frowns, "Coincidence? I think not."

Phoebe nods, "It's got to be the ghost that got off Alcatraz."

Prue frowns, "You know, speaking of coincidences. Don't you think it's an awfully big one that your friend saw this ghost?"

Buffy rolls her eyes, "Prue, if we've learned anything by now, it's that there aren't any coincidences, right?"

Prue nods, "Right." Andy's staring out the window. "Andy, are you okay?"

"I don't know. Just getting used to the idea of demons and witches. I don't know if I'm ready for ghosts too." Andy says.

Phoebe nods, "You ain't seen nothing yet."

Prue sighs, "Pheebs."

Andy sighs, "But if you're right, if it is the ghost of Jackson Ward who is the killer, how do I stop him from killing again?"

Later Buffy and Phoebe are in the attic looking through both Books.

Prue calls up from downstairs, "Phoebe? Buffy?"

Buffy goes to the door, "Yeah, we're up in the attic.:

Prue enters with Andy behind her.

Andy looks around, "I always wondered what was up here."

Phoebe frowns, "Prue, the Book of Shad-a-ba-bows." She tries to hide it.

Buffy moves to try and hide hers as well.

"No, no, no. It's okay, I already told him about them. Look, Jackson Ward has killed again. We have to figure out a way to stop them. Have you two found anything?" Prue asks.

Phoebe shakes her head, "Not really, I mean, there is so many references in here. There's ghosts, poltergeists, evil spirits, phantasms. We are not dealing with a typical demon."

Buffy nods, "Yeah, same here."

Prue sighs, "Yeah, well, there has to be something in here about vanquishing an evil spirit."

"Well, actually there is one spell but I don't think we're gonna want to use it." Phoebe says.

Prue shakes her head, "Why not? I mean, if it needs the power of three we an always call Piper, right? Or try and have Buffy augment it. She does bring us pretty close to a power of three."

Phoebe shakes her head, "No, that's not the problem. The problem is an evil spirit can't be vanquished on the physical plane. Only the astral plane. His plane."

"Okay, so then how do we say the spell?" Prue asks.

Buffy sighs, "Our spirits would have to say it. Meaning one of us would have to die for it to actually work."

Prue nods, "Keep looking."

Phoebe looks to Buffy who nods, "Right." They turn and start looking through the books again.

Andy sighs, "I've always believed there was another world behind or beyond this one. I even sort of believe in demons. But I have never in my wildest dreams..." He indicates the books. "I could never have imagined that this existed."

Prue smiles, "Yeah, neither did we. But we've come to believe that there's a reason for why that world was opened up to us. Which means there's probably a very good reason why it was opened up to you."

"Welcome, to our little shop of horrors." Phoebe says.

Both Books starts flipping pages.

"Are you doing that?" Andy asks.

Prue shakes her head, "No, it just sometimes they do it on their own."

Both Books open up to the truth spell.

Andy looks at at both Books and sees them open to the same page, "The truth spell?"

Buffy frowns, "That's weird that it would open up to that page with Andy standing right here."

Prue nods, "There has to be a mistake, Buffy." She turns the pages of one Book and then the other.

Phoebe shakes her head, "Or maybe there's a reason, Prue." She turns the pages in the Charmed Book back to the truth spell.

Prue and Andy leave to talk.

Downstairs a short time later…

Andy frowns, "How much time?"

"A minute... or two." Prue says.

Andy shakes his head, "A minute?"

Prue sighs, "Or two. It, it was a twenty-four hour spell, all right, I was against the clock."

Andy frowns, "And that's what you based your entire decision about us on? Prue, I've had a week to react to it this time. I still don't know how I feel. You should've given me more time, I think I deserve that, I think we deserved that."

Buffy and Phoebe comes down the stairs.

"Hey, you guys, since we don't know how to vanquish the ghost we have to try to stop him from killing his next... victim. Are we interrupting something?" Phoebe says.

Andy shakes his head, "No, we're done. What do you mean stop him killing his next victim? How do we do that?"

Phoebe smiles, "Buffy and I have powers too, you know."

Later in Prue's car out front of the police station Andy gets in. Buffy, Prue and Phoebe are waiting there.

Andy nods, "Okay, I got it. That's what Ward used to kill the judge." He hands Phoebe the letter opener. "How exactly is this going to work again?"

Phoebe smiles, "Well, I've been practicing calling my power, and if the psychic energy is strong enough on this, I should be able to see a future event. Just in case though. Buffy, augment me."

"Hopefully Jackson Ward's next victim." Prue says.

Buffy nods, "Sure Pheebs."

Phoebe nods, "Hopefully. If we're lucky. It doesn't always work."

Buffy rests her hands on Phoebe's shoulders. She closes her eyes. "Here we go." She begins to concentrate on Phoebe.

Phoebe holds the letter opener and has a premonition of Jackson Ward killing an elderly woman. "Oh my God."

"Are you all right?" Prue asks.

Phoebe nods, "I, uh, I didn't just see it, Prue, I felt it. Her pain, her terror. Buffy's augmentation really enhanced the premonition."

Buffy smiles, "I try and do what I can."

"Anyone of these look familiar?" Andy says as he hands Phoebe some pictures. She looks through them and picks one out. "Iris Beiderman. The foreperson on the jury that convicted him."

At Iris Beiderman's place Jackson is just about to stab her when Andy kicks open the door. Phoebe kicks the knife out of Jackson's hand.

"You two again." Jackson says.

Prue frowns, "You two again? What, you three have met?"

Buffy looks to Prue, "Not now."

Andy nods, "Where is he? Is he still here?"

"Yeah, he's right there." Prue says.

Andy looks around, "Point him out, Prue."

Jackson grins evilly, "You can't keep saving her forever."

Buffy goes and grabs the knife.

Andy frowns, "Prue, what's going on?"

"Or the others. Or yourselves." Jackson says.

Andy frowns, "Prue." Jackson leaves.

Back at the Manor Buffy, Prue and Phoebe walk in through the front door.

Prue sighs, "I cannot believe you two lied to me and I cannot believe I had to hear about it from a ghost."

Buffy sighed, "We already apologised for that, okay."

Prue shook her head, "I just don't understand why either of you couldn't tell me the truth, especially about something as stupid as going to Alcatraz."

Phoebe sighs, "We didn't tell you the truth because I knew you'd go ballistic and I thought I'd save ourselves the drama."

Buffy nods.

"Why would I go ballistic over that?" Prue asks.

Phoebe frowns, "Come on, Prue, give me a break. Just admit it. Why are you really mad at me? At us?"

Prue frowns, "Because you both lied to me."

Phoebe shakes her head, "No. You're really mad at us because as far as you're concerned, we were slacking off yesterday. Which is pretty much what I do every day, right?"

"Where is this coming from?" Prue says.

Phoebe shakes her head, "It's coming from the fact that I know you're really pissed because neither of us did the grocery shopping or pick up your dry cleaning, or whatever else that you put on that stupid list."

Buffy nods in agreement, "Yeah, Prue."

Prue shakes her head, "I am sorry that I asked you both to do things around the house because I have to work."

Phoebe sighs, "See? Time it, ladies and gentlemen, it took a whole sixty seconds before the 'W' word reared its ugly head."

Prue frowns, "What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about how you and Piper just automatically assume that Buffy or I will take care of the house because we don't have a real job." Phoebe says.

Prue shakes her head, "Now that's not true."

Phoebe sighs, "Oh no? Prue, when was the last time you went grocery shopping, or vacuumed the house, or waited all day for the cable guy to show up, which by the way if I were paid by the hour I'd be a millionaire by now. Or better yet, Buffy how many times has she asked you to go to the store on the way home from school?"

Buffy sighs, "Too many."

Prue shakes her head, "I cannot believe how you two are turning this around.

"I cannot believe you're pretending that you don't have a problem." Pheobe says.

Buffy nods, "Yeah Prue."

Prue sighs, "I don't."

Phoebe nods, "Okay, well, you know what? You just proved our point... our other point, which is neither Buffy or I get absolutely any credit for all that we do around here. It's just assumed that we'll do it. Like that crack that you made to Piper yesterday morning. Don't worry, Piper, Phoebe'll do it she's got time."

Prue sighs, "You do."

Phoebe nods, "Yes, and that's exactly my point, my main point. You are mad at me because I don't work."

Buffy nods, "Your mad at me at me not really because I don't work but because being the Slayer takes up a lot of my time and I don't help out around the house as much. So you try and make up for it by giving me even more chores to do."

"Okay, maybe you are both right." Prue says.

Phoebe nods, "And that's why we lied to you." The phone rings, Phoebe goes to answer it. "Hello."

"Hey, Phoebe, how's it going?" Piper says.

"Hey, Piper, how's Hawaii?" Phoebe says.

"Hey Piper," Buffy says loud enough for Piper to hear.

"I don't know, I haven't stopped working since I got off the plane. Hey Buffy." Piper says.

Phoebe rolls her eyes, "Sure, rub it in."

"Excuse me?" Piper says.

Phoebe shakes her head, "Nothing. Hey, can I call you back? I'm sort of in the middle of something right now."

"Sure, I just wanted to make sure you guys were all right. Do you miss me?" Piper says.

Phoebe nods, "More than you know, sweetie."

"Good. I love you. Tell Prue and Buffy I love them, too." Piper says.

Phoebe smiles, "I will. I love you too."

"Bye." Piper says.

"Bye." Phoebe says as she hangs up.

Prue frowns, "Why didn't you tell her about Jackson Ward?"

Phoebe shakes her head, "Why worry her? The power of three can't vanquish him. It's up to us."

Buffy nods, "Besides what is Piper going to do from Hawaii anyways?"

Prue sighs, "Look, Phoebe, Buffy, obviously we have some issues to deal with and they're not gonna be resolved overnight. So, in the mean time we need to figure out a way to stop Jackson Ward before he hurts anymore innocent people, okay?"

"I agree." Phoebe and Buffy say.

Prue nods, "Okay. So, did we actually just reach a compromise?"

Buffy and Phoebe rolls their eyes.

Later in the kitchen Phoebe and Prue are looking through the Charmed Book. Buffy is looking through her Book.

"It's the same story. One of us would have to literally die on order to vanquish the evil spirit. Any volunteers?" Phoebe says.

Prue nods, "Actually maybe. But before that we need to figure out a way to find Ward first. I mean, we can't count on you seeing his next victim even though Andy left us the letter opener to try."

Buffy nods, "Wait a minute. I think that there's something in here about luring evil spirits. A potion." She finds the page in her Book. "To lure an evil spirit. Mix equal parts of mercury and acid with the blood of one of the spirit's victims, pour it over his grave."

"Okay, that's disgusting," Phoebe says.

Prue sighs, "Yeah, alright, we can get the blood from the letter opener but how are we gonna find Ward's grave?"

Phoebe smiles, "You know what? I read on the web, his ashes were interred at his family mausoleum in Palo Alto."

"Great, just might work." Prue says.

Buffy nods, "Yeah, if it does work, he'll be coming after us."

Later in the Mausoleum Prue, Phoebe and Piper are walking around.

Prue sighs, "Oh, I hate cemeteries at night."

Phoebe nods, "I hate cemeteries at day."

Buffy rolls her eyes, "Just be glad there is no vampire."

They hear a noise.

Phoebe frowns, "What was that?"

Prue frowns, "Ah, probably a zombie or vampire."

Buffy shakes her head, "Just what we don't need tonight. Me Slaying while you two are trying to summon Ward's ghost."

Prue smiles, "Okay, perfect, there it is, Jackson Ward. Do you have the picture?" Prue looks at the picture and Phoebe's written on it. "Hey, Jackson, let's party?"

Phoebe smiles, "Okay, well, I couldn't think of anything else to write. Can we just do this and hurry?"

"Okay." Prue says as she throws the potion on and the plaque starts to melt. "Okay, okay, all right, let's go."

Back at the Manor in the kitchen Prue's making a potion.

Phoebe sighs, "Maybe it didn't work, maybe he's not coming."

Prue nods, "Well, at least if he is coming, we are definitely ready for him."

"What exactly is that?" Buffy asks.

"One killer cocktail. Literally. Little bit of oleander, some jimsonweed, bloodwort, among other things. Stops the heart immediately." Prue says.

Phoebe frowns, "Okay, you're scaring me. Where did you learn to do that?"

Prue sighs, "Book of Shadows."

Buffy frowns, "Which? That better not have been in mine or I'm ripping the page out of it is."

Phoebe nods, "Where? Under Dr. Kevorkian?"

"Whoever takes it can be revived by C.P.R. The only catch is it has to be done within four minutes to avoid brain damage." Prue says.

Buffy shakes her head, "Okay, Prue, that's a pretty big catch."

Prue nods, "Yeah, well, it's the only way to say the spell. It's the only chance we have of sending Ward where he belongs."

Phoebe nods, "But who does it? How do we decide that?"

"I'll do it." Prue says.

Phoebe shakes her head, "No." She gets a coin. "Call it heads or tails and no fair using your power."

Prue smiles, "Tails." Phoebe tosses the coin and it lands on tails. "I win."

Buffy shakes her head, "Toss it again."

Prue glares at Buffy, "No."

"Yes. Prue I have a greater chance of being revived than you do. I'm younger, plus I'm the Slayer."

Phoebe sighs and tosses the coin, "Call it."

"Heads." Buffy says.

The coin lands on heads.

Buffy sighs, "I'm counting on you guys."

Phoebe sighs, "I'm scared. I mean, I'm really scared. I think we've gone too far this time."

Prue nods, "We're doing what we have to do."

Buffy nods, "Yeah."

"I wish Piper were here. The swing vote, the voice of reason." Phoebe says.

Prue sighs, "Phoebe, Buffy, I never realised how much I probably do take you both for granted and not just for what either of you do around the house either."

Phoebe sighs, "Sure. You're just saying that 'cause Buffy's about to die."

Prue shakes her head, "No, you both were right about last night, I was upset because I thought you both were slacking off but the truth is you both weren't. You both were trying to find out who the ghost was and thank God you did."

"Yeah, but I totally over reacted. I mean, I'm the one that's upset with myself for not working for a living." Phoebe says.

Buffy sighs, "I over reacted also. I don't do as much around here as I should be. I use being the Slayer as an excuse."

Prue nods, "Phoebe, you do work. Buffy being the Slayer is important. Just as important as being a witch is."

Phoebe nods, "I know, Prue, I work around the house, but I want a job, a real job."

Buffy nods, "And I would like to have a life outside of being the Slayer, or even a witch."

Prue nods, "And you will find one, Phoebe. And you will have a life, Buffy. When you're both ready."

Phoebe smiles, "I can't remember the last time we talked like this."

Prue and Phoebe hug. A moment later Buffy joins them. Then phone rings.

"Prue, it's Claire, you're late, you're fired." Claire says into the answering machine.

Jackson walks through the wall and smashes something. He throws it.

Prue frowns, "Phoebe, duck!"

"Okay, Buffy, I got him, hurry." Phoebe says

Buffy drinks the cocktail while Prue and Phoebe fights Jackson. Jackson hits Phoebe over the head and is knocked unconscious. He then slaps Prue a way sending her across the kitchen. Buffy collapses to the floor.

Jackson smiles, "You're making this too easy, girl." He gets a metal cake server. Buffy's spirit floats out of her body. "What the hell's going on?"

"Ashes to ashes, spirit to spirit, take his soul, banish this evil." Buffy says.

Jackson frowns, "No!"

Andy calls from the living room, "Prue, you home?" He sees Phoebe lying on the floor.

"Ashes to ashes, spirit to spirit, take his soul, banish this evil." Buffy says.

Jackson starts fading away. "No! No!"

Andy goes in the kitchen he sees Prue first and checks her and sees she's okay, just unconscious. He then checks Buffy. "Buffy!" He starts giving her C.P.R.

"Andy, don't. Not yet." Buffy says.

Jackson smiles, "It's even better, I get to kill a cop too."

Buffy calls out, "Andy, behind you." Andy looks behind him and grabs the cake server. "Ashes to ashes, spirit to spirit, take his soul, banish this evil." Jackson yells and disappears. The soul collector appears. "Who are you?"

Soul collector smiles, "I was hoping to take you or your cousins. But it looks like you soul is safe. For now." She disappears.

Buffy's spirit enters back in her body. She wakes up.

Andy smiles, "Slow breaths."

"Am I alive?" Buffy asks.

Andy nods, "Yeah, you are. Thank God."

Prue and Phoebe wake up. "What happened? Is the ghost toast?" Phoebe asks.

Buffy nods, "Yeah."

Prue smiles at Buffy.

The next day in the kitchen Buffy, Phoebe and Prue are bringing the groceries in.

"So did you burn Andy's file like he suggested?" Buffy asks.

Prue nods, "Yeah, you should have seen it. It turns out he knew a lot more about us then he was letting on."

Phoebe nods, "Still doesn't explain how he could hear a ghost."

Prue frowns, "What do you mean?"

Phoebe sighs, "Well, when Buffy was a spirit." She looks at Buffy. "You said you yelled out to him and that's what made him turn around in time." She looks back at Prue. "How could he hear Buffy?"

Prue shrugs, "I don't know."

Buffy sighs, "Neither do I. I'm glad he did though. That's as close as I ever want to come to dying."

"Agreed." Prue and Phoebe say.

Piper enters the room. "Hi."

Pheobe smiles, "Piper, yay, I thought you weren't coming back until tomorrow."

Piper nods, "I took an earlier flight. I had this terrible feeling you guys were um..."

"What?" Prue asks.

"Oh, I don't know, at each other's throats maybe." Piper says.

Buffy laughs, "Us?"

Phoebe nods, "Are you kidding?"

Prue shakes her head, "Never."

"So nothing happened while I was gone?" Piper asks.

Phoebe shakes her head, "No, just the same old boring stuff. Hey, you need a hand?"

Buffy nods in agreement. "Yeah, need a hand?"

Prue smiles, "Uh, yeah, that would be great, thanks, Pheebs, Buffy."

They start putting the groceries away.


	19. Chapter 19: Nightmares

**Chapter 19: Nightmares**

_Dark and creepy. Buffy, dressed for hunting, stake in hand, moves carefully through the spooky space._

_Buffy creeps past some of the rock wall... an oddly angled and lit candelabra... an upended pew. As she moves on she doesn't see the Master rise behind her from behind the upended pew._

_Buffy continues to hunt. The Master, looking hideous, glides up behind her. Reaches out his terrible demon-hand for her. _

_As it's about to touch her, she senses him, turns. Sees his horrible face towering over her._

_Too terrified to fight, she drops the stake. Backs away from the Master who smiles evilly, coming for her, reaching for her. She backs into the rock wall. Trapped. His hand closes in, grabs her shoulder._

_Buffy screams, "No!"_

In Buffy's bedroom at the Manor Piper is shaking Buffy's shoulder. Buffy is asleep in bed.

"Time to get up for school." Piper says.

Buffy shakes, "Oh, Piper…"

Piper frowns, "Are you all right?"

Buffy shakes her head, "No. I'm pretty sure I had a Slayer dream. I was in a cavern and I think I was facing the Master when he came up behind me. He was about to kill me when you woke me up."

Piper sits on the bed, "It was only a bad dream, Buffy. Prue, Phoebe and I will not let anything happen to you."

"I know. "Buffy says as she gets out bed and goes over to her closet and opens the doors.

"I spoke with your father..." Piper says.

Buffy turns, a little concerned, "He's coming, right?"

Piper nods, "You're on for this weekend."

Buffy smiles, "Good..."

Later at Gateway High Buffy and Willow are walking to class.

"So you see your dad a lot?" Willow asks.

Buffy shakes her head, "Not a whole lot. He's still in L.A. He only comes down for weekends sometimes."

Willow nods, "When did they get divorced?"

Buffy sighs, "Well, it wasn't finalized till last year. They were separated before that."

Willow nods, "It must have been harsh. Especially when you lost your mom not long afterwards." Buffy sighs and nods. "So he stills comes down on weekends."

Buffy nods, "Sometimes."

They enter the classroom.

Buffy and Willow sit at the back of the classroom as Xander and Wendell comes walking towards them.

"Wendell was in Cordelia's light." Xander says.

Wendell nods, "I'm so ashamed."

Willow shakes her head, "Why is she so Evita-like?"

Buffy smiles, "It's the hair."

Willow nods, "Weighs heavy on the cerebral cortex."

"Hey guys. Was there any homework?" Xander asks.

Willow nods, "We're doing active listening today."

"Cool. What's active listening?" Xander says.

Willow sighs, "That would be the homework."

Xander shrugs, drawing a blank. Buffy holds up the textbook. "Chapter five. Active listening. Where you put on your "big ears" and really focus on the other person?"

Xander shrugs again.

"Ms. Tishler demonstrated yesterday." Wendell says.

Willow nods, "With you."

Buffy rolls her eyes, "She was wearing that tight sweater?"

Xander remembers the sweater and what was in it, "The midnight blue Angora. See, I was listening."

The bell rings and Ms. Tishler walks in. "All right, take your seats. In a moment we'll choose partners and practice what we read in chapter five... " Xander looks up at her, mimes putting his "big ears" on. "...good, Xander, that's the spirit."

Willow and Buffy exchange a look on that.

"Before we do, let's review." Ms. Tishler says.

Buffy rests her hand on her chin, school boredom settling in. She taps her pencil on her desk.

"Isaacson's research lead him to conclude that one of our most fundamental needs, after food and shelter, is to be heard..." Ms. Tishler says.

Buffy's pencil drops to the floor, rolls behind her. She bends to get it, sees Billy Palmer, a 12 year old boy, standing in the back corner of the class. He looks at her with a kind of remorse calm. Buffy looks at him, confused.

"Wendell would you read us the first two paragraphs on page seventy-eight..." Ms. Tishler says. Wendell nods, reaching for his textbook. "...where Isaacson describes the rapid movement active listening brought to some special needs clients -"

Wendell opens his text and SCREAMS!

Ms. Tishler looks and takes an involuntary step away from Wendell: SPIDERS are pouring out of his book, onto his desk, up his arms and over his face. He flails about, scared out of his wits.

"AHHHHHHH! AHHHHHHHH!" Wendell screams.

Ms. Tishler, the class, Willow, Laura and Xander, freak. Buffy whips her head around - forgets the boy, staring at the infested Wendell in total shock.

Billy still standing calmly in the corner. He says quietly, "Sorry about that."

The next day Piper pulls her car up outside the school.

"You're awfully quiet this morning." Piper says.

Buffy sighs, "I didn't sleep so good."

Piper nods, "I'll say. I came in to check on you twice. You were yelling in your sleep. You remember what you were dreaming?"

Buffy nods, "That dream with the Master again. You didn't tell Prue or Phoebe did you?"

Piper shakes her head, "No. Buffy. Unless you want me too."

Buffy smiles, "No. It's probably just a bad dream anyways. It may not have even been a Slayer dream like I originally thought. Oh no, my bag. I packed for the weekend and I forgot it."

"You and your dad can swing by the Manor and get your bag. It's not a big deal." Piper says.

Buffy nods, "Okay, I just - I meant to bring it. He is picking me up here,right? At 3:30?"

Piper nods, "Buffy, are you worried your dad won't show?"

Buffy shakes her head, "No. I mean, not really. Should I be?"

"No I don't think you should. He's not going to be like my dad. Now you have a good day." Piper says.

Buffy smiles, "You, too." She gets out, heads up the steps.

Later during the day a bell rings and kids spill into the hall. Willow and Xander exit a class, spy Buffy.

"Buffy. We've been looking for you." Willow says.

Xander frowns, "We have?"

They fall into step with Buffy.

Willow nods, "About the spiders. Have you talked to Giles about-"

Xander rolls his eyes, "Oh. The spiders. Willow's been kinda... what's the word I'm looking for... insane about what happened yesterday."

"I don't like spiders, okay? Their furry bodies, their sticky webs - what do they need all those legs for anyway? I'll tell you: for crawling across your face in the middle of the night." Willow says as she shudders. "Ew. How do spiders not ruffle you?"

"I'm sorry, I'm unruffled on spiders. Now if a bunch of Nazis crawled across my face..." Xander says.

Buffy nods, "It was pretty intense."

Willow smiles, "Thank you."

Xander nods, "Hellmouth, center of mystical convergence, supernatural monster. Been there."

"A little blasé here, aren't you?" Buffy says.

Xander shrugs, "I'm not worried. If there's something bad out there, we'll find, you'll slay, we'll party."

They walk into the party.

Buffy rolls her eyes, "Thanks for having confidence in me."

"Well, you da man, Buff." Xander says.

Willow nods, "Okay, but we're still caring about the spiders here. Let's not forget the spiders."

"Well, Giles said he was going to look up -" Buffy says before calling out. "Giles?"

"Maybe he's in the faculty room." Willow says.

Giles emerges from the stacks, coming through the door with a vaguely unsettle expression. He looks behind him.

"Hey. Giles. Wakey wakey." Buffy says.

Giles nods, "I was in the stacks. I got lost."

"Well, did you find any theories on spiders coming out of books? Big crawly hairy..." Xander says as he runs his hand up Willow's back as he says it, causing her to jump. She glares at him. "It was funny if you're me."

Giles shakes his head, "I didn't find anything particularly illuminating. I think perhaps you'd best have a talk with Wendell himself."

Buffy nods, "Okay. If he can still talk."

In the Quad Wendell stares, lost in thought. He doesn't look like he can talk yet. Buffy, Willow and Xander approach.

"Hey Wendell, how're you doing?" Buffy asks.

Wendell looks at Buffy for a moment, "Huh?"

"You okay?" Buffy asks concerned.

Wendell shrugs: hard to tell.

Xander nods, "Good talkin' to ya', man." He starts to leave.

"Did you guys want something...?" Wendell asks.

Buffy nods, "We just thought you might want to talk about what happened."

"You know yesterday with the spiders." Willow says.

Wendell looks at them for a beat. "I don't know what to say about that..."

"There's nothing to say. You saw two hundred insects, you Gonzoed. Anybody would have -" Xander says.

Wendell shakes his head, "They're not insects. They're arachnids."

Xander looks to Wendell confused, "They're from the Middle East?"

Wendell sighs, "Spiders are arachnids, they have eight legs, insects have six. Why does everyone make that mistake?"

Buffy shrugs, "I don't know. Has anything like that ever happened before?" Wendell looks at Buffy. He nods. "When?"

"Lots of times..." Wendell says.

Willow frowns, "Eeeee. You must hate spiders more than I do."

Wendell laughs. Slightly deranged. "I don't hate spiders, I love them. They hate me."

Buffy and the gang exchange a look. A bell rings as Cordelia appears.

"Hope you studied for the history test." Cordelia says.

Buffy looks at Cordelia confused, "What history test?"

Cordelia nods, "The one we're having right now in fourth period."

Buffy looks at Willow and Xander as if to ask do you know what she's talking about. "There's a test? Nobody told me about a... I better, I gotta... we'll catch up during lunch."

Wendell shrugs: whatever. Buffy takes off.

Buffy moves down the hall. She looks a little lost. Opens a door looks in. She moves on, tries another door. Then she spots Cordelia watching her from down the hall. She moves to Cordelia.

"You don't know where the class is, do you?" Cordelia asks.

"I, uh -" Buffy says.

Cordelia nods, "Hardly a shocker. You've cut history just about every time we've had it."

Buffy nods, "I was there the first day... I think."

Cordelia opens a door. "It's in here."

Buffy frowns, "I haven't been to class, I haven't read any of the assignments... how am I going to pass the test?"

Cordelia shrugs, "Blind luck?"

Buffy makes her way to a seat and sits down. The teacher walks the aisles. Handing out tests. She looks around, a little desperate. Many of the kids, including Cordelia, are already hard at work scribbling on their exams.

The Teacher gives Buffy a decidedly dirty look, drops a test in front of her, moves on. Buffy stares down at the test, but she has no idea what any of the answers are.

Buffy looks at the clock: 11: 20. She looks at the test. "I know my name." She starts to write "Buffy" and the pencil breaks. She sighs, digs out a small pencil sharpener, starts to sharpen the pencil, glancing up at the clock again. It now reads 12: 10. Buffy does a double take: huh? She looks over at Cordelia, completing the third page of her test.

The bell rings. Students get up, file out, dropping their tests on the teacher's desk. Buffy looks at her own incomplete test: what just happened?

Cordelia exits. As she does, Buffy sees Billy standing in the hallway just outside the door. Looking right at her. After a moment he moves slowly out of sight. Buffy furrows her brow, thinking. As in, what the hell?

Later at a hospital Giles and Buffy walk down the hall.

"I think they said room 316." Buffy said.

Giles nods, "Do you know this girl?"

Buffy shakes her head, "Laura? To say Hi to. She's nice enough. Nobody saw who attacked her?"

"I'm rather hoping Laura did." Giles said.

They enter Laura's room. A nurse is exiting as they enter. Laura is awake - her head bruised and bandaged, her eyes still wide with fear.

"Hey, Laura." Buffy says.

Laura smiles, "Hi..."

Giles nods, "Sorry to intrude on you like this."

"That's okay - I don't want to be left alone." Laura says.

Giles nods, "You understand, we're anxious to make sure this never happens again."

"Can you tell us what happened?" Buffy asks.

Laura nods, "I was in the basement... I went down for a smoke... there was someone... there."

"Someone you knew?" Buffy asks.

Laura shakes her head, "I never... saw anything like it."

Buffy frowns, "It."

Giles nods, "Can you describe it?"

Laura's face clearly shows she's not up to that.

"That's okay. Don't worry about it." Buffy says.

Giles nods, "Yes, you rest. You're safe now."

A nurse enters, starts busying herself.

"But if you remember anything, you can tell us." Buffy says as she glances at the nurse. "Even if it seems... weird."

They start to leave.

"Lucky nineteen." Laura says.

Giles frowns, "I'm sorry?"

Laura sighs, "It's what he said. Right before... he said lucky nineteen. That's weird, right?"

Giles nods, "Yes. Yes it is." The exit the room and go to find Laura's doctor.

"Doctor, is she going to be all right?" Giles asks.

"You family?" The doctor asks.

Buffy smiles, "Friends."

The doctor starts walking down the hall and they pace him. "She'll recover. She's got a couple of shattered bones and a little internal bleeding. She got off pretty easy."

Buffy frowns, "Easy?"

"Have you looked the word up lately?" Giles asks.

The doctor nods, "Well, the first one's still in a coma."

Buffy looks from Giles to the doctor, "The first what?"

"The first victim." The doctor says as he stops and motions towards a window looking in on a room. "He was found a week ago. Exact MO as the girl. Only he's in worse shape. If he doesn't wake up soon... Somebody's gotta stop this guy."

Buffy nods, "Somebody will."

Giles and Buffy are heading for the exit. "We've got to get you back before your next class." Giles says.

Buffy nods, "Hit the newspapers. See what you can find out about this first attack."

Giles nods, "Yes." He looks at Buffy. "Are you all right? You look a bit peaked."

Buffy smiles, "Hospital lighting. It does nothing for my fabulous complexion."

In reality Buffy has always hated hospitals ever since Celia…

Giles nods, "Are you... sleeping all right?"

Buffy nods, "I'll sleep better when we find this guy. Nothing like kicking the crap out of a bad guy to perk up my day."

Later back at the library Giles is looking more rumpled than usual, he has a huge array of newspapers arranged on the big table. He's looking from one to the other, muttering, "This can't be happening. Can't be..."

Buffy comes in from class. "What's the word?"

Giles nods, "I've got back issues of the newspapers... trying to do some research..."

"Uh-huh... Did you find anything?" Buffy asks.

Giles shrugs, "I don't know."

Buffy moves to the big table and him. "You don't know if you didn't find anything?"

Giles sighs, "I'm having a problem."

"What is it?" Buffy asks.

"I... I can't read." Giles says.

Buffy shakes her head, "What do you mean? You can read, like, three languages."

Giles nods, "Five, actually, on a normal day - but the words here aren't making sense." He holds up a paper. "It's gibberish."

Buffy sees a picture on the front page, takes the paper. "That's him."

"Who?" Giles asks.

Buffy sighs, "That's the boy I've been seeing around school." She begins reading from the paper. "Twelve year old Billy Palmer was found beaten and unconscious after his Kiddie League game Saturday. Doctors describe his condition as critical..." When was this published? Last week. He's in a coma, in intensive care... this is the boy from the hospital."

Giles frowns, "The first victim. You've been seeing him around school?"

Buffy nods, "Yes, when the spiders got Wendell, when I didn't know a thing on the history test... It seemed weird, him being around, but with all the trouble I forgot about it."

Giles frowns, "The boy's been in a coma for a week. How is this possible?"

"What am I, knowledge girl now? Explanations are your terrain." Buffy says.

Giles sighs, "Well... there's astral projection, the theory that while one sleeps one has another body, an astral body, that can travel through time and space..."

Buffy nods, "He's in a coma. That's like sleep, right?"

"In a manner of speaking. Though one doesn't always wake from a coma..." Giles says.

Buffy frowns, "Could I have been seeing Billy's asteroid body?"

Giles rolls his eyes, "Astral body. And I don't know. We don't have much information to work with, as usual."

Buffy looks at the picture in the paper, "Lucky Nineteen..."

The library doors open and Buffy's father, Hank enters.

"There you are, I've been looking Everywhere. Why aren't you in class?" Hank says.

Buffy looks at her father, "Dad, what are you... you're not supposed to pick me up till after school, is something wrong?"

Hank nods, "Well, I need to talk to you."

Buffy shakes her head, "Something is wrong. Is it Prue, Piper or Phoebe?"

Hank smiles, "No. It's not your cousins, they're fine."

Buffy lets out a sigh of relief, "Phew. You really had me -"

Hank nods, "Could I speak to you for a moment, in private?"

"Sure. Oh, this is Mr. Giles, the librarian. This is my father, Hank Summers." Buffy says.

Giles smiles, "Pleasure."

"Likewise." Hank says as he holds the door open. Buffy exits with him.

Buffy looks back at Giles, "I'll be back..."

Outside Buffy and her father walk across campus.

"I came early because there's something I've needed to tell you. About your mother and me. Why we split up."

Buffy takes a beat. Thrown. "You always said-"

Hank nods, "I know we always said we'd just Grown too far apart..."

"Well, yeah. Isn't that true?" Buffy asks.

"Come on, honey, let's sit down." Hank says as he leads her to a bench and they sit. "You're old enough to know the truth."

Buffy frowns, "Was there... someone else?"

Hank shakes his head, "No, it was nothing like that."

"Well then what was it?" Buffy asks.

Hank sighs, "It was you."

Buffy looks at Hank confused, "Me?"

Hank nods, "Having you, raising you, seeing you every day, I mean do you have any idea what that was like...?"

Buffy is shocked at what she is hearing, "What?"

Hank sighs, "Gosh, you don't even see what's right in your face, do you. Well, big surprise, all you ever think about is yourself... you get in trouble, you embarrass us with all the crazy stunts you pull, do I have to go on?"

"...no. Please don't." Buffy says.

Hank nods, "You're sullen and rude and not nearly as bright as I thought you were going to be. I mean, Buffy, let's be honest: could you stand to live in the same house with a daughter like that? Why else do you think I wanted you placed with a member of your mom's family?"

"Why are you saying these things?" Buffy asks.

Hank nods, "Because they're true. I think that's the least we owe one another." Buffy just shakes her head, fighting the tears. "And I don't think it's very mature getting all blubbery when I'm just trying to be honest - oh, speaking of which, I don't really get anything out of these weekends with you, what do you say we just don't do them anymore." He gives her a little pat on the arm. "I sure thought you were going to turn out differently."

Hank gets up and heads off.

Buffy sits there in utter hurt and shock.

At the Manor Phoebe sees Buffy's bag that she forgot. She picks it up intending to move it to the front door for Buffy to get later, when she suddenly has a premonition of Buffy behing buries alive. She drops the bag and runs to the phone dialing Prue's office at Bucklands.

"Prue Halliwell." Prue says as she picks up the phone.

"Prue, it's Phoebe. I just had a premonition of Buffy being buried alive." Phoebe says.

At the school Buffy is walking slowly along, reeling from the blow her father gave her. She debates calling Piper, asking her to come pick her up from school early.

Through a doorway she sees a figure move by. Possibly Billy. After a moment's hesitation she follows into the school kitchen.

She enters slowly, looking about. The room is empty except for Billy, who stands quietly at the other end.

"Are you Billy Palmer?" Buffy asks.

"Why do you want to know?" Billy responds.

"Because I want to help you." Buffy says.

Billy nods, "I'm Billy."

"Did something bad happen to you last week, after your Kiddie League Game?" Buffy asks.

Billy nods, "Something bad... I don't remember."

Buffy sighs, "Do you remember playing baseball?"

"Uh-huh, I think so, yeah, I play second base." Billy says.

Buffy nods, "Are you "lucky nineteen"?"

Billy gets scared. "That's what he calls me..."

"Who?" Buffy asks.

Billy looks around, "The Ugly Man. He wants to kill me. He hurt that girl."

Buffy frowns, "Why does he want to kill you?"

Billy tries to break away from Buffy, "He's..."

Buffy smiles, "It's okay, you can tell me. He's what?"

"He's here!" Billy shouts.

Buffy turns around in time to see The Ugly Man in all his hideous glory rising up behind her and swinging his massive club arm down. WHAM! - she gets hit hard in the head. He swings again, she rolls, barely avoiding being skronked, scrambles to her feet.

"Run, Billy!" Buffy calls out.

Billy backs slowly away as The Ugly Man closes on Buffy again. Buffy turns her attention to her opponent. Gives him a good kick in the head. It does nothing. He smashes her in the leg, knocks her to ground. He swings again, she blocks with her arm - incredibly painful idea.

Buffy staggers up and tries to run - but the blow to her leg has reduced her to hobbling.

The Ugly Man walks slowly behind her, gaining with horrible calm. Buffy gets to a building and throws the door open, limps inside. She puts her back to the door, looking around frantically. Slides down on the ground in exhaustion and pain as The Ugly Man begins pounding on it from the outside.

Buffy stumbles out of a building, still looking behind her. She nearly collides into Billy. Grabs him. "Billy-"

"I'm sorry, I can't help it-" Billy says.

Buffy sighs, "Billy, who is he?"

"He's The Ugly Man." Billy replies.

Buffy shakes her head, "I can't fight him. I can fight anything but I can't fight him. He's too strong. We've got to find my friends. They can help."

"We have to hide." Billy says desperatly.

Buffy frowns, "He'll find us."

Billy nods, "Yes, but first we have to hide. That's how it happens. We hide, and then he comes."

A shorttime later Buffy and Billy come out a door, look around. "I was sure this led to the library." Buffy says.

A few kids play on a nearby baseball diamond. Buffy and Billy approach. Billy stops in his tracks. She follows his look to the field.

"They're just playing... what is it, what's scaring you?" Buffy says.

Billy sighs, "Baseball... when you lose, it's bad."

Buffy sighs, "Did you lose your Kiddie League game last week?"

Billy nods. "It was my fault."

"Why was it your fault?" Buffy asks with confusion.

Billy sighs, "I should have caught the ball, I missed it."

Buffy shakes her head, "You missed a ball and the whole game's your fault? What, you were the only one playing, there weren't eight other kids on your team?"

Billy looks up at her. "He said it was my fault."

"Who said?" Buffy asks. "Did he... hurt you after the game?"

Billy backs away from the field. "Can't we go another way to see your friends?"

Buffy nods, "Sure we can. We can go around behind the cafeteria..." She leads him in another direction, away from the field and sees: The Ugly Man about thirty feet in front of them. "...bad idea. Come on!"

They take off running. The Ugly Man lumbers after them.

Buffy and Billy run towards a hedge at the edge of school. Buffy looks back, sees The Ugly Man coming after them.

Billy grabs Buffy's hand. They get to the hedge, run through into a cemetery on the other side, at that it's dark.

"What just happened?"

"Is this where your friends are?" Billy asks.

Buffy looks about her, "No. It's not."

Billy pokes around some graves.

Buffy peers back through the hedge, spooked. "Well, I don't see the Ugly Guy... I also don't see where the sun and the rest of the world went..."

"Hey, look at this..." Billy says. Buffy moves to Billy. He's found a freshly dug grave. An open and empty coffin sitting inside it. "Guess they're gonna bury somebody."

Buffy nods, not liking the look of this.

"I wonder who died..." Billy says.

"Nobody died..." The Master says as he appears out of the shadows. Billy instinctively backs away from this guy. Buffy turns, slowly, true dread creeping onto her face. "What's the fun in burying someone who's already dead?"

"You..." Buffy says.

The Master smiles, "So this is the Slayer. You're prettier than the last one."

Buffy shakes her head, "This isn't real... you can't be Free."

The Master nods, "You still don't understand, do you? I am free because you fear it. Because you fear it, the world is crumbling. You nightmares are made flesh. You have Billy to thank for that."

Buffy turns to look at Billy, but he is gone. She turns back and The Master is inches from her. It's too much. Buffy is paralyzed, near tears. "This is a dream..."

The Master nods, "A dream is a wish your heart Makes." He grabs her throat, lightning quick. "This is the real world." Buffy grabs his arm but she cannot budge it. She begins to choke. "Come on, Slayer... What are you afraid of?" He hurls her into the open grave.

Buffy lands in the coffin and the lid slams shut.

The Master grabs a shovel, starts shoveling dirt into the grave. Laughing he says, "How about being buried alive?"

Buffy screams and pounds on the coffin, HEARING the sound of the dirt burying her alive. "Nooooo!"

Buffy's cries for help.

Prue drives up just as Xander, Giles and Willow come running out of the building.

"I feel good, I feel liberated."

Giles nods, "You seem to be the only one."

Prue gets out of her car and comes running over to Giles.

People are running, screaming.

"This is getting worse. In a few hours reality will fold completely into nightmares." Giles says. "Prue what are you doing here?"

Prue looks at Giles, Willow and Xander, "Have you guys seen Buffy?"

Giles shakes his head, "We were just looking for her, why?"

Prue sighs, "Phoebe had a premonition…"

"Excuse me, when did they put a cemetery in across the street?" Willow says interrupting Prue.

Prue, Giles and Xander follow her gaze.

"And when did they make it night over there?" Xander asks.

Prue, Willow, Giles and Xander wander into the cemetery.

"Okay, whose nightmare is this?" Xander asks.

Giles sees a headstone. Turns ashen. "It's mine."

Prue, Xander and Willow look at the headstone in front of Giles. It reads: BUFFY SUMMERS (PAYSON HALLIWELL) REST IN PEACE

Prue shakes her head, "No I think it's mine."

Giles looks at Prue and nods, "I think it may be both of ours."

Prue nods.

Giles kneels down next to the headstone, speaks quietly to the grave, "I failed in my duty to protect you... I should have been more cautious, taken more time with your training... but you were so gifted and the evil was so great."

Giles lays a hand on the ground. "Forgive me."

Prue kneels next to Giles, "Forgive me also, Buffy."

Giles looks at Prue and nods knowing she would like a moment to herself. He gets up leaving Prue there.

A hand shoots out of the grave grabbing ahold of Prue. Giles, Xander and Willow scream bloody murder.

Prue wrenches her hand free.

Buffy rises out of the grave, it's apparent she is now a vampire.

Prue, Giles, Willow and Xander back away from her, freaked.

"Buffy?" Prue asks.

Buffy nods, "I thought I was dead..."

"Buffy, your face..." Prue says.

Buffy's hands go to her face, feel her gruesome newness. "Oh, God, no... no..." Xander reaches out a sympathetic hand. Buffy snarls at him, turns away. "Don't look at me..."

Giles frowns, "You never told me you dreamt of becoming a vampire."

Buffy shakes her head and looks at Prue, "This isn't a dream. It's a nightmare."

Prue nods as she understands, "Why didn't you tell me?"

Buffy sighs, "I don't know Prue. I really don't know. I guess I was scared it would come true."

Prue nods, "You know I would never let that happen."

Giles nods, "There is a chance that we can make it go away. This is all coming from Billy. He's crossed over from the nightmare world to the waking one, and he's brought his reality with him."

Buffy nods, "He's afraid."

Giles nods, "If we can wake him, I believe the nightmares will stop. Reality will shift back to the way it was. But we must do it now. Can you hold together long enough to help us?"

Buffy turns, looks at them. Resolve in her face. "Yes. I can."

"Thank you." Giles says and then looks at Prue who nods.

"But we'd better hurry. I'm getting hungry."

"That me that was a joke, Buffy?" Prue says as she and Buffy leads the group towards the exit from the cemetery.

"Are you sure everything will go back once he's awake?" Willow asks.

"Positive." Giles says.

Prue looks at Giles and nods understanding. She hopes they can but is afraid that Buffy may remain a vampire forever. She so doesn't want to stake her cousin.

"Well, how do we wake Billy up? What if we can't?" Willow asks.

Giles sighs, "Willow... do shut up."

A shortime later Buffy and the others make their way down to Billy's room. It is largely deserted save for a few animated corpses chasing doctors. Our gang ignore them. They pass Billy's doctor.

"Doctor! Is the boy Billy still -" Giles says.

The doctor stares blankly at Giles, who stops as he sees the doctor's hands. That are useless, twisted claws. Inhuman.

Giles moves on , the others with him. The gang files in to Billy's room, Buffy and Prue are watching the door. Giles goes over to Billy's body, looks down at him.

"What now?" Xander asks.

"Um... Billy?" Giles says.

Astral Billy looks over the bed next to Giles. "That won't work."

Giles looks between Astral Billy and Bill. "Billy! Billy you've got to wake up."

Billy shakes his head, "No. I told her. I have to hide."

Prue looks over at Billy, "Why? From what?"

"From him." Buffy says.

Prue looks back down the hall following Buffy's gaze and sees The Ugly Man.

"What do we do?"

Buffy nods, "I think I know. Prue I could probably use a little help."

Willow looks out the window, "Whatever it is, it better be soon."

Buffy and Prue steps into the hall to face off with The Ugly Man.

"I'm glad you showed up. You see, I'm having a really bad day." Buffy says.

"Lucky nineteen." The Ugly Man says.

Buffy shakes her head, "Scary. I'll tell you something though. There's a lot scarier things out there than you. And now, I'm one of them."

The Ugly Man actually hesitates.

Buffy doesn't. Snarling, she leaps at him, taking him to the ground in a second. Lands on top of him and punches him repeatedly.

The Ugly Man gets one in and knocks Buffy off. They both come up and she kicks him hard in the gut. This time it hurts him.

Prue stands there watching wondering what Buffy wanted her to help with.

The Ugly Man swings at her. Buffy grabs his Club arm in mid-swing. Breaks it in two over her knee. He staggers back.

Buffy finishes him off quickly with a couple of well placed punches and kicks. The Ugly Man hits the wall, slides to the floor.

"Is he dead?" Billy asks.

Prue telekinetically lifts The Ugly Man into the room and sets him down against the wall.

Buffy walks over to The Ugly Man. "Come here, Billy."

"But I don't -" Billy says.

"No more hiding." Buffy says.

"What's he doing?" Willow asks.

Xander nods, "I get it..."

Prue nods as she does as well, "You have to face your fear Billy. You've got to do the rest yourself."

Billy looks from Buffy and Prue to The Ugly Man. He leans in, grabs the edge of The Ugly Man's hideous face and PULLS!

Suddenly there is a FLASH!

Buffy reaches up and touches her face, she's no longer a vampire, Xander and Willow are back in their normal clothes. They look at each other, then at Billy as his machines start pinging.

Prue hugs Buffy, "I thought you were done with the dying thing."

Buffy sighs, "I am now."

Prue nods, "Next time you talk to me when you have a dream like that. We'll work through it together."

Buffy smiles, "Promise."

Billy begins to stir.

"Hey, he's waking up." Xander says.

Billy looks around, "I had the strangest dream. And you were in it, and you and you... who are you people?"

"Best get a doctor." Giles says as he moves to the door as Billy's Kiddie League Coach walks in.

"Oh, Billy's got company. I'm his Kiddie League coach. I come by every day, just hoping against hope he might wake up... He's my "lucky nineteen." How is he?" The Coach says.

Xander, Buffy, Willow and Giles react to the phrase.

"Awake..." Buffy says.

The Coach is thrown by the statement, "What?" He looks at the bed where Billy is now siting up, staring at him.

Buffy nods, "You blamed him for losing the game. So you caught up with him afterwards."

"What are you talkin' about?" The coach asks.

Prue nods understanding. The coach is the person who put Billy in a coma.

"You said it was my fault we lost -" Billy says. Coach tries to bolt out the door. Giles and Xander grab him. "- wasn't my fault, there's eight other players on the team, you know?"

Buffy looks to Billy. "Nice goin'."

That afternoon, school's over for the day, kids are leaving. Xander, Prue, Willow and Buffy move away from the main building.

"Hard to believe a Kiddie League Coach would do something like that." Buffy says.

"Not if you played Kiddie League. I'm surprised it wasn't one of the Parents." Xander says.

Prue shakes her head, "Well neither Billy or anyone else will have to worry about him."

Willow nods, "I'm glad he's behind bars where he belongs."

"That was kinda heroic, Xander, grabbing him and all." Buffy says.

Xander smiles, "Hey, I just did what anybody would have... if people want to label it heroic -"

Buffy sees her dad approaching. "Have a killer weekend, guys." She and Prue goes over to Hank who gives Buffy a big hug.

"Hi sweetheart. Hello Prue." Hank says.

Prue smiles, "Hello Mr. Summers. You take good care of our girl this weekend."

Hank smiles, "I intend too, I've got about a million things planned for us this weekend. - it's going to mean spending a lot of quality time and money together."

Buffy smiles, "Great."

Prue walks over to her car and pulls out Buffy's bag. "Buffy."

Buffy runs over to Prue and hugs her before taking her bag, "Thanks Prue." She then runs back to Hank.

Hank smiles, "How was your day?"

"Oh you know, the usual..." Buffy says.


	20. Chapter 20: Love Hurts

**Author's Note: **There will be a surprise guest in Chapter 26: Morality Bites.

I also have actually got a few chapters done so am actually slightly ahead again with this story. Right now I have Chapters 21, 22, 26, and 38 done. Which is why I decided to go ahead and post a second chapter today.

* * *

**Chapter 20: Love Hurts**

Buffy, Prue and Phoebe are walking down the stairs.

"I can't believe you're wearing your bikini on the plane." Phoebe says.

Prue smiles, "Timesaver. We have all of forty-eight hours in Cabo. The minute we land, I'm on the beach getting all golden-brown."

Buffy rolls her eyes, "I've got mine on underneath, like Prue said timesaver. I'm taking full advantage of not having to be slaying."

"I know, but you two are making me look frumpy, it's like the sign of the apocalypse." Phoebe says.

Prue smiles, "I practically had to beg the guy in accounting to lend us his condo. There are no warlocks in sight, Andy finally found out our big secret, I'm going to get crazy. And as Buffy said she gets a weekend away from slaying. A weekend she hasn't had since her dad took her to L.A. for the weekend."

Phoebe smiles, "It's about time. How long have I been after you to find some new male blood? Preferably tan and buff."

Buffy laughs.

Prue smirks, "With limited verbal skills."

"And..." Phoebe says.

"No strings attached." Phoebe and Prue says.

Phoebe nods, "Stella, we are getting our groove back." She and Prue high five but miss. "Okay, so, speaking of which, where is Piper?"

Prue sighs, "I think Piper's gonna be in a groove-free kinda mode for a while."

"She's not seriously..." Phoebe says.

Buffy rolls her eyes.

"Taking a vacation from men, yep. Afraid of falling in love again, I think." Prue says.

Buffy sighs, "So, while we're partying all weekend, what is she gonna be doing?"

Prue shrugs, "I don't know. The last time I checked she was in the attic searching for a suitcase to carry her books in."

Phoebe frowns, "Books, what kind of books?"

"Kind they make into Kevin Costner movies." Prue says.

Buffy rolls her eyes, "You have got to be kidding me."

"Oh, we've got to stop the insanity." Phoebe says.

"Maybe we should let her be, I mean we're not the ones who fell in love with a warlock, a ghost, a geographically undesirable handyman, and a very dorky grad student." Prue says.

Buffy rolls her eyes, "Hey remember, vampire here."

Prue and Phoebe rolls their eyes.

Phoebe sighs, "Maybe she's just in a slump. It happens." Prue looks at her. "All right, it happens to Piper a lot, but celibacy is not the answer."

Buffy nods in agreement.

Prue sighs, "A couple of dates not picking up the cheque, that's a slump. This is more like a sucking void."

They hear a thump and a little scream coming from the attic. "

Prue! Prue, Phoebe, Buffy!

They go up into the attic and see Leo lying on the floor in pain with the arrow stuck in his shoulder.

"Leo?" Prue says.

Buffy shakes her head, "What's going on?"

Prue runs downstairs.

Buffy carries Leo to a chair.

"Be careful." Piper says.

Buffy rolls her eyes, "I am being careful."

Piper nods and looks at Phoebe, "I can't believe you knew. The fact that our handyman, the man I was dating was supernatural, just happen to slip your mind?"

Phoebe sighs, "There was no slipping, okay, I told you but you didn't want to believe me."

Buffy rolls her eyes as she sets Leo down on the chair.

"Piper, I wanted..." Leo said.

Piper shakes her head, "But you didn't."

Phoebe nods, "Okay, we gotta, we gotta get your legs up."

"Don't worry about me. There's someone, ahh ...!" Leo says.

Phoebe frowns, "We have to get the arrow out."

"No, don't touch it, it's tipped with poison." Leo says.

"How are we suppose to get it out if we can't touch it?" Phoebe asks.

Buffy shrugs.

Prue enters the attic. "You came to the right girl. You ready?" She uses her powers to push the arrow out. "Okay, I brought everything that I could find, I just didn't know what to use on a... What is he again?"

"A Whitelighter." Piper says.

Phoebe nods, "Yeah, they're sorta like... You know how Peter Pan has Tinkerbell? They're sorta like that, minus the tutu and the wings. He guides witches."

Leo nods, "And future Whitelighters. That's why I came to you."

"You should have told me." Piper says to Phoebe.

Leo shakes his head, "I should have told you." Piper gets a bandage and pushes down on his wound. "Ahh!"

Piper smirks, "Oh, did that hurt? Good."

Leo sighs, "There's a woman. Daisy. You have to protect her from the Darklighter."

Prue frowns, "The Darklighter. Is that what shot you?"

Leo nods, "Yeah, they seduce innocent women. Their goal is to create evil through reproduction."

Buffy sighs, "Great. Generation 666."

Leo nods, "He broke the rules, he fell in love with one of his victims, a human. And she loved him back."

Piper nods, "Until she found out who he really was, right?"

"Piper, you have every right to be mad at me." Leo says.

"Thanks for the permission. I'll get some more gauze." Piper says.

Leo sighs, "Please, you have to find Daisy before he does otherwise she won't be able to do the good that she's destined to. She won't be able to become a whitelighter."

"Okay, where is she?" Prue asks.

"I don't know. The last time I saw her she was at a mini-mart in the Castro, headed for her rental car. If he finds her first he'll never let her go, ever." Leo says.

Buffy sighs, "Any tips on how to vanquish a Darklighter in case we run into him?"

"Just don't let him touch you. His power is in his hands and when he chooses to, he has the touch of death." Leo says.

Prue nods, "And we have the power of three, augmented. All right, call the airline, cancel our tickets, I'll call Andy see if he can help me locate her, and Piper should..."

"I'll talk to her, someone's gotta stay with Leo." Phoebe says.

Buffy rolls her eyes, "I guess I will stay and help Piper."

Prue smiles, "Perfect."

Sometime later Buffy brings a tray a food up to the attic for Leo, "Leo, I brought you some food in case you're... you do eat, right?"

Leo nods, "Yes, Buffy, I eat. How's Piper?"

Buffy sighs, "Oh, you know, she's dealing. I mean, it's not every day that you find out that the guy you're seeing isn't human. Although, in Piper's case..."

Leo nods, "I wish she didn't have to find out about me like this. Being with her broke the rules but not being with her breaks my heart."

"You know, Leo, it's not like we rushed to tell you that we're witches. I think Piper understands about those little secrets that we have to keep." Phoebe says from the attic door.

Leo nods, "Any word on Daisy?"

Phoebe nods, "Yes and no. Prue called. Andy thinks he found out where Daisy's staying. They're on their way now."

Buffy pulls off his bandage. "Oh, I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

Leo nods, "It's okay, I know it's bad."

Buffy smiles, "I guess I need to work on my poker face a little bit, huh?"

You know Leo, didn't you tell me that Whitelighters have the ability to heal? Why can't you just..." Phoebe says.

Leo shakes his head, "No, my powers are for others, I can't use it on myself." He coughs.

Phoebe nods, "Ah, you know, we just gotta get you better. Then you and Piper will have lots of time to talk about stuff when you're well."

Buffy smiles, "Yeah, Leo."

"Phoebe, Buffy, I'm not going to get better." Leo says.

Buffy looks back at Phoebe and shakes her head, "That's ridiculous, Leo, of course you will, we're just gonna have to find something in the Book of Shadows."

"No, the Darklighter's poison can't be reversed. It's meant to kill Whitelighters. That's what it's doing, it's working it's way through my system. It's just a matter of time." Leo says.

Phoebe frowns, "How much time?"

Leo sighs, "Not much. I'm gonna die and there's nothing you can do about it. My power is ebbing. With it, my ability to cloak Daisy."

Buffy nods, "We're gonna save you both, Leo." She looks to Phoebe. "Why don't you stay with Leo. I will go see what Piper's found." She turns and walks downstairs.

Piper sighs, "I have looked everywhere in both of these damn books for something, anything to help Leo and I can't. What's that face? What's the matter?"

Buffy sighs, "Leo's in pretty bad shape, Piper. And he's getting worse."

Piper nods, "I know, that's why I need to find an ointment or a cure or something."

Buffy shakes her head, "You need to listen. This is really hard to say but I think you need to hear it. I think that you need to learn to accept the possibility that... maybe we're not supposed to save Leo. Maybe he's not our innocent. Maybe we're only meant to save Daisy."

"We have to save him whether we're meant to or not." Piper says.

Buffy nods and sits on the couch and hugs Piper.

Sometime later Piper and Buffy are attic looking at the Charmed book as Phoebe walks through the attic door.

"Hey, Prue's home, she just..." Phoebe says as she notices Piper and Buffy reading a spell out of the Book of Shadows. "I hear rhyming, what are you doing?"

Piper sighs, "Everything I can. Look, we know Leo can't heal himself but maybe with his powers, I can."

Phoebe fiowns, "What are you talking about?"

Buffy nods, "It's a power switching spell. If Leo and Piper exchange powers then she'll have the healing touch and maybe sheI can heal him."

Prue comes in. "Hey, what's going on?"

"Ah, you know, the usual, made some coffee, read the newspaper, walked in on Piper switching powers with Leo and Buffy augmenting the spell. You know." Phoebe says.

Piper sighs, "I have to save him, Prue."

Prue nods, "Okay, is it safe?"

Piper sighs, "To tell you the truth I don't really care. He's slipping away and if either one of you has a better idea then I'm all ears, if not then I'm casting the spell, with Buffy augmenting me. And I would like to do it with the support of my sisters along with the support of my cousin."

Buffy smiles, "I wouldn't be augmenting you if you didn't have my support."

"Cast away." Prue says.

Buffy closes her eyes and concentrates on Piper.

Piper nods, "What's mine is yours, what's yours is mine, let our powers cross the line, I offer up my gift to share, switch the powers through the air."

"Did it work?" Phoebe asks.

Piper shrugs, "I don't know." Kit runs in and Piper tries to freeze her. "I can't freeze."

Prue nods, "This is a good sign. The spell must've worked. That means Phoebe and..." She touches Phoebe and has a premonition. "Oh, I think I just had one of Phoebe's premonition thingies."

"Really? What did you see?" Phoebe asks.

Prue points to a lamp. "That shattering."

Kit jumps on the table where the lamp is.

Buffy frowns, "Kit, no!" She puts her hand up and she makes the lamp fly against the wall and smash. "Did I just do that?"

Prue nods, "Uh huh, and I saw it. So, okay, you're moving things, I'm having premonitions and Piper can't freeze which means... Either she has Leo's power or Buffy's.

Piper sighs, "Am I gonna get yelled at?"

"It switched all of our powers?" Prue says.

Phoebe nods, "It's a supernatural Freaky Friday."

Buffy nods, "Now we just need to decide who has my fire power and then whoever is left has the ability to heal Leo. Phoebe, Piper. Get angry. It works best if your angry."

Piper and Phoebe concentrate. Nothing happens with Piper. But Phoebe powers up a fireball.

"Okay that means, Piper can heal and Phoebe can throw fireballs." Buffy says.

The phone rings.

"Oh, you know what? I'm going to get that and I'm sure you guys will have all this worked out by the time I get back." Phoebe says.

Piper nods, "Okay, I can do this. Now, heal. Come on, heal. Why aren't these working?"

Prue nods, "Okay, okay, okay. Piper, relax. Remember when we first got our own powers, it took us a while to figure out how to trigger them."

Piper nods, "Well, I'm doing what I always do."

"Yes, but maybe you have to find his trigger not yours." Buffy says.

Phoebe comes back in the attic. "Hey, that was Andy. A new charge came up on Daisy's credit card report. She bought a bus ticket twenty minutes ago. She's running again."

Prue frowns, "If she leaves town we'll never be able to find her. Let's go."

Phoebe shakes her head, "Wait, we have to switch our powers back."

"Not until I heal Leo." Piper says.

Phoebe frowns, "Piper, we have to go get Daisy."

Buffy sighs, "Phoebe drop it. Believe me I know how Piper feels. I'd be doing the same thing if it were Angel."

Prue nods, "Okay, you know what, Piper you stay here. We have to find Daisy before the Darklighter does. We'll just have to do it using each other's powers. Come on."

A shorttime later Buffy, Phoebe and Prue enter the depot.

Prue keeps poking Buffy.

"Okay, are you trying to piss me off?" Buffy asks.

Prue nods, "That's exactly what I'm trying to do, only it's not working."

Phoebe shakes her head, "How do you know?"

Prue nods, "Because I don't see anything flying across the room. Look, Buffy you're gonna need to know how to use my power in case the Darklighter shows up, remember. You and Phoebe are the only ones with active powers right now. When I first got my power it was anger that triggered it, so I need to push your buttons."

Buffy rolled her eyes, "Prue." She closed her eyes and then open them a second later and looked at the magazines on a rack. The rack spins around and magazines fall off. "Prue you just don't know how to push me. I used the same trigger I use when I fight vamps. Remember I told you anger was my trigger. I think I can control it since we had the same trigger. You should be pushing Phoebe though."

Phoebe glares at Buffy, "I don't think we want to be starting fires today."

Buffy nods, "Okay, now it's your turn, Prue. We need a premonition, where's Daisy?"

Prue sighs, "Oh, do I have to? The last time I got all woozy and, and..." She touches a chair and nothing happens.

Phoebe nods, "Okay, you know, you guys take for granted that I'm your innocent Yellow Pages. Okay, this takes work."

"It is useless, all right. I'm never going to get..." Prue says as she has a premonition. "Do your ears ring when you do that?"

Phoebe nods. "What did you see?"

Prue shakes her head, "I can't be sure 'cause it went by so fast but if I were playing odds, I would say it was Daisy."

Buffy nods, "Where is she?"

Prue smiles, "Bathroom."

In the bathroom Daisy is talking to herself, "I'm gonna be okay, I can handle this."

Alec appears. "You can't run from me, Daisy."

Daisy frowns, "Why won't you leave me alone?"

"Because we can be happy together. We were once, remember? All you have to do is come with me willingly." Alex says.

Daisy frowns, "And what? Watch while you kill more innocent people?"

Alec shakes his head, "You made me do that. That man would still be alive if you had just come with me. That's all I ask and the killing will stop. We can have eternity together."

Daisy knees Alec in the stomach.

Buffy, Prue and Phoebe enter the bathroom.

Prue frowns, "I believe this is the ladies room."

"And this is a private conversation." Alec says as his crossbow appears.

Prue nods, "Oh, oh, Buffy, Phoebe."

Phoebe holds out her hand and manages to get a small flicker.

Buffy squints and Alec flies back into a cubicle.

Prue picks up the crossbow. "I've never used this on a Darklighter before." She shoots the arrow at him but he turns into dust and floats away.

"Oh God, is he...?" Daisy says.

"Daisy, Leo sent us, we have to take you to him. Come on." Phoebe says.

Shortime later Prue, Buffy, Phoebe, and Daisy enter the house. There are flowers sitting on a table.

"Oh God, he found me again." Daisy says.

Phoebe shakes her head, "How do you know?"

Daisy sighs, "That's what he does, he sends me flowers so I know he's watching."

Phoebe reads the note. "No, honey, these are for Prue."

Prue reads the note, "They're from Andy, he needs to see me right away."

"Something wrong with his phone?" Buffy asks.

Prue sighs, "It's a long story but I can't leave you guys."

Phoebe shakes her head, "No, Prue, we'll go up and check on Leo and, remember, Buffy and I are the ones with the active powers. Go."

"Are you sure?" Prue asks

Phoebe nods, "Yes, absolutely, we'll be fine. Let's go check on Leo."

Buffy, Phoebe and Daisy head upstairs as Prue heads back out the front door.

"Piper, we found Daisy..." Buffy says.

Piper sighs, "I tried. He's gone."

Daisy turns and runs down the stairs, "I got to get out of here."

Buffy looks to her Phoebe, "Deal with Piper. I'll deal with Daisy." She turns and runs down the stairs, "I don't think this is the best time for you to be alone."

"Without Leo it's just a matter of time before Alec finds me again. I have to get away." Daisy says.

Buffy shakes her head, "No. My cousin's and I can take care of Alec."

Daisy shakes her head, "I don't want you to try. Too many people are dead now because of me and now Leo."

Buffy sighs, "Daisy, that's not your fault."

"It doesn't matter. When Alec finds me again he's not gonna let you get in the way either. It's better off that I leave. Trust me. I have to go." Daisy says.

Piper comes down the stairs with Phoebe. "Don't you dare. Leo gave up his life to bring you here. If you leave, Alec will find you for sure. And Leo's death will mean nothing. You're not going anywhere." Piper says.

A shorttime later Piper is watching Leo from the doorway.

Buffy walks up to Piper. "I thought you might like to talk."

Piper sighs, "He could have stayed with us, he could have fought harder."

Buffy nods, "He was in pain, he had to let go."

"He didn't have to, our magic's never failed before. I cast the spell, I took his power, all he had to do was show me how to do it and he never did." Piper says.

Buffy sighs, "How can you be mad at him?"

Piper nods, "Because it should have worked. Prue's having premonitions, and you figured out how to use her power, and even Phoebe is learning to use yours. Why couldn't I find a trigger? Why couldn't he just help me, give me his power?"

"He wanted to live, he didn't want to leave you. It's hard to lose someone you love. Believe me I know."

Piper looks to Buffy and nods, out of all them. Buffy had been the one to lose the most in the last few months.

Buffy smiles, "Go on."

Piper nods and moves over to Leo kneeling beside him. "I love you, Leo." She starts crying and a tear drops lands on her hand and her hand starts glowing. "I found it. Leo, I love you." She holds her glowing hand over Leo and she heals him. "Can you hear me? I love you, Leo, please hear me."

Leo wakes up. "Piper." They hug.

Buffy smiles from the attic door and walks over to Piper and whispers in her ear, "I know you could do it."

Piper looks to Buffy and nods. She looks back at Leo, "Oh, thank God. I tried so hard and I couldn't make it work before. Why didn't you tell me?"

Leo smiles, "That love was the trigger? You had to find that out on your own. Why couldn't you tell me?"

Buffy rolls her eyes and heads downstairs to get Piper and Leo a private moment.

Phoebe looks to Buffy, "How is she?"

Buffy simply smiles as she turns and motions towards the stairs as Piper helps Leo down them.

"Leo. Oh my God, how did you...?" Phoebe says.

Piper shakes her head, "There's no time to explain."

Leo nods, "You've been out of the cloak too long. Alec can find her."

Piper frowns, "Where's Prue? We need to get her back here and we need to find a spell to vanquish the Darklighter."

Leo nods, "A power of three spell."

Buffy nods, "Okay, I think she has her cell phone on her."

Alec appears.

Phoebe tries to use Buffy's power and only gets a flicker. "No!"

Buffy squints and goes to throw Alec with Prue's power as he grabs Piper. "Alright, no more tricks, ladies." Alec says.

Leo shakes his head, "Let her go, Alec."

Alec smirks, "I don't think so. I have what you love, you've got what I love. Care to trade?" Buffy puts her hand up. "Don't do that." His hand starts glowing. "I will kill her if I have to. You still think I'm incapable of love, Leo? You wanna see far I'm willing to go?"

"Alec, no!" Daisy says.

"Daisy, stay back." Piper says.

Alec nods, "You shut up!"

Prue opens the door and Alec pushes Piper into Phoebe and grabs Daisy.

"No!" Leo screams.

Prue frowns, " Buffy, Phoebe, stop him!"

Alec disappears with Daisy.

Piper tries to use Leo's power to try and find Daisy. "I can't do it."

Leo nods, "Yes, you can. You have every one of my powers, including the power to find Daisy."

Prue nods, "Leo, wouldn't it be faster for you guys just to switch you powers back?"

Leo shakes his head, "No, I'm still too weak. It's up to Piper. Trust me, Piper. Okay, look deep inside yourself, peace, place where you find love."

"Right, I can hear her." Piper says.

Buffy smiles.

Leo nods, "Listen to her, let her tell you where she is."

"She's screaming, she's afraid, he's pushing her past some trees." Piper says.

"Can you recognize the place, can you tell where they're at?" Leo asks.

Piper smiles, "Heroes Grove, Golden Gate park."

Buffy nods, "Let's go."

"What about Leo?" Piper asks.

Leo nods, "I'm fine. Save Daisy."

Prue nods, "Piper, we really need the power of three to do this."

Phoebe shakes her head, "Actually, I don't think we do. I think there's a better way. Piper, you stay with Leo. Prue, you drive, I'll talk. Come on, Buffy."

At Golden Gate Park…

"Why are taking me here?" Daisy asks.

Alec smiles, "You could of been my mate, Daisy, my equal."

Daisy frowns, "I don't understand."

Alec nods, "And now you've made this place your death bed. It's your won fault you won't live."

"Please don't kill me. If you ever loved me." Daisy says.

Alec shakes his head, "If I ever loved you what? You think I could just get over you? Move on, find somebody else? You're the only woman I've ever loved, Daisy and now I'm the last man you'll ever leave." His hand glows red hot.

Buffy, Prue and Phoebe run over to them.

"Let her go!" Prue says.

Alec nods, "She's mine."

Buffy smirks, "Son of a..." She uses Prue's powers and he flies through the air. "Do it, Prue, now!"

Prue nods, "What's mine is yours, what yours is mine, let our powers cross the line."

Alec frowns, "You really should have stayed out of this."

Prue smiles, "I offer up this gift to share, switch our powers through the air."

Alec's hand stops glowing and Prue's hand starts glowing. "What? Where's my power?"

"It's hate. Hate is his trigger." Prue says.

"Then hate him." Phoebe and Buffy say.

Prue nods, "No problem. Bring him to me, Buffy." Buffy uses Prue's power to bring Alec to her. Prue puts her glowing hand on his chest and burns him to death. "What's mine is yours, what yours is mine, let our powers cross the line."

"He's gone. You did it." Daisy says.

Phoebe nods, "You okay?"

Prue sighs, "I can't believe how much hate that took. I never wanna feel like that again."

Daisy smiles, "You just gave me my life back."

Phoebe nods, "Now, when we get home, you're gonna give me my power back, right?"

Buffy rolls her eyes, "I kind of like having Prue's power.

Sometime later back at the Manor.

"Is it just me or can you draw a chalk outline around this place?" Phoebe asks.

Prue shrugs, "Well, I don't know what you could possibly mean, Phoebe, I mean the weekend's almost over, we never made it to Cabo, I'm never gonna see Andy again, and Piper just lost the love of her life."

Buffy nods, "Even though I'm glad to have my power back. I kind of miss having Prue's."

Phoebe shakes her head, "The glass is way more than half way full here, Prue, Piper saved the love of her life, Alec is long gone and Daisy's on her way back to her family. And we even managed to straighten out our powers, thank God." She gets two pineapples out of the fridge.

Prue shakes her head, "Thank God? I thought that you always wanted an active power."

Phoebe sighs, "Maybe, but I never thought I'd actually miss my premonitions. Besides having Buffy's power was like wearing a dress that was too tight. Not that would ever happen."

Prue nods, "Remember when I said you had no vision."

"Which time?" Phoebe says.

Prue smiles, "Well, you will never hear it again. It takes a lot of strength to see what you see."

Buffy smiles at her cousins, "I'll drink to that. We can't go to Cabo, we might as well bring Cabo to us."

Prue nods, "I don't know, Pheebs, we still have some serious problems." She plays some reggae music on the CD player.

Phoebe looks to Buffy, "Problems are for Monday mornings. Right, Buffy?" Buffy nods. "What do you say, Prue?"

Prue smiles, "It's gonna be hell of a Monday morning, but until then..."

They toast their drinks.


	21. Chapter 21: Déjà vu All Over Again

**Chapter 21: Déjà vu All Over Again**

At Inspector Rodriguez's apartment, he's looking at pictures of Buffy, Prue, Piper and Phoebe. Tempus appears in a ball of flame.

"Tempus. I never..." Rodriguez says.

Tempus smiles, "Expected to see me? Of course not. You were not worthy before now. What is the name you are using here?"

Rodriguez nods, "Rodriguez."

Tempus smirks, "Ah, yes. I have been sent to you, Rodriguez. As a gift."

"Sent? By who?" Rodriguez asks.

"I think you know who and why." Tempus says.

Rodriguez nods, "I can defeat the Charmed Ones and the Charmed Slayer on my own. I don't need any help."

Tempus shakes his head, "Really. What makes you think you have actually found the Charmed Ones or the Charmed Slayer?"

Rodriguez smiles, "Are you kidding? After so many of my colleagues have mysteriously vanished in San Francisco this year. It can only be one reason why. I posed as a cop as I believed that one was covering for them. I was right, he was. That's how I found them. Of course, you already know all that, don't you. That's what makes me so worthy now, right?"

"Watch your tongue, Rodriguez, lest I split it for you." Tempus snaps at him. "It's one thing to have found the Charmed Ones and the Charmed Slayer, it's quite another to defeat them as those who have gone before you have already discovered. Tomorrow is Wednesday. I want you to get all four witches together in one place by midnight and give it your best shot. But if you fail..."

Rodriguez shakes his head, "I will not fail."

Tempus nods, "Well, if you do, I'll be there to help you learn by your failures. Trust me. Now, how do you expect to get them together?"

"Trudeau." Rodriguez says.

In Buffy's bedroom at the Manor, Buffy is tossing and turning.

_"Yeah, she's out cold." Piper says as she, Phoebe and Buffy see Andy and run over to him. Piper feels his pulse. "Oh my God. He's dead."_

Buffy sits up in bed her eyes wide.

Outside a paperboy rides along the road, a car honks and he waves. He throws the paper on the Halliwell's lawn. Inside the manor…

Weather Girl on TV, "Good morning, San Francisco. Well, it looks like it's going to be a beautiful Wednesday."

Phoebe is on the phone, "Piper, what are you doing at Quake? It's 8:00 in the morning."

Buffy and Prue enters the kitchen.

"Morning." Prue says.

"Hey." Buffy says as she debates telling them about her dream.

Phoebe smiles, "Morning. Yes, all right, I'll be there in an hour."

Kit is on the bench and he knocks over a pepper shaker.

"You'll be where in an hour?" Prue asks.

Buffy grabs a coke out of the fridge.

"Ah, Quake. Piper's doing that thing for the Food Network and she needs me to bring her another dress because she spilt marinara sauce over the one she's wearing." Phoebe says.

Prue nods, "Just stay out of my closet."

Buffy rolls her eyes.

Phoebe: Oh, don't worry, I don't think she'd want to ruin another one of yours.

Prue looks at the newspaper, "I don't believe this."

Phoebe shakes her head, "I'm kidding. Don't have an aneurysm."

Buffy looks at her cousin and shakes her head, "I think she's talking about the paper, Pheebs."

Prue nods, "Did you see the front page?" Phoebe shakes her head. They hear a crash outside. "Phoebe, where did you park my car last night?"

"In the driveway... I think." Phoebe says.

They run to the window in the living room.

Prue lets out a sigh of relief. "Mrs. Henderson's car."

Phoebe smiles, "Oh, thank God. I mean, that your car's in the driveway and I'm not in the dog house."

Buffy rolls her eyes, "Is she okay?"

Prue nods, "Yeah, just a little fender bender, no big deal. Phoebe, Buffy, Andy's in trouble."

"What? Why?" Phoebe and Buffy say.

Prue shows them the paper. Written on the front page is: _Inspector Suspected In I.A. Murder_.

"They think that he killed that Internal Affairs cop? No way." Phoebe says.

Prue nods, "Maybe it's a setup, trying to force him to reveal our secret."

Phoebe nods, "Let me see that."

Buffy's eyes go wide, "Uh guys I think I should tell you something."

Phoebe takes the paper off Prue and has a premonition.

Prue frowns, "What is it?"

Phoebe sighs, "I saw Andy, Prue. He was dead."

"Uhm guys. I hate to say this but I think I had the same vision as Phoebe. I had a Slayer dream last night. In it Andy was dead." Buffy says.

A shorttime later Prue, Phoebe and Buffy are discussing the visions.

"Wait, you said that you didn't see a demon or a warlock in your premonition, right?" Prue asks.

Phoebe shakes her head, "No, but the way he was hurled across the room, there had to have been one."

Buffy nods, "I didn't see one either. But that doesn't mean there wasn't one.""

"This room here?" Prue asks.

Phoebe and Buffy nods.

"Right here, yeah." Phoebe says.

Prue sighs, "Okay, and you're both positive that it was Andy."

Buffy nods.

Phoebe sighs, "Prue."

"I just want to be sure, all right, this isn't just anybody that we're talking about, you know." Prue says.

Buffy nods, "We know, and we care about him too."

Prue nods, "I know you both do. I'm sorry. Um, right, why don't you fill in Piper and Buffy and I will go warn Andy."

Phoebe frowns, "How? He said it was too risky for you to be seen with him."

Prue nods, "Yeah, well, I don't care. Let Internal Affairs find out that we're witches. Andy's life is a lot more important."

Buffy nods in agreement, "I agree with Prue."

Phoebe sighs, "Okay, just please be careful. You don't know what kind of demon we're up against."

Prue nods, "Hence why I'm taking Buffy with me. Between her power and mine…"

Later at the park… Andy, Prue and Buffy are standing near a tree.

"Has Phoebe ever been wrong about her premonitions before? Or Buffy with, what did you call them?"

Buffy smiles, "Slayer dreams, and no neither my dreams or Phoebe's premonitions have been wrong before. Though usually my Slayer dream are far more cryptic."

Prue nods, "But the good news is every other time we've been able to affect the outcome. Stop the demon or warlock before..."

Andy nods, "Before I get killed. Can I get that in writing?"

Prue looks to Buffy and back to Andy, "Andy, you just have to be extra careful until we figure out who this demon is and why he's after you, okay? Andy."

Andy nods, "I was just thinking... what if the demon is Rodriguez?"

Buffy shakes her head, "Why would you say that?"

Andy sighs, "He pulled me in the station house this morning. I thought he was gonna arrest me. What he really wanted was a meeting with you, Prue."

"Meet with me? Why?" Prue asks.

Andy nods, "Because he thinks his partner was killed by a supernatural being and somehow, I don't know how, Prue, he knows you're a witch."

"How would he know that unless..." Buffy says.

Andy nods, "Unless he was the demon."

Prue nods, "Alright, uh, tell Rodriguez to meet me at the manor at 6:00."

Andy shakes his head, "It's too dangerous, Prue."

Prue nods, "I don't have a choice. If I don't meet with him, he'll frame you and try to expose me."

"But if he is a demon and it turns out to be a trap?" Andy asks.

Buffy smiles, "Then she'll have Piper, Phoebe and myself to back her up, the power of three augmented."

Andy nods, "Plus one. Me."

Prue shakes her head, "No. You can't be there, Andy. That's where you were in Phoebe's premonition and Buffy's Slayer dream when ... just promise me you'll stay away."

"I can't do that, Prue." Andy says.

Prue sighs, "I mean it. Don't make me use my magic on you." They smile. "I don't want anything to happen to you, Andy. You know how much I still care for you."

Buffy nods, "So do I Andy. You're a good friend."

Andy nods, "Okay, I promise."

Back at the manor at 5:55 that evening.

"All right, let's go over the plan again." Prue says.

Phoebe frowns, "Yeah, let's, because I wanna know why Buffy and I are the ones answering the door."

"Yeah," Buffy says.

Prue nods, "'Cause Phoebe, Buffy… Phoebe you know martial arts and Buffy is the Slayer, all right, that way if Rodriguez shows up and tries something right off the bat, you two can knock him down."

Piper nods, "And then I can come in from the living room and freeze him."

"And then I can come down the stairs and send him flying." Prue says.

Phoebe nods, "I still feel like cannon fodder."

Buffy rolls her eyes, "Welcome to my world."

The doorbell rings.

"What time is it?" Prue asks.

Piper looks at a clock, "Just before six." He rings the doorbell a couple more times. "That's a little too anxious, that's not a good sign."

Phoebe nods, "Which means if he doesn't want to kill Prue, he wants to date her."

Buffy, Prue and Piper stare at Phoebe.

"Come on, let's get this day over with." Prue says.

Phoebe nods, "Okay." She and Buffy walks towards the door. "All right already." She opens it.

"Inspector Rodriguez. I'm here to see Prue Halliwell." Rodriguez says.

Phoebe nods, "Yeah, no kidding. Prue!"

"Piper!" Buffy calls out.

"Company!" Phoebe says.

Rodriguez's eyes glow red and his power throw's Phoebe and Buffy against the wall and they roll down the stairs.

Piper enters the room from the living room, "Phoebe! Buffy!"

Lightning comes out of Rodriguez's hand towards Piper but she freezes it just in time.

Prue comes running down the stairs. "Phoebe! Buffy!" She uses her power and the lightening hits Rodriguez and he explodes and vanishes.

Piper kneels next to Buffy, "Oh my God."

Prue kneels next to Phoebe, "Oh, God."

Piper looks at Prue, "Prue, is she okay?"

Prue shakes her head, "She's dead. What about Buffy?"

Piper frowns, "What? Phoebe. Phoebe!" She regains her composure for a moment and checks Buffy. "She's dead, Prue."

In Buffy's bedroom at the Manor, Buffy is tossing and turning.

_"Yeah, she's out cold." Piper says as she, Phoebe and Buffy see Andy and run over to him. Piper feels his pulse. "Oh my God. He's dead."_

Buffy sits up in bed her eyes wide.

Outside a paperboy rides along the road, a car honks and he waves. He throws the paper on the Halliwell's lawn. Inside the manor…

Weather Girl on TV, "Good morning, San Francisco. Well, it looks like it's going to be a beautiful Wednesday."

Phoebe is on the phone, "Piper, what are you doing at Quake? It's 8:00 in the morning."

Buffy and Prue enters the kitchen.

"Morning." Prue says.

"Hey." Buffy says as she debates telling them about her dream.

Phoebe nods, "Morning. Wait a minute." Kit knocks over the pepper and meows. Buffy's eyes go wide. "Whoa. I am freaking out." She speaks into the phone. "Okay. I'll be there in an hour." She hangs up.

Prue shakes he herad, "Be where in an hour?"

Phoebe pauses a little. "Okay. Pinch me."

"What?" Prue asks.

Phoebe nods, "No. I mean it. Pinch me. I want to make sure I'm awake because if I am, I am having one killer déjà vu."

Buffy shakes her head, "If you are so am I?"

Prue rolls her eyes, "So it's just a déjà vu. Everybody gets them."

"Not like this they don't." Phoebe says and then looks at Buffy. "You too?" Buffy nods. Phoebe looks back at Prue. "Look, Prue... something weird is going on here."

Prue sees the front page. "I don't believe this."

Phoebe nods, "No. I'm...trust me. This has happened before. Everything."

Buffy nods, "I think Phoebe's right."

Prue nods, "I'm talking about the paper. Did you see the front page?"

Phoebe nods, "See. Like that. Right there. You said that before. I know it."

Car crashes.

"That has happened before." Buffy says.

"Where did you park my car last night?" Prue asks.

Phoebe nods, "In the driveway and I told you that already the last time you asked me." Prue leaves. Phoebe sighs she looks at Buffy, "Your having a sense of déjà vu also?"

Buffy nods, "Yeah ever since I got up this morning, starting with the Slayer dream I had this morning."

Buffy and Phoebe follow Prue into the living room. Prue looks out the window.

Prue nods, "Mrs. Henderson's car. Just a little fender-bender, no big deal."

Phoebe nods, "Prue, Buffy and I arenot nuts. Okay, maybe I am just a little but that's irrelevant here."

Prue nods, "Phoebe, Buffy, Andy's in trouble."

"What?" Phoebe and Buffy say.

Prue shows them the paper.

Phoebe nods, "Let me see that." She takes the paper off Prue and has a premonition. "Now, that was the premonition which I've had before."

Buffy nods, "Of Andy dead right?"

Phoebe nods, "Yeah, Buffy. Of Andy, here, being killed by a demon."

Later Buffy, Prue and Andy are at the park.

Andy nods, "What if he is a demon and it turns out to be a trap?"

Prue nods, "I'll have Piper, Phoebe and Buffy there to back me up. The power of three augmented.

Buffy nods.

"Plus one. Me." Andy says as he sees Prue thinking about something. "What is it?"

Prue looks to Buffy, "This seems a little familiar to me that's all, kinda like deja vu. Never mind. Um, Andy, you can't be at the meeting and Phoebe's premonition and Buffy's Slayer dream, that's where you were when... Just promise me that you'll stay away."

"Prue, I can't do that." Andy says.

Prue sighs, "I mean it. Don't make me use my magic on you." They smile. "Andy, I don't want anything bad to happen to you. You know how much I still love you."

Andy shakes his head, "No, I didn't."

They hug.

At 5:55 that evening inside the manor. Buffy, Prue, Piper and Phoebe are looking at both Books.

"Is there anything in there about time loops?" Piper asks.

Phoebe shakes her head, "There's a spell to accelerate time but that's about it. I'm telling you, this is all part of his evil plan. I just haven't had enough time to figure it out yet."

Buffy nods, "Neither have I."

The doorbell rings.

"What time is it?" Prue asks.

Piper nods, "Just before six."

Phoebe nods, "I'll get it. The doorbell rings a couple more times. "All right already."

The door flies open and the lightening out of Rodriguez's hand hits Buffy and Phoebe and they hits the wall.

"Phoebe! Buffy!" Piper says.

The lightning then hits Piper and she crashes through the glass door. Rodriguez then tries to get Prue but her power makes the lightning fly back into him. He explodes and vanishes.

Prue rushes to check Phoebe and Buffy, finds them both dead. "Oh my God, no." She then runs over to Piper. "Piper." Piper too is dead. Prue starts crying.

In Buffy's bedroom at the Manor, Buffy is tossing and turning.

_"Yeah, she's out cold." Piper says as she, Phoebe and Buffy see Andy and run over to him. Piper feels his pulse. "Oh my God. He's dead."_

Buffy sits up in bed her eyes wide. She gets out of bed and goes into Phoebe's room. "Phoebe."

Outside a paperboy rides along the road, a car honks and he waves. He throws the paper on the Halliwell's lawn. Inside the manor…

Weather Girl on TV, "Good morning, San Francisco. Well, it looks like it's going to be a beautiful Wednesday."

Phoebe's on the phone.

Buffy is drinking a coke, she turns off the TV.

"Don't tell me. I already know. You spilt marinara sauce on your dress, right? Am I right? Think Piper, think. Doesn't all of this seem awfully familiar to you?" Phoebe says.

Prue enters the kitchen, "Morning."

Phoebe nods, "Freeze. No, not you, Piper." Kit's on the bench. "Kit knocks over pepper. Meows." Kit does so. Prue looks at Phoebe as if to say how'd you know that? "Hold that thought. Okay, Piper, you need to get home as soon as you can, okay, we've got major demon hunting to do. Oh, and if you run into someone named Joanne from high school, just tell her to go stick it. I will explain later, just hurry."

Prue frowns, "Okay, what's going on?"

Buffy nods, "Quick, follow us. They go to the window in the living room. "5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Car honks..." a car honks "…skids..." a car skids "…crashes..." a car crashes "…Mrs. Henderson's car. A little fender bender. Good thing Phoebe parked your car in the driveway last night, huh?"

Prue frowns, "How did you know that?"

Phoebe nods, "Because this has all happened once before, Prue, maybe even more than once. The day keeps repeating itself. Buffy and I know it and every time it happens I think we figure it out just a little faster. It must be my power of premonition and Buffy's Slayer dreams. Premonition... I'm supposed to be having a premonition right about now."

"Supposed to? What do you mean?" Prue asks.

Buffy nods, "The paper. Look at the front page."

Prue does so. "Andy."

Phoebe nods, "Is in trouble. More than you know, Prue."

Buffy nods, "If Phoebe touches that paper, she will have a premonition."

"The same one that I've had before. Where Andy gets killed here by a demon. Uhm Buffy isn't this where you mention having the Slayer dream? Saying you saw the same thing I just did."

"Yeah." Buffy says.

Phoebe nods, "Prue, you have got to believe us."

Prue nods, "No, I believe you both. The question is what do we do about it?"

Phoebe nods, "Well, you've got to go warn Andy. Keep him away from our house at all costs. Meanwhile, I've got to dig through the Book Of Shadows, find a way to vanquish this time demon before he can kill Andy. I could use your help Buffy. It'll go twice as fast if were looking through both books."

At 5:55 that evening inside the manor Buffy and Phoebe's reading both Book of Shadows.

"The devil's sorcerer, Tempus." Phoebe says.

Buffy nods, "He can manipulate time anyway he chooses."

"Does it say how to vanquish him?" Piper asks.

Phoebe sighs, "Uh, take him out of the time that he's in."

Buffy rolls her eyes, "What ever that means."

Rodriguez kicks open the door and throws lightning at Prue, but Piper pushes her out of the way just in time and they fall to the floor.

Andy runs in. "No!" He shoots at Rodriguez and Rodriguez throws lightning at him.

"Andy!" Phoebe and Buffy say.

Andy flies through the air and hits a glass cabinet.

Piper freezes Rodriguez. "Are you both okay?"

Phoebe nods, "Yeah, is Prue okay?"

Buffy kneels next to Prue, "Yeah, she's out cold."

They see Andy and run over to him. Piper feels his pulse. "Oh my God. He's dead." Piper says.

It is now 6:15 and Rodriguez is tied to a chair.

"The only reason you're still alive is because I haven't figured out how to kill you yet." Phoebe says.

Rodriguez smiles, "Go ahead. Kill me witch. I don't care."

Piper shakes her head, "Phoebe, what are you doing?"

"I'm trying to save Andy." Phoebe says.

Buffy nods in agreement.

Piper frowns, "Andy, Andy's dead, you can't save him, Phoebe, Buffy."

"No? We're in a time loop, aren't we?" Buffy says.

Phoebe nods, "All we have to do is start this day over and Andy lives. And I'm willing to bet that his death somehow triggers the time loop?"

Rodriguez smiles, "I'm impressed. I was told you wouldn't know that."

Phoebe shakes her head, "Really? By who? Tempus? Yeah, we know about him too. And we also know you're not him otherwise you would've restarted the day by now. So, where do we find him?"

"In your nightmares. Kill me. I dare you." Rodriguez says.

Piper pulls Phoebe and Buffy away.

Piper frowns, "Why is he so willing to let us kill him?"

Buffy shrugs, "Who cares. If he dies, Andy lives. End of story."

Piper sighs, "What if that's exactly his plan? To reset the day and he can kill us all next."

:It doesn't matter. The day's gonna reset itself anyway, there's not a damn thing to do about." Rodriguez says.

Piper frowns, "Shut up. Come on, we have to wake Prue."

They bend now next to Prue.

Phoebe shakes Prue, "Prue. Prue. Come on, we need your help. Prue, come on, honey. Prue. Prue."

Buffy nods, "Prue, come on, wake up, sweetie."

Prue wakes up. They help her off the floor.

"Easy, easy." Phoebe says.

Prue nods, "Where is Andy?"

Buffy sighs, "Prue, something terrible has happened."

Prue sees Andy lying on the floor with a blanket covering him. "Oh my God."

"It all happened so fast, Prue. He ran in the door when Rodriguez attacked. He was trying to save us." Piper says.

Prue nods, "And he'll succeed. Where's the Book of Shadows? Either one."

Buffy nods, "Their both right here. Why?"

"Where's the spell that you saw to accelerate time?" Prue asks.

"What are you doing?" Rodriguez asks.

Phoebe flips through the Charmed Book, "There."

Rodriguez frowns, "What's going on?"

Piper shakes her head, "But we don't want to accelerate time, we want to reverse it."

Prue sighs, "No, we don't, trust me. The only chance that we have to get rid of Tempus is to do this by breaking the time loop, okay."

Buffy frowns, "But if we break the time loop we won't be able to save Andy."

Prue nods, "I know."

"Prue, are you sure?" Piper asks.

Prue shakes her head, "No, I'm not." She starts reading the spell. "Winds of time gather 'round, Give me wings to speed my way..."

"Wait a minute..." Rodriguez says.

"Rush me on my journey forward, let tomorrow be today." Prue says.

Rodriguez frowns, "What's happening?"

The hands on the clock speed around the clock face.

"Prue..." Piper and Buffy say.

Prue nods, "You know what, just untie him get him outta here."

"What?" Phoebe asks.

Piper nods, "He'll kill us."

Buffy nods in agreement, "Yeah, Prue."

Prue shakes her head, "No, he won't. He doesn't have the power to kill us, otherwise he wouldn't have needed Tempus."

"I will not untie him, Prue." Phoebe says.

Prue uses her power and the ropes untie. "Get outta here before I change my mind."

"You stupid witch." Rodriguez says as he walks towards the door but stops. He turns around, his eyes glow red, he throws an energy ball and Prue uses her powers and reflects it back to him. He explodes and turns into dust.

"We may not be murderers but we're no angels either." Prue says. She walks over to Andy, kneels next to him and starts crying.

Buffy looks to Piper and Phoebe and then walks over to Prue. She kneels down and turns Prue towards her holding her close. Prue buries her face in Buffy's shoulder as she continues to cry.

A couple days later Prue, Buffy, Piper, Phoebe and Darryl are in a cemetery. Prue lays a rose on top of Andy's coffin.

The next day the Weather Girl on the TV is talking, "Good morning, San Francisco, well, it looks like it's going to be a gorgeous Monday morning here in the Bay area."

Phoebe turns off the TV. "She really needs another shtick. That one's getting boring."

Buffy rolls her eyes.

Piper nods, "Maybe she should hire Joanne Hertz, boost the ratings."

Phoebe rolls her eyes, "Speaking of the she-devil herself, did you ever call to reschedule your segment?"

"No, and I'm not going to." Piper says.

"Why?" Buffy asks.

Piper smiles, "I've decided to quit my job."

Phoebe blinks, "What?"

Piper nods, "And actually, I owe it all to Joanne. She made me realize that somehow I had forgotten what my dreams were, still are. I always wanted to be a chef and have my own restaurant not manage one. It's a good job and the pay's okay but it's not my dream job."

Buffy smiles, "I think that's great."

Phoebe nods, "I think that's great also. I really do. And don't worry, if you need any help trolling the classifieds, I am an expert."

They walk outside where Prue is sitting on the steps.

"Prue, are you all right?" Piper asks.

Prue nods, "Actually, I am. Andy's been exonerated, they are now looking for Rodriguez."

"Good luck." Buffy says.

"Hey, are you sure you're all right?" Phoebe asks.

Prue nods, "Yeah. I was just thinking all that we've been through since we became witches."

Piper nods, "Give you a headache?"

Prue shakes her head, "No actually, it gave me a good feeling. I mean, look, it's a hassle and can sometimes screw up our personal lives."

Buffy nods in agreement, "You got that right."

Prue smiles, "And we do good things together. Helps offset the bad things."

Phoebe nods, "I'm gonna really miss Andy."

"It's gonna be very sad without him." Piper says.

Buffy nods, "Yeah, I'll miss him, too."

Prue nods, "Something tells me that he'll always be with us. We better get ready for work." She looks to Buffy. "And you need to get ready for school."

Piper smiles, "I'll tell her later."

"Tell me what?" Prue asks.

Piper shakes her head, "Nothing. It's not important."

Buffy nods, "Nothing. Nothing."

They walk inside and Prue points at the door and it swings shut.


	22. Chapter 22: Prophecy Girl

**Q/A: Boris - **No not every episode will be done. Like my other Charmed Story. I will skip some, there is multiple reasons for that. One, the story would just be longer period and it's already going to be long as is now (approx. 200 chapters). Two, I already have another Charmed Story and would like to not add all of the same episodes to both stories. Some of course will have to be added that's unavoidable such as season premieres and finales among others. Those episodes will likely play out different though.

* * *

**Chapter 22: Prophecy Girl**

Somewhere near the school Buffy is lying on the ground a vamp is standing over her. Buffy glares at him.

Buffy does a backwards roll and comes up on her feet. She reaches behind her back and pulls out a stake. The vampire snarls, hesitates.

The vamp and Buffy trade couple of quick hard blows and then Buffy SLAMS the stake home. The vampire falls, crumbles to dust.

Tired, Buffy wipes her brow. "Three in one night. Giles would be so proud."

Inside the Library Giles pores over a book. "The Master shall rise... Yes, this is it. The Master shall rise, and the Slayer..." He stops. "My God." He reads further. Grabs another volume from his desk, rifles through it to a particular passage. Compares them. "Oh... no..."

Outside somewhere near the school Buffy looks about her, more wary than afraid. Tries to keep her footing as an earthquake hits.

The next morning in the Library Giles emerges from his office, heads for the book cage. It's fairly obvious that he hasn't slept.

As he reaches the cage, Buffy walks into the library from the corridor, coming up near the cage and seeing the crack running across the library. "Morning. Wow. That damage looks fairly structural. Are we safe in here?" Buffy says.

Giles turns to Buffy, "Buffy..." He looks at her, trying to conceal a rush of emotion.

Buffy tries to puzzle out his expression. "Do I have something on my face?"

Giles shakes his head, "No... and yes, we're safe." He shakes it off, turns back to his books.

Buffy nods, "How're you doing there, Giles? You get much sleep?"

"I've been working." Giles says.

"Me too! Yes I went hunting last night and it's awfully sweet of you to ask." Buffy says. Giles pulls out two volumes, crossing to the main desk, on which are piled several others. "It's getting hairy out there, Giles. I killed three vampires last night. One of them was practically on school grounds."

Giles nods, "Their numbers are increasing."

"And they're getting cockier. I'm not loving it. Last night was a pretty close call." Buffy says.

Giles nods absently, "Yes..."

Buffy sighs, "Giles, CARE. I'm putting my life on the line, battling the undead! I broke a nail, okay? I'm wearing a press-on. The least you could do is exhibit some casual interest. You could go, "Hmmmm" ."

Giles looks at Buffy, "I'm sorry. I'm glad you're all right but I need to verify... I just can't talk right now."

"That's okay. I can't put it off any longer. I have to meet my terrible fate." Buffy says sarcastically.

Giles is alarmed at that, "What?"

Buffy smiles, "Biology." She heads out into the corridor towards class.

Giles watches her go.

Later in the Quad Buffy, Xander and Willow all head out and down the steps.

"Wow, that was... boring." Buffy says.

Xander nods, "I don't feel that boring covers it."

Buffy nods, "No, "boring" falls short."

"Even I was bored. And I'm a science nerd." Willow says.

Buffy shakes her head, "Don't say that."

Willow nods, "I'm not ashamed. It's the computer age; nerds are in. They're still in, right?"

"Willow, don't you have a thing?" Xander asks.

Willow looks at Xander puzzled, "A thing? The thing! That I have! Which is a thing. I have to go to it. See you later!" She goes off quickly, Buffy watching.

"What on earth is her deal?" Buffy asks.

Xander shrugs, "She's Willow. So Buffy! I wanted to - there was a thing I wanted to ask you. To talk to you about."

Buffy sighs, "Okay. What's up?"

Xander nods, "Why don't we sit down. Over here." He steers her toward the bench by the fountain.

"Okay, now you're making me nervous." Buffy says.

Xander shakes his head,"There's nothing to be nervous about, silly. Ha."

"Well?" Buffy says.

Xander nods, "You know, Buffy, Spring Fling is a time for students to gather and - oh, God. Buffy, I want you to go to the dance with me. You and me. On a date."

Buffy takes a moment, as this sinks in. "Xander, I don't know what to say..."

"Well, you're not laughing, so that's a good start. Buffy, I like you." Xander says. "A lot. I mean, we're friends, and we've shared experiences, we've fought blood sucking fiends together, and that's a good time, but... I want more than that. I wanna dance with you."

Buffy sighs, "Xander... You're one of my best friends. The best friends I've ever had. You and Willow, I mean, I love you guys so much -"

Xander nods, "Well, Willow's not looking to date you. Or if she is she's playing it really close to the chest."

"I don't want to spoil the friendship we have." Buffy says.

Xander nods, "I don't want to spoil it either. But that's not the point, is it? You either feel a thing or you don't." He waits, knowing the answer already.

Buffy shakes her head, "I don't. I'm sorry. I just don't think of you that way."

"Well, try. I'll wait." Xander says.

Buffy sighs, "Xander..."

Xander shakes his head, "No. Forget it. I'm not him. I guess a guy's gotta be undead to make time with you."

"That's really harsh." Buffy says.

Xander ndos, "I'm sorry. I don't handle rejection well. Funny, considering how much practice I've had."

Buffy sighs, "I never meant to -"

"You know what? Let's just not." Xander says as he bails, wandering off under the archway.

Buffy sits by herself on the bench, bummed. Which is when the hail of pebbles starts. The first few get Buffy's attention, tiny hard pellets hitting the ground around her. She stands as more start coming down.

People - including Buffy - all run for cover as the real shower starts. Buffy stands under the archway, watching the hail come down.

"Check it out! It's raining stones!" A student says.

After school Buffy is in the Girl's locker room she is finishing changing into clothes for slaying. She pulls a stake out of her locker and slips it in her jacket.

Buffy crosses to the sinks. She turns on the faucet, looking in the mirror. After a moment she bends down to splash her face. Stops. The sink is filling with blood.

Buffy makes her way to and enters the empty library, looking about for Giles. "Giles? You're not gonna believe -" Her gaze is drawn to the office.

She sees Giles is in urgent conversation with Angel.

"Angel...?" Buffy says as she moves toward the office, quietly excited. Almost reaches the door and stops - when she hears them.

"It can't be. You've got to be wrong." Angel says.

"I've checked it against every volume I have. It's real." Giles says.

Angel nods, "Well, there's got to be some way around it."

Giles sighs, "Some prophecies are dodgey. Mutable. Buffy herself has thwarted them time and again." He hold up a book. "But this is the Pergamum Codex. There is nothing in it that does not come to pass."

Angel shakes his head, "Then you're reading it wrong."

"I wish to God I were. But it's very plain. Tomorrow night, Buffy will face the Master. And she will die." Giles says.

Buffy continues staring, absorbing the information she has just heard. Then, perhaps incongruously, she begins to laugh.

Giles and Angel turn and head for the door.

Buffy turns and walks away from them, into the middle of the library. They come out and stand a ways behind, looking a tad guilty.

Buffy turns back to them. "So that's it, huh? My time is up. I remember the drill. "One Slayer dies, the next is called." I wonder who the next one is." Are you gonna train her? Or will they send someone else."

Giles sighs, "Buffy, I..." He really can't think of what to say.

Buffy sighs, "Does it say how he's gonna kill me?" She sinks into a chair. Angel comes up to her, touches her face. She pushes his hand away violently. "Don't touch me!" She is near tears now, looking up at them angrily. "Were you guys even gonna tell me?"

Giles sighs, "I was hoping I wouldn't have to. That there was some way around it."

Buffy rises out of the chair, "Oh, I've got a way around it. I quit."

Angel shakes his head, "It's not that simple."

Buffy nods, "I'm making it that simple! I quit! I resign! I'm fired! Someone else can stop the Master from taking over."

"I don't know that anyone else can. The signs all indicate -" Giles says.

"The signs?" Buffy says as she takes one of his books from the table and hurls it across the room - almost at Giles himself. "Read me the signs!" She throws another. "Tell me my fortune! You're so useful, sitting around with your books. You're really a lot of help."

Giles sighs, "I don't suppose I am."

Angel nods, "I know this is hard..."

Buffy nods, "What do you know about it? You're never gonna die."

"You think I want anything to happen to you? Do you think I could stand it? We just have to figure out a way -" Angel says.

Buffy nods, "I already have. I quit, remember? Pay attention."

"Buffy, if the Master rises -" Giles says.

Buffy sighs, "I don't care! I don't care. I'm sixteen years old. And I don't want to die." She closes her hand around the cross Angel gave her. Yanks the chain off her neck. Lets it drop. Neither man says anything as she walks out of the room.

Back at the Manor Buffy sits on her bed, looking through old pictures and letters.

Prue steps in. "Hey, Buffy. Are you all right?"

Buffy sighs, "I guess. Actually no not really, Prue. Do you remember what Melinda said she saw?"

Prue nods, "That you would be the longest living Slayer and you and your descendants would have many more daughters? Just like Phoebe, Piper and I are supposed to."

Buffy nods, "It looks like her vision was wrong. There is a prophecy. It says tomorrow night I will face the Master and I will die."

Prue sighs and sits on the bed next to Buffy, "Maybe because you know about it now Buffy it won't happen. Regardless tell you what… Piper, Phoebe and I will go with you to the dance tomorrow night. What's more powerful than the Power of Three?"

Buffy smiles, "Only the Power of Three augmented."

Prue nods as she stands up. "Now I think it's time for a gift." She swings open the closet door. Hanging up inside is a genuinely stunning gown. Buffy stares at it. "I saw you eying it at the store. I figured..."

Buffy stands and goes to it, "Prue, we can't afford this."

Prue laughs, "No objections Buffy. It's the least I can do for my favorite cousin."

Buffy smiles, "It's beautiful." She hugs Prue.

Prue nods, "I think you should wear it. To the dance."

Buffy sighs, "I can't go to the dance. Remember big prophecy."

Prue shakes her head, "No worries, Buffy. We will be there you won't die."

A few minutes later Buffy steps in front of the mirror. She has the dress on.

Piper calls out, "Buffy!" She runs in. "There's something on the news. Willow."

A shorttime later in Willow's bedroom Willow is sitting on her bed, knees drawn up, still freaked. Buffy has thrown a jacket over the dress, is sitting on the bed as well. "I've seen so much, I thought I could take anything. But Buff... This was... this was different, it..." Willow says.

Buffy nods, "It's okay..."

Willow sighs, "I'm trying to think how to say it. To explain it so you understand."

Buffy shakes her head, "Willow, as long as you're okay -"

Willow nods, "I'm not okay. I can't imagine what it's like to be okay. I knew those guys. I go to that room every day. And when I walked in there, it was... It wasn't our world anymore. They made it theirs. And they had fun." Buffy looks away, thinking. "What are we gonna do?"

Buffy nods, "What we have to." She stands, decided. "You'll stay in tonight, all right?"

Willow nods. "I tried to reach Xander, but he's not picking up. I'll go by his house tomorrow. We'll get together and figure out what to do."

"Tomorrow." Buffy says as she goes, reaches the door.

"Buffy." Willow says as Buffy turns. "I like your dress."

Buffy looks down at it, looks up at Willow. "Take care." She goes. Willow watches her, puzzled. The finality in Buffy's tone beginning to sink in.

A shorttime later at the library Giles and Ms. Calendar are talking.

"Depends on where he's leading them to. Aurelius wrote of the Anointed one, "the Slayer will not know him, and he will lead her into Hell"." Giles says.

Ms. Calendar nods, "So Luca thinks the Anointed is a kid?"

Giles nods, "If the vampire Buffy killed was not in fact the Anointed, it may well be."

"Well then we should warn her." Ms. Calendar says.

Giles shakes his head, "I don't plan to involve her at all."

Ms. Calendar frowns, "What do you mean?"

Giles sighs, "Buffy isn't going to face the Master. I am."

"No you're not." Buffy says as she walks over to them, newfound determination in her face. "So I'm looking for a kid, huh? He'll take me to the Master."

Giles shakes his head, "Buffy, I'm not sending you out there to die. You were right. I've waded about in these old books for so long I've forgotten what the real world is like. It's time I found out."

Buffy sighs, "You're still not going up against the Master."

Giles frowns, "I've made up my mind."

"So have I." Buffy says.

Giles nods, "Well, I made up mine first. And I'm older and wiser and just do as I say for once. All right?"

"It's not how it goes. I'm the Charmed Slayer." Buffy says.

Giles shakes his head, "I don't care what the books say. I defy prophecy. I'm going. Nothing you can say will change my mind."

Buffy nods, "I know." She punches his lights out. He goes down in a heap. She looks at Calendar a moment, then takes the cross Angel gave her from the table. She puts it on. "When he wakes up, tell him... I don't know. Think of something cool, tell him I said it." She takes the crossbow.

"You fight the Master, you'll die." Ms. Calendar says.

Buffy nods, "Maybe... But maybe I'll take him with me." She pulls out a piece of paper and hands it to Ms. Calendar. "After I'm gone call this number. It's my cousins. Tell them I'm sorry and that I love them." She turns and leaves.

Buffy exits the school and walks through the dark. She stops, sensing a presence. She turns to find Collin standing in the dark, looking at her.

"Help me..." Collin says.

Buffy smiles, "It's all right. I know who you are." She walks up to him. "Let's go."

Collin reaches up and takes her hand. They walk off together.

Inside the Library Ms. Calendar is dialing the phone. "Halliwell Residence, Phoebe speaking."

"Ms. Halliwell, it's Ms. Calendar at Gateway High. Buffy wanted me to call you and tell you she's sorry and she loves you all. She's gone to fight the master."

"What?" Phoebe says. "Thank you we'll be right there."

Somettime later Prue, Piper, Phoebe, Xander and Willow are with Giles and Ms. Calendar, being brought up to speed.

"She WHAT?" Xander asks.

Willow shakes her head, "I knew it. I told you something was going on with her."

Xander nods, "And she knew about this prophecy of yours? Oh, MAN! What do we do?"

Prue nods, "That's a good question, Xander."

"We stay calm, first thing." Giles says.

Xander frowns, "Calm!?"

Willow sighs, "I think he's right."

Xander sighs, "I'm sorry - Staying calm may work fine for Locutus of the Borg here but I'm freaked out and I plan to stay that way."

Phoebe sighs and loos to her sisters, "Your in good company."

Prue nods, "How could you let her go?"

Giles sighs, "As the soon-to-be-purple area on my jaw will indicate, I did not let her go. Buffy does as she will."

Piper nods, "Well, how can we help her?"

Ms. Calendar shakes her head, "I'm sorry to bring this up but we've also got an apocalypse to worry about."

Xander frowns, "Do you mind?"

"How come she's in the club?" Willow asks. "I understand Prue, Piper and Phoebe. Their Buffy's family. But her?"

Ms. Calendar sighs, "Hey, once the Master gets free, the Hellmouth opens. The demons come to party and everybody dies. We have to prepare. Rupert, you know I'm right."

Xander frowns, "I don't care. I'm sorry, I don't. I gotta help Buffy."

Giles nods, "But we don't even know where she's gone."

Xander smiles, "No. But I can find out."

Prue nods, "Angel." She looks to her sisters, "Help Giles with whatever he needs. I'll go with Xander, try and see if we can't keep Buffy from dying tonight."

Xander takes off. Willow steps forward – "Xander..."

In a tunnel Collin leads Buffy slowly through the darkness. They reach a part of the tunnels that veers off from the electrical tunnels - an older, rough hewn opening that heads even further down. They move slowly. They are silent.

At Angel's Apt. Angel is looking through his own volumes when someone POUNDS on the door a few times. He goes over to it, opens. And sees Prue and Xander.

"Well. Look who's here." Angel says.

Prue and Xander strides in, brushing past Angel.

"Mind if I come in?" Xander says.

Angel shuts the door, "Everybody's visiting lately. I really should clean the place up."

"Buffy's gone." Prue says.

Angel frowns, "What do you mean?"

Xander nods, "Buffy's going right now to fight the Master."

This news hits Angel pretty hard. "He'll kill her."

Prue nods, "That's what the prophecy says. Except we're not going to let that happen."

"What do you propose we do about it?" Angel says.

Xander nods, "We know you can find this Master guy. He's underground, right? Some old church? Take us to him."

Angel shakes his head, "You're way out of your league, kid. The Master'll kill you before you can breathe - if you're lucky." He then looks to Prue. "You really should have brought your sisters. The power of three might have stood a chance."

"How can I say this clearly?" Xander says as he suddenly holds a cross in Angel's face - Angel moves back, hissing. "I don't like you. At the end of the day I pretty much think you're a vampire. But Buffy, man, she's got a big ol' yen for you. I don't get it. She thinks you're a real person. Right now I need you to prove her right."

Prue nods, "Please, Angel. This is my cousin were here for I don't want her to die."

Angel has sunk into his chair over this last. He looks at Xander. "You're in love with her."

Prue blinks and looks at Xander, "You are?"

Xander nods, "Aren't you?"

Back at the library Willow is looking at the door, worrying about Prue, Xander and Buffy. Piper, Phoebe, Giles and Ms. Calendar are trying to work out what to do - needless to say, some books are open between them.

"The Master is as old as any vampire on record. There's no way to tell how powerful he will be if he reaches the surface." Giles says.

Ms. Calendar nods, "Okay. Here's my question. The Hellmouth opens."

Piper nods, "Yes?"

"Where? If he's underground, and it's right where he is, where's it gonna open?" Ms. Calendar asks.

Giles nods, "Good point. Check through the Black Chronicles, and, uh, Willow - Willow."

"Huh?" Willow looks at Giles.

Giles nods, "Can you look through the town histories please? Search for any common denominators. Location of incidents and such."

"Right. Okay." Willow says.

Piper looks at Giles, "What do you want me and Phoebe to do?"

Giles hands them each a book. They nod in understanding.

Willow crosses to the computer, throwing a last look to the door.

"How big is a Hellmouth, anyway?" Phoebe asks.

Giles shrugs, "I don't know. Hellmouth-sized."

In the Church underground Collin leads Buffy down the tunnel toward the church. He stops, indicating she go alone.

Buffy nods as she steps down into the church. Looking around her.

"Welcome." The Master says.

Buffy looks around, "Thanks for having me. You really ought to talk to your contractor. I think you've got some water damage."

"Ah, good. The feeble banter portion of the fight. Darling, why don't we just cut to the -" The Master says.

Buffy spins and shoots.

The Master catches the arrow an inch from his heart. "Nice shot."

In the Tunnels Prue, Xander and Angel make their way through. Xander looks at Angel.

"What." Angel says.

Xander shakes his head, "You were looking at my neck."

Prue rolls her eyes.

"What?" Angel asks.

"You were checking out my neck! I saw that." Angel says.

Prue shakes her head, "No he wasn't."

"You just keep your distance, pal." Xander says.

Angel sighs and looks to Prue, "I wasn't looking at your neck!"

"I told you to eat before we left." Xander says.

Prue shakes her head, "How far?"

In the Church Buffy reloads, never taking her eyes off the Master.

"You're not going to kill me with that thing." The Master says.

Buffy smiles, "Don't be so sure."

"You still don't understand your part in all this, do you? You're not the hunter. You're the lamb." The Master says as he steps back, disappearing into the shadows.

In the Library Research continues. Ms. Calendar reads, "I've got nothing specific in here."

Phoebe nods, "Ditto."

Giles sighs, "Nor I."

"I don't either." Piper says.

"The Vampires have been gathering. They know he's coming. They will be his army." Giles says.

Ms. Calendar nods, "You think they'll gather at the Hellmouth?"

"Well, the last time the Master tried to rise was the Harvest. He sent a bunch of vampires to get him fresh blood. Maybe this is the same." Willow says.

"Where did that go down?" Ms. Calendar asks.

"The Bronze." Giles, Piper and Phoebe say at once.

Willow frowns, "The prom."

They look at each other.

Ms. Calendar nods, "We've got to warn them."

"You four go. I'll concentrate on Demon killing." Giles says.

Piper nods, "Phoebe stay and help Giles."

Phoebe nods, "Be careful."

Willow, Ms. Calendar and Piper head out.

Ms. Calendar nods, "My car's in the lot."

"Stay close together. And be careful." Giles says.

Willow nods, "We will."

In the Church Buffy walks slowly about, crossbow ready. "For somebody all-powerful, you sure do like to hide."

His voice comes from the other side of the room. She spins, standing in front of a pool of water. "I'm waiting for you. I want this moment to last."

Buffy shakes her head, "I don't."

The Master grabs Buffy from behind, knocking the crossbow to the ground. "I understand."

Outside the school Piper, Willow and Ms. Calendar are rounding a corner, headed for her car.

"What if they get to the Bronze before us?" Willow asks.

Ms. Calendar looks around, "Don't worry about it."

Willow shakes her head, "Don't worry? Why not?"

Piper stops and notices what Ms. Calendar has seen. "'Cause they're not going to the Bronze."

Headed for them, in a line, moving slowly like zombies, are the vampires. Twenty of them. The women turn slowly, fear ripening on their faces.

Three vampires are passing Ms. Calendar's car. No way to reach it.

Willow turns to look back the way they came.

Four more.

"What do we do now?" Ms. Calendar asks.

Willow nods, "I vote panic."

Piper looks around, "I'll start freezing but I don't know how many I can hold off."

In the Church The Master holds Buffy by her arms. She twists but cannot break free. "You tried. It was noble of you. You heard the prophecy that I was going to break free and you came to stop me. But prophecies are tricky creatures. They didn't tell you everything." He whispers intimately in her ear. "You're the one that frees me. If you hadn't come, I couldn't go. Think about that."

The Master buries his fangs in Buffy's neck. She cries out - the Master shakes with the power he is drawing from her. Her cry becomes a mewl, the expression of pain and horror freezing in her eyes. He rears his head back. "God, the power!"

Buffy's eyes shut. She sags in his grasp. The Master looks at her.

"By the way..." The Master says as he lets Buffy fall. She goes to her knees, then face-down into the pool of water. "I like your dress."

The Master crosses to the mystical wall. Pulls his hand back and shoves it through. The wall ripples, breaks up - as he steps through it disintegrates, the energy crackling around him. He walks through and up into the tunnel.

In the Tunnels Prue, Xander and Angel stop, hearing the mystical wall disintegrate. From the distance, a glow briefly illuminates them.

"What is that?" Xander asks.

Angel frowns, "It's too late. He's gone up."

Prue nods, "Come on. Come on!"

They race through the tunnel, Angel with a good head start. He sees Buffy, runs to her. Pulls her out of the pool and turns her over. Holds her, hand on her wrist, ear to her mouth.

Prue and Xander runs up to them, stops.

Angel looks up at them. "She's dead."

Prue and Xander rushes to Angel's side. They move Buffy away from the pool, laying her out.

"She's not dead." Xander says.

Angel shakes his head, "She's not breathing..."

Xander looks to Prue, "If she drowned there's a shot. CPR."

Prue nods and kneels down next to Xander, "I'll do chest compressions. Xander you breathe for her." She looks to Angel. "I'm assuming you don't breathe right?"

Angel nods, "I have no breath."

Then Xander leans over Buffy. Closing his fingers over her nose, he gives her mouth to mouth. Prue the heels of her hands to Buffy's chest and pumps the heart rhythmically.

Nothing. Xander breathes into her mouth again. Then Prue pumps the heart again.

"Come on. Come on." Xander says.

Prue watches Buffy, "Please you don't want to prove Melinda's vision wrong."

Outside the school Piper, Ms. Calendar and Willow are backing slowly up, with nowhere to go.

"Why are they coming here?" Ms. Calendar says.

Willow shakes her head, "Not caring..."

"Something tells me the Hellmouth isn't at the Bronze." Piper says as she freezes a vampire. "There is too many for me to do this forever."

They turn - there really is no avenue of escape.

A car pulls up next to them. Behind the wheel is Cordelia. "Get in!"

In the Church Xander is breathing into Buffy's mouth. Prue continues to pump Buffy's heart. Angel watches.

"Breathe!" Xander says.

Angel shakes his head - it's not working.

Buffy's eyes suddenly eyes open. She sucks in a huge gasp of air, coughing powerfully after.

"Buffy?" Xander and Prue says.

Buffy eyes focus, and she looks up, "Prue? Xander?"

Xander does a pretty good job of holding back his emotions - just smiles. Buffy looks over at Angel.

Xander smiles, "Welcome back."

Prue pulls Buffy into an embrace, "I thought I lost you there, Buffy."

Outside the School everyone gets in Cordelia's car.

"I was sitting where Kevin and I used to park, and suddenly these things were coming at me - I tried to get out but the gate's locked. Who are these guys?" Cordelia says.

A vampire jumps on the car.

"What do we do?" Cordelia asks.

Willow nods, "We've got to get to the library."

"Library. Right. Great." Cordelia says as she slams down on the gas pedal.

Willow, Piper and Ms. Calendar brace themselves as they realize how Cordelia plans to get them there.

The car races for the entrance to the building, Vampires jumping out of the way.

"Of course, we generally walk there..." Willow says.

The car BLASTS through the doors down the school corridor, the vampire still on the hood. Vampires on foot follow hard behind.

The car continues down the hall at a good clip till Cordelia slams on the brakes and the car screeches to a halt right outside the library doors. The vampire flying off the hood.

Vampires are already closing in as the four women pile out of the car and into the library. Cordelia is the last one in, closing the door behind her as a vampire is inches from grabbing her.

Phoebe and Giles rushes up to them as they barricade the door. "What's going on?"

"Guess!" Ms. Calendar says.

"They're not going to the Bronze." Piper says.

A vampire arm smashes through the round window in the door, clutching at them. Willow grabs the library sign and hits the arm till it withdraws.

"But why are they coming here?" Giles asks.

"My thought is somewhere under the school is the Hellmouth." Piper says.

In the Church Buffy starts to sit up.

"Easy..." Prue says as she and Angel takes her arms, helping.

"The Master..." Buffy says.

Angel nods, "He's gone up."

Buffy stands.

Prue shakes her head, "Buffy, you're still weak."

Buffy looks to her cousin ,"No, I'm not. I feel strong. I feel... different." Prue, Xander and Angel look at each other. Buffy looks at the entrance to the church. "Let's go." She starts out, strength in her stride.

After a moment, the boys and Prue follow.

In the Library The group is barricading the door when they hear the CRASH in the back.

"They're coming in through the stacks!" Giles calls out.

Piper looks to Phoebe, "Come on." They run to the back, shut the doors.

"The bookshelves!" Phoebe says as she and Piper hoist one in front of the door just as Vampires reach it, begin pounding on it from outside.

As Phoebe holds the bookcase firm. A tendril is creeping toward her.

Giles hears another crash. "My office." He runs to it.

Outside the school Buffy strides toward the school, the Prue, Xander and Angel flanking behind her.

"How do you know where the Master's going?" Xander asks.

Buffy nods, "I know." A vampire steps in front of them. "Oh, look. A bad guy."

Prue rolls her eyes as Buffy punches the vampire and sends him flying.

Buffy never breaks stride as they walk into the school and down a corridor.

Buffy reaches a door marked "Roof Access". The lock has been broken and the door is ajar. She turns to the others. "You guys wait here. Keep the rest of the vampires off me."

Xander nods, "Right."

Prue frowns, "Buffy I don't think…"

Buffy smiles, "I know, Prue. But this is something I have to do alone." Prue nods in understanding. "Don't worry I'm not dying twice tonight." She looks at Angel. "Angel, better put on your game face."

Angel turns to her, his face now vampiric. "I'm ready."

Buffy nods, "This won't take long." She starts up the stairs.

Prue, Xander and Angel turn and stand by the door like bodyguards.

In Giles office, Giles runs in just as a Vampire is breaking the window. Giles grabs a stake and drives it home. Starts moving the bookcase in the way of the window.

In the library Cordelia beats on the hand holding her, finally biting it till it lets go. "See how YOU like it."

Phoebe and Piper hold the bookcase.

Phoebe shakes her head, "This won't keep them out for long!"

A tendril wraps itself around Phoebe's leg. Willow looks down and screams!

Piper grabs Phoebe, tries to pull her away. They both fall to the floor, Piper tugs at the snared Phoebe. "Giles! GILES!"

And then it rises, bursting through the wood of the floor. It's a tentacle - or an arm - or something: grotesque, twisted flesh dripping with slime, dull, glassy eyes and mewling, razor-toothed mouths opening incongruously along its length. There is no reason to it. It's demon.

Giles runs out of his office and stops. "The Hellmouth..."

On the roof the Master looks down at the demon through the skylight.

The Master smiles, "Yes... come forth. My child... Come into my world."

Buffy shakes her head, "I don't think it's yours just yet."

The Master turns, disbelieving. "You... are dead."

Buffy nods, "I may be dead, but I'm still pretty. Which is more than I can say for you. Besides I'm Charmed."

The Master frowns, "You were destined to die! It was written."

Buffy smiles, "What can I say? I flunked the written." She powers up a fireball

The Master reaches out suddenly, clutching the air as though it were her. Locks eyes with her. Stares, mesmerizingly. "Come here. And extinguish that…"

In the library Piper pulls at Phoebe. "Giles! Gape later!"

Giles is shaken out of it. He runs to the book cage, to the weapons cabinet. Emerges with a tasty battle axe.

A horrible mouth opens - and then Giles sinks the axe into the tentacle holding Phoebe. Black ichor gushes from it - every mouth on it screams - and a second one bursts through the floor.

On the roof Buffy decides to play along and extinguishes the fireball. She moves toward the Master, never taking her eyes off him.

The Master comes towards her as well. "Do you really think you can best me here, when you couldn't below?"

Buffy comes right up to him and smiles, "You've got fruit punch mouth."

The Master frowns, "What?"

Buffy decks him in the face, a head snapping blow that lifts him up and sends him bodily to the ground. "And save the hypnosis crap for the tourists."

The Master roars, leaps up at her - and she blocks, delivers a series of blows that stagger. He gets one in himself, and the animal ferocity of it sends her back.

In the library the tentacle swings - Giles is knocked over the railing and slams down on the table, splintering it. Half the table sits upended just below the skylight, the shards pointing at the sky.

In the Hall Prue, Xander and Angel stand ready. Two vampires appear, run at them.

Xander pulls out a stake and his cross. He tosses the cross to Angel -

Angel frowns, "Ooh! Ow! Hot!" He baubles it and tosses it back.

Xander tosses him the stake instead. "Sorry." And the vampires are on him. He backs one down with the cross, taking the moment to punch him in the face.

Angel stakes the other one dusting him.

Prue telekinetically moves the other vampire off of Xander and onto Angel's stake dusting him.

In the library the tentacle rises over Giles. He crawls backwards, eyes on it.

On the roof Buffy and the Master are into it now. They spar a bit more - each getting in powerful blows - before he grabs her, holds her. The skylight right behind her.

Buffy looks down at it, sees through the skylight the broken table, pointing up.

The Master shakes his head, "Where are your jibes now? Will you laugh when my Hell is on earth?"

Buffy grabs him back, by the throat and the arm, and her grasp - from the look on his face - is stronger than his. "You're really that amped about Hell?" She pulls him close. "Go there."

Buffy lifts him, flips him bodily over her head, throwing him behind her so he lands on his back and crashes through the skylight. She powers up a fireball and sends it flying after the falling him.

The fireball hits the Master and he dusts leaving only his skeleton which impales itself on the broken table.

Everything stops. There is a rending kind of shriek from the Hellmouth and the demon tentacles withdraw.

Buffy makes her way downstairs and enters the library. Prue, Xander, Angel following. Everyone gathers in the middle of the room, a bit dazed.

Giles nods, "The vampires?"

Cordelia smiles, "Gone."

Angel nods, "The Master?"

Giles nods, "Dead. And the Hellmouth has closed." He turns to Buffy. "Buffy?"

Buffy bursts out crying. Prue, Piper and Phoebe pull Buffy into an embrace. Everyone else stands around for a minute, uncomfortably.

Buffy gets it down to a couple of sniffles as her cousins release her from the group hug. "I'm sorry. It's been a really weird day."

Xander nods, "Yeah, Buffy died and everything."

Willow blinks, "Wow. Harsh."

Giles beams at Buffy, "I should have known that wouldn't stop you."

Prue nods, "See I told you, you had nothing to worry about."

Buffy smiles, "You were right Prue."

Jenny nods, "Well, what do we do now?"

Giles nods, "I don't know about the rest of you, but I'd really like to get out of this library. I hate it here."

Xander nods, "I hear there's a dance over at the Bronze. Could be fun..."

Cordelia smiles, "Yeah!"

Willow nods, "Buffy?"

Buffy nods, "Sure. We saved the world. I say we party." She looks at her tattered dress. "I mean, I got all pretty..."

Phoebe smiles, "I think that sounds like a wonderful idea."

Prue nods, "And then tomorrow we can do something together, just the family."

Buffy nods, "I'd like that."

Jenny points at the Master's skeleton, "What about him?"

They all turn and look.

Buffy nods, "He's not going anywhere. Loser."

Piper, Phoebe and Prue laugh.

They head out.

Giles nods, "I'm not dancing, though."

Jenny shakes her head, "We'll see."

Xander nods, "So what's the story with the car?"

Cordelia smiles, "Oh, that was me saving the day."

Buffy nods, "I'm hungry. Is anybody else hungry? I'm really hungry."

Willow nods, "You can come with us, Angel. Get something to drink. Or, no... don't do that. Just hang out."

They head out of the library.


	23. Chapter 23: When She Was Bad

**Q/A: Guest - **I don't know when I might give Buffy another power. As it rests now Buffy technically has two. Although Charmed Wikia listed Augmentation more as an ability than a power. Still Prue, Piper and Phoebe only has one at this point. So I think it should be awhile before she gets another power to balance things out.

* * *

**Chapter 23: When She Was Bad**

Xander and Willow are walking home, by a nearby cemetery, eating ice cream cones.

"Okay, hold on..." Willow says.

Xander smiles, "It's your turn."

Willow nods, "Okay, Um... In the few hours that we had together, we loved a lifetimes worth."

"Terminator." Xander says.

Willow smiles, "Good. Right."

Xander nods, "Okay. Let's see... It's a madhouse! A m-"

"Planet of the Apes." Willow says.

Xander shakes his head, "Can I finish, please?"

Willow nods, "Sorry. Go ahead."

Xander smiles, "Madhouse!"

Willow waits a beat to make sure he's done, "Planet of the Apes. Good. Me now. Um..."

"Well?" Xander asks.

"I'm thinking. Okay. Use the force, Luke." Willow says.

Xander looks at her. "Do I really have to dignify that with a guess?"

Willow shrugs, "I didn't think of anything. It's a dumb game anyway."

Xander sighs, "You got something better to do? We played rock-paper-scissors long enough, okay? My hand cramped up."

"Well, sure, if you're ALWAYS scissors, of course your tendons are gonna stretch-" Willow says.

Xander interrupts Willow, "You know, I gotta say, this has really been the most boring summer ever."

Willow nods, "Yeah, but on the plus side, no monsters or stuff." She sits on the stone wall.

Xander leans on the wall next to her, looking off towards the graveyard. "I know, but I'm so restless! I'm actually glad school is starting again."

Willow rolls her eyes, "Yeah, and that has nothing to do with a certain girl that we both know that is the Charmed Slayer?"

"Please. I'm so over her." Xander says casually. "Did she, uh, say when she was getting back, about which I don't care?"

Willow shakes her head, "I haven't heard from her. I mean, I got a couple of postcards after she went to L.A. and then, like, nothing."

Xander sighs, "Yeah, I never heard... well, she's probably having fun with her dad."

"And you don't care." Willow says.

Xander ndos, "Okay, so maybe there's some interest. I'm a man, I have certain desires. Certain needs..."

"I don't wanna know." Willow says.

Xander shakes his head, "Don't you? I got a movie for you." He dabs his cone at her, leaving ice cream on her nose.

Willow stares at him wryly. "Xander..."

"Come on." He dabs again, "You're Amish, you won't fight back because you're Amish, I mock you with my ice cream cone, Amish Guy..."

"Witness. My nose is cold." Willow says.

"Let me get that -" Xander says as he makes as if to lick it.

Willow starts back, laughs. "Xander!"

"What can I say? It makes your nose look tasty." Xander says as he daubs her nose with a napkin.

Suddenly they notice vampire on the other side of the wall from them, the dirt and the tux hanging on him speaking of a fresh rising. The kids see him and start back - Willow clumsily jumping from the wall - he easily vaults it, coming swaggeringly at them.

Xander steps in front of Willow, "Willow, go!"

"Xander -" Willow shouts.

The vampire jumps Xander. Xander steps back and slugs the vamp - but it isn't phased, grabbing his neck and pulling him in for the kill.

Willow desperately searches about for some kind of weapon, finally grabbing the vampire's arm, trying to wrench him off Xander -

Suddenly Buffy is there as she grabs the vampire's shoulder. She pulls back and spins him around, straight into the path of a lightning fist.

The punch is followed by a roundhouse kick - and another. The vampire finally gets time enough to lunge at Buffy - who easily flips him onto the ground, turning to the others.

"Hi guys." Buffy says.

The vampire rears up behind Buffy and without looking back she slams her foot into his chest, sending him flying back into a tree with a broken branch sticking out of it. The vampire slams backwards right onto it, exploding into dust the moment he's impaled.

Buffy doesn't even look back. "Miss me?"

Xander and Willow hug Buffy, excited to see her. Xander perhaps slightly more so.

"Buffy!" Willow says.

Buffy smiles, "Hey, Will."

Xander smiles, "Man, your timing really doesn't suck."

"When did you get back?" Willow asks.

Buffy smiles, "Just now. Dad drove me down. And I knew you losers would be getting into some kind of trouble."

Willow nods, "I think we had the upper hand. In a subtle way."

"Does either of you even have a cross? Very sloppy..." Buffy says.

Xander rolls his eyes, "Well, it's been a slow summer. That was the first vampire we've seen since you killed the Master."

Buffy sighs, "It's like they knew I was coming back."

"What about you?" Xander asks. "How was your summer? Did you slay anything?"

They walk down the sidewalk alongside the cemetery, Xander keeping close to Buffy. Willow tries to keep up.

"Strictly R&R. Hung out, partied... shopping was also a major theme." Buffy says.

Xander nods, "Well, you haven't lost your touch. That vampire -"

Buffy nods, "I did kind of wail on him, didn't I?"

"I really like your hair." Xander says.

"So, how did you guys fare?" Buffy asks. "Did you have any fun without me?"

"No." Xander says.

Willow glares at Xander, "Yes."

"Summer was a little yawnworthy. Our biggest excitement was burying the Master." Xander says.

There is a subtle hardening in Buffy's face whenever they mention that name. Neither friend notices.

"That's right, you missed it! Right out by that tree." Willow says as she points to a tree in the cemetery deep in the graveyard. "Giles buried the bones and we poured holy water and chanted and we got to wear robes! Even your cousins were there."

"Very intense. You shoulda been." Xander says.

"Have you seen Giles?" Willow asks.

Buffy is staring at the tree Willow pointed at. She answers crossly, "Why would I call Giles? I'll see him at school."

Xander smiles, "Man, I'm really glad you're back."

"Yeah." Buffy says unconvincingly, as she looks at the tree. "Me too."

The next day Xander, Willow and Buffy walk up to Giles and Ms. Calendar in the hall at schoo.

"Giles!" Willow says excitedly.

Xander nods, "Hey. G-man! What's up?"

Giles frowns, "Nice to see you and don't ever call me that."

Ms. Calendar smiles, "Hey, kids."

Giles turns his attention to Buffy, "How are you?"

"Alive and kicking." Buffy says.

Willow nods, "Buffy killed a vampire last night!"

A few surrounding students react to that.

"Uh, I think you can get a little more volume if you speak from the diaphragm." Buffy says.

Willow looks down at the floor, "Sorry."

Ms. Calendar looks at them confused, "We got vampires? I thought the Hellmouth was closed."

Giles shakes his head, "Closed, not gone. The mystical energy it emits is still concentrated in this area."

Xander nods, "Which means we're still the undead's favorite party town."

"This vampire - could you tell where he might be from?" Giles asks.

Buffy shrugs, "Local talent. Fresh. He was still wearing his funeral ensemble."

"Which means there are other vampires about, and they're already killing. I should have been on top of that. I wonder if they're here for some particular purpose..." Giles said.

Buffy sighs, "You're the Watcher. I just work here."

Giles looks at Buffy and then nods, "Well, I have to consult my books."

Xander looks to his watch, "Eight minutes and thirty three seconds. Pay up." He looks at the others as Willow digs a dollar out of her pocket. "I called ten minutes before you had to consult your books about something."

"We better get to class." Willow says.

The three kids start off.

"Buffy." Giles says as Buffy stops and turns back to him. "I realize you've only just returned, but when you're ready, I think we should start your training again."

"I'm ready. I'll see you after school." Buffy says.

Giles nods, "Well, I understand if you need a few days to -"

"I'm ready." Buffy says.

After school Buffy rain blows on a training post, Giles watching her with a small blossom of concern in his eyes. "Buffy... I think that's enough... Buffy!" Giles says.

At this last she jerks back from the post and with all her might kicks it, easily snapping it in half. Looks at Giles, breathing heavily, a trickle of sweat on her forehead.

"Safe to say, you've stayed in shape." Giles says.

Buffy nods, "Well, I'm ready for anything those vampires want to throw at me."

Somettime during the night Buffy awakes with a start, gasping and sweating. She is completely freaked, sitting up and running her hands through her hair. She looks around the dark room.

Buffy hears a noise, looks out the window. She stares, but she doesn't scream. "Hello."

Angel is crouched outside the window. "Mind if I come in?"

Buffy nods, "Be my guest."

Angel steps gracefully in, standing near her bed. "How are you?"

"Peachy." Buffy says. There is a moment of uncomfortable silence. "So, is this a social call? It's kind of late. Or, it is for me. For you this is, what, lunch hour?"

Angel bridles slightly, "It's not a social call."

"And that means grave danger. Gosh, it's so good to be home." Buffy says.

Angel sighs, "I'm sorry. I wish I had better news."

Buffy nods, "Let me guess. Some of your cousins have come for a family barbecue, and we're all on the menu."

"The Anointed One. He's been gathering forces somewhere in town. I'm not sure why." Angel says.

Buffy sighs, "I guess I'll find out soon enough."

Angel frowns, "You don't sound too concerned."

"I can handle myself. I could use a little action, anyway." Buffy says.

Angel nods, "Don't underestimate the Anointed One just because he looks a child. He has power over the rest of them. Its source is deep, and old. They'll do anything for him."

Buffy sighs, "Is that it? Is that everything? 'Cause you woke me up from a really nice dream."

"Sorry. I'll go." Angel says as he heads for the window. Stands facing it as Buffy hunkers down in bed, facing away from him. "I missed you."

Buffy can't reply, but the hardness in her face melts away. After a couple of beats she turns, her true emotions about to spill out— "I missed -" But he's gone. She stares at the window, unhappy.

The next morning Buffy walked down into the kitchen to find Prue, Piper and Phoebe there.

"Buffy?" Prue said from her place at the kitchen table.

Buffy looked to her eldest cousin, "Yeah?"

"Is something wrong?" Prue asks. "Your dad said you were distant all summer."

"I'm fine." Buffy says with a sigh as she moves towards the fridge.

Piper looks to her sisters and shakes her head, "Buffy this is us. You don't have to hide what your feeling."

Buffy turns and glares at Piper and then sighs, "I've been having some bad dreams since I almost died."

The sisters get up and move to Buffy pulling her into an embrace. "Want to talk about it?" Prue asks.

Buffy shakes her head, "It's something I have to deal with myself. But thanks for the offer."

Phoebe smiles sadly, "We're here if you want to talk."

"I know Pheebs, thanks." Buffy says.

Later at school Buffy is with Willow and Xander.

"Angel came by? Wow. Was there, I mean, was it having to do with kissing?" Willow asks.

Buffy shakes her head, "Willow, grow up. Not everything is about kissing."

Xander nods, "Yeah! Some stuff is about groping." He looks to Buffy, worried. "It wasn't about groping?"

"Hello, Hormones on Parade... it was pure shop talk. You know, vampires? Ring a bell? Pointy teeth, they walk by night..." Buffy says slightly irritated.

"What'd he say?" Willow asks.

Buffy shrugs, "Something's up. Nothing I can't handle."

"Xander nods, "Oh! Hey! Did you guys know? Cibo Matto is gonna be at The Bronze tonight."

"Cibo Matto? They're playing?" Willow asks.

Xander rolls his eyes, "No, Willow, they'll be clog-dancing."

"Cibo Matto can clog-dance?" Willow says excited before realization crosses her face. "Oh, sarcasm. Right."

Xander nods, "We should attend, no? If you're not busy with fighting or anything."

"Sounds like fun." Buffy says.

Cordelia arrives, a jock in tow. "Oh, look. It's the Three Musketeers."

Brief confusion crosses the Willow, Buffy and Xanders faces.

"Was that an insult?" Buffy asks.

Xander nods, "Kinda lacked punch."

"The Three Musketeers were cool." Willow says.

Cordelia considers that, "I see your point..."

Xander nods, "I would have gone with 'Stooges'."

Cordelia rolls her eyes, "Well, I just meant you all hang out together. So, did you guys fight demons all summer?"

Panic from the three.

"Yes! Our own personal demons!" Willow says.

Xander nods, "Such as lust... and, uh... thrift."

Buffy hasn't quite moved past the Three Musketeer's comment yet, "I think I would have to go with 'Stooges' also."

"What are you guys talking about?" Cordelia asks. "I'm talking about big squiggly demons that come from the ground. Remember, on prom night, with all the vampires?"

Buffy sighs, "Cordelia. Your mouth is open. Sound is coming from it. This is never good."

They draw her away from the jock, who's not really paying attention anyway.

Xander nods, "You see, we can't mention that stuff in front of other people. Buffy being the Slayer and all."

"You haven't been talking about your little adventure all summer, have you?" Willow asks.

Cordelia shakes her head, "Are you nuts? You think I would tell anyone that I spent the evening with you guys? Besides, it was all so creepy. That Master guy, screaming..." Once again, nobody notices the effect the name has on Buffy. "I don't even like to think about it. Your secret is safe with me."

Buffy nods, "That works out great. You don't tell anyone I'm the Slayer, and I won't tell anyone that you're a moron." She leaves, leaving Cordy a little hurt and the others a little nonplussed.

That evening at the Bronze Buffy enters looking around. She Sees Xander and Willow, and starts crossing to them. As she makes her way through the crowd, Angel appears before her. It takes her just a second to throw up her defenses. "Oh. Hi again."

Angel smiles, "Hi."

"Is there danger at the Bronze?" Buffy asks.

Angel sighs, "I can't help thinking I've done something to make you angry. That bothers me more than I'd like."

Buffy shakes her head, "I'm not angry. I have no idea where that comes from."

"What are you afraid of? Me? Us?" Angel asks.

"Uh, could you contemplate getting over yourself? There's no 'us'." Buffy says a little put off. "I'm sorry if I was supposed to spend the summer mooning over you, but I didn't. I moved on. To the living." She leaves, heads for Xander and Willow. Passes Cordelia, who appears to have overheard the exchange.

"What's wrong with Angel?" Willow asks.

Buffy shrugs, "Beats me." The band starts playing. Buffy looks over at Angel, still hovering about in the back. She grabs Xander's hand. "Let's dance."

"Uh, uh..." Xander says.

But she's leading him on the floor. They start to dance. Buffy's moves are a little too close, a little too hot. It's pure bad girl, and Xander doesn't know whether to be suspicious, aroused, or panicked.

Xander is looking a little upset. Buffy smiles at him. "Xander, did I ever thank you for saving my life?" Buffy asks.

"No." Xander says.

Buffy brings her body up against his - is she gonna kiss him? - then whispers in his ear, "Don't you wish I would?"

And with that, she leaves. Leaves the floor, leaves The Bronze, leaves a wake of unhappiness behind her.

She is about twenty feet out when she hears her name. "Buffy."

Buffy stops, turns as Cordelia steps out of The Bronze towards her.

"You're really campaigning for bitch of the year, aren't you?" Cordelia asks.

Buffy smirks, "As defending champion, are you nervous?"

Cordelia shake her head, "I can hold my own." She steps towards Buffy. "We've never been close, Buffy, which is nice, 'cause I don't like you very much. But you have, on occasion, saved the world and all that stuff, so I'm gonna do you a favor."

"Joyous me." Buffy says.

"Your friends can't do it, 'cause they like you. And they're sort of afraid of you." Cordelia says.

Buffy rolls her eyes, "What's the favor?"

"I'm going to give you some advice. Get over it." Cordelia says.

Buffy frowns, "Excuse me?"

Cordelia nods, "Whatever's causing the Joan Collins 'tude, deal with it, embrace the pain, spank your inner moppet but get over it, 'cause pretty soon you won't even have the loser friends you've got now."

"I'd say it's about time for you to mind your own business." Buffy says.

Cordelia shakes her head, "It's long past. Nighty night." Buffy turns and leaves. Cordelia watches her go. As she does, we see two vampires emerge from the shadows behind her, moving slowly toward her. "I'll just go see if Angel feels like dancing."

Getting no response, Cordelia turns to go - and the vampires grab her. Hand over mouth, they drag her off.

Cordelia is brought in to The Factory by a pair of vampires. They bring her down the steps and push her into the dark - near pitch dark - room. Go back up and shut the door on her.

Cordelia is terrified. She looks back at the door, at the back room. Takes a step forward, her eyes slowly adjusting. Taking another step and she nudges a hand with her foot.

She jumps back, then looks down at the figure on the floor. Kneels, pulling the figure onto her lap, seeing that it is Ms. Calendar.

Ms. Calendar groans, she's unconscious. Her face bloody and bruised.

"Ms. Calendar? Oh God..." Cordelia says as she looks around at the dark, up the stairs. "What do they want?" As her eyes adjust she notices another woman is there also. Cordelia sets Ms. Calendar down gently and moves over to the other woman. "Ms. Halliwell?" Cordelia recognizes the woman as Buffy's cousin's - Phoebe.

Buffy enters the graveyard from the street. She is lost in thought, wandering seemingly aimlessly. She sees the tree that Willow said the Master was buried under. She heads toward it.

As she nears it she slows down. Her expression changes - or rather sets, like concrete. She stops. The Master's grave is empty.

Buffy tries very hard to stay controlled. She takes but one faltering step back. She looks back at the grave, shaking, whispering to herself. "He's dead, he's dead... he's dead..."

The next morning Buffy comes downstairs in the manor. Prue and Piper are the only ones there. "Buffy have you seen Phoebe?"

Buffy shakes her head, "No. Did they not come home last night?"

Prue and Piper shakes their heads. "No." Piper says.

Buffy sighs and nods, "Something might be up I don't know. The Master's grave was dug up, he's gone."

Prue is suddenly out of her chair and walking quickly towards the key rack, "Your sure?"

Buffy nods, "Very."

Prue nods, "Then we better go see Giles."

A shorttime later Buffy, Piper and Prue walk into the school lounge and head towards Giles, Xander and Willow.

"That's a very interesting point about trout! That you made just now." Xander says.

Giles looks at Xander confused, "Trout?" Then he sees Buffy, Piper and Prue. "Trout! Yes! The trout... is a fish. Good morning! Did you sleep well?"

Buffy nods, "Like a rock. The Master's gone."

Giles frowns, "I'm sorry?"

Buffy looks to Prue who nods, "The Master. I went by his grave last night and they have a vacancy."

Giles frowns, "Good god."

Prue sighs, "That's not the worst of it either. Phoebe's missing."

Willow blinks, "What would somebody want with Master bones? Who would take your cousins?"

"Trophy? Horrible conversation piece?" Xander says.

Buffy sighs, "They're gonna bring him back." She stares at Giles. "They're gonna bring the Master back to life and I seem to recall you telling me he was history."

Giles sighs, "Buffy, I've never heard of a revivification ritual being successful -"

Piper shakes her head, "But you've heard of them."

"Thanks for the warning." Buffy says.

Willow nods, "Buffy, Giles did bury him in hallowed -"

Buffy glares at Willow, "This is Slayer stuff, okay? Can we have less from the civilians, please?"

"Payson Patricia Halliwell!" Prue says. "That will be enough out of you. I don't know what's gotten into you. But I've had enough. You have had nothing but an attitude since you came home from your Dad's."

Mr. Snyder walks over to the group just then, "I believe that some of us have classes." He looks to Giles. "Some of us have jobs." He looks to Prue. "And some of us don't need to be on campus."

Prue looks to Snyder, "This is a family emergency. My sisters are missing. Buffy and I were just asking her friends if they had seen them."

Snyder frowns, "Make it quick this is a school and these three need to be in class." Snyder turns and walks away.

Giles nods, "Prue, Piper maybe you two and I should take this into the library. Principal Snyder's right though you three should be in class. We'll find out what's going on."

Buffy, Willow and Xander head off to class. Prue, Piper and Giles head to the library.

"When was the last time you saw them?" Giles asks as they enter the library.

"Last night." Prue says.

Piper nods. "Phoebe had a date, she never came home."

That evening in the library Giles crosses to the center of the room, book in hand. "All right, I've got something. It's latin, so bear with me. Um, to revive the vampire, they need his bones," he looks sheepishly looks at Buffy, "which they have... and, uh, the blood... this is very unclear... of the closest person, someone connected to the vampire."

"That'd be me." Buffy says.

Piper nods, "That explain Phoebe's disappearance though. They might have kidnapped her to force Buffy to come to them."

Giles nods, "Perhaps..."

"Buffy nods, "We were very close. Way close. We killed each other, okay? It really promotes togetherness. Besides Piper is right what better way to lure me than to kidnap someone I love. And I love my cousin's more than anything in this world."

"Well, is there anything on WHEN the ceremony might take -" Xander says.

A rock smashes through the window behind Xander's head. He ducks - everyone moves, alarmed. Buffy just spins and catches the rock. Wrapped around it is Phoebe's necklace, and a note.

"This is Phoebe's." Prue says looking at the necklace.

Everyone looks at each other. Buffy takes the note, opens it. "Come to the Bronze before it opens, or we make her a meal."

"They're gonna cook her dinner?" Xander asks before realization dawns on him. "Please pretend I didn't ask that."

"What do we do?" Willow asks.

Buffy nods, "I go to the Bronze and save the day."

"I don't like this." Xander says.

Giles nods, "Nor I."

Piper and Prue nod in agreement.

"Well, you guys aren't going." Buffy says.

"Buffy?" Prue says.

"What do you mean?" Willow asks.

Buffy sighs, "I can't be looking out for you three while I'm fighting." She looks to her cousins, "And I don't want to risk loosing anymore family."

"What about the rest of the note?" Piper asks.

Buffy looks back over the note, "What rest?"

Willow nods, "The part where it says, 'PS this is a trap'?"

Prue nods, "You'll be playing right into their hands."

"And their hands are gonna get slapped." Buffy says.

Xander nods, "We should at least go in force. Stock up stakes."

Buffy shakes her head, "I can handle it."

Willow frowns, "Stop saying that! God, what's wrong with you?"

Prue nods, "I have to agree, Buffy. This isn't like you."

"Cordelia may be dead." Xander says.

Buffy stops, looking at them. "This is my fight." She takes off, leaving them to look at each other.

Buffy is almost at the Bronze when Angel approaches. She turns to him, exasperated. "You know, being stalked isn't really a big turn-on for girls."

"You need help. Someone to watch your back." Angel says.

Buffy shakes her head, "You sure you don't mean my neck?"

"Why are you riding me?" Angel asks.

Buffy nods, "Because I don't trust you. You're a vampire. Or is that an offensive term? Should I say 'undead American'?"

Angel frowns, "You have to trust someone. You can't do this alone."

"I trust me." Buffy says.

Angel shakes his head, "You're not as strong as you think."

"You think you could take me?" Buffy asks.

"What?" Angel asks with confusion.

Buffy nods, "Come on, you must have wondered... a vampire, the Slayer, I know you've thought about it. If it came down to a fight... could you take me? Why don't we find out?"

Angel shakes his head, "I'm not gonna fight you."

"No? Big strong vampire like yourself?" Buffy says.

Angel frowns, "Buffy..."

"Come on. Kick my ass." Buffy says. The smile in her eyes is tending toward the crazed. Angel growls, low. "Now we get to see who we're really dealing with."

Angel stops, controlling himself. "Don't you have somewhere to be?"

Buffy remembers Phoebe. Hiding a flash of guilt, she replies. "I do."

"Well, you're wasting time." Angel says.

Buffy looks to the Bronze, back to him. "Just stay out of my way."

"Happy to oblige." Angel says. Buffy goes off. After a beat, he follows.

Buffy enters the Bronze, walking slowly, looking about her. Not as confident as she was around the others. She holds out her hand powering up a fireball.

She hears crying. Looks near the stage and finds a girl huddled on her knees, back to Buffy, and wearing Phoebe's coat. Her eyes narrow suspiciously as she takes a slow step forward.

"That's not Phoebe. She's not so weak she would be crying around with vampires around. Not with everything we've seen."

The girl rises laughing and turns to Buffy. "Phoebe... she didn't come..."

"Where is she?" Buffy asks.

"I'm not supposed to tell..." The girls says.

"I don't like this." Angel says from behind Buffy.

"What?" Buffy asks.

"There's the bait. Where's the hook?" Angel asks.

Buffy looks around - and the vampire jumps her! She instinctively rolls, flips the vampire over. Comes up onto her feet and steps on the vampire's neck. She looks around some more. "You're right. Why would they send just one?"

Back at the library Prue, Piper, Willow and Xander talk as Giles continues to puzzle over his books.

"I still think we should have gone with her." Willow says.

Xander nods, "Buffy's about to lose it. I think we should be trying to reach minimum safe distance."

Prue looks to Piper, "Willow is right we should have. This is a trap I know it."

Piper nods as she stands she is about to move towards the doors when Giles speaks up. "Aha! This Latin is translated from the Sumerian, and rather badly, which makes it difficult. But the person closest to the Master actually translates as the nearest - physically. The person or persons who..." He realizes what he's saying when he says it. "...were with him when..."

"When what?" Willow asks.

Giles looks at the four of them, dead certainty on his face. "It IS a trap..."

Piper looks around noticing too late that they are surrounded. She raises her hand to freeze the room when Prue stops her.

"...it just isn't for her." Giles says.

"We have to get them out. If you freeze the room you freeze Willow, Giles and Xander." Prue says. "That makes them easy targets."

Piper nods as she lowers her hands.

At the Bronze Buffy has just finished tying the vampire's hands behind her back with Angel's belt. She hands her off to him. "Watch her. Don't kill her if you don't have to."

"Buffy, what's going on?" Angel asks.

Buffy nods, "I'll be back." She takes off at top speed.

A shorttime later Buffy runs in to the library, finds much overturned. She stops spotting Xander and Prue. "Xander? Prue?" She runs over Prue as she is struggling to get up. She is beaten and bloody. Xander is stuggling to get up also, he has also been beaten.

"Where are the others? What happened?" Buffy asks as she moves to help her cousin up.

Xander glares at Buffy, "Vampires. The ones you could handle yourself."

Prue nods, "They got Piper."

Buffy nods, "Where did they take Piper, Giles and -"

Prue shakes her head, "We don't know."

"I don't know what your problem is - what your 'issues' are, and as of now I officially don't care! If you'd worked with us for five seconds you could have stopped this." Xander says.

Prue looks to Xander and knows he's right. But she also knows now is not the time for this. "We have to find them."

Buffy nods, "We have to think. Why did they take them?"

Xander frowns, "If they hurt Willow I'm gonna kill you."

Prue steps in front of Xander, "Lay off, Xander. Buffy has been…"

Buffy suddenly realizaes, "Why did they take them and not the two of you?"

"Giles said the ritual was, um... they needed people close to the Master... physically close, when he..." Xander says.

"The ones who were with him when he died." Buffy says.

Xander nods, "Giles, Willow... Cordelia."

"Piper, Phoebe." Prue says.

Buffy nods, "And Ms. Calendar."

"Odds are, they've got the complete set by now." Xander says.

Buffy sighs, "We just have to find out where."

"How?" Prue asks.

Back at the Bronze Prue, Xander and Angel stand watching something as Buffy uses the vampire as a punching bag.

"One more time." Buffy says as she hauls the vampire up. "Where are they?"

The vampire smirks, "You're too late. Your friends are dead."

"Tell me where they are." Buffy says.

The vampire shakes her head, "What are you gonna do, kill me?"

Buffy nods, "As a matter of fact, yes." She punches the vampire in the face. She flies back, landing on top of the pool table. Buffy comes around the table, calmly unhooking her cross necklace, Angel gave her. She holds it above the vampire's face and as the vampire moans in pain, Buffy drops the necklace into the vampire's mouth. Clamps it shut with her hands.

The vampire writhes, smoke pouring out of her mouth.

"But since I'm not gonna kill you any time soon, the question becomes, how do we pass the time till then?" Buffy asks.

Prue looks to Xander and Angel. She can tell they are just as uncomfortable with Buffy's methods as she is. "If we didn't need the information I wouldn'condone this one bit."

Buffy pulls the cross out by the chain. "So. One more time."

In the Factory Cordelia is tending to a still unconscious Ms. Calendar and Phoebe. The door opens, Cordelia starting back as a big vampire enters. "Please... go away... what do you -" The vampire slugs her, knocking her cold. Starts dragging all three women up the stairs.

Upstairs the Anointed One walks past the old, rusted surgical table holding the Master's bones in the middle of the room. He holds a goblet in his hands. He reaches the head of the table, and Absalom, who wears a black ceremonial robe. On either side of the table are two floorlength wooden torches.

The Anointed One hands him the goblet. Absalom looks up at the balcony. Where two vampires start hauling on a chain. Willow, Giles, Ms. Calendar, Cordelia, Phoebe and Piper are hung upside down on meathooks attached to the chain. They are all unconscious as they are positioned directly above the Master's skeleton.

Absalom dips his finger in the goblet. Goes to the first body - Willow - and makes a small 'x' on her forehead.

The other vampires from a semi-circle around the side of the table as Absalom continues on to each boy, repeating the ritual.

Under the Balcony Buffy, Prue, Xander and Angel have snuck in.

The four of them creep along in the dark until they can see the center of the room.

They see the skeleton laid out on the table. Above it, they see Willow, Giles, Ms. Calendar, Corselia, Piper and Phoebe. The vampires in a semi-circle, six quietly chanting figures. Absalom and the Anointed One at the head.

Buffy can't move. Her eyes widen with fear and remorse.

The Anointed One produces a curved knife, hands it to Absalom, who says a silent prayer over it.

"Buffy. Buffy!" Prue says.

Buffy snaps out of, looks at Prue.

"We gotta do something now." Xander says.

Buffy nods, "You three get the others out of here." She looks to Prue. "Please just do it my way Prue. I would feel much better knowing your looking after your sisters."

Prue sighs and nods, "Okay Buffy. Be careful."

"We'll need you to distract the vampires." Angel says.

Buffy nods, "Right." She starts toward the ceremony.

"What are you gonna do?" Xander asks.

Buffy stops, turns back. "I'm gonna kill them all." She turns and walks away. "That oughta distract them."

Absalom finishes his prayer, kisses the knife. "For the Old Ones, for his pain. For the Dark."

The vampires repeat it solemnly, one after the other.

Absalom brings the knife to the first throat - that of Willow.

Suddenly one of the vampires explodes into dust.

Absalom screams, an inhuman shriek that galvanizes the vampires into action. They effectively flank Buffy, and two of the vampires rush her simultaneously.

Buffy roundhouses them both in the jaw, staggering them back as third one gets her from behind but she elbows him in the throat.

They are trying to surround Buffy - full frontal assault hasn't paid off. She dodges about the boxes and machines, quick and alert.

Absalom sees Buffy's occupied. Roughly grabs Willow's face, brings the knife to her throat when Willow, Cordelia, Piper, Phoebe, Giles and Ms. Calendar are moved away, towards the balcony.

Prue is using her power bring each of their friends, and her sisters to them.

"The sacrifices! Stop them!" Absalom screams.

One of the vampires peels off upstairs, leaving Buffy with the other two.

Buffy kicks one of the vamps, then jumps, grabbing the top box and flipping herself over the pile, landing on her feet - and still holding the box, she brings it over her head and smashes it over the other's head.

Buffy powers out a side kick to the face. The vampire flies back into the corner.

The other vampire slams into Buffy and they both go down.

As Prue uses her power to bring everyone closer. Angel and Xander pull them off the chain to the safety of the Balcony.

A vampire crests the stairs - and Angel turns, his vampface now on. The vampire charges - Angel throws himself at him. They grapple, stepping onto some rotted boards covering a hole. It breaks, the two of them falling down to the lower level.

Buffy is under a vampire, struggling to keep her from biting her. Her hand sweeps the floor, coming up with a box shard. She slams it into her back, pushing her off right before she's dusted.

The other vamp climbs swiftly to the ramp above Buffy's head, trying to escape.

Buffy sees him. She runs, jumps - grabs a pipe under the ramp and swings her legs up and through the wooden slats, tripping him up, sending him flying to the ground. He lands hard.

The vampire on the Balcony shove a shard of wood at Angel's heart - Angel grabs it and shoves harder, sending it backwards through the vampire dusting him.

Xander gets Willow, the last one, off the chain. A dazed Giles is helping Ms Calendar.

"Are you all right?" Giles asks Ms. Calendar.

Ms. Calendar nods, "I think so. My head..."

Prue looks to her sisters, "Are you both okay?"

Piper nods, "Yeah I'm fine. Pheobe?"

"I'm good. Where's Buffy?" Phoebe says.

Xander looks down at Buffy Pummeling her remaining opponent. "She's working out her issues."

Prue nods and looks to her sisters, "I think Buffy needs a little help. Power of Three help."

Piper and Phoebe nod as they and Prue stand at the edge of the Balcony and start to chant. "The Power of Three will Set Us Free."

The vampire flies into the corner under the balcony from the force of one of Buffy's blows.

"Enough!" Absalom says as he steps out of the shadows. He is holding a sledgehammer. "Your day is done, girl. I'll grind you into a sticky paste. And I'll hear you beg before I smash in your face."

Buffy stands by the big torch, listening. "So, are you gonna kill me? Or are you just making small talk?" It's then that she feels the sisters' magic and looks up at her cousins and smiles, "The Power of Three." She closes her eyes and concentrates augmenting their spell. Then she opens her eyes and powers up a fireball. "Bring it."

Absalom rushes Buffy, swinging back the hammer. At the same time, the other vampire does as well, from the opposite direction.

Buffy throws a fireball at Ansalom dusting him. She quickly grabs the torch beside her and impales the last vampire dusting him.

The sledgehammer drops to the ground in front of Buffy.

Buffy takes a moment, breathing hard. Quiet in victory. Looks at something, her expression changing. She picks up the sledgehammer.

Xander helps Willow to her feet.

"It's over." Willow says.

"No, it's not." Prue and Xander say. They look at each other and nod knowing what has to happen for it to finally be over. For Buffy to finally be at peace with what happened.

Buffy stares at the Master's bones quietly for a moment, then swings the sledgehammer and smashes the skull in. She swings again, smashing the Master to powder, the grunts of her efforts rising to a roar, still she swings it, again, again, out of control.

Angel approaches, slowly. He touches her shoulder and she stops. Drops the hammer, shaking. She starts crying just before he folds her into his arms.

"It's okay... it's okay..." Angel says.

Prue, Piper and Phoebe come down from the balcony and walk over to Buffy. Angel pulls away from Buffy and the sisters pull their crying cousin into an embrace.

The next morning Buffy is walking with Prue and Giles. The swagger has gone out of her step a bit. "I don't think I can face them."

Prue smiles at Buffy, "Of course you can."

Buffy shakes her head, "I can't! What am I gonna say? 'Sorry I almost got your throats cut. What's the homework?'"

Giles looks to Prue who nods, "Punishing yourself like this is pointless."

Buffy sighs, "It's entirely pointy! I was a moron. I put my best friends and my cousins in mortal danger - on the second day of school!"

Prue sighs, "Buffy…" She is unsure what to really say at this point other than to be there to support Buffy.

Giles nods, "What are you going to do, crawl into a dark cave for the rest of your life?"

"Would it have cable?" Buffy asks

Giles stops, turns to Buffy and Prue. "Buffy, you acted wrongly, I admit, but believe me, that was hardly the worst mistake you'll ever make. That wasn't nearly as comforting as it was meant to be."

"Well, points for effort. I'll see you." Buffy says as she goes to head inside.

Prue puts a hand on Buffy's shoulder, "You want me to come with you?"

Buffy shakes her head, "This is something I have to do alone. Just like I will have to do it again when I get home from school."

Prue nods, "I understand. And Buffy I'm proud of you."

Buffy smiles, "Thanks, Prue." She heads inside into the classroom. She slowly makes her way to the back row, where Willow and Xander sit, talking. The seat next to Willow is empty. Hesitantly, Buffy approaches. Willow turns and looks up at her.

"Buffy." Willow says.

Buffy smiles, "Hey."

Willow motions towards the empty seat, "We saved you a seat..."

Buffy smiles gratefully, sits.

Xander leans over to say, "There's a rumor going around that Mr. Cox is the most boring teacher in the entire world. Like I think he won a belt or something."

"Lucky us." Buffy says.

Willow nods, "Well, I hear he nods off a lot, so that's a plus."

"So, are we bronzing tonight?" Xander asks.

"Wednesdays it's kind of beat." Willow says.

Xander smiles, "Well, we could grind our enemies into talcum powder with a sledgehammer, but, gosh, we did that last night."

Buffy laughs, relaxing. "Normally I would love to, but there is something else I have to do tonight."

"Don't tell me Giles has you patroling?" Willow asks.

Buffy shakes her head, "No. Apologizing to my family. But you know what you guys can come along and watch me embarrass myself."


	24. Chapter 24: Witch Trials

**Chapter 24: Witch Trials**

Buffy and Phoebe walks walks in through the front door. All the lights are turned off. "Hello? Anybody home? Sister witches, guess what?" Phoebe says.

Buffy and Phoebe walks in the living room and turns on the light. Piper is there making out with a guy on the couch. She jumps up. "Oh, oh. Are you nuts?"

Buffy looks at the Guy, "What are you doing?"

"Hi." The guy says.

"Hi." Buffy and Phoebe say.

Piper freezes the guy and walks over to Phoebe and Buffy. "Ooh."

Phoebe smiles, "Hi."

Piper frowns, "Sister witches? I can't believe you said that. What's the matter with you?"

Phoebe shrugs, "How was I supposed to know that you were gonna be here with anybody? Last I heard that you were meeting a banker friend about the loan." She looks at the guy and then back at Piper. "Is this the credit check?"

Buffy rolls her eyes.

Piper shakes her head, "It's not what you think. We were just... we-we... were just kissing, that's all."

Buffy shakes her head, "Piper, you don't have to justify it."

Phoebe nods, "You're single. You're responsible. You're way overdue in the sex department. I say go for it."

Piper shakes her head, "I'm not way overdue. All right, maybe a little, but that's besides the point. I would never just sleep with a guy to get something. You know that."

Buffy sighs, "Piper, give yourself a break."

"You're going through a lot right now. No job, straining to buy the club, you haven't heard from Leo in weeks." Phoebe says.

Prue walks in through the front door. She's on her phone. "All right, well, the preview is at five and the auction Sunday at eleven."

Piper frowns, " Oh no, Prue. Go back outside. Go on. Hurry!"

Prue looks at them for a second, then goes back outside. Piper stands back next to the guy and he unfreezes.

"So, you must be Prue and Phoebe." The guy says as he stands up.

"Uh, no. Actually..." Buffy says and points back at the door.

Prue comes back inside, still on the phone. "All right, great, yeah, I'll see you then." She hangs up.

Buffy smiles, "She's Prue. I'm Payson." Buffy points to Phoebe. "And this is Phoebe."

Piper nods, "Rob, can we take a rain check on the rest of the evening? It's getting kind of crowded in here."

Rob nods, "Okay, sure." He grabs his coat and heads for the door.

"Yeah. Okay, um, so I'll meet you tomorrow at the club at noon. Great. Thanks for dinner." Piper says.

"Okay, all right." Rob says as he and Piper kiss. "Bye."

Piper smiles, "Bye."

Rob leaves. Piper closes the door and turns to her sisters and Buffy, who are grinning.

"So, did you get the loan?" Prue asks.

Piper smiles, "Hopefully. I'll find out tomorrow."

"Well, my fingers are crossed." Prue says as she, Buffy and Piper start to leave the room.

"Wait, you guys. Where are you going?" Phoebe asks.

Prue smiles, "Well, I have an auction coming up. I have clients to call."

Buffy nods, "It's late Pheebs. I've already stayed up half the night slaying. I'd like to spend the rest of it in bed."

"Wait, you guys. Don't you even know what tomorrow is? It's our one year anniversary of becoming witches. Hello?" Phoebe says.

"Tomorrow is? Really?" Piper asks.

Prue nods, "So..."

"Yeah, so?" Buffy says.

Phoebe sighs, "So? So? It's a day to celebrate. And not just because it's our anniversary of becoming witches. Or the fact that it also marks the anniversary of Buffy coming to live with us. But because it falls on one of the most powerful wiccan days of the year. The autumnal equinox. Now, according to this witch that I met today at the bookstore..."

Piper frowns, "Hold it. A witch?"

Prue sighs, "You didn't tell her about us, did you?"

Buffy nods, "Yeah Pheebs."

Phoebe rolls her eyes, "Well, yeah, sure I did. Why not? I mean, I didn't tell her that we're magical witches, obviously. Look, I'm sorry but I think after everything we've been through it's important to learn as much as we can about who we are. Forewarned is forearmed."

Prue nods, "And I think that we should leave well enough alone. I mean, we've been demon-free for over a month now, I'd like to keep it that away."

"Amen to that." Piper says.

Buffy, Prue and Piper walk out of the room.

The next morning in the attic. Both Book Of Shadows opens up by themselves and the pages start to flip. Phoebe races in. "Prue! Piper! Buffy!"

Prue, Buffy and Piper rush upstairs into the attic.

"What's going on?" Prue asks.

"Uh, I don't know." Phoebe says.

Piper frowns, "Why does the books do that? How do the books do that?"

The sisters go over to the Charmed Book and Buffy goes over to her Book. They look at the page they are open up to.

"Rite of passage. Fight it with the Power of one or else..." Phoebe and Buffy say reading from both books.

A vortex opens in the wall and a gust of wind blows through the attic. A demon is sitting in the vortex. Prue hesitates to use her power and the demon steals both Books.

Buffy powers up a fireball and throws it just as the vortex closes. The fireball hits the wall.

"What the hell was that?" Piper asks.

Phoebe frowns, "The Book Of Shadows. Where's the Book of Shadows?" She then looks at Buffy's. "Buffy where is your Book?"

Buffy shakes her head, "The demon got it."

"So much for being demon-free." Piper says.

Buffy, Prue and Piper pick up pieces of paper that blew across the room when the vortex opened. Phoebe is knocking on the wall where the vortex opened.

"Did you find anything?" Piper asks.

Phoebe shakes her head, "Nothing. But whatever it was literally came out of nowhere and disappeared into nowhere."

Buffy sighs, "Well, it took both yours and my Book of Shadows somewhere."

"And he's powerful too. No other demon's been able to steal the book." Piper says.

Prue nods, "But if he's so powerful, why didn't he kill us?"

"He probably didn't want to go up against you or Buffy." Phoebe says.

"Me or Buffy? What do you mean?" Prue asks.

Phoebe sighs, "That's what the Book of Shadows says. "Fight it with the Power of One." That's gotta mean your or Buffy's powers. Their the strongest."

"Says who?" Prue asks.

Phoebe sighs, "Says every demon or warlock we've ever gone up against."

Buffy nods, "She's right Prue. I can tackle vampires from ten feet away simply because my power is fire based. You have the other active power that's that strong.

Piper nods, "Their right, Prue. The power of one's gotta mean you or Buffy, otherwise it would've said the Power of Three. The only question is how are we gonna find this demon. We don't know anything about him."

"Well, we better think of something fast because without the Book of Shadows, we're not the Charmed Ones anymore. And Buffy's nolonger the Charmed Slayer just the Slayer." Phoebe says.

The doorbell rings.

Buffy nods, "I'll get it." She heads downstairs, "Coming." She walks into the foyer and opens the door. A 13-year old girl, Jenny, stands there. "Uh, hi..."

**_(A/N The age for Jenny in the script said she was 16. Karis Paige Bryant who played Jenny was actually about 13 or 14 during season 2 of Charmed. So I changed the age from what was listed in the script to meet what the actress actually was at the time.)_**

"Can I use your phone, please?" Jenny asks.

"Uh, well, actually, we're..." Buffy says.

Jenny smiles, "Please? It's an emergency. Please?"

Buffy sighs and nods, "Okay. Come on in. It's right around that corner."

Jenny walks in and picks up the phone. Prue, Phoebe and Piper walk in the foyer.

"Are you out of your mind?" Piper asks.

Buffy sighs, "What was I supposed to do? Say no?"

Phoebe nods, "Look at that poor girl."

They look at her.

"Jenny? Jenny, come on. Talk to me." Someone calls from outside. A cute guy in his late 20's let's himself inside.

"Whoa!" Prue, Piper and Phoebe say.

Buffy rolls her eyes.

"International Operator please. Saudi Arabia." Jenny says into the phone.

Prue frowns, "Saudi Arabia?"

"I'm sorry. We're moving in next door. Or at least we're trying to. Our phone's not hooked up yet." The man says.

Phoebe nods, "So, you're our new neighbours?"

The man nods, "Name's Dan. Uh, Dan Gordon."

"I don't care if the circuits are busy. I have to talk to my mom." Jenny says.

Dan nods, "And that's my niece Jenny. Who's obviously not talking to me. Jenny, sweetie, come on." Jenny hangs up and storms outside. "I'm sorry. It's nice meeting you."

Phoebe smiles, "You too." Dan leaves. "I saw him first!"

Buffy rolls her eyes.

"Demons now, drooling later." Piper says.

Prue nods, "Look, I have to meet my client before the preview." She starts to leave.

Phoebe frowns, "Oh, wait a minute. The scariest demon we've ever run across opens up some portal in our attic, and steals the both ours and Buffy's Book of Shadows and you want to go into the office?" Prue nods and walks away. "Wh-" She turns to Buffy and Piper, "What's the matter with her?"

Piper sighs, "It's the first demon she's faced since Andy died. Maybe it's bringing up some bad memories."

Buffy sighs, "We just got done with me working through my issues, now we have to deal with Prue's." Piper and Phoebe glare at her. "Sorry that's a tad insensitive."

Later at a Park witches have gathered for the Equinox celebration. Buffy, Piper and Phoebe walk up to the gathering.

"What are we doing here?" Piper asks.

Phoebe smiles, "Celebrating the Equinox. Can't you just feel it? The energy in this place? It's a convergence."

Buffy rolls her eyes, "It's a crock."

Piper nods, "I thought we were supposed to meet your witch friend."

"We are. This is where she told us to meet her. Now, please just relax." Phoebe says.

Piper shakes her head, "Relax? My life was a mess before our little wake-up call this morning, remember?"

Buffy nods, "Yeah remember just last week?"

Stevie arrives.

Phoebe smiles, "Oh, Stevie!"

They go over to her.

Stevie smiles, "Hey, Phoebe. I'm so glad you could make it."

"Um, actually, we are not here for this. We needed to talk to you about something. This is my sister, Piper. And my cousin, Payson." Phoebe says.

"Hi." Piper and Buffy say.

"Hey, Piper, Payson, it's very nice to meet you both. Are you both witches too?" Stevie says.

Piper looks to Buffy who rolls her eyes, "Uh, sorta... maybe... We don't know. Uh, is everybody here one, also?"

Stevie shakes her head, "Oh, no. No, no, no... It's just a group of believers, women who know of this special place and who've come to celebrate. By the way, happy anniversary."

Phoebe nods, "That's what we wanted to talk to you about. Why did you say that today was gonna be a powerful day for us?"

Stevie smiles, "Because your anniversary falls on the Equinox. Which is a powerful day in and of itself. For you, this convergence of powers is even stronger. The potential greater. All you have to do is connect. You wanna try it?"

"Try it? How?" Phoebe asks.

Stevie smile, "Let us begin." She joins the other women.

Piper frowns, "I don't wanna connect."

Buffy sighs and nods in agreement, "Neither do I, Pheebs."

"We have to connect." Phoebe says.

Piper shakes her head, "I don't wanna try it."

"Okay, but we have to because..." Phoebe says.

"Why?" Piper and Buffy say.

Phoebe sighs, "What have we got to lose, okay?"

Piper, Buffy and Phoebe turns around and notice all the women have taken off their clothes.

"Well, apparently we've got our clothes to lose." Piper says.

Phoebe nods, "I see that."

Phoebe pulls Piper and Buffy behind a rock wall and Phoebe starts taking off her clothes.

"No. Whoa, Whoa. Wait. What are you doing?" Piper asks.

Phoebe smiles, "When in Rome."

Piper shakes her head, "No-no-no! We're not in Rome, Phoebe. We're in California. And it's illegal here."

Buffy nods, "There's another issue. If I took my clothes off and a cop saw…"

"It's totally natural, okay? Go for it. Come on." Phoebe says.

Piper sighs, "God. This is ridiculous. Can I keep my shoes on?"

Phoebe nods, "Yeah, but that's it."

"We've got absolutely zero, zero information." Piper says as she takes off her clothes.

Phoebe sighs, "Everybody's naked, not just you. Come on Buffy a cop is not going to see you."

Buffy sighs as she takes off her clothes, "I hope your right, Pheebs."

"And now we're naked." Piper says.

"Shh, okay? Shh." Phoebe says.

"The Power of Four." Gram's voice says.

"Did you just hear that?" Phoebe asks.

Buffy shakes her head, "Hear what?"

"The Power of Four." Gram's voice says again.

"That. Grams?" Phoebe says.

"Grams?" Piper says as she looks around and she and Buffy tries to cover themselves up. "What? Where? I don't hear anything."

Buffy nods, "I don't hear anything either."

Later Outside a large building that's up for sale. Piper pulls up in her car. She and Buffy gets out and walks inside. Rob is there looking around. Piper and Buffy comes down the stairs.

Piper smiles, "Oh, god, Rob. I'm so sorry I'm late. Uh, I got stuck at this thing and then my sister needed a ride, and I'm so totally screwed on the loan now, aren't I?"

Buffy rolls her eyes.

Rob shakes his head, "Don't be ridiculous. I'm just looking around, checking things out."

Piper nods, "It needs a lot of work, uh, I know that."

Buffy looks around and shakes her head, "Yeah I'd say."

Piper glares at Buffy, "But that's not a problem and just because the last two owners went bankrupt, doesn't mean it can't work. I've done three separate marketing studies and found a 68% interest in the target clientele."

"Piper..." Rob says.

Piper nods, "Plus, running a restaurant is very similar to running a club."

Rob nods, "You've already shown me all this. I've got it. I've got everything, except for an understanding of why you wanna put yourself in a position to fail like this."

Piper looks to Buffy, "Uhh..."

"Clubs are an extremely high risk business, Piper. You could lose your shirt." Rob says.

Piper nods, "Well, it wouldn't be the first time today."

Buffy glares at Piper.

"Look, I know what I'm getting myself into. I know the risks and actually it's a lot less risk and a lot a less expensive than starting my own restaurant, which is what I really wanted to do. The point is, I'm tired of working for somebody else and helping them realizing their dreams. I wanna run my own place. This place. And I can do it, too. But not without your help." Piper says.

Rob nods, "Well, at the risk of you never wanting to go out with me again... Congratulations."

"I got it?" Piper says excited.

"Looks like." Buffy says.

Rob nods, "You go it."

"Yay!" Piper says as she hugs Rob and they kiss.

Buffy walks away looking at the room, distracting herself from her cousin to give Piper a little privacy.

"Hmm." Rob says.

"Oh." Piper says.

They start making out.

"The Power of Four." Gram's voice says.

Buffy stops and looks back at Piper as she pulls away from Rob.

"Did you hear that?" Piper asks Rob.

"The Power of Four." Gram's voice says again.

"Hear what?" Rob asks.

Piper looks at Buffy, "Grams?"

Buffy nods indicating she heard it also.

Jeremy appears and knocks Rob unconscious. Piper screams and backs away. "You're dead, witch."

Buffy runs to the phone on the bar and dials.

Piper freezes Jeremy, "Oh my God. Jeremy?"

"Hello?" Prue says over the phone.

"Prue, thank god you're there. Jeremy..." Buffy says.

"Buffy, calm down..." Prue says.

"Just attacked us." Buffy finishes.

"Jeremy? That is impossible. We vanquished him a year ago." Prue says.

Buffy nods, "Well, apparently he got unvanquished somehow. And since we don't have either Book of Shadows, we're gonna have to remember the spell together. I'm conferencing Phoebe." She presses a button on the phone. "Phoebe, are you there?"

"AT&T, the Power of Three." Phoebe says.

"Okay, wait. Wasn't that it? The Power of Three will set us free." Prue says.

Jeremy unfreezes.

Piper frowns, "Whoa!" She freezes him again.

"Dang." Buffy says. "He's fighting through Piper's freezes."

Jeremy unfreezes and Piper freezes him again.

Piper nods, "He's adjusting or something."

"Uh, okay, put us on the speakerphone. We have to say it together." Phoebe says.

Jeremy unfreezes and laughs, "You're not getting away from me this time."

Jeremy attacks Piper with his dagger. She ducks and tries to get out of the way.

Buffy hits the speakerphone button and sets the phone down on the cradle.

"Whoa! Whoa!" Piper says.

"Piper! Buffy!" Phoebe says.

Piper nods, "Hurry! Now! Hurry, now, now, now!"

"The Power of Three will set us free." Prue, Piper, Phoebe and Buffy chant. Buffy is concentrating augmenting the spell. "The Power of Three will set us free. The Power of Three will set us free."

Jeremy is vanquished again.

"Piper?" Prue says.

"Buffy?" Phoebe says.

Piper frowns, "Ow. Ow."

"Piper? Buffy?" Prue says.

Buffy sighs, "It's okay. He's gone. Again."

A short time later Rob is on a stretcher. Piper is crouching down beside him.

How can either of you not have seen who attacked me? How is that possible?" Rob asks.

Piper shrugs, "I don't know. I guess I was blocked or something and then he just sort of disappeared, you know?"

Buffy sighs, "I was on the opposite side of the building looking away. I was trying to give you and Piper some privacy. I didn't look back till I heard Piper scream. By then your attacker was already gone."

"I'm starting to understand why this place keeps going under." Rob says.

Piper looks to Buffy and then back to Rob and shakes her head, "Oh, no. It's not a bad crime area. Not at all."

Rob nods, "Well, it's something I'm going to be checking into. I can assure you of that."

"Excuse me, ma'am." The paramedic says as he carries Rob up the stairs. Prue walks past and looks at him.

"Yeah, hi, how ya doin'?" Rob says.

Prue goes over to Piper and Buffy. "Are you two okay?"

Piper sighs, "Physically, yeah." Buffy nods. "I think my loan's on shaky ground. I couldn't exactly tell Rob, "It was just a warlock. Don't worry about it"."

Prue sighs, "Oh, it would be a shame if the loan didn't work out, I mean, this place is great. I used to come here. It has a lot of potential."

"Yeah? You think so?" Piper says.

Prue smiles, "Mmm hmm."

Buffy nods, "Yeah I think Prue's right. I can definitely see this as the place to come. If you attacted some people my age. I could see this place giving the Bronze a run for it's money."

"Care to loan me sixty grand?" Piper asks.

"Hmm. Any ideas on where Jeremy came from?" Prue asks.

Buffy shakes her head, "No."

Piper sighs, "No, but I don't want to run into any of the other demons we've already vanquished."

"Well, hopefully Phoebe can find some answers in those new books of hers." Prue says.

Piper nods, "I sure wish she had our book to look it at.

"I wish I had mine also." Buffy says.

:Feels kind of lost without it. Although..." Piper says.

Prue frowns, "Although what?"

Piper nods, "It was weird but right before Jeremy appeared, I swore I heard Grams."

"I heard her also." Buffy says.

"Grams?" Prue asks.

Piper nods, "I was positive it was her. She said "The Power of Four". And Phoebe said she heard her say it this morning. Maybe Grams was trying to warn us."

Later Piper pulls up in the driveway at the Manor and she and Buffy get out of Piper's car.

"Piper, Buffy, wait up. I think I figured out how to find who the demon is. All we have to do is ask the Book of Shadows." Phoebe says.

Piper looks to Buffy as if to ask do you know what she's getting at, "What?"

"It's been right in front of us the whole time." Phoebe says as she shows Kit's collar.

"Kit's collar?" Buffy asks.

Phoebe shakes her head, "No, the triquetra. The symbol of the Power of Three. Our symbol. Maybe that's what Grams has been trying to tell us."

Buffy shakes her head, "Except Grams has been saying the Power of Four."

"Maybe we heard her wrong, Buffy." Phoebe says. "Anyways, Stevie said all we would have to do is find our connection, right? That if we did, we'd be able to tap into the Power of the Equinox. Well, this has got to be it, the Triquetra. It's us. It's on the cover of the Book of Shadows, both Books in fact."

Piper sighs, "I still don't understand how we can ask the Book for help when we don't have the book." Phoebe pulls Buffy and Piper inside. "Ugh!"

Phoebe leads them into the conservatory and to the spirit board.

"The spirit board?" Buffy asks.

Phoebe nods, "It told us how to find the Book of Shadows, didn't it Piper? It can do it again. All you have to do is believe. Now come on. We're stronger together."

Piper sighs and looks to Buffy who nods, "Okay."

Phoebe, Buffy and Piper sit around the spirit board. "Come on. Okay. Close your eyes and feel it." Phoebe says.

They touch the pointer.

"The Power of Four." Gram's voice says.

"Did you hear that?" Phoebe asks.

Piper nods, "Grams?"

Piper looks around. The pointer moves.

"A-B." Phoebe says.

Buffy opens her eyes and looks at the pointer, "R-A."

"X-A-S." Piper says.

"Abraxas?" Phoebe asks.

They look at each other.

A shorttime later Buffy and Piper is sitting on the couch in the living room. Phoebe walks in, reading from a book. "Okay, I found it. "Abraxas - A demon of the astral plane who destroy witches by demonising their powers." Okay, but what does that have to do with either Book of Shadows?"

"Well, that's where our and Buffy's powers come from, isn't it? Maybe Abraxas it turning it evil somehow." Piper says.

Phoebe nods, "That would definitely undo our spells. And explain why Jeremy all of a sudden became unvanquished."

Buffy frowns, "And the Woogyman."

"When did the Woogyman become unvanquished?" Phoebe asks.

Piper frowns, "A couple of seconds ago."

Phoebe looks behind her and sees the Woogyman. They jump up. "Freeze it."

Piper shakes her head, "It doesn't freeze, remember? And it's immunite to Buffy's power as well. The spell. What's the spell? Spell, spell..."

Phoebe nods, "I am light. I am one too strong to fight." I can't remember the rest."

Piper smiles, "Yes you can. Okay, we can. Uh, "Return to dark, where the shadows dwell. You cannot have this Halliwell"."

Buffy closes her eyes and concentrates augmenting the spell, "Go away and leave my sight. And take with you this endless night."

The Woogyman is vanquished.

Piper smiles, "That wasn't so hard."

Phoebe nods, "It's a good thing we were together."

Buffy sighs, "Abraxas must be reading the book backwards. That's how he's turning it evil."

Phoebe shakes her head, "How do you figure?"

"The spell to vanquish Jeremy was at the back of your Book. And the spell to vanquish the Woogyman was right before that." Buffy says.

Phoebe nods, "Which means more are on their way."

"Uh-huh." Piper says.

"We gotta warn Prue." Phoebe says.

Buffy nods, "Yeah."

Piper nods, "Uh-huh." They walk into the foyer and Phoebe touches a photo frame. She gets a premonition. In the premonition, Nicholas the warlock, is attacking Prue at Bucklands. "What? What happened?"

Phoebe frowns, "I saw the warlock Nicholas, killing Prue."

Buffy frowns, "Isn't that one that required you and me to say?"

Phoebe nods, "Yeah. Let's hope she doesn't need you."

Later at the hospital Prue is lying on a bed. Piper, Buffy and Phoebe are standing beside her. The doctor finishes taking her blood pressure.

"Well, your blood pressure's back to normal. So is your temperature, your electrolytes. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were perfectly healthy young woman." The doctor says.

Prue nods, "Does that mean I can go home now?"

"Well, I'd like to run a few more tests. Find out what caused your body temperature to rise spontaneously like that. Has that ever happened to you before?" The doctor asks.

Phoebe smiles, "It's happened to us all before." She laughs.

Buffy glares at Phoebe.

Prue nods, "Doctor, it's okay. Really. I think I know how to keep it from happening again."

"All right. I'll see to your discharge papers." The doctor says.

Prue smiles, "Thanks."

The doctor leaves and Prue gets up.

"That was close." Piper says.

Prue nods, "Too close."

Piper shakes her head, "No, I don't mean her. I mean you. The paramedics said you almost died."

"Yeah, well, what else is new?" Prue says.

Buffy sighs, "Prue take it from someone who's actually died twice that it's not the most fun of experiences."

"We better figure out a way to get the books back from Abraxas because if we don't, we're all dead." Phoebe says.

"But how? We don't know where the astral plane is." Piper says.

Phoebe smiles, "Yes, we do. It coexists within our own plane. Remember, that's what Stevie said."

Prue shakes her head, "Still doesn't help to find the demon."

Buffy nods, "Prue's right."

Phoebe sighs, "Maybe, maybe not. I was thinking... You know how we always thought that nobody could take either Book of Shadows out of the house but us? Maybe nobody did. Maybe their still in the house. Just on different plane. The astral plane."

Piper nods, "That would mean Abraxas is still in the house too."

"Right. So, we would need to find a doorway or a window to get to his plane like he used to get to ours and we need to do this before the end of the Equinox, by sunrise tomorrow. And then Prue or Buffy can kick some astral ass with the Power of One."

Prue grabs her stuff and leaves the room. Buffy, Piper and Phoebe follow.)

Piper frowns, "Prue, what's the matter?"

"Nothing. I just think that it's a long shot, that's all." Prue says.

Buffy thinks about it for a moment and decides Prue is right. It is a long shot. The question is, is it enough of a shot to work.

"Well, at least it's a shot." Phoebe says.

Piper nods, "I agree, I mean, who knows how many other demons and warlocks he's let loose that we just don't know about yet."

Phoebe nods, "Or even worse. If Abraxas gets to the first page of the book before we get to him, we're toast."

"Why?" Prue and Buffy asks.

Phoebe sighs, "Because it's the incantation that gave us our powers, remember? Then he will start on Buffy's and she too will lose hers. If Abraxas says that backwards too, then we'll lose them and the books forever."

Prue nods, "So we go back to leading normal lives again. That doesn't sound so bad."

Buffy sighs, "I wish that were possible. I'd still be the Slayer I just wouldn't be Charmed."

"What? Are you joking, Prue?" Phoebe asks.

Prue shakes her head, "No, Phoebe, I'm not joking. Look, we always said that things happen to us for a reason, right? So, maybe the reason this time is to give to us an out. And Buffy you know you can always quit being the Slayer, lead a normal life."

"Prue, there's no out. Abraxas will kill us." Piper says. "And Buffy."

Prue shakes her head, "Not if all he wants is the books. After all, that's the real power, not us."

Piper nods, "If all he wanted was the book, he wouldn't keep sending demons and warlocks after us."

"Yeah, well, we won't have to worry about anymore if he gets to the first page." Prue says.

Phoebe frowns, "What are you saying, Prue? Look, if we don't get to him, we stop being witches."

Prue smiles, "Exactly. Which means we stop risking our lives all the time. Which means we stop watching the people we love lose theirs." She looks to Buffy as she thinks about Andy. The two people in their lives that had given their lives for them. She walks away.

"Prue..." Phoebe says as she starts to follow.

Piper stops Phoebe from following.

Buffy looks at her cousins and nods, "She needs time. Just as I did."

Later back at the manor in the kitchen Buffy and Phoebe's sitting at the table and Piper is looking in the fridge.

"We're screwed, you both know that." Phoebe says.

Piper shakes her head, "No, we're not. If there's a window, we'll find it."

"That's not what I meant." Phoebe says.

Buffy nods, "She'll come around."

Phoebe sighs, "By sunrise? You both know how Prue is when she makes up her mind about something. That's it. We're screwed."

Piper sighs, "And we're out of wine."

The doorbell rings.

Phoebe smiles, "I'll get it. You two keep dreaming." She gets up and walks out to the foyer.

Buffy sighs, "I think this will take Prue's power. I can't use mine till we have the books, as I don't want to accidentally torch them. I think Phoebe is right were screwed without Prue."

The phone rings and Buffy answers it, "Halliwell Residence. Payson speaking."

"This is Savings and Trust calling for Piper Halliwell about her loan."

"Hold on one moment." Buffy says as she looks to Piper. "It's the bank about your loan."

Piper takes the phone from Buffy, "This is Piper Halliwell." She listens and sighs. "No, I understand. Okay, bye." She hangs up the phone as Phoebe walks in.

"Who was that?" Phoebe asks.

Piper sighs, "Rob, the banker. Or rather, his assistant. Telling me that my loan has been denied."

Buffy sighs, "Oh Piper…"

Phoebe shakes her head, "Oh, honey, I'm so sorry."

Piper nods, "That's okay. Just wasn't meant to be, I guess. Really glad I never slept with him, though. What was I thinking?"

"About Leo, maybe?" Phoebe asks.

Piper sighs, "Ugh."

"Wine?" Phoebe says as she holds up the bottle of wine.

Later in the attic Piper has drawn the triquetra symbol on the wall with chalk.

"You really think that's the window?" Phoebe asks.

Piper nods, "You said yourself the triquetra's the key, our connection. And besides, we keep hearing grams say "The Power of Four" or Three or whatever. This is what that stands for. Either that or I just screwed up this wall for no reason."

Buffy nods, "Well, even if it is the window, if Prue doesn't show up..."

Prue walks in. "She'll show. Better late then never, right? Look, I know that I haven't exactly been myself lately and I know that I'm going through... something." She looks to Buffy with a knowing look. "And that I have some things to work through. But I don't wanna let you guys down because of it. Right now, it's not about me. It's about us."

Phoebe smiles, "Attagirl, Prue. I knew you'd come around."

"Excuse me?" Piper says.

Phoebe nods, "Well, I did deep down."

Buffy rolls her eyes. She looks to Prue, "Are you sure you're up for this?"

Prue uses her power to move a chair across the room. "I'm sure."

Phoebe smiles, "Okay, so when the window opens, Prue, you'll knock Abraxas away from the Books, so Buffy and I can reach in and grab them. And then, while you're holding him back...

Prue nods, "You'll find some spell to vanquish him I got it."

"Okay." Phoebe says.

They walk towards the wall.

Piper nods, "Okay. We have to create a circle." They join hands. "Three, two, one."

Buffy and Phoebe touch the wall and it opens up. Abraxas appears.

"Hold on. Now, Prue, now!" Phoebe says.

Abraxas smiles, "First the books, then you."

"What's the matter with you?" Phoebe says.

Piper frowns, "Prue, use your power."

"Prue!" Buffy says.

Abraxas pushes them away and they slide across the floor. The portal closes. Buffy, Phoebe and Piper look angrily at Prue.

They get up and head down the stairs.

Piper sighs, "Prue, what happened up there?"

Prue shakes her head, "Nothing."

Phoebe nods, "Yeah, nothing is exactly the problem."

"I never said that I had the power to go against him. You did, remember?" Prue says.

Phoebe shakes her head, "No, the Book of Shadows did."

"Pheebs give it a rest." Buffy says.

Prue sighs, "Well, maybe it was wrong. Maybe Abraxas is just too strong."

"Maybe, but that doesn't explain why you hesitated." Piper says.

Buffy shakes her head, "Guys!"

"I didn't hesitate." Prue says.

Phoebe shakes her head, "The hell you didn't Prue. I saw you."

Piper nods, "We both saw you."

Buffy shakes her head, "Guys this is doing no one any good."

Prue frowns, "So, what are you saying? This is my fault, is that it? Because I can't defeat Abraxas?"

Phoebe shakes her head, "No, Prue, you can. You just won't. Okay, something is holding you back. Something big time and instead of facing it, you're running from it."

"Phoebe..." Piper and Buffy say.

Phoebe sighs, "But you can't keep running, Prue. Because you have got to figure out what your problem is, otherwise we're all dead."

Prue starts to cry. "That's right, Phoebe. It's my responsibility, isn't it? The oldest sister, always supposed to be able to figure things out. Especially now with Buffy here. Well, if that's the case, then how come I couldn't save Andy? Or Buffy? If I'm supposed to be so powerful, how come I couldn't save either of them? I mean, my god, don't you understand? Andy died because of me, it doesn't matter what he said, it was my fault. And I wasn't fast enough to save Buffy. How could it be good to be witches if all it does is get the people we love killed?" She cries.

"Oh, sweetie." Phoebe says.

Piper shakes her head, "Prue, it's not your fault. You tried to keep Andy from coming here that night, remember? You tried to warn him but he came anyway. He came because he wanted to."

Phoebe nods, "And there was nothing that you could have done to stop him, Prue. He chose to walk through that door, not because of who you are, honey, but because of who he was."

Buffy nods, "Protector of the innocent, just like us. Besides your not to blame for my dying at the hands of the Master. If anyone is to blame it's me. I made the choice Prue. You all didn't know till after I had already left to face him. And then as soon as you could you came to find me. You did everything you could to prevent my dying."

Prue sighs, "I just don't know if I believe in it anymore."

Phoebe nods, "Honey, we've done a lot of good as witches too. You know that. But that doesn't mean that bad things still aren't gonna happen. But just because we can't help that, doesn't mean that is our fault."

"Or yours." Piper and Buffy say.

Phoebe nods, "Come here."

They all hug.

"The Power of Four." Grams voice says.

They look around.

"Okay, did you guys hear that?" Phoebe asks.

Piper nods, "Mm-hmm."

"Grams?" Prue and Buffy say.

"The Power of Four." Grams voice says.

Prue looks to her sister and cousin, "How is that possible?"

Phoebe shakes her head, "I don't know but it's gotta to be a good thing if we're all hearing it."

"Maybe it means we're connected." Piper says.

Buffy nods, "But why is she saying the Power of Four? I'm not a Charmed One."

Phoebe smiles, "Probably because you're a Halliwell, Buffy. And I think I know what she means. To be as one. Maybe that's what the Book meant by the Power of One."

Piper nods, "The four of us working as one. The Power of Three augmented."

Prue smiles, "Which is what the triquetra represents. Which makes sense in a way. Buffy could be considered as part of the triquetra. There is the three interlocking ovals, which is the three of us. Then there is the large circle surrounding the three interlocking ones, that's Buffy.

Buffy thinks for a moment and then nods, "I think your right."

Phoebe looks at her watch. "Almost sunrise. Do you think you're ready to try the window again?"

"Yeah, yeah, but Abraxas will be ready for us here. We have to take him by surprise, go where we're most powerful, where we're most connected." Prue says.

A shorttime later they are at the Park where Phoebe, Piper and Buffy met Stevie. Prue, Buffy, Piper and Phoebe have joined hands around the stone.

"Hear now the words of the witches, the secrets we hid in the night, the oldest of Gods are invoked here, the great work of magic is sought. In this night, and in this hour we call upon the ancient power. Hear now the words of the witches, the secrets we hid in the night, the oldest of Gods are invoked here, the great work of magic is sought." Buffy, Prue, Piper and Phoebe chant.

Both Books drop out from the sky and lands on the rock.

"Buffy, Prue, Piper..." Phoebe says.

Prue shakes herhead, "Keep chanting."

"Hear now the words of the witches, the secrets we hid in the night..." Buffy, Prue, Piper and Phoebe chant.

Abraxas appears above them, "What are you doing? How'd you bring me here?"

"The oldest of Gods are invoked here, the great work of magic is sought. In this night, and in this hour we call upon the ancient power. In this night, and in this hour we call upon the ancient power. In this night, and in this hour we call upon the ancient power." Buffy, Prue, Piper and Phoebe chant.

Abraxas is vanquished. Phoebe grabs the Charmed Book. Buffy grabs her Book.

Phoebe smiles, "And we didn't even have to get naked."

Later back at the Manor Prue and Buffy places both Book of Shadows back on their stands.

"That's more like it." Prue says.

Buffy nods, "Yeah."

Prue flips through the Charmed Book.

"I'll feel better when we erase that window. I don't want any more demons coming through it." Piper says.

Phoebe shakes her head, "They can't. It's our window, not theirs."

Piper nods, "Still, better safe than sorry. Especially if we can expect any more demons like Abraxas coming." She goes over to the wall.

Prue sighs, "Well, apparently we can. "Rite of Passage. Fight it with the Power of one, or else... a more powerful evil that awaits will destroy you"."

"Wow. I'm glad I didn't finish reading that yesterday. I might have changed my mind about not wanting to give up our powers." Phoebe says.

Prue and Buffy look at each and then shake their heads. "No, you wouldn't have. You like being a witch too much, Phoebe. And you help remind me that I like being one too." Prue says.

Phoebe smiles, "Hmm."

"Hey, me three." Piper says.

Buffy smiles, "Me four."

Piper nods, "Too bad it doesn't pay the bills, though."

Phoebe looks to Prue, "Did you get it?"

Prue nods, "Mm-hmm."

Prue, Phoebe and Buffy happily go over to Piper.

Piper looks at her sisters and cousin, "Get what?" They hand Piper an envelope. "What's this?" She looks at it. "$60,000? Where did you get this?"

Prue smiles, "Home equity loan. Phoebe and I took a second out on the house. To help you buy your club. Well technically Phoebe, Buffy and I. But Buffy is underage so she can't be added to the loan."

Phoebe nods, "Actually, our club technically."

"Right, as long as you don't mind being partners with your sisters." Prue says.

Buffy nods, "Or your cousin."

Piper smiles and hugs them, "Thank you!"

"The Power of Four." Grams voice says as the pages turn in both Book of Shadows and Grams' spirit appears.

"Grams?" Prue says.

Grams smiles, "Hello, my darlings. Oh, it's nice to see you, or rather, it's nice being seen by you."

"But-but-but how is this..." Piper says.

Grams shakes her head, "Possible? All things are possible, my dear. It's just simply a matter of your being able to do them."

"Wait, so you're the one that keeps turning the pages in the books?" Phoebe asks.

Grams nods, "Just my way of looking after all four of you. As best I can, anyway. Don't try to understand this. You're not ready yet. But the fact that you could hear me before, can see me now, means that someday you might be. Be good to each other. I love you." She disappears. Both books turns to a page, the same page.

"Is it just me, or is this attic getting awfully crowded lately?" Buffy says.

They go over and look at the Books.

"Look." Prue says.

Grams has written "Happy Anniversary, My Darlings" in both Books.


	25. Chapter 25: School Hard

**Author's Note: **I decided to upload a second today because I wanted my surprise guest to make her appearance in Chapter 26: Morality Bites, and I was getting tired of waiting.

* * *

**Chapter 25: School Hard**

At the Principal's Office Buffy finds herself listening to Principal Snyder.

"A lot of educators tell students… think of your principal as your "pal". I say think of me as your judge, jury and executioner."

Buffy rolls her eyes and looks over at the girl in the other chair, Sheila.

"Tell me, who do you think is the most troublesome student in this school?" Mr. Snyder says.

Sheila studies Snyder, pops her gum, and jerks her head to the right, indicating Buffy.

"Well, it is quite a match between you two." Mr. Snyder says. He opens two thick files on his desk. "On the one hand, Buffy hasn't stabbed a horticulture teacher with a trowel, yet."

Sheila shakes her head, "I never stabbed anyone with a trowel!" She stabs a nail file in front of Snyder with her finger, he involuntarily edges back. "It was pruning shears. It should say pruning shears."

Mr. Snyder nods, "On the other hand, Sheila's never burned down a school building."

Buffy frowns, "That was never proved… the fire marshal said it could have been… mice…"

"Mice?" Mr. Snyder says.

Buffy nods, "Mice that were smoking?

Mr. Snyder looks at the files, "And the two of you seem to be tied in the class-cutting and fight-starting events. You're really neck and neck here. It's very exciting."

Sheila smiles, "What does the winner get?"

"Expelled." Mr. Snyder says. "This Thursday is parent teacher night. Your legal guardians…" he looks to Buffy, "…assuming you have any - will meet your teachers…" he looks to Sheila, "assuming you have any left. I have decided to put you two in charge of this event. You have three days to prepare the refreshments, make the banners, and transform the school lounge into a habitable place for adults. This will incur my goodwill, and may even affect what I tell your parents when I meet them. Are we clear?"

Buffy nods, "We're clear." She looks to Sheila. "Don't you feel clear?" She looks back to Snyder. "We're very clear."

Mr. Snyder smiles, "Good. Because you mess up this time, and your legal guardians," he looks to Sheila, "and your parents will be coming to clean out your lockers."

Later Buffy walks with Sheila as Xander and Willow approach.

"It really shouldn't be that hard. We'll work on banners tomorrow at lunch and we can figure out refreshments then." Buffy says.

"Yeah, sure, whatever." Sheila says as she calls out to an older, slovenly, tattooed guy. "Hey, Meatpie! Wait up!" And she's off.

Buffy, Xander and Willow watch her go.

"Heard Snyder's got you guys making party favors." Xander says.

Buffy sighs, "Yeah, his two worst students." She watchs Sheila. "Sometimes I wonder when mom looked at me if that was what she saw. A Sheila."

Xander shakes his head, "Sheila's definitely intense. That guy with her? That's the one she CAN bring home to her mother."

Willow nods, "She smoked when we were in fifth grade. Once I was lookout for her."

"You're bad to the bone." Xander says.

Willow smiles, "I'm a rebel."

Buffy shakes her head, "It's just not fair. I'm the Charmed Slayer, which requires a certain amount of fighting and cutting, and magic. What's Sheila's excuse?"

Xander nods, "Homework. She won't do it. And most of the teachers respect that now. You'll probably want to keep her away from sharp implements while you're working."

"Do you think any of the other Slayers ever had to go to high school?" Buffy asks.

Xander smiles, "Hey, it's no biggie. You'll put on a nice little affair. The parents'll love it. As long as nothing really bad comes along between now and then, you'll be fine."

Both girls turn, appalled. "Are you nuts? What'd you say that for? Now something bad is gonna happen!" Buffy says.

"What do you mean? Nothing is gonna happen!" Xander says.

Willow shakes her head, "Not until some dummy says… As long as nothing bad happens…"

Buffy nods, "That's like the ultimate jinx!"

"What were you thinking? Or were you even thinking?" Willow asks.

Xander is defensive in his response, "Well, you don't know. Maybe this time is different."

Later at the Manor in Buffy's room Buffy's is dressed for bed. She tries brushing tangles out of her hair in front of the vanity. "Ow!"

Piper appears in the doorway. "What's wrong?"

Buffy sighs, "I spent half my allowance on that new cream rinse and it's neither creamy nor rinsey."

Piper shakes her head, "Life is hard, sweetie."

Buffy nods, "Don't I know it. Look at these split ends!"

"I got the mail." Piper says.

Buffy nods, "Oh good."

"Which included a reminder notice about parent teacher night Thursday." Piper says.

Buffy sighs, "Oh less good."

"Which your were planning on telling Prue, Phoebe and myself about…?" Piper says.

Buffy nods, "For the last two weeks. I've been working up my nerve. Besides it's not like we haven't been busy. First with my issues and then with Prue's."

Piper frowns, "Buffy. Is there a reason you don't want us to go to your school?"

Buffy sighs, "It's Mr. Snyder. I know you all know different. But I am quite sure he will try and tell you how much of a trouble maker I am."

Piper smiles, "And if he does we will tell him how wrong he is."

Buffy nods, "Talking about Mr. Snyder, I'm going to be busy after school for the next few days. He put me in charge of the banners and refreshments for the whole evening."

Piper nods, "Okay, Prue and I will see to your patrols then."

Buffy shakes her head, "That's alright. I may have to go out later but I can still patrol. But I won't say no to some help. Patroling, not the other thing. Because I don't think Mr. Snyder would appreciate it if I got you to help me."

Piper shakes her head, "Are you sure?"

Buffy nods, "Trust me after having to mess with the stuff for parent teacher night. A night of slaying will be just what the doctor ordered."

The next morning. Buffy has a big banner laid out over a long table. Willow is helping her paint "WELCOME PARENTS" on it. Xander is painting "PARENT TEACHER NIGHT" on another banner next to them.

"Sheila's a no show?" Willow asks as Buffy nods. "She goes to this really rank bar, the Fish Tank, sometimes they have raids and… other things that could make you tardy."

"Can you help me cram some French tonight? I don't want Mr. DeJean telling my cousins I'm an imbecile! It's bad enough they will have to speak to Mr. Snyder." Buffy says.

"I thought we were going to the Bronze tonight. 'Cause of how you thought Angel might show." Willow says.

Xander shakes his head, "If he does he'll meet some other nice girl. Studying comes first."

Buffy nods, "We're going to the Bronze. I can study and party and do parent teacher night and make my cousins proud as long as I don't have to…" she sees Giles and Ms. Calendar coming, "…fight vampires."

"There's nothing in the Chronicles about an extraneous lunar cycle." Giles says.

Ms. Calendar nods, "The Order never accurately calculated the Mesopotamian calendar! Rupert, you have to read something that was published AFTER 1066."

"What's the up, guys?" Xander asks.

"I don't suppose this is something about happy squirrels?" Buffy asks.

Giles shakes his head, "Vampires."

Buffy sighs, "That was my next guess."

Giles nods, "Ms. Calendar has been researching - surfing on her computer. According to her calendar, this Saturday is the Night of Saint Vigeous."

"Lemme guess. He didn't make balloon animals." Buffy says.

Giles nods, "He led a crusade. Of vampires. They swept through Edessa, Harran, and points east."

"They didn't leave much behind." Ms. Calendar says.

Xander shakes his head, "So Saturday's kind of a big doo for bloodsuckers."

Ms. Calendar nods, "It's a Holy Night of Attack. They'll come in numbers."

"If I survive parent teacher night tomorrow…" Buffy says as she nods at the banner, "…I'll see what I can do about Saturday."

Giles frowns, "You're being a tad flip, don't you think? This is serious."

"And being kicked out of school is laffs aplenty?" Buffy says.

Giles frowns, "You know what happens when you let your life interfere with your slaying."

Buffy nods, "Yes, I found that out the last time I had a date, back in the Restoration era."

Giles frowns, "You just need to keep the two things separate."

Buffy nods, "Yes, well, if my slaying and being a witch doesn't get me expelled, I promise my banner making won't get me killed. Just let me get through the week."

Giles frowns, "Saturday will require a great deal of preparation."

"Well, we'll help." Willow says.

Xander nods, "Yeah! I can whittle stakes!"

Willow smiles, "And I can research stuff."

Xander looks to Willow and says jokingly, "While I'm whittling, I plan to whistle a jaunty tune."

Giles nods, "Your help will be appreciated. But when it comes to battle, Buffy must be prepared to fight alone. You are, after all, a slay-" He sees Snyder approaching, quickly adjusts. "slay…ve. Slave. You're all slaves to the… television. You young people nowadays. Goodbye."

Giles and Ms. Calendar take off. Snyder turns to Xander and Willow. "You wouldn't be helping Buffy in Sheila's place would you?"

Xander hides his brush behind back, "No."

"We're hindering." Willow says.

Mr. Snyder nods, "She ditched. Mmm-mmmm, I feel an expulsion coming on."

"She's been helping for hours. She's just out getting more paint…" Buffy says as she follows Snyder's gaze to the door as Sheila stumbles through in last night's party dress, dark glasses. Buffy rushes to Sheila, guides her to Xander's banner, "No more teal in the art room? I know you wanted it to be perfect, but let's just keep going with the green." She plops Xander's brush in Sheila's hand.

"Just make sure everything is perfect on Thursday." Mr. Snyder says as he goes off.

"Thanks for covering. Guy's a serious rodent." Sheila says.

Buffy smiles, "No problem."

Sheila nods, "Did you really burn down school property one time?"

Buffy sighs, "Well, not actually ONE time…"

Sheila smiles, "Cool."

"But I didn't feel good about it or anything. I mean, I don't condone… So. We're gonna Bronze it tonight, if you wanted to come." Buffy says.

Sheila shakes her head, "I can't go there. You threaten one bartender with a broken bottle and they like ban you for life." She snorts.

"Ahhh." Buffy says.

Later at the Bronze Buffy and Willow are at a table. Buffy thinks hard, composing a sentence. Willow's got a French book.

"La vache doit me touche de la jeudi…" Buffy says as she notices Willow's look. "Is that wrong? Should I use the plural?"

Willow smiles, "No, but… you just said that "the cow should touch me from Thursday"."

Buffy laughs, "Well, maybe that's what I was feeling."

"And you said it wrong." Willow says.

Buffy shakes her head, "Oh. Je stink."

"You're just not focused. It's Angel missage." Buffy says.

Buffy shakes her head, "Well he didn't say for sure, it was a maybe see you there kind of deal."

Xander comes off the dance floor. "Guys! I'm all alone out there! Somebody has to dance with me."

"Well, we are studying…" Willow says.

Xander nods, "Come on, one dance! You've been studying for nearly twelve minutes!"

Buffy rolls her eyes, "No wonder my brain is fried."

They get up, hitting the floor as a fairly rocking song begins. The three of them dance together, Buffy occasionally repeating French phrases to herself.

"Where's a phone. I need to call the police. There's some big guy out back trying to bite someone." Someone says behind Buffy.

Buffy reacts and is gone in a flash.

A helpless girl backs away from a vampire. He gets his huge hand around her dainty neck, closes in for a kill as Buffy's down on him with her hands, breaking his hold.

"Slayer." The vampire says.

Buffy smiles, "Slay-ee." She spin kicks him in the head. He takes it well, grabs her and hurls her against a wall. He charges, she ducks, pivots under his arm and away. He moves after her.

Buffy and the vampire trade punches. Willow and Xander race out the back door.

"Get her out of here!" Buffy says to the girl. She ducks a punch, kicks. Willow grabs the girl.

Xander races back inside on the heels of Willow and the freaked girl.

Buffy knocks the vampire back long enough to power up a fireball, "You really don't want to mess with the Charmed Slayer."

"Spike, give me a hand." The vampire says.

Buffy throws the fireball dusting the vampire.

A vampire, Spike, applauds slowly, steps out of the darkness. "Nice work, baby. They didn't tell me you were also a witch."

"Who are you?" Buffy asks.

Spike smiles, "You'll find out on Saturday."

"What happens on Saturday?" Buffy asks.

Spike smirks, "I kill you." He smiles, slides back into the shadows and is gone.

The next day Buffy, Willow, Xander is in the library. Ms. Calendar drags a staggering amount of weaponry out of the book cage.

"Spike that's what the other vampire called him?" Giles says as Buffy nods. "Sounds a little unorthodox."

"Maybe he's reform." Buffy says.

Giles thumbs through some of his diaries, "He may have gone by a different name in times past…"

"Whoever he is, we'll need all the help we can get come this Saturday." Ms. Calendar says.

Buffy nods, "Way ahead of you. We'll have a little power of three for backup."

Xander eyes the attack of Saint Vigeous engravings in a huge old tome. "This Night of Saint Vigeous deal, if they're gonna attack in force shouldn't we be thinkin': vacation?"

"We can't run, that would be wrong. Could we hide? I mean if that Spike Guy is leading the attack…" Willow says as she shudders loudly, "…sorry, was that audible?"

Giles nods, "I'm sure he's no worse than any other creature you've faced -"

"He's worse." Angel says standing inside the doorway. Xander jumps.

Buffy smiles, "Angel."

"You know him?" Giles asks.

"Once he starts something he doesn't stop, until everything in his path is dead. Stay away." Angel says.

"So he's thorough, goal oriented… okay, someone else lighten the mood." Xander says.

Buffy nods, "We were at the Bronze before. I thought you said you might show."

"You said you weren't sure if you were going." Angel says.

Buffy sighs, "I was being cool. You been dating for what, two hundred years, you don't know what a girl means when she says maybe she'll show? Work with me here."

Angel gives her a small smile.

"Wow, two centuries of dating. If you only had two a year that'd still be like four hundred dates with four hundred different -" Willow says and then she is suddenly interested in the weapons, "- why do they call it a mace?"

"Yes, well we've slightly more urgent things to discuss." Giles says.

Buffy turns away from Angel, "Like keeping my cousins away from Principal Snyder tomorrow night."

"And not dying Saturday." Ms. Calendar says.

"Angel, do you know if this Spike fellow has any other names?" Giles says before looking up from the diaries. Angel is gone. They all look around.

"That's it, I'm puttin' a collar with a little bell on that guy." Xander says.

The next day an hour before Parent/Teacher's night starts; Cordelia and Xander are sharpening stakes, Jenny and Willow sight arrows, tightening screws on the crossbow and other weapons. Buffy is chopping carrots. She's laying out an impressive platter of crudités.

"Do you think Sheila will show?" Willow asks.

Buffy shakes her head, "I doubt it. She doesn't seem to care about getting kicked out – about anything. I sort of envy that."

"I don't think she's very happy." Willow says.

Giles crosses in, book in hand. "For three nights the unholy ones scourge themselves into a fury, culminating in a savage attack on the Night of Saint Vigeous."

"Anyone still remember when Saturday night meant date night?" Xander says.

"You sure don't." Cordelia says sarcastically.

Buffy glances at the clock, "The parents start arriving in an hour. Okay, banners are in place, the lounge is comfy, what am I forgetting…?"

"Punch?" Willow asks.

Buffy nods, "Punch! I need punch."

Xander smiles, "The important thing in punch is the ratio of Vodka to Schnapps." Willow and Buffy glare at him. "That was obviously far too sophisticated a joke for this crowd."

Cordelia drops a stake, exhausted. "My fingers are cramping, how long have I been doing this?"

"Three minutes." Xander says.

Cordelia nods, "So can I go now? She's not gonna need that many stakes, I mean if this Spike guy's as mean as you all said, it should be over pretty fast. We're still rooting for you Saturday. I'd be there myself but I've got a leg wax."

Buffy is up and on her way out. "You guys hold the fort. I'm punch bound." She goes out. There is a beat, then both Xander and Cordelia reach for some of the food Buffy has prepared. She's back in the door in a flash. "No!" And gone again.

A shorttime later in the school lounge Willow joins Buffy as she stirs the punch up.

"What kind of punch did you make?" Willow asks.

"Lemonade." Buffy says as Willow takes a cup, pleased. "I made it fresh and everything."

Willow nods, "How much sugar did you use?"

Buffy looks at Willow worried, "Sugar?"

Willlow takes a sip. The catastrophic face she makes indicates a total lack of sugar. "It's very good…" She puts the cup down, still face making.

Buffy rolls her eyes, "I should have remembered sugar. How could I forget something when one my cousins is an outstanding chef. Ok rant over, now if we can just keep my cousins and Snyder from crossing paths for the next three hours…"

Willow sees the sisters arriving, "Hi Piper, Prue, Phoebe."

Prue smiles, "Hi Willow." She looks around. "This looks nice Buffy."

Buffy smiles, "How 'bout some lemonade -" Behind the sisters, she sees Snyder heading down the hall towards them. "- after Willow shows you the library. I'm sure Giles wants to fill you in on the latest big bad. Could possibly be a power of three deal. I have to stay here and hostess."

Willow disappears with Prue, Piper, and Phoebe as Snyder walks up.

"That was you cousins was it not." Mr. Snyder says.

Buffy nods, "Oh hi. Yeah that was them. Off to see some of my teachers."

Snyder gives her a look, moves off to greet some parents, Buffy looks up at the clock on the wall which reads: 6:14.

Sometime later Buffy looks at the clock again it now reads 8:45. Parents and teachers mingle. Buffy stands near the refreshments keeping a wary eye out for her cousins and Snyder.

Cordelia walks up, fuming. "Giles has us locked in that library working on your weapons. Even slaves get minimum wage." She stares at Buffy's skin.

"What?" Buffy asks.

Cordelia shakes her head, "You're starting to look pretty slagged. What are you, just skipping foundation entirely now?"

Buffy frowns, "Cordelia, I have at least three lives to contend with and none of them really mesh. It's like oil and water and… a third unmeshable thing."

Cordelia nods, "Yeah. And I can see the oil." She notices Willow coming back with the sisters. "Now your cousin Prue, that's a woman who knows how to moisturize."

"Well maybe not a power of three deal. But we will be there right beside you on Saturday." Prue says.

Buffy sees Snyder heading their way. Trying to think of an excuse for her cousins to leave.

"Hello Misses Halliwell. I'm Principal Snyder. I'm afraid we all need to talk. My office is down here." Mr. Snyder says.

Buffy deflates as they walk away. "He didn't look very happy."

"When they're done talking…" Cordelia says.

"What?" Buffy asks.

"My guess? Tenth high school reunion? You'll still be grounded." Cordelia says.

Buffy laughs, "I doubt that. Phoebe, Prue and Piper know I'm a Slayer and a witch. They will likely tell Snyder where to stick it."

A few minutes later Snyder and the sisters return. Buffy can tell by the look on Snyder's face that Prue, Piper and Phoebe didn't buy the troublemaker routine he tried to give them.

"You ready to go?" Prue asks.

Buffy nods, "Yeah."

Snyder starts flicking off hall lights. Snyder, by the platform in front of the big picture window, flicks off that light as the huge window shatters and Spike crashes through it. He is flanked by six vampires.

Pandemonium erupts, Snyder and others scream and run. Only Buffy, Prue, Piper and Phoebe stands still as Spike locks eyes with Buffy way across the room.

"What can I say? I couldn't wait." Spike says.

Spike makes a beeline for Buffy.

Prue uses her power throwing Spike back.

"Run!" Buffy says. "There is too many here and there are innocents to save." Prue, Piper and Phoebe follow Buffy as she runs down a hall. "They've got the exits, this way! Everybody, this way!"

Buffy hustles the sisters, Snyder, a parent, two teachers and a student down the north hall towards the library.

Giles, Xander and Ms. Calendar fly out of the library doors, see them coming. Buffy shouts to Giles, "It's Spike and a small army! Look out!"

A vampire rounds the corner.

Buffy spots two more vampires closing from the hall that leads back toward the lounge. She hustles her charges into the science classroom. "In here! Go, go!" She hustles everyone in, being none too gentle with Snyder, locks the door just as Snyder gets there. "Barricade the door."

The sisters and the others slide desks and cabinets in front of the door as Buffy vaults across the room and locks the door at the opposite end of the room. That's when the lights go out.

"Oh my god!" Mr. Snyder says.

Buffy stands next to Prue, thinking hard about her next move.

"Who are these people, what do they want?" The parent says.

Prue looks at Buffy and shrugs.

Snyder climbs up on a chair, claws at the metal slats on the windows. Buffy moves to him. Speaks softly but firmly.

"You can't go outside. They'll kill you." Buffy says.

"YOU DON'T TELL ME, I TELL YOU!" Mr. Snyder yells at Buffy.

Buffy pulls him off the chair. Gets in his face. Never loses her cool, "They will kill everyone in this room. Nobody goes out. Nobody comes in. Until I say so. Do you read me?"

It's clear to everyone in the room that she knows what she's talking about. Snyder is not about to admit it. "Who do you think you are?"

Buffy smiles, "I'm the one who knows how to stop them."

Prue pulls Buffy to the side and whispers to her, "Buffy what are you going to do?"

Buffy looks up at the ceiling as she whispers back, "I'm going up there. I will crawl through into the library and get some weapons. Then deal with the vampires. You, Piper, and Phoebe keep them safe."

Buffy puts a foot on a chair and jumps. She moves a ceiling tile aside, climbs into the cramped space above. She crawls through the claustrophobic space. She hears something behind her. Tries to look. Too tight to see for sure if anything's coming up behind her. She moves on.

Suddenly Buffy falls through the ceiling tile and falls to the floor.

"Buffy!" Giles says as she gets to her feet. "You're all right."

Ms. Calendar nods, "How are the others?"

Buffy is already loading her book bag with a throwing ax, stakes, etc. "Snyder, Prue, Piper, Phoebe, and four others are locked in the science room across the hall. Cordelia and Willow ran the other way, I don't know if they're… where's Xander?"

"He got out through the stacks. He's getting Angel." Giles says.

Buffy smiles, "Good. After I take out the vamps in the hall you two can get the others out that way, too. Send Prue, Piper and Phoebe to help me mop up." She grabs the pack, kicks a chair under the hole in the ceiling.

"I should go with you and fight." Giles says.

Buffy shakes her head, "No. Once you get everyone out of the classroom. I will have all the backup I need in the power of three."

Giles nods, "What's your plan?"

"They split up to hold us here. So I can take 'em one on one. Set 'em up, knock 'em down." Buffy says.

They share a look, and Buffy's up on the chair and back in the ceiling vent.

"Watch your back…" Giles says.

Buffy crawls along in the crawlspace. Cautious. Her pack o' weapons making a little scraping noise. She moves cautiously forward when a rod comes shooting up right in front of her. A moment, and she slowly crawls backwards.

A vampire chops away at the door leading to the science classroom. "Guard that door. I'm almost in."

The other vampire goes around corner and down the hall.

The vampire raises the axe, he hears something. Looks left. Looks right. Nothing there. Starts to bring the ax down into the door when the ceiling bursts above him and Buffy stakes him quickly and quietly. She moves to the door, Piper sees her through one of the ax holes.

"Buffy! Are you okay?" Piper asks.

Buffy nods, "I'm fine, Piper. Hang on for one more minute, till I tell you to open the door."

Buffy peers around the corner, looks down the hall. The other vampire is dutifully standing guard at the other door.

Buffy steps back from the corner. Selects a sharp stake for his demise. Senses someone behind her. Spins. It's Sheila, who's just come in from the outside door. "Sheila! Where've you -?"

"Sorry I'm late. There's some pretty weird guys outside…" Sheila says.

"They're trying to kill us." Buffy says.

Sheila picks up fire ax, "This should be fun."

Buffy smiles as she turns away to look and Sheila stares at her with deadly contempt.

"Stay behind me." Buffy says as she sneaks around the corner. Sheila dutifully close behind, ax at the ready. Buffy sees the other vampire, his back to them. Buffy raises her stake to hurl, taking careful aim.

Sheila raises her ax high over her own shoulder. Aiming it at the back of Buffy's head.

"Buffy! Look out -" Giles says from the library door.

Sheila chops down. Buffy spins, grabs the ax handle under the blade stopping it inches from her head, with one hand. With the other hand she throws the stake at the other vampire and he dusts. She then powers up a fireball. "You like fire?"

Sheila drops the axe and turns to run. Buffy throws the fireball and Sheila dusts before she even reaches the door leading outside.

"Piper! Now!" Buffy calls.

Piper unlocks and opens the axed door as Giles and Ms. Calendar open the library doors.

Buffy ushers Snyder and the others into Giles' care. "Get them out."

Snyder doesn't need any coaching. He bumps a woman teacher out of his way, makes a beeline for the library. The others follow, Giles and Ms. Calender help them to safety.

Buffy, Prue, Piper and Phoebe enter the student lounge. Buffy spots Spike.

"Fe fi fo fum. I smell the blood of several nice ripe girls." Spike says, he's holding an ax.

Buffy smiles she has a fireball already powered up. "Do we really need weapons for this?"

"I just like 'em. Make me feel all manly." Spike says before he drops his.

Prue frowns, "Buffy."

Buffy shakes her head, "I want to see what he's made of. Besides I'm itching right now for a good fight."

Spike smiles, "The last Slayer I killed, she begged for her life. I don't see you as the begging kind."

"You shouldn't have come here." Buffy says.

"Yeah, I messed up your doilies and stuff. But I just got so bored! Tell you what. As a personal favor from me to you. I'll make it quick. It won't hurt a bit." Spike says.

Buffy shakes her head, "Wrong. It's gonna hurt a lot."

Spike hestitates for a moment and then he hurls himself at Buffy.

The punches fly, fast and furious. They go at it full tilt as the sisters watch waiting for the moment when Buffy needs them.

Spike closes in with a vicious combination of punches and kicks. Buffy pretends like the last one hurts more than it did. He goes for the big k.o. She perks up and moves out of the way causing Spike's hand to go right through the wall. Buffy locks her hands and hammers him on the back of the neck.

"Now that hurt." Spike says as he rips his hand out of the wall - bringing a broken two by four stud with it. "Not as much as this will." He wallops Buffy with the stud. Buffy goes down. Winded, nowhere to turn. She looks up at Spike, standing over her victorious.

He raises the stud over his head and then he hears it, chanting. "The Power of Three Will Set Us Free."

Buffy closes her eyes and concentrates, "Prue!"

The chanting continues as Prue uses her power to lift the ax Spike dropped. She sends it flying knocking Spike back from Buffy. He hits the ground hard. Totally blindsided.

Spike glances out the broken window .

Buffy gets back to her feet. Ready for blood. Standing next to her cousins. Spike knows it's time to run and fight another day. "Women."

Spike leaps out the window and disappears into the night.

Buffy looks to Prue, Piper and Phoebe and smiles. "Thanks guys." They pull Buffy into a group embrace.

They turn and walks towards the doors.

"So, uh… what did you guys and principal Snyder talk about anyway?" Buffy asks.

Prue laughs, "Principal Snyder told us you were a troublemaker."

Phoebe nods, "And we told him where he could stick it."

Piper nods, "We told him you're a person who can take care of herself. Who's brave and resourceful and thinks of others when there's a crisis."

Prue nods, "He didn't like hearing that."


	26. Chapter 26: Morality Bites

**Chapter 26: Morality Bites**

In the Kitchen at the manor Buffy and Piper brings in the groceries. Buffy's holding her shoe. Prue and Phoebe smell something.

"Whoa. What did you buy?" Phoebe asks.

"You don't want t to know." Buffy says as she wrinkles her nose.

"Doodie." Piper says as Buffy glares at her.

Prue shakes her head, "We weren't out of that."

Buffy sighs, "No, I stepped in it, again. You'd think being the Slayer I would be able to avoid stuff like that."

"That man has turned our front walk into a puppy minefield." Piper says.

Phoebe sighs, "I can not believe that guy still lets his dog do his business right in front of our house."

Prue nods, "Yeah, well, we've left notes."

"And gotten no where." Buffy says. "I'm just about ready to knock him about with full Slayer strength."

Phoebe sighs, "Yeah, well, I've had it. The next time I catch him in the act, I'm gonna give him a piece of my mind. Or let Buffy knock him about."

A dog barks out front.

"That couldn't be." Piper says.

Phoebe frowns, "Oh, I hope it is."

They run to the window in the living room.

Buffy nods, "That's them. That's the guy and his dog."

Piper nods, "I can't believe it."

"That is so rude. He's just gonna walk away." Prue says.

Phoebe nods, "Then don't let him. Use your magic. Well, if you can't teach the dog new tricks, how about the owner. Just think the money we'd save on carpet cleaning alone."

Prue sighs, "Phoebe, we can't use our magic just to teach him or anybody else a lesson. Just as Buffy can't hurt a mortal with her Slayer abilities."

Buffy rolls her eyes, "But it would be oh so fun."

Phoebe sighs, "Why not? It's for the greater good, I mean, I mean, that's our job, right? Think of it as community service. We'd be doing our whole block a favor. Come on." She opens a window. "Okay, Piper."

"I hope he's not out of my range." Piper says as she freezes the guy.

Buffy smiles, "Prue..." Prue flicks the poo on his shoe. "Nice shot."

He unfreezes.

Phoebe nods, "An eye for an eye, a shoe for a shoe."

The guy sees the poo on his shoe and tries to wipe it off. He looks around.

"Ooh!" Piper, Phoebe and Prue say as they and Buffy duck.

"Did he see you?" Prue says.

Phoebe shrugs, "So what if he did? What's he gonna do? Cry witch?" The guy walks off. "Well, we've done our good deed for the day. I think I deserve fifteen minutes of channel surfing."

"Who wants coffee?" Piper asks.

Prue nods, "I'll grind."

"I think I will just get a coke." Buffy says.

Buffy, Prue and Piper go to the kitchen. Phoebe sits on the couch and turns on the TV. A news report about Cal Greene shows up. Phoebe has a premonition. She makes a noise and Buffy, Prue and Piper come in.

"Phoebe, are you okay?" Prue asks.

Piper nods, "Take a deep breath, honey, it's all right."

Phoebe shakes her head, "No, it's not. I saw my future. I was being executed. Burned alive. I was watching a report on a baseball player when it happened. And all three of you were just standing there along with a woman I didn't recognize."

"Why would a report about a baseball player trigger a premonition like that?" Buffy asks.

Phoebe shrugs, "I don't know. All I know is I could feel it, I could feel the fire."

Piper sighs, "And we were just standing there? That can't be right."

Phoebe nods, "That's what I saw."

"There's no way that we would let that happen, not in the past, present or future." Prue says.

Buffy nods, "Yeah Pheebs."

Phoebe nods, "What did I do? Or what is it that I'm going to do?"

The doorbell rings.

"That's Leo. I'll get that." Piper says as moves to open the door. "Hey, stranger."

Leo smiles, "Is that what I am now?"

"Playing hooky?" Piper asks.

Leo shakes his head, "No, they're making me work tonight so I've got the afternoon off." He and Piper hug.

Piper nods, "The old 'I gotta save the world' excuse again?"

"Like you've never had to use it." Leo says.

Piper smiles, "Ahh..."

Leo nods, "You're about to use it."

Piper sighs, "Well, there's just something I have to do. Maybe you could..."

The whitelighters make a noise to call Leo.

"Now?" Leo asks.

Piper frowns, "Uh... Leo?"

Leo sighs, "It's okay, uh, you go. There's actually something I have to take care of."

Piper nods, "Well, we really need to talk about things, you know, where we stand."

"Yeah, we do. Rain check?" Leo asks.

"That's what we do best." Piper says as she and Leo kiss. Leo orbs out in the middle of the kiss. "I hate when he does that."

Piper joins Buffy, Prue and Phoebe at the bottom of the stairs and they head up to the attic.

"So, what did he want?" Prue asks.

Piper sighs, "He cancelled our date. He's working again."

"You didn't ask him what we should do?" Buffy asks.

Piper shakes her head, "He had to fly... literally." She sees the pages in both books flipping. "The pages were doing that flipping thing on their own again."

They look at what the page says.

"It's a spell to take us to the future." Buffy says.

Piper nods, "Two actually. One to send us, one to bring us home. But apparently we only get one shot. Once we use it they disappear."

Phoebe shakes her head, "Wait a minute, you guys. We almost died going back to the past. This is not something that you just do."

"We're talking about your life, Phoebe." Prue says.

Phoebe sighs, "And I'm talking about yours, Prue. I'm just saying I think we should think this over a little bit."

Buffy sighs, "You had that premonition today for a reason."

Prue nods, "It must mean that we're supposed to do something about it. And going to the future might be the only way to find out what you did to put you on that pyre."

"How do you know it's something that I did? I mean, it might be a demon or a warlock that puts me there." Phoebe asks.

"Do you really want to wait to find out? Okay, pack your bags. We go, try to figure out what happened and hopefully come back with enough information to stop it. We're gonna need a date, Phoebe." Prue says.

Phoebe sighs, "February 12, 2007. That's two weeks before the date I saw in my premonition."

Buffy nods, "That should give us more than enough time to figure out what put you there."

"I wonder how I look?" Piper says.

Buffy rolls her eyes.

Phoebe shakes her head, "Piper, you look great but this is hardly the time ..."

Piper rolls her eyes, "Not now. In the future. When we went back to the seventies we saw ourselves as kids and now we'll be seeing ourselves walking around ten years older. All that vanquishing. Think of the wear and tear."

"Okay." Prue says as she lights a match and burns the paper. "Hear these words, hear the rhyme."

Piper nods, "We send to you this burning sign."

"Then our future selves will find." Phoebe says.

"In another place and time." Buffy says as they disappear.

Buffy wakes up in her room upstairs in the manor. "What am I doing here?" She walks down the stairs.

"Hey Auntie Buffy." A little girl says as she passes Buffy on the stairs.

"Auntie Buffy?" Buffy says puzzled as she follows the girl into the living room.

"Mommy, mommy, mommy." The girl says running over to Piper.

Piper frowns, "Uh, I think you have the wrong house. Certainly the wrong mommy."

The girl smiles, "Stop fooling." She hugs Piper. A car honks. "Car pool." She runs off.

Piper looks in the mirror. "Ooh." She sees a wedding ring on her finger. "Ooh!"

Buffy sees the TV with a report about Phoebe, "Piper, TV."

Piper looks to Buffy and nods as she looks at the TV, "Where's the volume?" She looks around for a remote. The sound gets louder by itself.

"More news on the execution of Phoebe Halliwell coming up in just a moment. Now back to your regularly scheduled programming MTV's Real World 18, on the moon." The reporter says.

"Mom, Auntie Buffy, I'm gonna be late." The girl says.

Piper looks to Buffy, "Auntie Buffy?" Buffy shrugs. Piper looks back at the TV, "Okay, uh, TV shut up. Mute. Something."

Piper and Buffy walks to the door.

The neighbor smiles, "Morning, Piper, Payson. You two all right?"

"I guess." Piper says.

Buffy nods.

The neighbor sighs, "Yeah, with Phoebe, it's rough, I know. So, Piper don't worry about your little one. I'll get her to school like you asked but uh, are you sure you want me to take her to your ex's?"

Piper looks to Buffy confused, "Ex? As in husband? As in mine? Yes, if that is what I told you, then yes."

"So, you and him are getting along better now?" The neighbor says.

Piper nods, "Maybe. Prue? Prue?"

The neighbor nods, "Okay, kiddo, let's hit the road."

The girl whispers to Piper and Buffy. "Don't worry, mommy, Auntie Buffy. I promise I'll do what you both asked. I won't use my magic again, ever."

Piper and Buffy goes outside and watches them drive off. A limo pulls up. Prue and her assistants get out of the limo. They fuss over her by brushing and touching her.

Prue sighs, "Hey, hey. Okay, enough! People, stop touching me. Stay, stay, stay."

"Prue, what's going on?" Buffy asks.

Prue shrugs, "I don't know, but I could really get used to it. Check me out. I don't just work at Bucklands, I own it. And three more. Paris, Tokyo and London."

"And you're blonde." Piper says.

Prue nods, "Yeah, strange."

"Wait, you had time to go to work already?" Buffy asks.

Prue shakes her head, "Well, actually, I woke up there but it was amazing. I had all these assistants and this huge office and I have a chauffeur and he's so totally hot. How'd you two do?" Piper laughs. "Is that a good thing or...?"

They walk inside.

Piper nods, "Well, if you ignore my apparently failed marriage and the fact that I'm still living in the manor."

Buffy rolls her eyes, "Apparently I'm still living in the manor. Though on the good side at least I am still alive."

"You are married?" Prue asks.

Buffy's phone rings.

Piper nods, "Was. My daughter is on her way..."

Prue shakes her head, "Wait. Stop right there. You have a daughter?"

Buffy answers her cell, "Hello?"

"Where are you at, Buffy?" someone says on the other end of the phone.

Piper nods, "Yeah, and, and, and she's beautiful." She shows Prue a photo.

"Who is this?" Buffy asks.

"It's Dawn, Buffy. You were supposed to meet me at the club we are supposed to be doing interviews for a new bartender." Dawn said.

Prue smiles, "Of course she is. What's her name?"

Then Buffy sees it on the wall, a family portrait. Her eyes go wide as she sees five in the photo: Piper, Phoebe and Prue and then her and another woman. Then she sees what's written in the corner of the photo: To my sister, Buffy. Happy Birthday, Dawn.

"Uhm we kind of have a family emergency, Dawn. I will be there as soon as possible." Buffy says as she hangs up the phone.

Piper nods, "Oh God. I don't know. But, Prue, she has powers. But for some reason Buffy and I told her not to use them. Why would we do that?"

Prue nods, "Speaking of why... Why are we in our future bodies? I mean, I thought we were supposed to come here and see them."

"Well, apparently going to the past isn't the same as going to the future. I just wish that since we are in our future bodies that we could have some memory of what's happened in the last ten years, like how I got a daughter." Piper says.

"Or how I have a sister." Buffy says.

Prue and Piper look to Buffy who motions to the portrait on the wall. Their eyes go wide as they read what is written in the corner.

"Okay, wait a second, if I'm in my future body and you guys are in your future bodies then that means that Phoebe..." Prue says.

Piper nods as she sees Phoebe on the TV, "TV... louder, louder."

The volume on the TV gets louder.

"...execution. We're less than eight hours away now until the burning of Phoebe Halliwell. The witch accused of murdering Cal Greene six months ago." The reporter says.

Buffy frowns, "Eight hours? We were supposed to be here two weeks before."

"Shh..." Prue says.

"Let's go there now live where Sierra Stone is standing by. Sierra..." The reporter says.

"San Francisco district attorney, Nathaniel Pratt, who's discovery of the witch last August, has made him an early favour for the governor's seat, just came out to make a statement. Let's listen in." Sierra says.

"This is a reflection of our citizens' resolve to ferret out the hidden evil. To turn fear into fight, and to band together as one. To cleanse our city of its greatest threat. Tonight, Phoebe Halliwell will burn for her crime. And when she does, let that be a warning to other witches out there. You're next." Pratt says.

They turn and walk upstairs.

"Oh, surprise. Here we go, up the stairs, into the attic, grabbing the Book of Shadows. Please tell me we're still not gonna be doing this in ten years." Prue says.

The Charmed Book is not there. In fact neither is Buffy's.

Piper shakes her head, "Apparently not."

"What?" Prue asks.

Buffy nods, "Both books are gone."

Prue frowns, "They got to be here, we need them to find the return spell."

"Prue..." Piper says.

Prue shakes her head, "Buffy, Piper, just help me look for them."

Buffy nods, "Okay, relax, we'll find them."

"You two don't know that. I mean, what if their lost, what if we can't find them? Then we're stuck in our future bodies with no way of getting out of them and no way of saving Phoebe." Prue says as she flicks her arm and her power destroys the attic.

"Ooh! Been working out?" Piper says.

Prue nods, "I guess that's a little sample of what ten years does to our powers."

"And to our attic." Buffy says as she sees a pair of keys underneath a turned over table." Keys." She picks them up and hands them to Prue.

Prue nods, "One of them's the key to my wall safe at Bucklands."

Piper nods, "The other looks to be the key to the safe at P4."

Buffy nods, "Do you think that means that there well there? We've never taken either book out of the house before."

"Yeah, we haven't but maybe our future selves have. The question is why?" Prue says.

A young woman, about 20 years old, walks into the attic, "Ok what's the family emergency?"

Buffy looks to the woman and thinks back to the portrait, "Dawn?"

Dawn nods, "Yeah. So what's the family emergency? Were not supposed to be having those anymore."

Prue looks to Dawn, "Okay I think explinations are in order. Who are you? We know Buffy doesn't have a sister."

Dawn sighs, "I'm Buffy's sister. Have been for 7 years ever since the monks created me to hide the Key, remember Prue?"

Prue shakes her head, "No I don't."

Dawn sighs, "Buffy you remember me don't you?"

Buffy shakes her head, "No I don't. If your truly my sister tell me something only we would know."

Dawn nods, "Our parents are Patience Joyce Halliwell and Hank Summers. You took mom's maiden name when we moved to San Francisco to live with Prue, Piper and Phoebe. At the request of Dad. Then after a trip to the past you changed your name from Buffy Anne to Payson Patricia to further honor mom."

"What year did we go back to?" Prue asks.

"1975." Dawn says. "You went back because of the pact that Aunt Patty and mom made with Nicholas."

Buffy nods, "Either she's a demon whose pretty good at impersonating a member of the family or she's telling the truth." Prue and Piper nods in agreement. "Dawn the reason we don't remember is because were from 10 years in the past. We traveled into the future because Phoebe had a premonition."

Dawn nods, "To find out what happened and how to stop it. I know, you told me."

Prue nods, "Why aren't the books here?"

Dawn sighs, "To hide them. I can't tell you too much, Prue. You came here to learn what happens to Phoebe. If I tell you too much it could alter the future in ways you don't want. As it is now I'm going to have to cast a spell to erase your knowledge of me."

Piper frowns, "Why?"

"Because your not supposed to know I exist before I'm sent to Buffy three years after you guys cast that spell." Dawn says.

"Ok if the books are at Bucklands or P4, maybe they'll give us some answers." Buffy says.

Prue nods, "All right, then we'll go there first, then to Phoebe to see if she's all right." They walk towards the door. "Sorry about the mess."

Piper nods, "Mmm hmm."

Dawn looks to Buffy, "Buffy and I will go to P4. Hand me the key to the safe at P4 and I will shimmer her there."

Prue hands Dawn the key. Dawn grabs Buffy's hand and they _green_ shimmer out.

At P4 Dawn and Buffy _green_ shimmer into the office at P4. Dawn goes over and moves a painting and opens the safe pulling out Buffy's book.

"Buffy I'm going to tell you what's going on. The reason I didn't do this in the attic is because Piper and Prue needed to learn from another source. From Leo." Dawn says.

Buffy nods, "Ok so what does this have to do with Phoebe."

Dawn sighs, "A lot of people are underground because they've been accused of practicing witchcraft. Most of them have been falsely accused."

Buffy nods, "What did Phoebe do?"

"Six months ago she killed a man. Cal Greene." Dawn says.

"The baseball player?" Buffy asks. "This is crazy. I mean, Phoebe would never hurt anyone."

Dawn sighs, "She hurt him because he murdered someone. Someone Phoebe cared about very much. A dear friend who he brutalized. But a technicality set him free. Phoebe was furious, outraged. And that's when she crossed the line from protecting the innocent to punishing the guilty. She used her power to kill Greene, got caught, and her magic exposed by Nathaniel Pratt."

Buffy's eyes go wide, "And the the result is modern day witch trials with Pratt at the helm?

Dawn sighs and nods, "And Phoebe at the stake."

"I don't buy it. Her power can't kill." Buffy says.

"Well, it can now. It's been ten years since you cast that spell to bring you here. All our powers have grown." Dawn says. "Including mine."

Buffy nods, "We have to get to Phoebe and explain."

Dawn shakes her head, "You can't. All right, as it stands, you, Piper, Prue, and myself are safe. Pratt checked us out and he doesn't suspect we're witches. To get to Phoebe you'd have to use your powers and they'll catch you then kill you."

Buffy sighs, "Dawn, she's our cousin. I'm not gonna let her die. And I'm sure Piper and Prue wouldn't either.

Dawn nods, "Leo! I think Phoebe needs to know. Let's get back to the manor. Piper and Prue will be returning soon." She takes Buffy's hand and she _green _shimmers back to the manor with Buffy.

Buffy sits down on the couch and flips through her book. She finds the page she's looking for and finds the return spell gone. She notices some of the pages are marked.

Dawn sits down next to Buffy.

Buffy sighs, "I know I shouldn't know too much about my own future. But did I get married?"

Dawn sighs, "No. I'm sorry. You were so focused on being a Slayer and a Witch that all your relationships ended badly."

Piper and Prue walk in the front door. "Buffy you here?"

"In here Prue." Buffy says.

Piper sighs, "You wanna tell me again exactly how screwed we are?"

Buffy looks up, "Let me guess no return spell?"

Prue nods, "Pretty screwed." She looks to Buffy. "Yeah no return spell."

"I wonder what's taking Leo so long?" Piper asks.

Prue starts flipping through the Charmed Book, "Some of these pages are marked. The top corners are turned down and all of them are new spells."

"Mine…" Buffy looks at Dawn. "Ours is the same way."

"Such as?" Piper asks.

Prue nods, "Like, here's a spell to create a door."

Buffy nods, "One to induce slumber."

"A glamour to change ones appearance. Some of them have these little baggies attached." Prue says.

"This must be potions of some kind." Piper says.

Dawn smiles, "Good guess."

Prue sighs, "But what about these? Okay, one to create money, to bend someone's will, to erase a memory, a binding spell."

"Binding? What are all these marked for?" Piper says.

Dawn sighs, "They were your future selves' plan. We were gonna use all of this to break Phoebe out."

Prue blinks, "We?"

Dawn nods, "She's my family, too. You don't think I would leave Pheebs to burn at the stake do you?"

Prue nods, "Okay something is bothering me. Clearly some of these spells are for personal gain."

"Which would break the most basic of wiccan rules. We wouldn't do that." Piper says.

"You wouldn't. But your future selves were going to for Pheebs." Dawn says.

Leo walks in.

Buffy smiles, "Perfect timing. We found the book but we can't... Where's Phoebe?"

"Where is she?" Prue asks.

Leo sighs, "She's in prison where she belongs. You didn't tell them Dawn?"

Dawn sighs, "I told Buffy only what she needed to know. They can't know too much about the future if they eventually can go back. As some things will not change. As it is I will have to cast a spell to erase their knowledge of me. Their not supposed to know I'm coming remember."

Leo nods, "Your right of course, Dawn."

"Leo, you were supposed to bring her back here." Prue says.

Leo shakes his head, "No, I said I'd go to her. And I did. To explain to her why she has to pay for her crime."

"You're our guide, you're supposed to protect us and you're just gonna let her die." Buffy says.

Prue nods, "You're signing her death warrant."

Leo sighs, "I'm to protect the greater good. If Phoebe lives, if you use your magic to save her, then the persecutions will continue. And Piper, our daughter will grow into a world where her power is punishable by death. Do you want that?"

"Of course not." Piper says.

Leo nods, "Well, then it has to end with Phoebe. She has to die."

Prue frowns, "Like hell."

Piper freezes Leo. "Relax. We've seen what your new powers can do when you're angry.

"Dawn are you with us or not?" Buffy asks.

Dawn nods, "I'm with you."

Prue nods, "Alright, let's get these spells." They tear out the spells.

Dawn stands and hold out her hands, "One shimmer express coming up."

Prue and Piper look to Buffy who nods. Buffy and Prue take Dawn's hands as Piper takes Prue's other hand. Dawn _green_ shimmers out with them.

They _green _shimmer outside the Penitentiary wall.

"Don't people normally break out of prison?" Piper asks.

Prue nods, "Nothing about this is normal."

Dawn rolls her eyes, "When you love someone you will do the stupidest of things."

Buffy smiles, "Your right their, Dawnie."

Dawn laughs, "I wondered how long it would take you to call me that." They look at her. "It's my nickname. You guys always call me Dawnie. Even after I changed my name."

"You changed your name?" Buffy asks.

Dawn nods, "Remember the letter Dad gave you from mom. When the monks created me they altered a lot of things including that letter. In that letter mom said what she wanted to name both of us. 'Prudence Penelope Halliwell.' Mom wanted to name me after Great Grandma Prudence and Grams."

Prue laughs, "It must gets confusing sometimes between the two of us."

Dawn nods, "Yeah."

Piper nods pulling out one of the spells, "To create a door. Okay, but where?"

"No place like here." Prue says.

"Okay." Buffy says as she draws an imaginary door on the wall with her finger.

Prue rolls her eyes, "Kinda small for us dontcha think?"

Dawn rolls her eyes, "Not for Buffy."

Prue laughs and nods, "When you find your path is blocked, all you have to do is knock."

Buffy knocks. The door opens and they walk inside.

"Freeze!" A guard says.

"Good idea." Piper says as she freezes him.

Prue nods, "Alright, um, her cell should be up those stairs, come on. She'll be guarded, are we ready for this?"

"Do we have a choice?" Buffy asks.

Dawn and Piper nods.

They find Phoebe's cell is empty.

Prue frowns, "We're too late."

They make their way to the execution room.

"Piper, freeze them." Prue says as Piper freezes the room.

Phoebe smiles, "Prue, Piper, Buffy. And someone I don't know."

Buffy smiles, "Phoebe meet Dawn, my sister." Phoebe looks at Buffy confused. "It's a long story and one we don't get to remember."

"We're getting you outta here." Piper says.

Prue unties her.

"No, wait. You can't. Prue, I'm serious." Phoebe says.

Prue frowns, "What are you talking about?"

Phoebe sighs, "You guys have to leave. I deserve to be here. Or my future self does."

"You killed a killer. Don't be ridiculous." Dawn says.

Prue nods, "Look, this is Pratt's personal crusade. This isn't about us, this is about him. Where ever we go, he will follow us. He will hunt us. He will hunt our families. If anybody should be punished, it should be him." She gets ready to use her power.

Buffy powers up a fireball.

Phoebe frowns, "Buffy, Prue, what are you doing?"

"Saving the future good witches and our future." Prue says.

Buffy nods in agreement.

Phoebe sighs, "Buffy, Prue, wait! Don't become a murderer too. It has to end with me."

Piper sighs, "Phoebe, he was evil, he deserved what you..."

Phoebe starts to cry. "The wrong thing done for the right reason is still the wrong thing. Our job is to protect the innocent, not punish the guilty. And I crossed that line, I know that. And now you guys have to know that too."

They all start crying. Buffy extinguishes the fireball.

"We are not leaving here without you." Prue says.

Phoebe sighs, "Prue, we were sent here for a reason. Maybe not to stop this like we thought. But maybe to understand why this has to happen. Why you have to let this happen. I don't want to die. But I don't want you to die because of me." Piper and Prue hug Phoebe. Then Dawn and Buffy hug Phoebe. "I love you."

Dawn nods, "If by some miracle you all manage to go back. I just want to say I love you all and goodbye."

Buffy hugs Dawn, "I won't remember you but I look forward to seeing you again."

Dawn nods, "Powers and emotions tied. A witch's heart is where it hides. Help them to forget. Take away their memory." She wipes a tear from her face. "Goodbye." She then _green _shimmers out.

Prue, Phoebe, Piper and Buffy look around confused for a moment as Dawn is stripped from their memories.

Phoebe stands back next to the pole. Everyone unfreezes. They turn on the flames and Phoebe burns to death.

Buffy, Prue and Piper end up back in the manor.

"Prue..." Buffy says.

Prue frowns, "What are we doing here?"

"Phoebe? You don't think she was... we saw..." Piper says.

Prue sighs, "I know. Oh, please God, don't let it be true. Phoebe!" Phoebe walks in the room. They hug. "We thought that we lost you."

Phoebe smiles sadly, "You did. I was burned. And I could, I could feel the flames on my skin. And then I was here. I don't know what happened."

Buffy smiles, "It's okay, you're safe now, you're home."

Piper nods, "Yeah, home, but when?" She turns on the TV. The report about Cal Greene comes on.

Phoebe frowns, "Wait, that's the baseball player. That's what triggered my premonition. We're right back where we started. The day we cast a spell."

"Why?" Buffy asks.

Prue nods, "Maybe because it worked. We were sent into the future to find out what Phoebe did. We came back to stop it from happening."

Piper shakes her head, "But we didn't cast a spell to come back. We didn't even have one."

Phoebe nods, "Maybe they sent us back."

Piper sighs, "But who? And why today? If we were sent back to keep the future from happening, shouldn't we be sent back to the day Phoebe killed Cal Greene instead?"

They hear a dog bark. They go to the window.

Buffy sighs, "Not again."

The guy's dog squats on their sidewalk.

"This guy still hasn't learnt his lesson." Piper says as she moves to freeze him.

Phoebe nods, "Apparently neither have we. I think this is why we were sent back here to this moment in time. This is where it all started. The first time we used our magic for revenge."

"But it's just a little thing, it's harmless." Buffy says.

Phoebe nods, "Yeah, but once you break the small rules, it's just a matter of time before the big ones are next."

Prue smiles, "A very smart girl once told me that we were supposed to protect the innocent, not punish the guilty."

"I haven't told you yet." Phoebe says.

Piper nods, "Maybe you won't have to."

Prue sees the face of the guy. "Pratt."

Pratt walks away.

"Do you think we should follow?" Buffy asks.

Phoebe shakes her head, "No. Our little act of revenge might have been what sent Pratt on his path to seek his own."

Prue nods, "Which might have led him to start the future witch trials."

"Hopefully now he won't." Phoebe says.

Piper nods, "I still think we should keep an eye on him just in case."

"Ditto." Buffy says.

Prue nods, "Absolutely."

Later Prue picks up the phone.

"Hey, what's up?" Phoebe asks.

Prue shakes her head, "Not work. There is no way I am going to the office tonight. I'm going out with you guys. We all have a lot of changes to make if we want to avoid ending up where we just came from."

Piper smiles, "I had a future that wasn't all bad. You were like Miss Fortune 500 and I had a beautiful little girl. Though Buffy was still living at the manor."

Buffy sighs, "Yeah it would be nice to be Auntie Buffy someday. I think it's nice you had her considering me an aunt."

"What?" Phoebe says.

Piper smiles, "Details later."

Prue smiles, "You know, we can still make the good things happen, Piper. We just have to make the right choices."

"So maybe Leo and I will end up together." Piper says.

"Wait, you and Leo?" Phoebe asks.

Buffy nods, "Yep. Piper and Leo got married."

The doorbell rings.

Piper smiles, "Speak of the angel. I'll get that." She answers the door. "Hey, stranger." She grabs him and gives him a passionate kiss.

"I would have settled for a nice hello." Leo says.

Piper smiles, "Didn't anyone tell you not to settle?"

Leo smiles, "That's a good lesson."

"I've been learning a lot of them lately." Piper says.

Leo nods, "So I've heard. Look, honestly, I didn't know you were gonna be sent to the future. I don't even know what happened when you got there. All I was told was apparently you had something to learn."

"So, that's why you're here." Piper says.

Leo shakes his head, "No. That's why you're here. You four were given a glimpse of your future to learn a valuable lesson. And I'm glad you learned it too because I know they wouldn't have brought you back if you didn't. Speaking of which, they're making me work tonight, so I can't really..."

Piper nods, "This is always gonna be a problem for us isn't it?"

"I'm willing to work on it." Leo says.

Piper smiles, "Good. Because I'll never forget you said that."

They kiss passionately.

* * *

**Author's Note: **As you saw Dawn is the surprise guest. After this episode aired none of what was shown came true. Prue died, Piper's first child with Leo was not a girl. I wanted there to be one thing in the story that would still come true to show that somethings were still possible.

On the Shimmer, yes it's traditionally a demonic power. But I wanted Dawn to have it anyways. Like the Slayer influenced Buffy's power. The Key influenced Dawn's power. It is also why the shimmer was _green. _The color of the shimmer was a nod to the fact that during one of Glory's dialogues with Dawn she said the last time she caught a peep it was green swirly shimmer. Any other powers that Dawn has will not be seen till she arrives during the season 5 story arc


	27. Chapter 27: Halloween

**Author's Note: **One of my top ten favorite episodes of BTVS.

* * *

**Chapter 27: Halloween**

Buffy rolls, grabs a baby pumpkin – hurls it at the vampire descending on her. The pumpkin hits the vamp in the face, momentarily throwing him off his game.

He starts to recover when - BAM! Another baby pumpkin gets him square between the eyes. He stumbles back.

Buffy glances quickly over at her cousins who are working on another vamp. She returns her attention to her opponent and powers up a fireball. She throws it at the vamp, who manages to sidestep it.

Buffy notes this with interest, if not dire concern. "Hmmn."

Buffy takes a defensive posture as the vamp performs a few moves on her. Two sidearm blows and a kick send Buffy to the ground.

Buffy jumps back up she hits the vamp with two hard uppercuts and a jumping kick that catches the vamp in the jaw. She head butts and kick's the vamp in the chest sending him headlong into a pile of pumpkins.

Buffy powers up another fireball and sends it flying as the vampire gets to his feet. The vamp doesn't know what hits him as he dusts.

Buffy looks over to her cousins who are making their way towards her having already dusted their vamp.

"We calling it?" Prue asks.

Buffy looks at her watch and then nods, "Yeah might as well. I'm already late for my date."

Prue shakes her head, "Buffy I'm still not sure about…"

Phoebe rolls her eyes, "Let it drop already. You've already talked her ear off about the merits about not dating Angel." She looks to Buffy and smiles. "Go on Buffy. We'll see you back at the manor."

A shorttime later Buffy enters the Bronze, looking a little sheepish. She runs her fingers through her hair, pulling seeds and bits of pumpkin muck from it. She sees Angel and Cordelia at a table. Cordelia says something and then laughs. Angel shakes his head - finally laughs, too. Cordelia looks radiant - in full flirt mode.

Buffy looks at herself. She hesitates. Then starts to turn away.

Angel gets up and moves towards Buffy. "Buffy."

"Oh. Hi. I'm..." Buffy says.

Angel nods, "Late."

Buffy sighs, "Rough day at the office."

Angel smiles - notices something in her hair. He pulls a piece of straw from her locks. Hands it to her. "So I see."

Buffy looks down humiliated, "Hey. It's a look. A... seasonal... look."

Cordelia passes. Smirks to Buffy. "Buffy. Love your hair. It just screams street urchin."

That's it. Buffy gives. "You know what? I need to go... put a bag over my head."

Angel shakes his head, "Don't listen to her. You look fine."

"You're sweet." Buffy says. "A terrible liar. But sweet." She turns to go.

Angel stops her. "I thought we had... you know."

Buffy turns back - vents. "A date? So did I. But who am I kidding? Dates are things normal girls have. Girls who have time to think about nail polish and facials and stuff. You know what I think about? Ambush tactics. Beheading. The occasional Warlock coming to kill me or my cousins. Not exactly the stuff dreams are made of." She goes.

The next day in the hallway of Gateway High School Principal Snyder is getting people to sign up for Halloween duty.

"Snyder must be in charge of the volunteer safety program for Halloween this year." Willow says as she, Xander and Buffy walk past.

Xander nods, "Note his interesting take on the "volunteer" concept."

"What's the deal?" Buffy asks.

Xander smiles, "A bunch of little kids need people to take them trick-or-treating. Sign up and you get your very own pack of sugar hyped runts for the night-"

"Yikes. I'll stick to vampires-" Buffy says as Snyder's hand falls on her shoulder.

"Ms. Halliwell. Just the juvenile delinquent I've been looking for." Snyder says.

Buffy shakes her head, "Principal Snyder-"

"Halloween must be a big night for you, huh? Tossing eggs. Keying cars. Bobbing for apples. One pathetic cry for help after another. Well. Not this year, missy." Snyder says as he walks Buffy to the table. Willow and Xander follow.

"Gosh, I'd love to volunteer, but my cousins have a big party planned. Halloween is a big thing with them." Buffy says.

Snyder hands her a pen. "The program starts at four and the children have to be home by six thirty."

Now Snyder turns his attention to Xander and Willow. Hands THEM both pens.

A shorrtime later Buffy, Willow, & Xander enter the student lounge. Looking dejected.

"I can't believe this. We have to dress up and the whole deal?" Xander says.

Willow sighs, "Snyder said costumes were "mandatory.""

Buffy frowns, "Great. I was going to stay in and veg. It's the one night a year that things are supposed to be quiet for me. Well on the Slayer front anyways."

"Halloween quiet? I figured it would be a big old vamp "scare-a-palooza"." Xander says.

"Not according to Giles. He swears that tomorrow night is, like, dead for the un-dead. They stay in." Buffy says.

Xander smiles, "Those wacky vampires. That's what I love about 'em. They just keep you guessing."

Buffy and Willow move ahead as Xander stops at the drinks machine. They sit on a couch.

"So did your cousins really have a party going on?" Willow asks.

Buffy shrugs, "I think they were going to parties was more like it. I told them I just wanted to stay home. You know have a nice quiet night." Buffy looks over at Xander and sees him try and shove Larry into the soda machine. "Be right back."

Buffy gets up and walks towards Xander and Larry.

Larry draws his fist back - about to pummel Xander when Buffy grabs his fist, snapping it back from Xander's face.

Buffy spins Larry around, pins his arms behind his back and slams him into the soda machine. Naturally, the impact causes the machine to dispense a free drink. "Get gone."

Larry doesn't wait to be asked twice. He scurries. Buffy takes the fallen soda from the machine - pleased. "Ooh. Diet."

Xander just stands there. Aghast. "Do you know what you just did?"

"Saved a dollar?" Buffy asks.

Xander shakes his head, "Larry was about to pummel me."

Buffy waves off what she thinks is gratitude. "Oh, that. Forget about it."

Xander is fuming, "I will. Maybe fifteen, twenty years from now. When my rep for being a sissy-man finally fades."

"Xander -" Buffy says.

Xander shakes his head, "A black eye heals, Buffy. But cowardice has a nearly unlimited shelf-life. But thanks. Thanks for your help." He stomps off as Willow walks over to Buffy.

Willow and Buffy share a look.

"I think I just violated the guy code. Big time." Buffy says.

Willow sighs, "Poor Xander. Boys are so fragile." They move back to the couches. Sit. "Speaking of - how was your date last night?"

Buffy sighs, "Misfire. I was late due to slayage. Showed up looking trashed."

"Was he mad?" Willow asks.

Buffy shakes her head, "Actually, he seemed pretty un-mad. Which may have had to do with the fact that Cordelia was drooling in his cappuccino."

Willow shakes her head, "Buffy, Angel would never fall for her act."

Buffy looks at Willow worried, "Sure. Why would he want a stunning, totally turned-out babe fawning all over him when he could have me - Miss Spin Cycle '97?"

"You know what I mean. She's not his type." Willow says.

Buffy sighs, "But how do we know? I mean, what his type is? Or even what his turn-ons and turn-offs are? I've known him for a little over a year and, if you haven't noticed, he's not one to over-share."

Willow looks at Buffy innocently, "True. It's too bad we can't sneak a look at the watcher diaries and read up on Angel. I'm sure it's full of fun facts to know and tell."

They both know this is the answer.

"Yeah. Too bad. That stuff is private." Buffy says.

Willow nods, "Also, Giles keeps them in his personal files. In his office, which he never leaves."

"Most importantly, it would be wrong." Buffy says.

A shorttime late rBuffy enters the library, Willow staying by the door. Buffy creeps toward the office, not noticing Giles emerging from the book cage behind her.

"Buffy. Excellent." Giles says.

Buffy spins, "Nothing! Hi."

Giles nods, "I wanted to talk to you about tomorrow night. As it should be calm, I thought we might work on new battle techniques-"

Buffy smiles, "You know, Giles, you're scaring me now. You need to have some fun." She deliberately moves to the table so that his back is to his office - and motions for Willow to enter the office. Willow gives a WHO ME? Look and then starts a-creepin'. "There's this amazing place you can go and sit down in the dark - and there are these moving pictures. And the pictures tell a story -"

Giles rolls his eyes, "Ha, ha. Very droll. I'll have you know I have many relaxing hobbies."

"Such as?" Buffy asks.

Giles is struggling to come up with something. "Well. I'm very fond of cross-referencing."

Buffy just shakes her head. "Do you stuff your own shirts or do you send them out?" Giles closes his book and moves to go to the office. Willow freezes. Buffy turns him back. "So, how come Halloween is such a yawner? Do the demons just hate how commercial it's become?"

"Well, it's interesting -" Giles says. Willow nears the office. "But not, I suspect, to you. What is it you're after?"

Willow stops. Are they busted?

Buffy smiles, "Well, of course it's of interest! I'm the Slayer! I need to know this stuff! You can't keep me in the dark anymore!" Giles slmost turns to the office. "Look at me when I talk to you!"

"Buffy, I don't have time to play games -" Giles says.

Buffy smiles, "Ms. Calendar said you were a babe!"

Giles faces Buffy, intrigued and a little thrown. Behind him, Willow makes a "shame on you that's so low" face. "She said what?"

Willow slips into the office, starts getting the diaries.

Buffy nods, "She said, you know, that you were hot. A hunka hunka burning... something or other. So. What do you think of that?"

"I, well, um, I don't - a burning hunk of what?" Giles asks.

Buffy shrugs, "You know, gross as it is for me to contemplate you grown-ups having smootchies, I think you should go for it."

Willow slips out with the diaries, moves silently to the door.

"Buffy, I appreciate your interest, but –" Giles says.

Buffy nods, "I've overstepped my bounds! It's none of my business. My God, what was I thinking? Shame. SHAME. Gotta go." She heads out the door after Willow.

Buffy runs into the women's restroom and sits next to Willow on the bathroom floor. They pour over the watcher diaries.

Buffy sees a detailed drawing of a beautiful woman in an 18th century gown. "Man - look at her."

"Who is she?" Willow asks.

Buffy shakes her head, "It doesn't say. But the entry is dated 1775."

Willow nods, "Angel was 18. And still human."

"So this was the kind of girl he hung around. She's pretty... coifed." Buffy says.

Willow nods, "She looks like a noblewoman or something, which means being beautiful was sort of her job."

"And, clearly, this girl was a workaholic. Willow - I'll never be like this..." Buffy says.

Willow is at a loss, "Come on. She's not that pretty. She's got a funny... waist. See how tiny it is?"

Buffy glares at Willow, "Now I feel better. Thanks."

"No really. She's like a freak. A circus freak. Yuck." Willow says.

Buffy ignores her, "It must have been wonderful. To put on some fantabulous gown and go to a ball, like a princess... have servants and horses and yet more gowns..."

Willow nods, "Yeah. Still, I think I prefer being able to vote... or I will, when I can..."

The bathroom door opens and Cordelia steps in. She goes to the mirror. "So, Buffy, you ran off and left poor Angel by his lonesome last night. I did everything I could to comfort him."

Buffy glares at Cordelia, "I bet."

Cordelia smiles, "What's his story, anyway? I mean, I never see him around."

"Not during the day, anyway." Willow says.

Cordelia nods, "Please don't tell me he still lives at home. Like he has to wait until his dad gets home to take the car?"

"I think his parents have been dead for, um, a couple hundred years." Buffy says.

Cordelia nods, "Oh, good. I mean…" Then she realizes what Buffy said. "What?"

Buffy rolls her eyes, "He's a vampire, Cordelia. I thought you knew."

Cordy takes this in. Then she smiles. "Oh. He's a vampire. Of course. But the cuddly kind. Like a Care Bear with fangs."

Willow nods, "It's true."

Cordelia shakes her head, "You know what I think? You're rying to scare me off because you're afraid of the competition. Look Buffy, you may be hot-stuff when it comes to demonology or whatever, but when it comes to dating - I'm the Slayer."

Cordelia closes her purse. Flounces off. Buffy watcher her leave - stinging a little.

After school at Ethan's Costume Shop, Buffy moves through the store - searching unenthusiastically for something to dress up as. Willow approaches.

"What did you find?" Buffy asks.

"A time honored classic." Willow says as she pulls a ghost costume out of her bag.

"Willow. Can I give you a little friendly advice?" Buffy asks.

Willow nods, "It's not spooky enough?"

Buffy sighs, "It's just, you're never going to get noticed if you keep hiding. You're missing the whole point of Halloween."

"Free candy?" Willow asks.

Buffy shakes her head, "It's come as you aren't night. The perfect chance for a girl to get sexy and wild with no repercussions."

Willow shakes her head nervously, "I don't get wild. Wild on me equals spaz."

Buffy sighs, "You've got it in you, Will. You're just scared-"

Xander walks over, still a little sore at Buffy.

Willow seizes the opportunity to change the subject. "Hey Xander. What did you get?"

Xander opens his shopping bag - pulls out a cheesy orange plastic machine gun.

"That's not a costume." Buffy says.

Xander nods, "I've got some fatigues from the Army surplus at home. Call me the two dollar costume king, baby."

Buffy sighs, "Hey, Xander, about this morning. I'm really sorry-"

"Do you mind, Buffy? I'm trying to repress." Xander says.

Buffy nods, "I promise I'll let you get pummeled from now on."

Xander can't stay mad. No way. "Thank you. Okay. Actually, I think I could have-" He stops - noticing that Buffy's attention has completely wandered. "Hello? That was our touching reconciliation you just left."

Buffy nods, "Sorry... It's just, look at that."

They all turn their attention to what Buffy is looking at an 18th century gown draped over a mannequin in the back of the store. It looks almost exactly like the one in the picture from the watcher diaries.

Buffy moves to it, mesmerized. Willow and Xander follow.

"It's... amazing." Willow says.

"Too bulky. I prefer my women in spandex." Xander says.

Buffy is about to touch it when Ethan Rayne, the shop owner, approaches. He has a devilish glint in his eye and speaks with just a hint of a British accent. "Please. Let me."

"It's -" Buffy says.

Ethan nods, "Magnificent. I know." He takes it off the mannequin. Holds it up to her. "My. Meet the hidden princess." Buffy looks in the mirror at the dress in front of her - she is indeed transformed. "I think we've made a match, don't you?"

"I'm sorry. There's no way I can afford this." Buffy says.

Ethan smiles, "Nonsense. I feel quite... moved... to make you a deal you can't refuse."

Buffy turns back to her image in the mirror - a goner. Ethan smiles.

The next day at the Manor in Buffy's room, Buffy stands in front of her mirror in her costume - the gown from Ethan's costume shop. She also has a brunette wig on, the hair elegantly piled up.

Piper walks in and looks at Buffy, "You look stunning, Buffy really."

Buffy looks to Piper and smiles, "Thanks. You guys going out?"

Piper nods, "First Halloween the club is open. Hopefully it will be packed. Prue is already on her way over. She said she wanted to come back early. Something about spending a little time with you. I think she still feels a little guilty about the whole dying thing last spring. Phoebe will go with me, she's getting dressed now."

Willow call from the bathroom, "Where are you meeting Angel?"

Buffy looks to Piper, "Here. After trick-or-treating."

"Does he know about your costume?" Willow asks.

Piper looks to Buffy and shakes her head, "You didn't say he was coming over. Oh well Prue will be here."

Buffy nods, "Nope. Call it a blast from his past. I'll show him I can coif with the best of 'em. Come on out, Will. You can't stay in there all night."

"Okay. But don't laugh." Willow says.

Buffy turns around. "I won't-"

Buffy and Piper stops dead when they see Willow, who emerges from the bathroom in the costume Buffy picked out for her. She looks drop dead gorgeous - and totally uncomfortable.

"Wow." Buffy says.

Willow grabs her ghost sheet and immediately turns back for the bathroom - but Buffy stops her. "Will. You're a dish! I mean, really-"

"But this just isn't me." Willow says.

Buffy looks to Piper and back to Willow, "That's the point! Halloween is the night that's not you, is you, but not you, you know?" Willow is trying to find a response when The doorbell rings. "That's Xander. You ready?"

"Yeah. Okay." Willow says smiling. But her eyes tell another story. A deer caught in the headlights. Terror supreme.

"Cool! I can't wait to watch the boys go non-verbal when they see you." Buffy says.

Piper rolls her eyes and heads back into her room to change.

In the Foyer Phoebe opens the door. "Xander, hi."

Xander steps in to the Foyer, "Phoebe. Wow you look nice."

Phoebe smiles, "Thank you. Buffy and Willow should be down in a minute."

Buffy comes down the stairs and Xander is stunned by her. He drops to one knee.

"Buffy. My Lady of Buffdom. The duchess of Buffonia. I am in awe. I completely renounce spandex." Xander says.

Phoebe laughs.

"Thank you, kind sir. But wait till you see -" Buffy says.

Willow calls out from the bottom of the stairs, "Hi..."

Xander, Phoebe and Buffy turn at her voice, expectant.

Willow is covered in her ghost sheet.

"-Casper." Buffy finishes.

"Hey, Will. That's-" Xander says. "-a fine "BOO" you have there."

Buffy looks at Willow, disappointed. Willow just hangs her head.

Phoebe looks to the three, "Have a good evening. And we'll try and keep Prue from the manor as long as possible, Buffy."

Later Buffy is at the school being led by Snyder to some kids.

"Here's your group, Halliwell. No need to speak to them - the last thing they need is your influence. Just bring them back in one piece and I won't expel you." Snyder says.

Buffy shakes her head. "Well come on guys." She leads them out of the school.

A shorttime later The kids return from a house, looking really dejected.

"What'd Mrs. Davis give you?" Buffy asks.

The kids all open their hands, revealing brand new toothbrushes. Buffy feels for them. "She must be stopped. Let's hit one more house. We still have a few minutes before we've got to get back."

The kids perk up. Run off.

Buffy ushers the kids down the block. A gust of wind sends a chill down her back. She stops, sensing something not quite right.

Suddenly there is a flash and Lady Buffy looks around as if she nolonger knows where she is.

A moment later Willow races to Lady Buffy. Lieutenant Xander follows. "Buffy, are you okay?" Willow asks

As Willow and Lieutenant Xander approach Lady Buffy, they hear a roar. A vampire has been joined by a grown-up sized demon, and they head for straight for Willow, Xander and Buffy.

Lady Buffy stands between the two and a bit behind as they turn to face the new menace.

"This could be a situation." Lieutenant Xander says.

"Buffy, what do we do?" Willow asks.

Lady Buffy faints.

Lieutenant Xander hoists his rifle and fires above the demon's heads. They take off. He turns to Buffy as Willow kneels before her.

Lady Buffy is starts to regain consciousness.

"Buffy! Are you all right?" Willow asks.

"What?" Buffy asks.

Lieutenant Xander nods, "Are you hurt?"

Willow looks to Lady Buffy with concern, "Buffy, are you hurt?"

Lady Buffy is definitely confused, "Buffy?"

Willow looks to Lieutenant Xander her fears confirmed, "She's not Buffy."

"Who's Buffy?" Lieutenant Xander asks.

Willow sighs, "Oh, this is fun." She looks to Lady Buffy. "What year is this?"

Lady Buffy looks to Willow, "Seventeen seventy five... I believe... I don't understand. Who are you?"

Lieutenant Xander helps Lady Buffy up.

"We're friends." Willow says.

Lady Buffy looks at Willow and then Lieutenant Xander, "Friends of whom? Your dress is... everything is strange..." She begins to panic. "How did I come to be here?"

Willow sighs, "Okay, breathe, okay? You're gonna faint again. How are we supposed to get through this without the Slayer?"

"What's a Slayer?" Lieutenant Xander asks.

A Demon jumps Lady Buffy from behind. She screams and bats at it. It pulls her wig - which is now her real hair, coming loose about her head.

Lieutenant Xander butts the demon with his rifle and it runs off. "I suggest we get inside before we run into any other -"

Lady Buffy screams, "Demon! A demon!"

A car is driving toward them.

Lady Buffy shrinks into Xander's arms, hides her face.

Willow sighs, "It's not a demon. It's a car."

Lady Buffy nods, "What does it want?"

Xander frowns, "Is this woman insane?"

Willow shakes herhead, "She's never seen a car."

"She's never seen a car?" Lieutenant Xander asks.

Willow nods, "She's from the past."

Xander sighs, "And you're a ghost?"

"Yes. Now let's get inside." Willow says.

Xander nods, "I just want you to know I'm taking a lot on faith here. Where do we go?"

Willow thinks for a moment, "Where's the closest - Uh, we can go to the manor."

At the manor the back door opens and the girls are rushed in, Lieutenant Xander following. He shuts the door and looks out the window.

Buffy is entirely confused by the kitchen and its appliances.

"I think we're clear." Xander says.

Willow calls out, "Hello! Prue, Piper, Phoebe?"

Prue comes in from the living room, "Willow what's wrong?"

Willow frowns, "We have a problem, Prue. I think maybe a Power of Three problem."

Lady Buffy looks around, "Where are we?"

"Your place. Now we just need to -" Willow says.

A violent pounding on the front door startles them all. Lieutenant Xander starts for the front, Willow, Prue right behind and Buffy trailing last.

"Don't open it!" Willow says.

"It could be a civilian." Lieutenant Xander says.

Prue looks at Willow, "Care to explain what's going on?"

"Or a mini-demon." Willow says and then looks to Prue. "I'm not sure exactly sure. Neither Xander or Buffy have any memory of who they are. Buffy thinks it's 1775 and Xander thinks he's a soldier."

The pounding stops. They wait, Lieutenant Xander looking out the windows.

Lady Buffy stayed in the dining room as Willow, Lieutenant Xander and Prue approached the door. Her attention is caught by a picture on the wall of her with Prue, Piper and Phoebe. She looks at it, deeply puzzled. Willow and Prue approaches her.

"This... this could be me..." Lady Buffy says.

"It is you. Buffy, can't you remember at all?" Prue asks.

Lady Buffy shakes her head, "No, I... I don't understand any of this, and I... This is some other girl, I would never wear this... this low apparel and I don't like this place and I don't like you and I just want to go home!"

"Payson Patricia Halliwell!" Prue says. "You are home!"

The pounding starts again. Buffy, who has begun to cry, shrieks.

"You couldn't have dressed up like Xena..." Willow says.

Prue looks to Willow, "I'm going to call Phoebe and Piper and tell them to come home. Then I will call Giles and tell him what you told me."

Willow nods, "Good thinking."

Prue walks into the kitchen and picks up the phone dialing.

"P4." Piper says from the other end of the phone.

"Piper, it's Prue. I need you and Phoebe to come home." Prue says.

"Why what's going on?" Piper asks.

"I'm not a hundred percent sure. But Buffy believes she's someone from the year 1775 and Xander believes he's a soldier and he has a real machine gun." Prue says.

"Okay we're on our way, Prue." Piper says.

Prue hangs up the phone and starts to dial when she hears gun fire. She races out into the Foyer. "What's going on in here?"

"Big noise scare monster. Remember?" Lieutenant Xander says to Willow.

"Got it." Willow says and she looks to Prue. "Well?"

Prue nods, "Phoebe and Piper are on their way home I was just about to call Giles. She dials the phone as she walks back into the kitchen. "Come on pickup."

"Hello?" Giles says from the other end of the phone.

"Giles, It's Prue Halliwell. We have a situation here we may need your help." Prue says.

"Fill me in." Giles says.

"Willow brought Xander and Buffy to the house a few minutes ago. Neither Xander or Buffy know who they are. Buffy… Hold on. Buffy think's the year is 1775 and she is wearing an 18th century dress. Xander thinks he's a soldier and he is dressed as a soldier."

"So everyone became whatever they were masquerading as-" Giles says.

Prue nods, "Looks like. Hold on." She walks into the living room.

Lieutenant Xander brings Cordelia in, slamming the door behind them.

"Cordelia!" Willow says.

Cordelia looks around, "What's going on?"

Willow smiles, "Okay - your name is Cordelia, you're not a cat, you're in high school, we're your friends - well, sort of -"

"That's nice, Willow, and you went mental when?" Cordelia says.

"You know us?" Willow asks.

Prue speaks into the phone, "We just found another student, Ms. Chase. She seems to be fine."

"So not everyone changed into their costumes. That means not everyone got them at the same place. Do you know where Buffy got hers?" Giles asked.

Prue nods, "A new place Ethan's. I got the address right here." She relays the address.

"I'll check it out. If I need you or your sisters I'll call." Giles says.

"Okay." Prue says. "Be careful."

"I will." Giles says.

Prue hangs up the phone.

Cordelia looks around, "So what's with the name game?"

Willow nods, "A lot's going on."

"No kidding. I was just attacked by Jo-Jo the dogfaced boy. Look at my costume! Think Party-Town's gonna give me my deposit back? Not on the likely." Cordelia says as she notices a particularly big rip up the side.

Lieutenant Xander notices too, and takes off his jacket, puts it around her. "Here."

Cordelia smiles, "Thanks."

Prue looks to Willow, "Willow didn't you go to the same costume shop as Buffy and Xander?"

Willow nods, "Yeah."

"So what did you change into?" Prue asks.

"A ghost." Willow says as she passes her hand through the wall. "Did you get ahold of Giles?"

Prue nods, "He's checking that costume shop where you guys got your costumes. Ms. Chase I'm going to ask you to stay here till we get this sorted out."

Cordelia nods, "Sure, Ms. Halliwell."

Prue looks to Lieutenant Xander, "Xander whatever you do, no killing. We don't know what is an actual demon and what is a human transformed into a demon. Just try and scare them off."

Xander nods, "Sure, ma'am. Since this is your house I'm going to barricade us in. Just to be on the safe side."

Prue nods, "Sure that's no problem."

Lieutenant Xander goes to move a table against the window. He checks the smaller ones, making sure they're locked.

Lady Buffy follows him around, not wanting to be alone. "Surely there's somewhere we can go? Some safe haven?"

"The lady said stay put." Lieutenant Xander says as he looks at Cordelia. "Check upstairs. Make sure everything's locked."

Prue shakes her head, "The upstairs is locked. Don't worry."

"You would take orders from a woman? Are you feeble in some way?" Lady Buffy asks.

Lieutenant Xander shakes his head, "Ma'am, in the army we have a saying. Sit down and shut the - whoah." He has happened on a picture and picks it up. This one is of Xander, Willow and Buffy. "She must be right. We must have some kind of amnesia."

Lady Buffy shakes her head, "I don't know what that is but I'm sure I don't have it. I bathe quite often."

"How do you explain this?" Xander asks.

Lady Buffy shakes her head, "I don't! I was brought up as a proper lady. I'm not meant to understand things. I'm just meant to look pretty and then someone nice will marry me. Possibly a baron."

"This isn't a tea party, princess. Sooner or later, you're going to have to fight." Lieutenant Xander says.

Lady Buffy shakes her head, "Fight? These low creatures? I'd sooner die."

Lieutenant Xander nods, "Then you'll die."

The front door opens just then. "Prue!"

"In here Phoebe." Prue says from where she watches Buffy and Xander.

Piper and Phoebe join Prue in the living room. "Okay what's going on?" Piper asks.

Prue looks to her sisters, "Possibly a spell. Not sure. Buffy believes she is a 18th century noblewoman and Xander believes he is a soldier in the army. And Willow is a ghost."

Willow nods, "Yep all ghosty."

Angel walks in from the kitchen, "Oh, good. You guys are all right. It's total chaos out there."

"Who are you?" Lady Buffy and Lieutenant Xander ask.

Angel frowns, "Okay, does somebody want to fill me in?"

Prue sighs, "Looks like someone cast a spell. Giles is trying to figure out who and see if it's a power of three deal. Basically Buffy and Xander don't know who they are. We're trying to keep them safe till Giles calls with information." She looks to Piper and Phoebe. "Talking about information. Go look in the Books and see if you can find anything like this."

Piper and Phoebe head up the stairs.

There is suddenly pounding all around them - and the lights go out. Buffy shrieks and grabs Cordelia.

"Do you mind?" Cordelia says.

"Prue." Piper says from upstairs.

"Power's out, Piper. Grab some flashlights and check the books." Prue says.

Lieutenant Xander nods and looks to Angel, "Take the princess here…" he looks to Prue, "…sorry I don't know your name."

"Prue." Prue says.

Xander nods, "Prue and secure the kitchen. Catwoman and Ghost woman, you're with me."

Cordelia hands Lady Buffy over to Angel and she and Willow follows Lieutenant Xander into the living room.

"But, I don't want to go with you - I like the man with the musket." Lady Buffy says.

Angel nods, "Come on."

"Do you have a musket?" Lady Buffy says.

They enter the kitchen. The back door is open.

"I didn't leave that open." Angel says. He moves cautiously toward the door.

Lady Buffy watches, frightened. She is standing right next to the door to the cellar. Silently, it opens behind her and a vampire starts moving from the shadows toward her and Prue.

Angel shuts the door. Turns. "Look out!"

Lady Buffy spins - the vampire grabs at her - and she actually does something useful, she grabs the door and slams it on its arms.

But the vamp is much more powerful than she. It flings the door wide, sending her sprawling on the floor.

Prue uses her power and sends the vampire flying across the room.

Angel dive-tackles it.

Lady Buffy gets up, looks about her for a weapon. She grabs a big knife, peers timidly at Angel.

Angel is on top of the vamp, his back to her. Struggling to hold it down. "A stake!"

Prue shakes her head, "Angel, no. We don't know if he's a real vampire. He could be human who wore a vampire costume."

Angel turns and looks at Prue, "What?"

Lady Buffy sees Angel's vampface. She screams. Turns and runs out the back.

Prue turns and watches her cousin running out the back door, "Hold him." She runs out the back but Buffy is already gone. She walks back into the house. "She's gone. Throw him outside. I highly expect he's human being that was transformed into his costume there is no other way he could get in otherwise. Because you know as well as I that vampires can't come in unless their invited."

Angel nods and throws the vampire out the kitchen door.

Somewhere on the street Lady Buffy wanders, lost, alone, terrified. She wonders into an industrial looks around her, terrified. Keeps walking - and bumps into Pirate Larry. He knocks her to the ground.

Lady Buffy moves to crawl away but Pirate Larry lifts her to her feet again. "No... No..."

Pirate Larry grabs Lady Buffy's face, hard. Opens his mouth and runs his tongue along black teeth. He moves in for a KISS when suddenly he goes flying back.

Prue smiles having used her power on Pirate Larry.

Lady Buffy runs right into Cordelia.

"Buffy? Are you okay?" Cordelia asks.

Lady Buffy throws herself into Cordelia's arms. Trembling, Cordelia isn't quite sure what to do with this.

Angel arrives on the scene. Lady Buffy screams and grips Cordelia even tighter.

"What is your deal? Take a pill!" Cordelia says.

"He's... he's a vampire!" Lady Buffy says.

Cordelia rolls her eyes - looks to Angel like, "what a ditz". "She's got this thing where she thinks - ah, forget it. It's okay. Angel is... a good vampire. He'd never hurt you."

Prue rolls her eyes.

"He - really?" Lady Buffy asks.

Cordelia nods, "Absolutely. Angel is our friend."

Lady Buffy looks timidly at Angel, who crosses to Xander.

Willow arrives at a dead run. "Guys!"

"Willow!" Angel says.

Willow nods, "You guys gotta get inside." She points. They turn.

They see Spike walking toward them, flanked by four child-sized and two grown-up sized monsters.

"We need to triage." Lieutenant Xander says.

Prue wishes she had brought Piper and Phoebe along.

"This way." Angel says.

Lieutenant Xander nods, "Ladies... we're on the move."

They bolt, but Lady Buffy is having trouble keeping up. Angel sweeps her into his arms, carries her.

Willow, Prue, Lieutenant Xander, Cordelia and Angel, still with Lady Buffy in his arms, round the corner.

Angel leads them to a warehouse door. "Over here!"

Prue uses her power to slide the door open and dash inside, just as Spike and his minions appear. They manage to shut the door with only seconds to spare.

Lieutenant Xander immediately starts moving the stuff against the door so it won't slide, calls to Angel. "Check and see if there are any other ways in!"

Angel tries to put Lady Buffy down. "Just stay here." He hands her off to Prue as he moves off. Lady Buffy falls into Prue's arms.

Prue rolls her eyes. "I really hope we get this fixed and soon. I really don't want to have educated my cousin on how things work in the 20th century."

Lieutenant Xander starts as something jerks the warehouse door. A demonic hands start to punch through it, tear it apart.

The door jerks again and then starts to slide open, sending the barricade everywhere.

Lieutenant Xander and Angel step back, retreating as the warehouse door slides completely open and Spike steps inside, followed by his loyal minions.

Angel, Cordelia and Lieutenant Xander are grabbed and held at bay by the minions, who keep them from Spike.

Spike moves towards Buffy and Prue, "Witch, I highly suggest you don't use your power." He then looks to Buffy and speak to her softly, kindly. "Look at you. Shaking, terrified. Alone. Lost little lamb."

Lady Buffy fights her tears. Totally petrified.

Spike smiles and slaps Buffy hard across her face. "I love it."

"Buffy!" Angel cries out as he tries to break free of his guards, but to no avail.

Another minion grabs Prue from behind pulling her from Buffy.

Prue is not sure which to do. On one hand she could try using her power and it might help get them free to run. On the other hand if just one of the minions is quicker than she is. They could hurt Xander, Cordelia or even Buffy. She decides it would be better to wait for a more opportune moment.

Spike grips Buffy's hair with one hand and her arm with the other. He starts to lean in.

Lieutenant Xander breaks free, grabs his rifle and stands Willow comes up to Xander, watching Spike.

"Now THAT guy, you can shoot." Willow says.

Lieutenant Xander raises his machine gun and aims it at Spike. But when he squeezes the trigger - nothing happens. He realizes that his gun has returned to its original plastic form. "What the - ?"

Spike looks around him to see that his minions are all scared little children abd two high school students.

The realization sinks in - and he looks at his hand. It's still holding Buffy's wig, but her head isn't in it. He looks back at Buffy. She's smiling. "Hi Honey. I'm home," Buffy says.

Buffy lets loose on him. All the pent-up rage and frustration from her last defenseless hours comes pouring out. A series of brutal kicks and punches send Spike to the ground. She lifts him back to his feet- "You know what? It's good to be me." She pummels him, until he hits the wall and scampers out of the building.

"Hey, Buff. Welcome back." Xander says.

Buffy smiles, "Yeah. You too."

Prue smiles, "I have to echo that welcome back."

Cordelia looks between Xander and Buffy, "You guys remember what happened?"

"It was way creepy. Like I was there - but I couldn't get out." Xander says.

"I know the feeling. This outfit is totally skin-tight-" Cordelia says.

Angel is focused on Buffy. "You okay?"

"Yeah." Buffy says.

Angel takes her by the arm, they move off. Cordelia and Xander watch them. Cordelia wears an expression of disbelief. "Hello? It felt like I was talking. My lips were moving-"

"Give it up, Cordy. You're never going to get between those two. Believe me. I know." Xander says.

Prue nods, "Xander is right. Buffy has been in love with him for some time now."

Cordelia turns - looks at all the dazed trick-or-treaters. "I guess we should get them back to their parents."

"Yeah. It seems like everybody is-" Suddenly he realizes Willow isn't there. "Where's Willow."

Later back at the Manor Angel sits on Buffy's bed, lost in thought.

Buffy comes out of the bathroom - now in boxers and a big t-shirt. Her face is scrubbed clean and her hair hangs loose around her face. "Taa daa. Just little old 20th century me." She sits next to Angel.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Angel asks.

"I've been wondering the same thing." Prue says from the door.

Buffy looks to Prue, "I'll live."

Prue nods, "Alright. Angel don't keep her up too late."

"I won't." Angel says before Prue leaves the door heading down the hall to her own room. He then turns back to Buffy. "I don't get it Buffy. Why did you think I'd like you better dressed that way?"

Buffy smiles, "I - I just wanted to be a real girl, for once. The kind of fancy girl you liked when you were my age." Angel smiles. Shakes his head. "What?"

"I hated the girls back then. Especially the noblewomen." Angel says.

"You did?" Buffy asks.

Angel nods, "They were just incredibly Dull. Simpering morons, the lot of them. I always wished I could meet someone... exciting. Interesting."

Buffy smiles, "Really. Interesting - like how?"

Angel smiles. She's baiting him and he knows it. "You know how."

"Still, I've had a hard day and you should tell me." Buffy says.

They move closer together.

"I should." Angel says.

"Oh - definitely..." Buffy says.

They kiss passionately.

"I don't hear talking." Prue yells out.

Buffy laughs and yells back, "Prue do me a favor and close my door."

Suddenly Buffy's bedroom door shuts of it's own accord and Buffy and Angel return to kissing.


	28. Chapter 28: The Devil's Music

**Chapter 28: The Devil's Music**

Prue, Phoebe and Buffy are sitting at a table at P4.

"This place couldn't be more dead if I was embalmed." Phoebe says.

"Yeah, I think that we're gonna have to take that offer." Prue says.

Buffy shakes her head, "Are you sure about this Prue. Things will pick up once Piper gets that permit approved to allow teenagers in here."

"I know, Buffy. But I'm not sure we can wait that long." Prue says.

Phoebe sighs, "What's this guy's name again?"

"Chris Barker." Prue says.

Phoebe nods, "And he's not a loan shark or anything, is he?"

Prue shakes her head, "No. He's a collector, an investor. And it's a no-interest loan that we can pay back any time. Trust me, he's not gonna miss the money."

Phoebe nods, "Mmm. Must be nice. When do we tell Piper?"

"Not until the club is in the black." Prue says.

"Piper will hate us when she finds out though." Buffy says.

Piper comes up to them. "So, you guys, you do like the name of the club, right? P4. Little nod to the four of us, partners."

Phoebe smiles, "Yeah, it's very clever. Uh, Piper, it's a little, uh, quiet in here. Don't you think?"

Piper nods, "It'll pick up once word of mouth kicks in. It'll also pick up when I get the permits I need to allow teenagers in here while I serve alcohol to the adults. Which by the way Buffy you shouldn't be in here. If they find you…"

Buffy sighs and nods, "Okay I will head out in a moment. I need to patrol anyways. Who's turn is it tonight to go with me?"

Phoebe nods, "And when will that be, exactly?"

Piper shakes her head, "Well, you can't predict these things exactly. It's not like starting a restaurant. Besides the bank's not gonna call the loan. It's not like we're gonna lose the house." She heads off to check on some customers.

Phoebe frowns, "Who said anything about losing house? We're not gonna lose the house, are we?"

"No, because we're gonna take that offer and trust Piper to this place with people." Prue says.

Buffy shakes her head, "What people?"

Prue sighs, "Come on Buffy. Before you get Piper in trouble. Beside I think its my turn to patrol with you."

Buffy nods and she and Prue head out the door.

The next day Piper's looking at the expenditures ... pretty bad ... more than -$20,000 in the red.

"This is bad."

Jenny and Buffy walks in and down the stairs to Piper. "You should keep that door locked, you know? Anyone could just walk in." Jenny says.

"Jenny? Buffy? What are you two doing here?" Piper asks

"Her idea." Buffy said.

Jenny nods, "Am I breaking the law, right now? Being underage and all?"

Piper shakes her head, "No, we're not open. Actually, I don't know. Uh, what's your point, Jenny?"

Jenny nods, "If you were open for business and I was here, would you have me arrested? Because I think friendship counts for something. Even though we're not really friends yet, but at least we're neighbors and neighbors do favors for each other, right?"

Piper frowns, "What kind of favors?"

Buffy sighs, "She wants a ticket to the show."

"What show?" Piper asks confused.

"It's all over the radio. I have to see them. If I don't, I'll die." Jenny says.

Piper frowns, "Not a clue what you're talking about."

Jeff Carlton, the manager of Dishwalla, walks in.

"Dish…" Buffy begins to say.

Jeff smiles, "I believe they are talking about passion. Piper Halliwell?"

"Yeah. Can I help you with something?" Piper says.

"Jeff Carlton. And I have to tell you when I heard about P-squared, it was as if the fates had smiled upon me." Jeff said.

"P four." Buffy says.

Jeff rolls his eyes, "Whatever. I manage Dishwalla."

Piper looks at Buffy who nods, "Dishwalla? The Dishwalla?"

Jeff smiles, "I've been looking for the right place, something small, new intimate. The boys want the reacquaint themselves with the personal side of performing. They want to connect again. And I think your little hole in the wall here, is just what the doctor ordered."

"Dishwalla wants to play my little hole in the wall?" Piper asked astonished.

Jeff nods, "I want them to. Don't you?"

Piper looks to Buffy who is nodding vigorously, "Uh... yeah."

Jeff smiles, "Let's cross some T's and dot some I's." He hands her the contract.

"Uh, Mr. Carlton, sir? Do you think it will be possible for me to meet the band? I'd do almost anything." Jenny says.

"Yeah Piper. You have to let me and Jenny in tonight." Buffy says.

Jeff shakes his head, "Be careful what you wish for, sweetheart."

Piper shakes her head, "No Buffy."

Back at the manor Piper and Buffy walk into the kitchen.

Piper is excited about Dishwalla, "Guess what I did? Guess what I did? All by myself?"

Buffy rolls her eyes.

"What?" Phoebe asks.

Piper smiles, "You ready?"

"Piper just tell them already." Buffy says.

"Get this... Dish...walla... my club... playing there... tonight." Piper says.

Prue looks surprised to hear that, "What?"

Piper nods, "I networked. Sent out feelers, sent off press releases and wouldn't you know it. Dishwalla decided to put P4 on their schedule. How's about that? P4 has officially been validated as the place to be. We're on the map…" she hugs her sisters "…I couldn't have done it without you, you patient…" she kisses Prue "…most generous…" she kisses Phoebe "…sisters in the whole wide world." Buffy coughs. "And my lovable cousin also." The doorbell rings. "I'll get it." She answers the door. "Leo... this day just keeping getting better. Hi."

"Hi, uh, Piper, we have to talk." Leo said.

Piper smiles, "Yeah...okay, uh... are you free tonight? Better be, 'cause you're my date. We have backstage passes, all access, baby, to see Dishwalla at P4. I made it happen."

Leo shakes his head, "Uh, no, actually, I made it happen."

Piper frowns, "What?"

Prue, Buffy and Phoebe walk in.

Leo nods, "Yeah, look, I wanted to tell you sooner, but I didn't have time. I had to move fast. There's a demon involved."

"A demon?" Piper says.

Leo nods, "Yeah, he'll be at your club, tonight."

Piper shakes her head, "But, no, their manager, Jeff Carlton, came to me and-and booked them himself. Buffy you were there, tell him."

Buffy nods, "Piper is…"

Leo sighs, "I know. I cast a spell on him."

"You what?" Piper says.

Leo sighs, "I sort of cribbed it from one of the other witches I look after. I suggested to Carlton that he get Dishwalla into your club."

"Why didn't you just come to us?" Prue asks.

Piper shakes her head, "Because he knows I would have been pissed off. What are you doing?"

"My job." Leo says.

Piper frowns, "Your job? What are we, like, Leo's witches now? We're supposed to kill a demon during sold-out concert? Are you nuts?"

"Piper..." Phoebe says.

Piper shakes her head, "No, Leo. Anywhere else but not there... not my place."

Leo just looks at her. "The band's manager made a bargain with Masselin."

"That's the demon?" Buffy asks.

Leo nods, "Yeah. In exchange for human sacrifice, Masselin will make Carlton rich and powerful by attracting successful bands to him."

Phoebe sighs, "Are you telling me that Dishwalla is hooked up with a demon?"

"No, they don't know anything about the demon." Leo says.

Prue frowns, "So, these innocent ... what happens to them?"

"They're devoured by Masselin. Consumed for their souls." Leo says.

Phoebe grimaces, "Eww!"

"Yeah tell me about it." Buffy says.

"The more souls Masselin collects, more successful Carlton becomes. You can't destroy the demon without first freeing those trapped within him."

"All this freeing and destroying, is this in between sets or during the encore?" Piper asks.

Leo sighs, "Look, I know you're upset."

"No...no... I skated past upset just after you came in the door. Right now, I'm at furious." Piper says.

Leo nods, "We have to talk."

"You bet your white-lighter ass, we do." Piper says.

Leo hears jingling, "Later. I have to go." He orbs out.

Phoebe shakes her head, "See, now this is exactly why you should never date a co-worker. It was a joke. Oh, honey, I'm sorry."

"How could he do this?" Piper asks.

Buffy sighs, "Well, it sounds like he didn't have a choice and quiet frankly, I don't think we do either."

Prue nods, "Well, I have to get to the office and call this investor." She looks t Phoebe and Buffy, "Barker... gotta talk to Barker."

They nod as Prue heads out the door.

Phoebe, Piper and Buffy head upstairs and look through the books for Masselin.

"There's Leo's problem." Piper says as they find the right page.

Buffy shakes her head, "It's our problem."

Phoebe sighs, "Your not going Buffy. Not this time. Even though we might need your help. Till Piper gets those permits you are not going to be able to get in."

"You want to know what the real problem is?" Piper asks.

Phoebe sighs, "Oh, do tell."

"Never mind." Piper says.

Phoebe smiles, "Thank you."

Piper nods, "So, how do we vanquish this creep?"

"Let's find out. Shall we?" Phoebe says.

"And what was with that attitude?" Piper asks.

Buffy shakes her head, "What attitude?"

"Leo... it was like he was angry that I was angry. I have right to be angry, don't I? I don't want talk about it?"

"Then don't." Phoebe says.

"Whoa." Piper says.

Phoebe frowns, "What?"

Piper motions towards the page, "Look at Masselin's victims."

Buffy reads from her book, "Trapped within the demon. The unfortunates are kept alive, their souls tortured for the pleasure he gets from their suffering."

Phoebe nods, "We got to get them out of there."

"With what? Demonic Ipecac?" Piper asks.

Phoebe smiles, "Actually, yeah. That seems to be the idea." She reads. "The demons seeks willing, trusting souls, delivered by the one who sealed the pact."

Piper nods, "The manager."

Buffy nods as a plan forms in her mind.

"So we have to get close to Carlton." Phoebe says.

Piper nods, "Well, I'm already close. And as far as we know, I'm a willing, trusting soul... a sucker. Someone who falls for a quick line from a pretty face."

Buffy rolls her eyes, "Will you please stop that?"

Piper sighs, "You're right. Fine. Leo is the least of my worries."

Phoebe nods, "Right. We'll worry about that tomorrow."

Piper shakes her head, "I don't think I can wait that long."

"You're gonna have to. Because tonight we have some major demon-ass-kicking to do." Phoebe says.

They head downstairs and begin making the potion.

"How is this gonna work?" Piper asks.

Phoebe smiles, "We'll just slip Masselin a little extra-strength antacid. And if the Book of Shadows is right, he should disappear like a demonic gas bubble, freeing his victims, leaving them safe and sound."

Piper nods, "Phoebe, we can't even give our cat a vitamin. How are we gonna get this down a demon's throat?"

"In this?" Phoebe says as she holds up a balloon.

Buffy nods as she picks up a second balloon laying on the counter.

Piper shakes her head, "What is that?"

"It's a balloon." Piper says. "Okay, where is it?"

Phoebe shakes her head, "Where is what?"

"The spoonful of sugar big enough to hide that thing?" Piper asks.

Phoebe smiles, "You're looking at her."

"Excuse me?" Piper asks.

Buffy smiles and nods.

"Well, the only way to get to Masselin, is through Carlton, right? So all I'll have to do is get close to Carlton, pretend I'm some choice tidbit. Then we get Masselin to swallow this." Phoebe says.

Piper frowns, "Right before he swallows you, Phoebe. No, it's too dangerous."

"Well, unless you have a better idea, it's our only choice. You and Prue will back me up. I'll be fine." Piper says.

Piper sighs, "I hate him." She puts something in the blender.

Phoebe nods, "Of course you hate him. He's a demon. Wait, we are talking about the demon, right?"

Piper shakes her head, "He didn't even have the decency to ask me first. He at least could have discussed it with me."

Buffy rolls her eyes, "Oh, Leo!"

Piper nods, "I mean, can you believe him? He acted as if we've never has a relationship before. Like it was just business." She turns on the blender without putting the lid on. Food flies everywhere. "Oh! Oh!"

"Got to put the lid on, honey!" Phoebe says.

Piper nods, "And I saw the future too, you know. Leo and I get married. A marriage in the future imply some sort of relationship in the present ... the question is: where's the relationship."

Buffy sighs, "A future where I'm still living at home and unmarried."

Phoebe nods, "Somewhere between confusing and complicated? Just talk to him, honey? It'll be okay."

Piper frowns, "I'd rather just freeze him and kick him in the..." doorbell rings. "That better not be him."

"In the shins?" Phoebe says.

"Not exactly." Piper says as she goes to answer the door.

"Piper?" Dan says.

Piper smiles, "Dan, hi."

Dan nods, "Can I talk to you for a second?"

"Sure! What's up?" Piper says.

Dan sighs, "Jenny... Did you or Payson tell her she could go see Dishwalla tonight?"

"No, no! She can't go! Neither can Payson. I don't have the permits yet for teenagers." Piper says.

"She said you and said it was all right. And that Payson had invited her to go along with her." Dan says.

Piper sighs, "Well, I didn't exactly tell her it wasn't. But the things were happening kind of fast."

"Well, she's in her room right now, picking out her clothes." Dan says.

"Oh God! Okay... I'll go talk to her." Piper says as she opens the door, she sees Leo.

"Hi." Leo says.

Piper glares at Leo, "Hello!"

"Listen, I was hoping that we could uh... talk." Leo says.

Piper nods, "Sure... Leo this is..."

Leo smiles, "Dan Gordon!"

Piper looks at Leo confused, "Wait. You know him?"

Leo nods, "What? Are you kidding? He used to play second base for the Mariners. He had an all-star season going till he blew out his knee sliding into home. I still think you were safe."

Dan smiles, "So do I."

"I'm Leo." Leo says as he shakes Dan's hand.

DAN smiles, "Nice meeting you."

"No, it's not. You follow baseball?" Piper says.

Leo nods, "Yeah!"

"You have time for baseball, but you don't have time to tell me about you-know-what, before you-know-who shows up you-know-where?" Piper says.

"Uh, Listen. If you two need to talk or something, I can..." Dan says.

Piper shakes her head, "No, no no. We don't need to talk. Leo stops by occasionally to fix things. Phoebe can show him around." Phoebe and Payson shows up. "Ahem! Let's go talk to Jenny. Buffy." She motions for Buffy to follow.

Dan nods, "It was nice meeting you."

Leo smiles, "Yeah, you too."

Buffy, Dan and Piper leave head over to Dan's house.

Jenny's picking out her clothes as Piper, Dawn and Buffy walk in.

Piper sighs, "Jenny, the state can shut me down. I don't have the permits for under 21 yet."

Jenny shakes her head, "How are they gonna find out? Are you gonna tell 'em? 'cause I'm not gonna tell 'em. Besides Payson gets in all the time. Do you like the read or denim?"

Dan frowns, "Jenny ..."

"Yeah! Sure. Let's hear from uncle Dan. Who never in his life faked an I.D. or snuck into a bar. Who never did anything wrong. Ever." Jenny says.

Dan shakes his head, "We're talking about you."

Jenny shakes her head, "No, we're talking about Piper and Payson and she said I could go see the show. And Payson invited me to go along with her.

Piper shakes her head, "I never said that... Jenny, I'm sorry, but I can't let you in the club."

Buffy sighs, "Jenny I never said you could go with me. I can't even get in the club without those permits. The bouncers will only let me in if their's a family emergency. Otherwise I could get the club shut down and then it will be even more difficult for Piper to get the permits."

"Your mom and dad, they put me in charge." Dan says.

Jenny nods, "Right.. everybody's in charge... but not me. Not ever. Why is that?" She starts to cry and leaves.

Dan sighs, "I'm sorry. She's just feeling, you know, a little..."

Piper nods, "Betrayed... it's okay. I know the feeling."

Later that evening at P4.

Prue smiles, "Okay, Pheebs. Go get him."

Phoebe nods, "Keep an eye on me."

"You're kind of hard to miss in that outfit." Prue says.

They smile and she goes to talk to Jeff. Suddenly she stops as she sees someone who shouldn't be there. "Dang you Buffy." She hurries back to Prue. "Buffy's here."

"What?" Prue says. "You told her she wasn't supposed to be here because the club could get shut down, right?"

Phoebe nods, "Yes."

Buffy is talking to Carlton, "Yeah! I recognized you the moment you entered the club this morning from that MTV top 10 video things last month."

"Somebody actually saw that?" Jeff asks.

Buffy nods, "It was really good."

Jeff smiles, "Taped that almost 2 months ago."

"I didn't even know there was such a thing as a music manager. Let alone what they did until you came on the scene. I mean, who knew?When I graduate high school next year I'm going to go to college and study music management. You're my inspiration." Buffy says.

"Really?" Jeff says.

Buffy nods, "Cross my heart. Hey, do you have any pointers? I would do...just about anything to get the inside the scoop."

"Anything, huh? Wanna meet the band?" Jeff asks.

Buffy smiles, "Yeah."

Jeff smiles, "This way."

Piper walks over to Prue and Phoebe, "What's going on?"

"Buffy's here. And she thinks she's trying to help." Prue says motioning towards Carlton and Buffy.

"Where is he taking her?" Phoebe asks.

"In the back." Prue says.

"All right, let's go." Phoebe says.

In the back Jeff locks the door.

"What's the rush?" Buffy asks

"No time to waste." Jeff says as he pushes her into a room.

On the otherside of the locked door Piper tries to open the door.

"Oops."

Prue uses her power to open the door. Then they see Jeff Carlton and Piper freezes him.

Inside the room Masselin appears, Buffy fumbles with her purse and gets the poison out too late. She drops it as Masselin swallows her whole.

Prue, Piper and Phoebe burst into the room just in time to watch Buffy get taken. Phoebe whips out the poison. Masselin sees the poison and disappears.

"We're too late, he has Buffy." Phoebe says.

"Ok. We're gonna have to regroup. Come on, let's go." Prue says.

Phoebe says as they walk back out in the main room. "He's huge, and ugly and I really think we need a bigger balloon. Also what was Buffy doing here?"

"Maybe we just came in too soon." Piper says. "About Buffy I told her she couldn't come that till I get those permits that I could lose my liquor liscense."

Prue sighs, "I think Buffy didn't like being left out. We've fought demons together before. I think she didn't like the thought of us going against Masselin alone. She probably hoped we would see her before it was too late."

Phoebe sighs, "Either way either he saw the poison in Buffy or my hands."

"Well, in any case, the spook's spooked. I doubt he saw it in Buffy's hands though. I think he would have hid if he had like he did with us." Prue says.

Phoebe nods, "And took the trapped souls and Buffy with him. The ones that we have to save."

Prue shakes her head, "Look, we don't know for sure if the demon is gone, if he is still here, then he might feed again and Carlton's the one to feed him. Do you still have the poison pill?"

Phoebe nods, "Yes, but I don't think it's gonna be enough."

"Phoebe, stop. All right, uh, we need to cover the exits, look for Carlton, if we see him grab anybody, Piper, you freeze the room and we'll get into positions." Prue says. "And we're going to save Buffy."

"I wish we could just stuff his head in a toilet and make him cough up the demon." Piper says.

"Oh, honey, still upset with Leo?" Phoebe says.

Piper shakes her head, "I'm talking about Carlton. He's responsible for Buffy."

Phoebe sighs, "I can't keep up."

In the back to the room Masselin and Carlton are talking.

"You brought witches to destroy me." Masselin said.

Jeff shakes his head, "What are you talking about? No, I didn't. I swear."

"To whom do you swear?" Masselin says.

Jeff sighs, "To you. Just you. I didn't know about witches."

Masselin nods, "You were lucky I got one of them before the others showed up. But one of the others has the key to my destruction. Take it from her."

"But why? They know about you, they know about me." Jeff says.

"Take it from her and bring the rest of the witches to me." Masselin says.

Jeff nods, "All right, all right. But how am I gonna get 'em back here? I mean, they're gonna be a little suspicious."

"Tempt them with an innocent soul." Masselin says as Jeff leaves. "Your sister witches will join you soon enough Slayer."

Out front Dishwalla starts playing. Leo appears behind Piper.

"I wish you'd quit doing that." Piper says.

Leo shakes his head, "What's happening?"

Piper nods, "We're on it, Leo. We're just waiting for Carlton to do his thing."

Leo sighs, "Look, you think I like this?"

"Leo..." Piper says.

Leo shakes his head, "Do you think I like to not being with you?"

Piper frowns, "Ok, can we cut the crap? I know what you have to do. I always have. The question is: What do you want? What do you wanna do? With me? With us? Do you ever think about that?"

Leo nods, "All the time."

"You ever want to discuss it with me?" Piper says.

Leo sighs, "Yes. It's just the timing always seems."

Piper sees Darryl, "Seems to suck. Okay, hold that thought. Don't let go. Just hold it." She goes where Prue is. "Morris is here?"

Prue frowns, "What?" Prue sees Mr. Barker. "Whoa! Oh, boy!"

Piper looks at Prue confused, "What are you looking at? He's over there."

"Huh, yeah, okay." Prue says as she grabs Piper and run.

Jeff sees the poison balloon in Phoebe's purse as he walks by towards a security guard, "See that honey by the stage in the silver thing. She's got something in her purse."

"Something illegal?" The security guard asks.

Jeff nods, "Extremely. Get it out of here."

"You got it." The security guard says before he goes over to Phoebe and grabs her purse.

"Hey, what are you doing?" Phoebe asks.

"Weapons check." The security guard says matter of factly.

Phoebe shakes her head, "There's nothing in this."

The security guard finds the balloon. They both grab it and the balloon pops. "Oh! What the hell is that?"

The poison is all over Phoebe's wrap. "That is a $75 dry-cleaning bill." Phoebe says.

Jeff smiles and sees Jenny and walks over to her, "Hey there, Jenny, right? Piper Halliwell's friend?"

Jenny nods. "And Phoebe, Payson and Prue. We're like sisters."

Jeff smiles, "Listen. Would you like to meet the band?"

"Are you serious?" Jenny says excited. "Man, I'd do anything to meet them."

"Follow me." Jeff says.

Phoebe sees Jeff with Jenny.

Barker walks over to Prue and Piper, "Hello, Prue."

"Hi, Mr. Barker." Prue says.

Piper looks around, "Where's Phoebe?"

"Let me guess. Piper Halliwell, right?" Barker says.

Piper nods, "Yeah! Who are you? Who's he?"

Barker smiles, "The name's Chris Barker and I'm gonna taking over everything from here on out."

Piper frowns, "Wait! What?"

Darryl shows up, "Piper, we've gotta talk."

Piper shakes her head, "Not now."

"I'd be willing to discuss you staying on. However, in a dimished capacity, of course." Barker says.

Phoebe comes up to them. "Jenny's here with Carlton."

Prue frowns, "What? First Buffy now Jenny."

"Jenny's here?" Piper says.

Phoebe nods, "And I lost the potion."

"Piper, it's important." Darryl says.

Barker frowns, "Yeah, wait in line, pal."

Darryl shows Barker his badge. "Hey, why don't you step to the back."

"Okay, everybody hold it." Piper says as she freezes everybody.

Phoebe looks towards the door leading backstage, "Look."

They look at Jenny and Jeff.

"Oh my God." Prue, Phoebe and Piper say.

They run to follow Jeff and Jenny and the place unfreezes.

Phoebe frowns, "Freeze them again."

Piper shakes her head, "They're through the door."

Jeff pushes Jenny into the back room.

"Hello?" Jenny says as Masselin appears and she screams.

Out front Prue, Piper and Phoebe run towards back.

"Move it! Move it!" Phoebe says.

"Wait. Hold it. Stop." Prue says.

Piper shakes her head, "Jenny's in there. And he already has Buffy."

Prue nods, "Yeah, but we can't kill Masselin without the potion."

Piper shakes her head, "Well, we can't just stand here. She's gonna die.

Jeff opens the door and Prue uses her power against him and makes him fly.

"Help us." Prue says.

Jeff shakes his head, "He'll kill me. He'll burn the flesh off my bones for eternity."

Piper frowns, "Listen up, skid mark. You tell us how to save Jenny and Buffy and get Elvis out of the building, or spending an eternity in hell is gonna be the least of your worries."

"There's nothing you can do." Jeff says.

Piper nods, "We can break the pact and free you from Masselin."

"Believe me, if I could help you, I would. But if you go in there, he's gonna swallow you whole and you'll still be alive." Jeff says.

Piper smiles, "That's not a bad idea."

Prue frowns, "What?"

Piper nods, "Where's the demon?"

"Through that door." Jeff says pointing to the back room.

"I got a plan. We get eaten." Piper says.

"I'm sorry, we get what?" Phoebe asks.

Piper nods, "And once we're inside, Buffy will augment Prue. And Prue, you use your power to blow him up.

"From the inside?" Prue says.

Piper smiles, "Mmm hmm."

Phoebe sighs, "Who's to say that we won't lose our powers once we get in there. Maybe that's exactly what he wants. Think about it, Buffy is in there why couldn't she just burn her way out.

Prue sighs, "Yeah, well, we don't really have a choice, Phoebe. The poison pill is gone. And regardless Buffy is trapped and likely so is Jenny."

Phoebe smiles, "Is it?" She shows her wrap with the poison. "Back up."

"Phoebe, what are you..." Piper says.

Phoebe kicks the door open. Masselin appears. "It's time to join your friends, witches."

Prue, with her powers, make the wrap with the poison flies against Masselin.

Mr. Barker comes in. "What is going on back here?"

Masselin blows up and green stuff splats all over Barker.

Buffy, Jenny, and several other victims appear where Masselin stood moments before.

Prue walks over to Buffy, "Buffy are you okay?"

Piper smiles, "Jenny! We gotta get her home."

Darryl comes in. "Prue, what's going on here? Someone wanna clue me in?"

Prue smiles, "You're arresting a kidnapper."

"And rescuing his victims. Good job." Phoebe says.

Prue nods, "Trust me. That's all what you wanna know."

Darryl nods in understanding, "I guess that's all I need to know." He arrests Carlton and leads him back out the front.

Prue kneels down next to Barker, "Mr. Barker... here's what you need to know. This place is ours. The ups, the downs, the good and especially the bad. It's all ours. Now if you ever bother us again, you won't have to ask if I'm threatening you. Are we clear?"

"Yeah!" Barker says.

Prue smiles, "Good."

The next morning Piper is sitting at a counter writing a check.

"Paying bills?" Prue asks as she and Phoebe walks into the kitchen.

Piper nods, "Every last one. For this month, at least."

Phoebe smiles, "Thanks to Leo." Piper gives Phoebe her 'evil look'. "Well, technically if it wasn't for him, you would've never landed Dishwalla."

Piper sighs, "I suppose. And technically if we hadn't vanquished a demon, your client, Chris Barker, wouldn't have abandoned his hostile takeover. The bank called... and told me Mr. Barker didn't have the stomach for gruesome stage theatrics. He's withdrawing his offer."

"I'm sorry." Prue says.

Phoebe nods, "He was just supposed to help. We didn't expect a double cross."

Piper sighs, "It's okay. I mean, I understand why you didn't want to hurt my feelings but you could have told me the truth."

Prue looks at Piper with a puppy face, "I said I was sorry."

Phoebe nods, "We're sorry."

Piper sighs, "It's just dawning on me that personal relationships and business don't mix well at all. How's Buffy?"

Prue sighs, "She's beating herself up over what happened. She keeps apologizing everytime I go by her room. I'm letting her stay home from school today."

Piper nods, "I think I understand where she was coming from. She didn't want to see us get hurt. And she was afraid that we would. So she did the most responsible thing she could and decided to help us even if it meant getting grounded."

"I don't think we should ground, yes she broke the rules. But I think the way she feels right now maybe enough punishment she needs." Prue says.

Piper nods, "I agree. In fact I think she will like to see what I got in the mail today." She hands an envelope to Prue.

Prue opens it and pulls out the permits to allow Teens into P4. "I think your right. You know your going to have to setup a system so you can identify someone underage."

Piper nods, "The Bronze stamps the hand of those underage that come in to the club. They show their ID at the door and if their underage they get their hand stamped. Now if you guys excuse me I'm going upstairs to tell Buffy the good news." She takes the permits from Prue and walks upstairs and knocks on Buffy's door.

"Come in." Buffy says. Piper walks in and sits on the bed next to Buffy. "I'm sorry I disobeyed you guys."

Piper nods, "I know. And you know what it's okay. You did it for the right reasons. If you had snuck out just to go see Dishwalla I would have been angry. But you went there not to see Dishwalla but to help us. It's not your fault it didn't work as planned."

"So I'm not grounded?" Buffy asks confused, she expected at the very least to be grounded.

"No. In fact I have a surprise for you." Piper says and she hands the permits to Buffy. "They came in today."

Buffy looks at the permits and smiles, "Congratulations Piper. Between these and rep the club got from Dishwalla."

Piper nods, "I know, the club will give The Bronze a run for it's money."


	29. Chapter 29: The Dark Age

**Chapter 29: The Dark Age**

Loud, thumping dance musice from a portable stereo, drowning out the outside world, as Buffy goes through an intense STEP-AEROBICS routine. Nearby, GILES attempts to read a book- both hands plastered over his ears. He brings one hand down to take a sip of tea, "Must we have such noise during your calisthenics?"

"It's not noise, it's music," Buffy says.

Giles shakes his head, "I know music. Music has notes. This is noise."

"I'm aerobicizing. I must have the beat. Besides Piper wanted me to review the band, she thinking about trying to get them for the club." Buffy said.

Giles sighs, "Wonderful. You work on your muscle tone while my brains dribble out my ears."

The song ends, Buffy finishing her exercise routine and turns off the stereo,.

"Ah. Very good. The rest is silence." Giles said.

"I think they'll be good." Buffy said. "Piper should be happy."

The next morning outside the school; Buffy sits with Willow.

"I'm on a beach. Not an American beach - one of those island beaches where the water is way too blue. It's just before sunset, I'm lying on a towel and Gavin Rossdale is massaging my feet."

Willow laughs, "That's good. Uh, i'm in Florence, Italy. I've rented a scooter which is parked outside. I'm in a little restaurant having ziti and there's no more tables so they have to seat this guy with me and it's John Cusack."

"Very impressive. An eye for detail." Buffy said.

"'Cause, with the ziti." Willow replies excitedly.

Xander wanders over to them, "What are you guys up to?"

Buffy smiles, "Just having a quick game of "Anywhere But Here.""

Xander smiles, "Amy Yip at the waterslide park."

"You never come up with anything new." Willow says.

They start towards the door.

"I'm not fickle like you two, okay?" Xander says. "I'm constant in my affections. Amy Yip at the waterslide park."

They see Giles lecturing a student by the door.

"You think Giles ever played "Anywhere But Here" in school?" Willow asks.

Xander shakes his head, "Giles lived for school. He's still bitter there were only twelve grades."

"He probably sat in math class thinking, "There should be more math! This could be mathier."" Buffy said.

Willow nods, "You don't think he ever got restless when he was little?"

"Are you kidding? His diapers were tweed." Buffy said.

They reach Giles, who falls in step with Buffy. "Ah. There you are," Giles said.

"Morning. Say, is that tweed?" Buffy asks.

"What?" Giles says, "Oh. Well, yes. Now, tonight is a very important -"

"You know, Giles, I realize the Henry Higgins bit may have been the mod look for your generation, but a lot has happened since then. Like the 20th Century, for example." Buffy said.

Giles frowns, "As an educator, it behooves me to set myself apart from you students by my mode of dress and demeanor."

"Is it stuffy in here, or is it just you?" Buffy asks.

Giles shakes his head, "Laugh all you want, but the problem with this culture is its disregard for decorum, which I believe has led to the current pursuit of feel-good nihilism."

"What have I been saying for years?" Xander says.

Willow shakes her head, "That you'll die a virgin? Oh. The nihilism thing. Sorry. Missed the funny there.

They enter the building.

"So, what's on tap tonight that's so important?" Buffy asks. "Uprising? Prophesied ritual? Preordained death-fest? Is it Power of Three or just little ole me deal?"

"Ah, the old standards." Xander says.

Giles nods, "A transport vehicle is delivering a supply of blood to the hospital."

"Aha. Vampire meals-on-wheels. Just little ole me deal." Buffy said.

"Well, hopefully not. We should meet in front of the hospital at 8:30 sharp. I'll bring the weaponry." Giles said.

"And I'll bring the party mix." Buffy said.

Giles gives Buffy a stern look, "Just don't be late."

"Giles, have I ever let you down?" Buffy asks.

"Do you want me to answer that, or shall I just glare?" Giles says.

Ms. Calendar approaches. Giles brightens when he sees her. "Morning, England."

"Hello, Ms... Jenny." Giles says.

"Feel the passion." Willow says.

"Willow-" Ms. Calendar says.

Willow coughs, "Coughing, not speaking."

"-we're still on for tomorrow?" Ms. Calendar asks.

Willow nods.

"What's tomorrow?" Xander asks.

"I'm reviewing some computer basics with a couple of students who have fallen behind. Willow's helping for extra credit." Ms. Calendar says.

Xander smiles, "Hah! Those poor schlubs. Having to give up their Saturday-"

"Nine a.m. okay with you, Xander?" Ms. Calendar asks.

Xander's face falls.

"You've got a bit of schlub on your shoe, there." Buffy says.

"Cordelia is going to meet us." Ms. Calendar says.

Xander nods, "Hey, gang, did you hear that? A bonus day of class, plus Cordelia! A little rectal surgery and it would be the best day ever!"

Ms. Calendar looks to Giles, "Walk me to class?"

"Pleasure." Giles said.

Ms. Calendar smiles, "Nice coat."

"Tweed, you know." Giles said for Buffy's benefit.

A BELL RINGS. Ms. Calendar and Giles head down the hall which begins to empty as students enter classrooms.

Buffy smiles after them. "Look at them."

"A twosome of cuteness." Xander says.

Willow nods, "Can't you just imagine them getting together?"

The three watch Ms. Calendar and Giles for a beat. Then, as the image sinks in: they shudder.

That night Buffy and Phoebe waits.

Buffy Checks her watch and looks around, concerned: no Giles. "Don't be late. Sheesh."

Phoebe sighs, "Why don't you try him, Buffy. I'll keep watch just in case."

Buffy nods and moves to a pay phone, drops in a quarter, dials. Gets a busy signal. "Giles, why is your phone busy when you're supposed to be here?" She punches 0. "Operator, can you check a line for me..."

Then headlights wash across her face.

"Buffy," Phoebe says.

"Never mind. Sorry." Buffy says and hangs up

She moves back into the shadows next to Phoebe as they watch.

A van with "Medical Transport" stencilled on the side pulls to a stop at the loading dock. The DRIVER gets out, moves to a couple of intertns. One of the interns signs a clipboard the Driver holds for him, the other hefts a large ice chest out of the van.

The Driver gets in his car and drives away. Buffy and Phoebe watches the interns head for the hospital back door.

"All's well that ends with cute E.R. doctors I always say." Buffy says as she turns and starts away.

Phoebe doesn't follow her, "Buffy, since when do doctors take deliveries?"

Buffy frowns and turns to see the interns move past the back door and pick up their pace, heading down the side of the building. They moves into action, vaulting off the wall and closing the gap.

One of the "Interns" rips off his stethoscope and pulls a blood bag out of the ice chest the other one carries. They're heading towards a muscle car parked nearby. The driver of that car steps out. He is a vampire.

"Hey, no sampling the product," says the driver.

The "intern" ignores the driver, bites into the bag. The other intern, growls at him.

Then a shadowy figure leaps on the first intern from behind.

Phoebe runs runs, pulling out a stake.

Buffy powers up a fireball and leaps into the air, coming down on the shadowy figure's back, about to throw the fireball, when he turns, "Angel!" She holds up just in time.

"Buffy! Look out!" Angel and Phoebe say at once.

The driver rans shoulder-first into Buffy, taking her to the ground. He turns on Angel who hits him real darn hard.

The first intern dives for Buffy who holds up her fireball as the vamp falls on it dusting.

The second intern comes at Angel who uses the second intern's velocity to whip him around and send him towards Phoebe who has her stake ready. "Incoming!"

Phoebe stakes him. A roaring engine causes them to look over at the muscle car as vamp-driver roars away.

"How did you know about this?" Buffy asks.

"It's delivery day. Everybody knows about this." Angel says. "They only ruined one bag."

"Can you make sure the hospital gets the rest?" Buffy asks. Angel nods. Buffy looks to Phoebe, "I'm worried about Giles. He was supposed to meet us here."

"Maybe he's late." Angel says.

Buffy shakes her head, "Giles? Who counts tardiness as the eighth deadly sin?"

"Right. Go." Angel says.

Buffy and Phoebe 10 minutes later come up to Giles door. Buffy listens at the door for a moment. Hears Giles' muffled voice, "Are you certain she didn't leave a forwarding number? I've been on the phone for hours, this is a matter of life and –"

Buffy knocks. A couple of beats, then Giles opens the door a CRACK, stares out at Buffy and Phoebe.

"Buffy, Phoebe. It's late, are you both all right?" Giles asks.

"I was going to ask you the same thing," Buffy said.

Giles nods, "Yes, fine. I'm afraid I'm rather busy. I'll see you Monday at school -" He tries to shut the door. She stops it.

"Giles, did you forget about the hospital? Vampires? Bags of blood in handy carry out packets?" Buffy asks.

"Oh. Are you all right? Were you hurt?" Giles asks.

"We're fine," Phoebe says.

Buffy nods, "Well my feelings a little. What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Nothing's wrong, I'm in the middle of an extremely important matter and I'm sorry but I'm just going to have to say good night now." Giles said and he forces the door closed. They hear him LOCK it from inside. Then footsteps. Then his MUFFLED VOICE again on the phone. "Are you still there? Yes, any number, a relative, anything..."

Buffy stares at the door for a beat.

"Come on Buffy," Phoebe says. "There is obviously nothing we can do tonight."

Buffy nods as she and Phoebe turns and leaves.

The next day at the high school in the computer lab. Ms. Calender is talking to the assembled group for their Saturday make-up session. "All right, the first thing we want to do is..." She sees Buffy and Piper at the door. "Payson, Ms. Hallwell."

"Huh? Did I fall asleep already?" Xander asks then he sees Buffy as the door.

"Ahhh. You miss your friends," Willow says.

"Sit here, Buffs. De-militarize the zone between me and Cordelia." Xander says.

"And de-lice him while you're at it." Cordelia says sarcastically.

"Actually I wanted to talk to you for a second." Buffy says to Ms. Calendar.

"Is something wrong?" Ms. Calendar asks.

Piper shrugs, "Buffy just asked me to drive her over this morning."

"Is it some crisis that requires instant action - very far from here?" Xander asks.

"I'm not sure..." Buffy says.

"Think, dammit! Buffy, don't make me beg." Xander says.

"Well, it's Giles," Buffy says.

Piper looks at Buffy and then remembers the conversation she had with Phoebe the night before.

"A loved one, good..." Xander says.

"He's all right, isn't he?" Willow asks.

Buffy sighs, "I don't know. He didn't show up last night when he was supposed to, and then Phoebe and I went by his place and he was acting... well, very Anti-Giles."

"You went by his place? He has a place?" Willow asks. "Of course he has a... I just never think of him living anywhere outside the library. So there was weirdness?"

Buffy nods, "He wouldn't let me in. He looked terrible. And I think he might have been... uh, I think he was drinking."

"He was home alone drinking?" Piper asks finally understanding Buffy's concern.

Willow shakes her head, "But... tea, right?"

"It wasn't tea, Will." Buffy says.

"Yup. I knew this would happen. Nobody can be wound as straight and narrow as Giles without a dark side erupting. My Uncle Roary was the stodgiest taxidermist you ever met - by day - by night it was booze and whores and fur flying... were there any whores?" Xander asks.

"Xander." Willow says.

"He was alone." Buffy says.

"Give it time." Xander says.

Buffy shakes her head, "None of you have noticed anything different about him lately?"

"No." Willow says.

Ms. Calendar shakes her head, "Not really."

"Sorry," Piper says. "Haven't seen him since Parent/Teacher's night. Might ask Prue I think she talked to him at Halloween during that whole costume episode."

Buffy nods, "Haven't seen anything weird?"

Xander shakes his head, "No."

Cordelia nods, "He was perfectly normal yesterday when I saw him talking to the police."

They all look at her.

"And you waited until now to tell us because...?" Buffy asks.

"I didn't think it was important." Cordelia says.

"We understand. It wasn't about you." Xander says sarcastically.

"What were the police talking to him about?" Piper asks.

Cordelia shrugs, "Don't tell me, I know this one... something about a... homicide."

Buffy frowns, "I'm calling him right now." She and Piper leave the classroom and head to the library. Buffy heads for Giles' office.

Piper suddenly hears a noise, "Buffy," she mutters under her breath.

Buffy nods indicating she's heard it.

They run up the stairs and move in and out of the shadows peering down one row. They pin themselves against a bookcase and move to the end of the shelves, and checks another row. Again, nothing. Buffy turns and looks through a rack. Someone stares back at her from the other side.

Buffy jumps back, startled.

The the bookcase starts to come down on top of Buffy when Piper raises her hands freezing it. "Thanks, Piper," Buffy says. She runs around the frozen book case and grabs the man spinning him around. "I know you, you ran that costume shop."

Piper frowns, "The one that cast the spell?"

Buffy nods, "What Giles said."

"I'm pleased you remember. Though I don't think I've had the pleasure of meeting a Charmed One before." Ethan said.

"You sold me that dress for Halloween and nearly got us all killed." Buffy said.

"But you looked great." Ethan said.

Piper agrees that Buffy did look great in the dress. "You better start talking. What are you doing here? And before you try and weasel out if you know I'm a Charmed One then you know who Buffy is. And I think she might like to pummel you for what happened at Halloween."

Ethan nods, "I know… I was snooping around."

"Honesty. Nice touch." Buffy said.

"It's one of my virtues." Ethan says smiling. "Not really."

"I got a great idea..." Buffy says as she grabs Ethan. "...why don't I just call the police and have you arrested for breaking and entering and get back to my fun Saturday."

Ethan frowns, "Yes, the police. They'll have so many questions - they'll really need Rupert to answer them all."

"You know Giles?" Piper asks.

Ethan nods, "We go back. Way back. You wouldn't happen to know where he is, would you?"

A few moment later Buffy has the phone in one hand.

Ethan's shirt sleeve is rolled up, revealing the tattoo we've been seeing.

"Giles, it's me." Buffy says.

"Buffy. Unless this is an emergency, I'll see you in school on Monday -" Giles says.

Buffy frowns, "What's the Mark of Eyghon?" There is no answer from Giles. "Giles?"

"Cat got his tongue?" Ethan asks.

"I'm in your office with Piper and someone who claims to be an old friend of yours: Ethan Rayne." Buffy said.

"He's there with you and Piper?" Giles asks. "Buffy, listen to me. You and Piper are in great danger with Ethan there. I want you to put down the phone and you and Piper get out of the library as quickly as possible."

"Piper can freeze him if tries anything. And I'm not going anywhere until you start giving me some answers -"

A man, Philip, who is obviously dead crashes through a window in Giles' office. Glass shatters and flies everywhere. Philip comes for Ethan. Ethan puts Buffy between himself and Philip.

Piper holds up her hands and tries to freeze Philip, "He's not freezing."

Buffy roundhouse kicks Philip. It doesn't have much more effect on Philip than Piper freezing him. He turns his wrath on Buffy. She "lets" Philip back her towards the book cage - actually setting him up.

Piper watches Ethan who tries to jump the front desk.

Xander, Cordelia, Willow and Jenny enter.

Piper raises her hands and freezes Ethan.

Philip lunges at Buffy, she ducks under his big arms and boots him into the cage, slamming and locking the cage door on him.

Philip paces in the cage, looking very dead and scary. Willow watches him from a safe distance. As do Xander, Cordelia, Jenny and Ethan (who Piper unfroze). Piper watches Ethan.

Willow shakes her head, "I'm not getting close enough to feel his pulse, but I've gotta say he looks pretty dead."

"Except for the walking around and attacking Buffy part." Xander says.

Ethan nods, "He's dead. Sorry, Philip. Really I am."

"You know him?" Piper asks.

Ethan nods, "Knew him."

"Hey, you don't speak until we tell you to speak." Cordelia says.

"Uh, Cordelia, Piper did tell him to speak." Buffy said.

Giles rushes in. "Is everyone all right?"

Cordelia nods, "Super."

Ms. Calendar nods, "We're okay."

"Dead guy there interrupted our tutorial. Been meaning to thank you for that." Xander says.

Philip makes a terrible sound in his throat. Xander takes a giant step back.

Giles studies Philip. "It... can't be."

"Oh yes it can. Hello, Ripper." Ethan says.

"I thought I told you to leave town." Giles said.

Piper frowns, "If he told you to leave why didn't you?"

"You did." Ethan said. "I didn't. Shop's lease is paid through the end of the month."

Cordelia turns to Xander. "Why'd he call him Ripper?"

Giles grabs Ethan. Pretty roughly. The gang's never seen him like this before. "You should have left when I told you!"

"Oh." Cordelia says.

"You've put these people in danger. These are people I care about." Giles said.

Cordelia turns to Xander. "Wow, even me?"

Xander gives a quick shake of his head: "no".

"If you care so much about them why didn't you leave town. I know you've been having the dreams, I have, we both know what's coming." Ethan says. "This isn't even something they can take care of." He indicates Piper. "And you know it."

Giles glares at Ethan, then lets him go.

Buffy moves next to him. "What dreams, what's going on?"

Giles frowns, "I..."

Ethan smiles, "Tell her, Ripper."

Buffy looks from Ethan to Giles. "Giles?"

Philip kicks open the cage door. He hurls Ms. Calendar into the wall. She hits her head and falls to the ground, unconscious.

"Jenny!" Giles said.

"I can't freeze it!" Piper said.

Ethan looks truly frightened of Philip and runs for the door. "Nooo!"

Willow and Cordelia scramble out of the way as Buffy punches and kicks Philip.

Xander slides a book cart behind Philip. Buffy stomps Philip into it. He goes over the book cart and lands on the floor. He starts to get up. Buffy moves in for further carnage, but Philip's body begins to shake.

Philip collapses on the floor and liquefies.

"That's something you don't see every day." Willow says.

"Oh my god! I'll be in therapy till I'm thirty!" Cordelia says.

Piper rolls her eyes, "Ms. Chase believe me what little you've seen is nothing since you've known Buffy is nothing."

The liquid moves across the floor. Eerie. Giles has knelt down, the unconscious Ms. Calendar cradled in his arms.

No one notices Ms. Calendar's hand on the floor as a tiny trickle of the liquid touches it. Her hand twitches. She starts to come to.

"Jenny?" Giles asks.

Ms. Calendar holds her head, "Ow..."

"Careful, careful. Can you stand?" Giles asks.

Ms. Calendar nods, "I think so."

Giles helps her to her feet.

"This is what happens when you have school on Saturday." Cordelia says to Xander.

Ms. Calendar gets her balance.

"Here, lean on me." Giles says as she does, her arms go around him. "It'll be all right..."

"Promise?" Ms. Calendar asks.

Giles nods, "I promise."

"I believe you." Ms. Calendar says.

"How's your head?" Piper asks.

"Throbbing." Jenny says.

Buffy moves near Giles. He looks at her, uncomfortable, tense. "Giles, what's going on?"

"It's... complicated, Buffy, and frankly it's private." Giles said.

Piper frowns, "What demon attacked us? We need to find out."

Buffy frowns, "I don't care from private, I care from dead guys attacking us, I care from you Lost Weekending in your apartment."

"I wasn't... I just had to work out a solution." Giles said.

Buffy nods, "Solution is good. Why don't we share? What's the mark of Eyghon?"

Ms. Calendar moans a little, rubs her head with the washcloth.

"This is not your battle, and as your watcher, I'm telling you in no uncertain terms: stay out of it. Piper this is not a Charmed problem, I don't need your help either. I've got to get Jenny home." Giles said.

"Home. That sounds so good right now." Ms. Calendar says.

Giles takes Ms. Calendar's arm and walks her to the door. They head out, Buffy staring hard after them.

Buffy takes control, handing out orders, "We have work to do. Willow, I want you to find out anything and everything you can about the mark of Eyghon. Piper get Prue to either bring over one of our Books or have her look in it there. See if it has anything."

"So what Giles just said about staying out of it –" Willow says.

"Thrill, as I ignore it completely. He needs our help and he's going to get it." Buffy said.

Willow nods, "I can try the net, but the mark of Eyghon sounds like a Giles and his books kind of deal."

"So we hit the books." Buffy says as she follows Willow, as she heads for the books. "Xander, how do you feel about rifling through Giles' personal files, see if you can shed some light."

"I feel pretty good about it. Does that make me a sociopath?" Xander says.

Buffy hits the books herself. Cordelia moves next to her, impatient. Buffy finally notices her. "What?"

"What about me? I care about Giles." Cordelia says.

"Work with Xander." Buffy says.

"Well, when I say "care", I mean -" Cordelia says.

"Ms. Chase," Piper says.

"Okay, okay." Cordelia says.

Piper walks into Giles office and dials the Manor, "Prue."

30 minutes later Prue walks in with the Charmed Book. "I've got something." She lays the Book down and opens it to a page, "Eyghon, also called the Sleepwalker, can only exist in this reality by possessing an unconscious host. Temporary possession imbues the host with a euphoric feeling of power."

"What about not temporary?" Buffy asks.

"Unless the proper rituals are observed, the possession is permanent, and Eyghon will be born from within the host." Prue says.

"I'm guessing, Eew." Cordelia says.

"Once called, Eyghon can also take possession of the dead, but its demonic energy soon disintegrates the host and it must jump to the nearest dead or unconscious person to continue living." Prue says.

"I still don't understand what this has to do with Giles." Buffy says.

"Well, I don't know about Giles, but ancient sects used to induce possession for bacchanals and orgies." Willow says.

Xander shakes his head, "Okay, "Giles" and "orgies" in the same sentence. Coulda lived without that."

"Wait a minute. The dead guy. He's all puddly now." Buffy said.

Cordelia nods, "So the demon is gone. There was no one dead to jump into. I mean, we're all not dead, right?"

"No one dead..." Buffy says. "But someone unconscious." She looks to Prue. "Vanquish?"

Prue shakes her head, "The Book doesn't list one and I looked in yours and ours. So I'm guessing this isn't something we can vanquish with the Power of Three."

Buffy runs into the office and tries both Ms. Calendar's phone number and Giles. Then she tries the operator. "Thank you, operator." She slams the phone down. "No answer at Ms. Calendar's and Giles' line is out of order. I'm getting over there. Prue, Piper find anything you can on how to vanquish this thing."

"Were on it, Buffy." Piper says.

Buffy heads out the door and and out of the school. She makes her way to Giles apartment. She tries the door but it's locked. She leans back and kicks it in.

Demon Jenny turns and hisses as Buffy comes flying in. Buffy takes a moment to absorb the hideousness of what she's seeing, then sends Demon Jenny sprawling backwards with a kick to the midsection.

Buffy stands in front of Giles, blocking Demon Jenny's way to him. "Back off. Just stay back."

Demon Jenny looks at Buffy, then at Giles and laughs, "Three down, two to go! Be seeing you." She dives through a window.

Buffy kneels down to Giles, who is badly injured. Blood runs down his forehead, and his arm is useless. "Are you all right?"

"Jenny... Oh, God..." Giles says.

Buffy frowns, "Giles, how do we stop this thing?"

"God, what have I done?" Giles asks.

"Talk to me! Giles, you're scaring me." Buffy says.

"I'm sorry..." Giles says.

"Don't be sorry! Be Giles! Come on, we fight demons. They show up, they scare us, I beat them up or vanquish them with Prue, Piper and Phoebe. Then they leave. This isn't any different." Buffy says.

"It is different." Giles said.

"Because you don't know how to stop it." Buffy says.

"Because I created it." Giles says. "I was twenty-one... Studying history at Oxford and of course the occult by night. I hated it. The boring grind of school, the pressure of my "destiny". So I dropped out. I went to London, fell in with the worst crowd that would have me. We practiced magicks. Small stuff, for pleasure or gain. And then Ethan and I discovered something a little bigger."

"Eyghon." Buffy said.

"Yes. We put one of us into a deep sleep and the others would summon him. It was an extraordinary high. God, we were fools." Giles said.

Buffy nods, "You couldn't control it."

"One of us, Randall, he lost control. Eyghon took him whole. We tried to exorcise the demon from Randall, but it killed him. We killed him." Giles said.

Buffy looks at Giles in shock, "Goddess..."

Giles nods, "We thought we were free of the demon after that. But it's back. And one by one it will kill us all."

"Three down, two to go." Buffy said and Giles nods. "Then it's going after Ethan. I better beat it there."

"We better." Giles said.

"You're barely mobile and speed is of the serious essence." Buffy said.

Giles shakes his head, "Buffy, I don't know how to stop it without... without killing Jenny."

"I got the guys, Prue and Piper working on it. I'll try to contain her till we can figure something." Buffy says as she starts out.

"Buffy!" Giles says and she stops. "I'm sorry."

Buffy smiles, "I know." She heads out the door and heads for the costume shop. She goes inside and looks around. The place is dark, and. "Ethan..."

Buffy cautiously moves further in. She hears a noise and spins around. Nothing. Or did something move behind one of the mannequins? "I'm not here to hurt you... I'm sorry to say. Giles told me everything. It's coming for you. We've got to stop it."

Ethan appears behind her. "And you came to protect me. I'm touched."

Buffy spins around. "Don't worry, it's nothing personal: to protect Giles I have to protect you."

"How does Ripper inspire such goodness?" Ethan asks.

"Because he's Giles. Besides I'm Charmed. It's in my job description." Buffy says.

"And I'm not. Still, lucky me." Ethan says.

Buffy nods, "Lucky you."

"Well, we can't run. Eyghon will find us. This mark might as well be a homing beacon." Ethan says.

"That's all right. I'm not big on running anyway." Buffy says.

"Aren't we manly." Ethan says.

Buffy sighs, "One of us is. You're gonna hide till it's over."

"Excellent plan." Ethan says.

"Is there a way in through the back?" Buffy asks.

Ethan nods, "There's a door, but it's locked. I think it's solid."

"Well, we can set you up back there. Come on." Buffy says.

"Oh, no..." Ethan says smiling and gestures gestures for her to go. Buffy moves towards the back. He steps behind her with a board in his hands. He brings it up sharply and cracks her on the head with. Hard. She falls to the ground. He stares down at her. "...ladies first."

Short time later Buffy is lying face down on a long, narrow table. Her ankles are tied together, and her arms are wrapped around the table with her wrists tied together underneath it. Ethan finishes tying her as she comes to, "Wakey, wakey. You don't want to miss the fun."

"What fun?" Buffy asks.

"Your initiation. And don't try using your power on the ropes. I would hate to hit you again and start over." Ethan says.

"You know what? I'm not real interested in joining your club." Buffy says as she tries to power up a fireball. But her hands are tied to close together for her to produce one.

"Too late. I already voted you in. I hope you appreciate this is nothing personal, Buffy. I actually kind of like you. It's just..." Ethan says as he grabs a large needle off a tray and dips it in ink. "I like myself more. You know, if you look at it karmically, this is very big for your soul: you're taking my place with the demon, giving so that others may live."

Ethan pulls Buffy's hair away, revealing the back of her neck. "Now, you might feel a slight sting at first. But that'll go away once the searing pain kicks in." He begins carving the tattoo into the back of Buffy's neck.

Buffy grimaces and grits her teeth.

"You can go ahead and scream." Ethan says.

Ethan wipes the back of Buffy's neck with a cloth after he finishes the completed tattoo, the now familiar mark of Eyghon. "Perhaps I missed my calling as an artist."

"Listen to me, Ethan. This is a BAD IDEA. You're dealing with something very dangerous." Buffy says.

"But this'll throw Eyghon off my scent." Ethan says.

"I'm not talking about Eyghon." Buffy says.

Ethan reaches towards the tray and grabs a bottle of ACID. Buffy looks alarmed, struggles with her bonds. "Gosh, you are spunky. Relax, I'm done with you. It's my turn now..." He smiles at her, then pours acid on his own tattoo.

Buffy searches around with her fingers. She feels a nail protruding slightly from the inside edge. She begins to dig her fingernail into the wood, trying to jar the nail loose.

Ethan finishes burning the tattoo off of his arm.

Buffy has the nail out and is using it to cut the rope that binds her wrists. If she can cut them enough she should be able to power up a fireball to free them the rest of the way.

Ethan wraps a bandage around his arm. "I hate to mutilate and run but..." He heads for the door, stops, seeing Demon Jenny.

Ethan backs away. Fast.

The door shoots open, seemingly on its own. Demon Jenny steps inside. The door shuts behind her as she moves towards Ethan. "It is your time."

Ethan stands frozen. Demon Jenny gets nose-to-nose with him. Then jerks her head and stares right at Buffy. And leaps.

Buffy has her hands freed enough that she quickly powers a fireball and burns the rest of the way through the ropes. She rolls off the table as Demon Jenny lands on it. Buffy rocks onto her back and upends the table by kicking it with her still-bound feet. Demon Calendar falls away.

Buffy rips the rope off her ankles and stands to face Demon Jenny, with the table between them. Demon Jenny picks up the table and uses it to push Buffy back, pinning her against the wall. Buffy strains to escape. She's trapped for only an instant as suddenly she is engulfed in flames.

"Eyghon!" Giles says as he sees Buffy engulfed in the flames and then she is gone. "Take me."

Demon Jenny heaves the table aside. It crashes and splinters near Ethan, who now crouches in a corner.

Buffy flames back in where she was pinned a moment before. "What happened?"

"Buffy, get out of here!" Giles says.

Demon Jenny goes for Giles.

"No!" Buffy says as she flames out again, flaming in this time between Giles and Demon Jenny.

Demon Jenny raises her hand and touches her finger to Buffy's face. A surge of energy rushes through the touch, and Buffy is thrown across the room away from Giles.

Demon Jenny tosses Giles to the ground and straddles him. "I've been waiting a long time to do this."

Suddenly, Demon Jenny is tackled off Giles by Angel.

Prue, Piper, Phoebe, Willow, Xander, and Cordelia run in just in time to see Angel strangling the life out of Demon Jenny. Giles starts toward her, but Prue stops him.

"He's killing her." Giles says.

"Trust me. This is going to work..." Piper says.

Prue and Phoebe go over to Buffy and help her up. "Are you okay?" Prue asks.

Buffy nods, "Yeah I'm fine. Remind later to try and show you my new power."

Demon Jenny claws at Angel's hands as she gasps for breath. She looks up at Angel. Their eyes lock. She howls out in pain as Angel is thrown off her. She rolls away, coughing – Eyghon having left her.

"Did we kill it?" Cordelia asks.

Angel cries out as his eyes glow.

"It's in Angel!" Buffy says.

"This is going to work." Piper says looking over at her cousin.

They watch as Angel's face morphs between; demon, vampire and Angel. Alternating between the three as an internal battle takes place.

Finally, the demon screams and fades away.

Angel falls to the ground. Buffy breaks away from her cousins as she and Willow rush over to him. Ethan takes the opportunity to sneak out.

Giles has recovered and struggles to his feet. He goes to Ms. Calendar and takes her in his arms. "Jenny...?"

"Rupert." Jenny says.

Giles nods, "It's okay. I've got you."

Buffy and Willow help Angel to his feet, Buffy putting it together as she looks between her cousins and Willow, "You guys knew that if the demon was in danger it would jump into the nearest dead guy."

Piper and Willow nods and smiles.

"I put it in danger." Angel says.

"And it jumped." Piper says.

"But I've had a demon inside me for a couple hundred years just waiting for a good fight." Angel says.

Buffy smiles, "Winner and still champion."

"Uh, I think that Ethan guy disappeared." Xander says.

Buffy shakes her head, "Darn. I really wanted to hit him till he bled."

Cordelia nods, "Well, at least it's over."

Buffy looks at Giles and Jenny as he helps her to the door. It's not over for him.

Prue looks to Buffy's neck, "We're going to have to get that removed."

"I know," Buffy says. "Besides the only tattoo I probably would want is on the cover of the Books."

Prue, Piper and Phoebe look at each other and nod.

"Well I think you can wait till your eighteen, for that." Prue says. "So what's this new power?"

"I wonder if I can do it," Buffy says thinking to herself. "Hold on." She smiles to her cousins as they grab her hands and she flames out.

The next morning at school Xander, Buffy, and Willow walk along.

"The worst thing is, I was saving up for some very important shoes. Now I gotta blow my allowance repaying Prue for getting that stupid tattoo removed." Buffy says.

"Putting the demon into Angel was pretty brill, Will." Xander says.

Willow smiles, "Actually it was more Piper's idea. But I wasn't sure it would work."

"But it did." Buffy said.

Xander nods, "Like a charm."

"Maybe you should consider a career as a Watcher." Buffy says.

"Oh no, I don't think I could take the stress." Willow says.

Xander laughs, "And the dental plan is crap."

"I don't know how Giles does it." Willow says.

Buffy nods, "I don't think he has a choice." She looks off at Giles as he hurries to enter a school building. She follows him inside at a distance. When Jenny moves up the stairs she approaches him. "How is she?"

"The hills are not alive." Giles said.

Buffy sighs, "I'm sorry to hear that... I think..."

Giles nods, "I don't imagine she'll ever really forgive me. Maybe she shouldn't."

Buffy shakes her head, "Maybe you should."

"I never wanted you to see that side of me." Giles said.

Buffy sighs, "I'm not gonna lie. It was scary. I'm used to you being, you know, The Grown-up. And then I find out that you're a person."

"Most grown-ups are." Giles says.

Buffy laughs, "Who would've thought?"

Giles nods, "Some of them are even very short- sighted, foolish people."

"So after all this time it turns out we do have something in common. Which, apart from being a little weird... is kind of okay." Buffy says. Giles is quiet - too grateful to say anything just yet. "I think we're supposed to be training, right?"

Giles nods, "Uh, yes. Need to concentrate on your flexibility. And I think Prue wanted me help train you on your new power."

Buffy holds up a CD, "I got the perfect music. Another band Piper wants me to check out." He eyes the CD. "Go on, you know you want to say it."

"That isn't music, it's just meaningless sounds." Giles said.

Buffy smiles, "There. Feel better?"

Giles nods, "Yes, thank you." The head towards the library. "The Bay City Rollers, now that's music."

"Oh, goddess..." Buffy says.

Giles smiles, "About this new power?"

Buffy looks around and makes sure no one is watching. She smiles and grabs Giles hands, "Let's hope I get it right this time. I missed the Manor by about three blocks last night." She flames out with Giles.

"Buffffyyyy!"

* * *

**Author's Note: **Yes I changed my mind on flame teleport.


	30. Chapter 30: That Old Black Magic

**Q/A: BeneathYouICrunch - **Her firepower is growing.

**Blacksword Zero - **Some possibilities for further growth of her firepower I may keep in mind.

* * *

**Chapter 30: That Old Black Magic**

Phoebe's looking out the living room window, talking on the phone to Prue. "Prue, Dan's truck just pulled up outside."

"Dan's truck? So?" Prue says.

Phoebe sighs, "So, Piper is with him and they're kissing. And I'm not talking about 'thanks for lunch' peck on the cheek kinda kiss. They mean business." She turns away disgusted.

"Okay, what is the problem? They like each other, this is a good thing." Prue says.

Phoebe shakes her head, "No, I know, I'm just worried that she's moving too fast. Like she's too in a hurry to get involved with someone else."

"Look, Piper's a big girl and really, I mean, it's none of our business. Right? Right?" Prue says.

"Isn't it sort of our business?" Phoebe asks.

"Okay, Phoebe, Piper can not just sit around for the rest of her life waiting for Leo. She's trying to move on." Prue says. "Besides, Dan's a great guy. Uh, gotta go, okay, bye." She hangs up.

Phoebe looks out the window and see Dan and Piper walking towards the door. "It's about freakin' time." Leo orbs in. "Oh! Leo, whatever happened to knocking?"

"I'm sorry, Phoebe, but there's no time. Where's Buffy, Prue and Piper? We have to talk." Leo says.

Phoebe shakes her head, "Uh, you know, now's not really a good time. Okay, I know, how about you orb back in say an hour. Okay, that would be great, bye, bye."

Leo shakes his head, "I can't. The worst thing imaginable just happened."

Buffy flames in.

Leo jumps back, "What the heck."

"What?" Buffy asks.

"How did you do that, it's a demonic power." Leo says.

"Oh the flame thing," Buffy says. "Not sure. I just started doing it a few days ago. Must be an extension of my fire power."

The door opens and Dan and Piper walk in laughing. They see Leo. Leo looks upset.

Piper and Leo walk in the solarium. "It's not that it isn't great to see you, Leo, because it is. But you can't just orb in whenever it's convenient."

"It's never been a problem before." Leo says.

Piper sighs, "Yeah, well, things have changed."

"I can see that." Leo says.

"Leo ..." Piper says.

Leo nods, "Sorry, wasn't fair. Where's Prue?"

"At work." Buffy says as she walks into the room.

Piper looks to Buffy, "Which reminds me. Why aren't you at school?"

Leo nods, "Fine. Then we'll have to start without her and your friend Dan has to leave now."

Buffy sighs, "I forgot a book. So flamed back to get it." Piper glares at her. "No one saw me."

Piper nods and looks back to Leo, "Oh, really? Why?"

"Because Buffy, you Piper and your sisters have a very big problem. A magical problem. Look, this isn't personal, it's business."

"What else is new?" Piper asks.

"Looks like I'm going to be missing last period then." Buffy says.

"You know, that handyman guy sure does hang around here a lot." Dan says in the Foyer.

Phoebe nods, "Well, it's an old house. Lots of things need fixing."

"Then why does Piper look so upset?" Dan asks.

Phoebe sighs, "Because there are some things he can't fix the way she wants it."

Dan looks at his watch. "You know, I'm late for a job. If you could just have her call me."

Phoebe nods, "Oh-oh, oops." She wipes lipstick off his face. "Lipstick."

"Thanks." Dan says as he opens the door. "Are Piper and Leo...?"

Phoebe smiles, "You're late."

Dan nods and heads out the door.

Piper walks back in the foyer. "Dan, wait. Well, I wouldn't know where to begin anyway."

Phoebe sighs, "Everything okay, sweetie?"

Piper shakes her head, "Oh, no."

Buffy and Leo walks back in the foyer.

"Come on, we gotta get going." Leo says.

Phoebe frowns, "Going? Where are we going?"

"I'll explain on the way." Leo says.

"No Leo, you'll explain now. We're not going anywhere." Piper says.

Leo sighs, "Two hundreds years ago, a good witch turned evil, and started using her craft against innocents. Fortunately she was tricked in a cave and entombed. But unfortunately this morning Tuatha escaped."

"Tuatha? Who wouldn't go bad with a name like that?" Buffy says.

Piper nods, "So, you want us to find her and vanquish her. What's the big deal?"

Leo shakes his head, "The big deal is you can't vanquish her. No witch can. She kills good witches."

Piper frowns, "Leo, if we can't defeat her, than who can?"

Leo nods, "There's only one person. He's known as the Chosen One."

Buffy raises her hand, "I'm the Chosen One, remember? Slayer."

Leo sighs, "Actually there is more than one kind of Chosen One."

"So is he a witch?" Phoebe asks.

Leo shakes his head, "No, he's a normal person. Other than the fact that he was born to use Tuatha's wand against her."

"So, what do you want from us? Why don't you just go get him?" Piper asks.

"I need you to protect him from Tuatha until the wand comes to him. It shouldn't be long. Look, law has it that once the witch is free, the wand will find him. But if she finds it first..." Leo says.

Buffy nods, "She'll kill him.

Leo nods, "And then she'll come after you too."

Buffy, Piper, Phoebe and Leo are walking down the sidewalk towards Gateway High.

"I don't know, an evil witch who gets her jolly's killing good witches? Maybe we should of waited for Prue to get home." Piper says.

Leo shakes his head, "There's no time."

"I could try flaming her here?" Buffy said.

Piper shakes her head, "The first time you tried taking passengers you missed the Manor by three blocks and the second time you wound up in the girl's locker room instead of the library. Until you have a better hang on it, it's better you not try with passengers again for a while."

"Okay, please tell me we're here because the Chosen One is a big burly football coach." Phoebe says.

"No, but he is the seventh son of the seventh son. We've been watching him since he was a young boy." Leo says.

"Okay, so how old is he now?" Piper asks.

"See, over there." Leo says as he points and you see a teenage boy getting picked on.

"He's a high school student?" Piper asks.

Phoebe sighs, "And he's a nerd."

"Hey, I didn't choose him, they did. If he can help save your lives, that's all I care about." Leo says.

Buffy looks at the boy, "I know. I got a class with him. His name's Kyle something or other."

Piper sighs, "Leo, he's a teenager. How can we let him go up against Tuatha? She'll destroy him."

Buffy glares at Piper, "Never underestimate a teenager. Remember I'm a teenager and can do things no normal teenager can do."

"Besides if he finds the wand and learns how to use it. Also, she knows he's the Chosen One. If we don't help him, she'll find him and destroy him anyway." Leo says.

"Doesn't sound like we have much of a choice." Phoebe says.

Piper nods, "This is wrong. He should be battling acne at his age, not evil witches." She looks at Buffy, "While we've accepted it Buffy that your Charmed and have a stake in all of what we are. You deserve a life away from it, you shouldn't have had to deal with it."

Kyle doing some magic tricks.

"Yeah, but look at us. Do we look like we should be the all powerful Charmed Ones?" Phoebe says.

Piper nods, "What's his name?"

"Kyle. Kyle Gwydien." Leo says.

"Does he know yet?" Buffy asks.

Leo shakes his head, "No."

"Any idea on how we're suppose to get him to come with us?" Piper asks.

Phoebe smiles, "I have an idea. He likes magic, right? Let's show him ours."

Kyle starts walking down the sidewalk. Piper, Buffy and Phoebe go up to him.

"Hey, it's Kyle, right?" Phoebe says.

"Do I know you?" Kyle asks.

Phoebe shakes , "You might know her." She points to Buffy. "But not us. Not yet anyways, but you will. You'll know all of us."

"I think you might have me confused with somebody else." Kyle says.

Buffy shakes her head, "No Kyle. I know you from school. We have a class together."

Piper nods, "You're the one."

Phoebe smiles, "The Chosen One."

"That was real subtle, Pheebs." Buffy said.

Phoebe smiles, "You heard what Leo said, clocks are ticking. Hey, Kyle, do you believe in magic? Real magic?"

Kyle frowns, "I gotta go." He walks off.

Buffy shakes her head and flames out and flames back in, in front of Kyle.

"How'd you do that?" Kyle asks.

Phoebe smiles, "Magic. Wanna know more?"

Later back at the Manor Buffy, Piper, Phoebe, Leo and Kyle are sitting at a table in the dining room.

"So, you're witches?" Kyle asks.

Piper nods, "Right."

"And you're a Slayer?" Kyle asks Buffy.

"A Charmed Slayer, because I'm also a witch. But yes."

Kyle sighs, "And I'm a Chosen One?"

Buffy nods, "Welcome to the club."

Kyle sighs, "And-and-and why exactly am I a Chosen One again?"

"Because you're the only one who can defeat Tuatha." Leo says.

"Leo a little tact, please." Buffy said. "Believe me it's easier to not drop it all on him at once."

Leo sighs, "Look, I'm sorry, we don't have a lot of time here."

"All the more reason not to freak Kyle out." Piper says.

Kyle shakes his head, "Too late."

"Look, Kyle, I know that this is a lot for you to take in and your first instinct is probably to resist it. I mean, I know that's how we felt when we first found out we were witches." Phoebe says.

"Still do sometimes." Piper says.

Buffy nods in agreement.

"But we've learned that you can not fight your destiny. It's like fighting who you are, who you're meant to be." Phoebe says.

Leo nods, "And your destiny is to vanquish the evil witch, Tuatha."

"I bet one of my brothers put you up to this, right? What, Sean? No, no, I bet, I bet it was Ian. I'm always the butt of their jokes." Kyle says.

Buffy sighs, "Kyle, listen."

Kyle shakes his head, "No, you listen. This is a joke. I'm not a Chosen One. I'm no one. You made a mistake." He starts to leave.

"Kyle, wait." Leo says.

"What do we do? What do we do?" Phoebe says.

"Stop him." Piper says.

Buffy flames out.

Prue walkins in through the front door with the wand. "Whoa, who are you?" The wand glows. "It glowed."

Buffy flames in blocking Kyle's out the still open front door. Prue glares at her but says nothing for the moment.

"That's the wand. It has to be. It recognizes you, Kyle." Leo says.

Prue frowns, "Recognizes? What do you mean?"

"Where did you get that?" Piper asks.

"From someone I think I should tell you about in private." Prue says.

"Someone named Tuatha?" Phoebe asks.

"Tuatha?" Prue asks confused.

Buffy nods, "Let Kyle hold the wand."

"Go ahead, it won't hurt you." Leo says.

Prue hands Kyle the wand and it glows.

"Oh!" Prue says.

Leo smiles, "It found you, just like it's suppose to."

Prue frowns, "Okay, time out. Attic anyone?" She goes upstairs.

"Kyle, won't you go in the kitchen and help yourself to anything you want. That is if you're staying." Piper says.

Kyle nods, "I'm staying. I don't know for how long though."

Buffy, Phoebe and Piper go upstairs.

"Leo, he is just a kid." Prue says as Leo walks into the attic. "Besides, you haven't seen this Tuatha's power. I mean, she made a woman disappear literally."

Leo sighs, "It's his destiny to defeat Tuatha, Prue. Just as it was yours to become the Charmed Ones and Buffy's to become the Slayer."

"Then why did I get the wand?" Prue asks.

"To make sure it got to him. It's part of the law. If you guys were meant to defeat Tuatha there would be a spell in the Book Of Shadows and there isn't." Leo says.

Buffy sighs, "He's right, we checked. Both books."

"Which means we need to spend what little time we have teaching Kyle how to use the wand." Leo says.

Prue sighs, "Look, Leo, I know that you've never guided us down the wrong path before, but please at least let us try to defeat Tuatha. If we fail, then fine, we'll help you with Kyle."

Leo shakes his head, "She'll kill you."

"Don't bet on it. Alright, we need to start by finding out where Tuatha is before she finds us." Phoebe and Prue start walking towards the door. "Piper, Buffy, are you with us?"

Piper stares at Leo. "Yep."

"Actually no. I think I'm needed here." Buffy says. "To help Kyle. One Chosen One to another."

They look at her and nod in understanding.

In the kitchen Kyle is looking at the wand as Jenny through the kitchen door.

"Hey, it's me." Jenny calls out.

"Hi." Kyle says.

"Who are you?" Jenny asks.

Kyle shrugs, "Apparently I'm the Chosen One."

"I haven't seen you around before. What's you name?" Jenny says.

Kyle smiles, "Kyle."

"Jenny. You a friend of theirs?" Jenny asks.

Kyle shakes his head, "No, no, I'm just helping them out with something. Maybe ... I don't know."

"Well, what's that?" Jenny asks.

Kyle smiles, "It's magic."

Jenny shakes her head, "I don't believe in magic."

"You kidding? Everybody believes in magic." Kyle says.

Jenny shakes her head, "Not me." Kyle puts the wand on the tip of his finger and it starts spinning around. "That is so cool. How are you doing that?"

"I have no idea." Kyle says.

Buffy and Leo enters from the dining room having just come downstairs.

Leo frowns, "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

Kyle stops the wand from spinning.

"I-I was just ..." Kyle says.

"Jenny, maybe you should go back home." Buffy says. "We'll see you later, okay?"

Jenny nods, "Sure, Payson. Would you tell Piper that my Uncle Dan needs to talk to her?" Buffy nods. She turns and heads out the back door.

"Payson?" Kyle asks.

Buffy smiles, "It's my name, it's kind of a complicated story. But you can call me Buffy if you like all my friends do."

"So, you still think you're not a Chosen One?" Leo asks.

A little later Kyle is trying to make the wand spin on his finger again. "Yeah, I can't make it do it again."

"You did it before." Leo says.

Kyle sighs, "I don't know how. I mean, I was just trying to impress Jenny, that's all."

Buffy smiles, "Well that's probably how. For me and my cousin our powers are tied to our emotions. What you did came from inside you from the emotion of that moment."

Leo nods, "You willed it."

Kyle frowns, "So what? So, I'm supposed to will some evil witch dead? Why me? You know, I don't understand, out of all people."

Leo sighs, "Don't sell yourself short, Kyle. You saw what you did before. Now, that was you. All you have to do is believe in yourself. Now try it again."

Prue, Piper and Phoebe walk in.

"Leo, we found her." Phoebe says.

Prue nods, "So, we're gonna go pay her a little visit."

"No, wait don't. please." Leo says.

"It's nothing personal, Leo. It's just business." Piper says.

"Be careful." Buffy says.

The sisters look to their cousin and nod. "We will," Prue says. They walk to the door. Prue opens it and there stands Jack.

"You." Prue says.

"Ah, thrilled to see me, I see. You know, this is a really nice house, Prue. Bucklands obviously pays better than I thought." Jack says.

Buffy rolls her eyes.

"What do you want and how did you find me?" Prue says.

Jack smiles, "I followed your scent. That musk. The Cartier, right? Now, that is a classy perfume, though I'm hardly surprised. Can I have my wand back please? See, Betty never called and I couldn't contact her because her address mysteriously fell out of my pocket somehow. You wouldn't know anything about that would you?"

Prue frowns, "You're blaming me for something that you lost? Isn't that a little juvenile? I mean what's next? A shoving match under the jungle gym or war over juice cups?"

"Prue, we really need to get going." Piper says.

Jack shakes his head, "The wand is mine, Prue, and you know it. All is fair in love and war."

Dan appears behind Jack. "Piper?"

"Hi, Dan." Piper says.

"Oh yeah, Piper. Jenny came over and said Dan was wanting to talk to you." Buffy says.

Leo walks in the foyer. "Piper, wait."

Dan frowns, "Is he still here?"

Leo smiles, "Never left actually."

"Prue, I'm kind of in a hurry here, so if I could just get my wand." Jack says.

Phoebe frowns, "You know what? Dan, Piper will call you back later, you, whoever you are, sorry no wand, Leo and Buffy, keep working with Kyle just in case, us, out the back door, out the back door." They go out the back door.

"Don't you have some other house to repair?" Dan asks.

Buffy rolls her eyes, "It's an old house, Dan. Requires frequent fixes. We hired Leo to be on call 24/7 in case something breaks down. That's why he's here a lot."

A short time later in the living room Kyle is trying to work the wand.

"Both hands. Alright, you have to use both hands." Leo says.

Kyle shakes his head, "But I didn't need both hands when I made it spin before."

Buffy rolls her eyes and snatches the wand from Kyle before he can even react, "And that's why you need both hands. Tuatha doesn't need physical abilities to do what I did. She can someone the wand from your hands. You need to hold on to it with both hands to make sure she doesn't get it from you."

"Also if she gets the wand from you, she becomes invincible and you will not be able to vanquish her." Leo says. "Now, just do as I say. Pretend I'm evil, alright, you connect to your destiny by connecting to yourself. Will me away."

Kyle tries to but nothing happens. "Look, give it up, Obe One, alright, you got the wrong guy."

"No, I don't. Alright, you are not just the seventh son, you are the seventh generation of chosen ones. It's in your blood, you just have to believe." Leo says.

Buffy shakes her head, "It can take time to get control, Kyle. Prue, Piper, Phoebe and I didn't have control over our power right away. It took practice."

"Believe in what? Myself? Forget it." Kyle says.

"Innocent people are going to die, are you wiling to live with that?" Leo asks.

"Way to lay that on him, Leo. Guilting him into it won't work." Buffy said.

"No, no, don't you lay that crap on me." Kyle says angrily.

Leo smiles, "Oh, does that make you mad? Good. At least that means finally you're being a real you."

"Screw you." Kyle says.

"That's right, get pissed at me. Show me your anger. Maybe you'll figure out what you're really angry about, huh." Leo says as he throws him the wand. "You don't think you're a chosen one, you think you're the forgotten one. Sick and tired of it too aren't you. Well, aren't you?" Kyle gets mad, the wand glows and Leo flies through the glass window.

"Leo?" Kyle asks.

Buffy smiles, "He'll be right back."

Leo orbs in behind Kyle. "Not bad."

Prue, Piper and Phoebe run in.

"What was that crash? What happened in here?" Phoebe asks.

Leo smiles, "A little training, that's all."

Buffy rolls her eyes.

Prue frowns, "That's all? Do you have any idea how much that's gonna cost to fix?"

"Well, I know who's gonna be fixing it. Leo, what if somebody saw you?" Piper says.

"Someone like neighbour Dan? Hey, you're bleeding." Leo says noticing the cut on Piper's forehead.

"It's nothing." Piper says.

"So, did you guys kick some butt or what?" Kyle asked.

"Or what." Phoebe says.

Prue nods, "Tuatha was ready for us, or at least for me. She stripped away my power."

"And then literally disappeared before I had the chance to freeze her. And it's a good thing she wasn't expecting all three of us otherwise we wouldn't have gotten out of there."

"You're lucky you did. Now, will you help Buffy and I with Kyle?" Leo asks.

"Why are you so ready to send a teenager up against an evil that we can't even defeat?" Prue asks.

Buffy sighs.

"Because he can. At least he can with the wand. And he's getting better at it too." Leo says.

Buffy nods, "He is."

"Uh-uh. I'm outta here." Kyle says.

Leo frowns, "Kyle, wait."

Kyle shakes his head, "No, what the hell is the matter with you? They're even scared of her. I told you, you have made a huge mistake. I can't do this." He throws the wand on the couch and leaves.

"Leo, you can't make him. Even if it is his destiny." Piper says.

Phoebe nods, "I hope he doesn't tell anyone we're witches."

Prue nods, "Won't matter much if we're dead. Okay, nobody knows the Book of Shadows better than you. So, if black magic can strip away powers, then surely white magic can do the same, right?" Phoebe nods. "Let's go."

Prue, Piper and Phoebe head upstairs.

"I'll go keep an eye on him, Leo." Buffy says before she flames out.

Kyle is walking along the sidewalk.

"Hey, where you going?" Buffy says as she flames in next to him.

"Just outta here." Kyle says.

"You want to know something?" Buffy asks.

"Sure." Kyle says.

"When I became the Slayer. I fought it tooth and nail. I didn't want it. Sometimes I still don't. Like you I'm a Chosen One, chosen to fight. And a lot of times I wish I wasn't."

"How do you continue doing what your doing then?" Kyle asks stopping and looking at Buffy. Seeing in her a kindred spirit.

"Well I have of course family that supports me and helps me. That's always a plus. But in the end I know what I do. Well let's just put it this way I help people and that feeling makes up for having this destiny thrust on me."

Kyle nods and looks back the way he came. "If given the chance after everything you've seen and done. Would you give it all up to be normal again?"

Buffy smiles, " you want to know something else. While I may never have known you much before today. I would like to think were friends, now. You are someone Kyle, don't let anyone tell you any different."

Kyle smiles, "Thanks. Do you think you can take me back to your house?"

"I can walk you there." Buffy says. "I'm still a little shaky with passengers."

"Good enough," Kyle said.

At the Manor in the Living room Tuatha's snake appears. Prue and Phoebe walk in.

Piper looks to her sisters, "Any luck?"

"Well, I did find one spell but it requires a human heart and unfortunately we're still using ours." Phoebe says.

Piper sighs, "Well, take mine. All it does is get me in trouble anyway. Anyone seen Buffy since Kyle left?"

Prue and Piper shakes their heads. "She may have gone to keep watch on Kyle," Prue said.

Leo walks in spotting the snake, "Snake!"

"Oh, I'm the snake, but you're the one who…" Piper says.

Leo points to the snake, "Snake!"

Piper sees the snake and runs over to the other side of the room. Prue gets a fireplace tool and cuts it in half. The two halves then turn into two snakes.

"Look out." Piper says.

Prue frowns, "Oh, oh, Piper, freeze them."

"I'm trying, it's not working. Prue…" Piper says.

"Prue…" Phoebe says.

Buffy and Kyle is outside at the front door.

"You ready?" Buffy asks.

"Prue, what should we do?" Piper says from inside.

Buffy and Kyle hears Piper and runs inside.

"Kyle. Buffy." Phoebe says.

"Leo, do something." Piper says.

Leo grabs the wand and throws it to Kyle. "Kyle, catch."

Kyle catches the wand.

"You can do it," Buffy says.

Kyle nods, "Die!" The snakes disappear.

Prue smiles, "Thanks."

Later in the Dining room there are potions on the table.

Phoebe nods, "Okay, this is the potion to induce sleep, this one is to repel an evil threat and that one puts out a fire."

"What kind of potion does that?" Buffy asks.

Phoebe smiles, "That's water. I didn't have a lot of time, it was the best I could do, okay."

Piper sighs, "But what about the potion to give Kyle more courage?"

Phoebe shakes her head, "I remembered wrong. There isn't one."

"Well that's disappointing." Piper says.

Phoebe sighs, "You guys. I'm scared. And not just for him but for us. I don't like feeling so powerless."

Piper nods, "Maybe that's our lesson for the day. Not taking our powers for granted."

Buffy sighs, "We're gonna get your powers back, then we're gonna have to help Kyle defeat Tuatha. And we're just gonna have to find a way to make Kyle feel more courageous without magic, that's all." She picks up the bottle that has water in it. "Come on." They walk in the living room. "How's it going?"

"Good. I think he's ready." Leo says.

Kyle nods, "I'm ready. I'm as ready as I can be. You know, it's funny, uh, I always wanted to be somebody special. You should be careful what you wish for."

Buffy laughs, "Tell me about it."

Piper nods, "Believe me, we can relate."

Tuatha appears.

"Phoebe, the sleeping potion." Prue says.

Phoebe throws a bottle at Tuatha's feet.

Tuatha does a fake yawn. "So young, so new to the craft. Now, this is a sleeping potion." She throws something at Phoebe's feet and Phoebe falls to the ground. Leo goes over to Phoebe and he falls asleep too. She then throws something at Prue, Buffy and Piper and their feet turn to water.

Buffy frowns, "Looks like she can negate me after all. I can't flame."

"Now, the wand if you please." Tuatha says as the wand floats through the air to her. "Not much of a chosen one are you? At least the last one was able to entomb me. And I will now entomb you."

"Buffy, the courage potion." Piper says.

Buffy smiles and gets what Piper is thinking. She throws the bottle of water at Kyle's feet.

"What? There is no courage potion." Tuatha says.

Prue shakes her head, "No? Now look who's teaching who."

"Kyle, get the wand, you can do it." Buffy says and she concentrates on Kyle. 'I hope this works,' she thinks.

"I wish for the wand." Kyle says.

The wand starts floating to Kyle.

"My wand!" Tuatha says.

The wand stops and starts floating back to Tuatha. It hovers in the middle as they try to get the wand to go to them.

"Don't give up Kyle. Believe." Buffy says.

The wand finally floats over to Kyle.

"I wish you gone forever." Kyle says.

"Noooo!" Tuatha screams as she disappears.

Piper, Buffy and Prue are freed.

Piper walks over to Leo, "Leo." She helps him up in the chair. "You're hurt."

Leo smiles, "I'm okay."

Phoebe, still asleep on the floor, makes some little noises and rolls over.

"Let me get you some ice." Piper says.

Leo shakes his head, "Really, I'm fine."

"Are you getting even?" Piper asks.

Leo nods, "Just finally getting it. What you deserve. A normal life or at least a normal life as you can get, which means a normal relationship, which I can't give you. I guess we know now why witches and Whitelighters aren't supposed to fall in love, huh." He orbs out.

Buffy walks up to Kyle. He's looking at the wand.

"It's broken." Kyle says.

Buffy nods, "It served its purpose."

"Yeah. Thanks to your magical boost of courage." Kyle says.

Buffy shakes her head, "Kyle. Tuatha was right. There was no courage potion. We made it up. You defeated her all by yourself. Well you and me anyways. A little augmentation to help you get the wand."

"Well, still it doesn't change anything. No one would believe me even if I told them what I did." Kyle says.

"Oh there are a couple people who would." Buffy says. "Still as long as you keep believing that you can make a difference, you can change what ever you want. Who knows what you're still destined for. Till then you can hang with me and my friends any time you want. They all know I'm a witch and the Slayer. And they won't tell a soul.

That evening at P4 Buffy, Prue, Piper and Phoebe are walking down the stairs.

"What are you going to tell him about what happened to the poor lady who owned the wand?" Piper asks.

Prue shrugs, "Well, what can I tell him? Look, I called him because I just wanna get rid of this thing, that's all."

Phoebe nods, "Are you sure it's just not an excuse to see him again?"

Prue shakes her head, "Phoebe, don't be ridiculous. This is business, it's not personal."

"Where have we heard that before?" Buffy asks.

Piper smiles, "Oh, gotta date, gotta go."

"Well, for what it's worth, I think Jack is pretty cute." Phoebe says.

Buffy nods, "A little old for me but he is kind of cute."

"Yeah, well, he's a jerk." Prue says.

"Says the girl in love with a vampire." Phoebe says.

Buffy laughs, "Well at least Angel looks younger than he actually is."

"How do I look?" Prue asks.

Phoebe smiles, "Fab."

"Hot." Buffy says.

Prue smiles, "Thanks." She walks over to Jack who's at the bar.

Buffy looks across the room and smiles, "I think I see said vampire." She walks across the room to Angel.


	31. Chapter 31: What's My Line Pt 1

**Chapter 31: What's My Line Pt. 1**

In the school lounge a guidance counselor sits behind a table from which a sign hangs -"VOCATIONAL APTITUDE TESTS."

Willow grabs a test and a number 2 pencil from the table and moves to Buffy and Xander, who sit filling out their forms.

"'Are you a people person or do you prefer keeping your own company?' What if I'm a people person who keeps his own company by default?" Xander asks.

Buffy shakes her head, "So - mark none of the above."

Xander sighs, "There is no box for "none of the above." That would introduce too many variables into their mushroom head, number-crunching little world."

"I'm sensing bitterness." Willow says.

Xander nods, "It's just - these people can't tell from one multiple choice test what we're supposed to do for the rest of our lives. It's ridiculous."

"I'm kind of curious to find out what sort of career I could have." Willow said.

Xander sighs, "And suck all the spontaneity out of being young and stupid? I'd rather live in the dark."

Willow shakes her head, "We won't be young forever."

"I'll always be stupid." Xander says. "Okay, let's not all rush to disagree…"

"You're not stupid." Buffy says looking up. "Do I like shrubs?"

"That's between you and your God." Xander says.

Buffy looks to Willow, "What'd you put?"

Willow smiles, "I came down on the side of shrubs."

"Go shrubs. Okay." Buffy says as she puts the pencil down. "I shouldn't even be bothering with this. It's all moot-ville for me. No matter what my aptitude test says - I already know my deal."

"Yep. High risk, sub-minimom wage…" Xander says.

Buffy holds up the pencil, "Pointy wooden things and magic."

"So why are you even taking the test?" Willow asks.

Buffy sighs, "It's Principal Snyder's "hoop" of the week. He's not happy unless I'm jumping. Believe me, I wouldn't be here otherwise."

"You're not even a teensy weensy bit curious about what kind of career you could have had? I mean, if you weren't already the Charmed Slayer and all." Willow says.

"Do the words "sealed" and "fate" ring any bells for you, Will? Why go there?" Buffy says.

Willow looks stung by Buffy's tone.

"You know, with that kind of attitude you could have had a bright future as an employee of the DMV." Xander says.

Buffy sighs, "I'm sorry. It's just - unless hell freezes over and every vamp in San Francisco and demon puts in for early retirement - I'd say my future is pretty much a non-issue."

That night dead leaves scrape and tumble across the ground, riding a stiff wind across the cemetery. A storm threatens.

Buffy hears a tink tink sound. She looks past a Mausoleum and moves towards it.

The tinking sound grows louder as she nears the mausoleum. She finds the solid iron door ajar. Torchlight flickers hellishly through the narrow margin. Buffy looks inside.

She sees a torch is set in the ground, illuminating the work of a dark figure - who finally breaks the lock of a vault door embedded in the far wall. The thief opens the vault and grabs something from it - then he makes for the exit.

Buffy waits for the thief to hit the exit, "Does "rest in peace" have no sanctity to you people?" She tackles him.

The thief hits the ground hard and a red velvet bag that obviously contains something heavy falls from his hands.

"Oh, I forgot - you're not a people." Buffy said as she powers up a fireball.

Suddenly another vampire appears behind her. He advances and she wheels, knocking him back with a vicious jumping kick.

Buffy throws the fireball in her hand and the vampire dusts. "One down -" She spins - ready to take on the thief, but he's gone. And so is the red velvet bag he stole from the vault. "One gone…"

Later that evening Buffy makes her way quietly into her room trying to not wake Prue, Piper or Phoebe.

Angel wanders restlessly, looking at her stuff. He does not notice as Buffy watches from the open door.

"Does my cousins know your waiting for me?" Buffy says.

Angel spins around, "Buffy - you scared me."

"Now you know what it feels like, stealth-guy." Buffy says smiling. "So. Just dropping by for some quality time with Mr. Gordo?"

"Excuse me?" Angel asks.

Buffy smiles, "The pig."

Angel looks down. Sees he's still holding the stuffed toy. "Oh, I, no-" He puts the toy down - feeling dorky.

"What's up?" Buffy asks.

Angel shakes his head, "Nothing."

Buffy sighs, "You don't have "nothing" face. You have "something" face."

"I wanted to make sure you were okay. I had a bad feeling." Angel confesses.

"Oh surprise. Angel comes with bad news." Buffy says. Angel reacts to her snipe as Buffy relents. "Sorry… I've been cranky miss all day. It's not you."

Phoebe walks up to the door, "Can you two keep it down. Some of us are trying to sleep. Hey Angel."

Buffy looks back, "Sorry Pheebs."

Phoebe closes the door to Buffy's room as she makes her way back down the hall to her room.

Angel sighs, "What is it, then?"

"We're having this thing at school-" Buffy says.

Angel nods, "Career week?"

"How did you know?" Buffy asks.

Angel smiles, "I lurk. Besides I heard your cousins talking about it earlier. Their excited to see the results."

"Oh, right. So you know, then. It's this whole week of "what's my line?" Only I don't get to play. Sometimes I just want…" Buffy says before she stops herself.

"You want - what? It's okay." Angel says.

"The Cliffnotes versions? I want a normal life. Like I had before." Buffy says.

"Before me." Angel says.

Buffy regards herself in her mirror. "It's not that. It's just… This career business has me contemplating the el weirdo that I am. Let's face it - instead of a job I have a calling. Okay? No chess club or football games for me. I spend my free time in grave yards and dark alleys…"

Angel nods, "Is that what you want? Football games?"

Buffy shrugs, "Maybe. Maybe not. But, you know what? - I'm never going to get the chance to find out. I'm stuck in this deal."

Angel reacts - he can't hide his hurt as he moves to go. "I don't want you to feel stuck-"

Buffy realizes how she sounded and she stops him. "Angel - I don't mean you. You, Prue, Piper and Phoebe are the few freaky thing in my freaky world that makes sense to me. I just get messed sometimes - wish we could be like regular kids."

Angel nods, relenting. "I'll never be a kid."

"Okay then. Just a regular kid and her cradle-robbing, creature-of-the-night boyfriend." Buffy says.

Angel's eyes travel to the mirror - he notices something. "Was this part of your normal life?" He reaches past her, plucks a photo from the mirror's frame.

Buffy looks at the photo and sees: A younger Buffy figure skating. Performing a perfect arabesque. She softens, takes the photo from him. "My Dorothy Hamill phase. My room in L.A. was this major shrine – Dorothy posters, Dorothy dolls. I even got the Dorothy haircut." She looks up embarrassed. "Thereby securing a place for myself in the Geek Hall of Fame."

"You wanted to be like her." Angel says.

Buffy nods, "I wanted to be her. My parents used to fight a lot. Skating was an escape. I felt safe…"

Angel replaces the photograph in the mirror frame. "When was the last time you put on your skates?"

Buffy thinks. "Like, a couple hundred demons ago."

"There's a rink out on Bunker road. It's closed on Tuesdays." Angel says.

Buffy smiles, "Tomorrow's Tuesday."

Angel nods, "I know."

The next day at the school Buffy opens her locker, stows her backpack inside, Willow dogging her.

"Just the two of you?" Willow asks. "Alone?"

Buffy nods, "Unless some unforeseen evil pops up. But I'm in full see-no-evil mode. Piper will drop me off and then I will flame back after." She closes her locker, and she and Willow head down the hall.

"Angel, ice-skating…" Angel says.

Buffy nods, "I know. Two worlds collide."

Xander catches up to them. Severely disturbed. "Wouldn't you two say you know me about as well as anyone? Maybe even better than I know myself?"

"What's this about?" Willow asks.

"When you look at me, do you think prison guard?" Xander asks point blank.

Buffy and Willow look him over appraisingly.

"Crossing guard, maybe. But prison guard?" Buffy says shaking her head.

"They just put up the assignments for the career fair. And according to my test results, I can look forward to being gainfully employed in the growing field of corrections." Xander says.

Buffy smiles, "At least you'll be on the right side of the bars.

"Laugh now, missy. They assigned you to the booth for 'law enforcement professionals.'" Xander says.

Buffy frowns, "As in police?"

Xander nods, "As in polyester, donuts, and brutality."

Buffy rolls her eyes, "Uggh."

"But, donuts…" Willow says cheerfully.

"I'll jump off that bridge when I come to it. First I have to deal with Giles-" Buffy says. Giles is entering the library up ahead, a foot-tall stack of books teetering under his chin. "He's on this Tony Robbins hyper-efficiency kick. He wants me to check in with him now every day after homeroom." She heads into the library.

Giles struggles, trying to set the books down on a library table. They tilt, about to topple- when Buffy catches them. "Oh, Buffy. Thank you." She helps ease them down for a safe landing. "I've been indexing the Watcher Diaries covering the past two centuries. You'd be amazed at how numbingly long-winded some of these watchers were."

"Color me stunned." Buffy says.

Giles opens his notebook. "I trust last night's patrol was fruitful."

"Semi. I caught one out of two vamps after they stole something from this jumbo mausoleum at the cemetery-" Buffy says.

Giles frowns, "They were stealing?"

Buffy nods, "Yep. They had tools, torches, the whole nine yards… What does that mean? The whole nine yards… nine yards of what? Now that's gonna bug me all day." Giles paces, visibly disturbed. "Giles, you're in pace mode. What gives?"

"The vampire who escaped - did you see what he took?" Giles asks.

Buffy shakes her head, "No - but let me take a wild guess. Some old thing?"

"I'm serious, Buffy." Giles says.

Buffy sighs, "So am I. I bet it was downright crusty."

Giles is losing patience with her. "So you made no effort to find out what was taken?"

Buffy looks at Giles, surprised by his tone. "Have a cow, Giles. I thought it was just everyday vamp hijinks. I didn't think this was something I might have to look up in my Book."

Giles sighs, "Well it wasn't. It could be very serious. If you'd made more of an effort to be thorough in your observations-"

"If you don't like the way I'm doing my job - why don't you find someone else? Oh right. "There can be only one." Long as I'm alive, there isn't anyone else. Well, there you go! I don't have to be the Slayer. I could be dead!" Buffy says.

Giles frowns, "That's not terrible funny. You'll notice I don't laugh."

"Wouldn't be much of a change, anyway." Buffy says. "I mean, either way I'm bored, constricted, I never get to shop and my hair and fingernails continue to grow so really, what's the dif?"

Giles sighs, "Must we be introspective now? Our only concern at this moment should be to discover what was stolen from that mausoleum last night."

A Short time later Giles tries to keep pace with Buffy, who moves at a brisk clip through the cemetery. She carries a flashlight.

"Buffy. Please. Slow down." Giles says.

"If I had it down to where I could carry passengers while flaming. We would be there already." Buffy says. "You're the one slowing us down."

"You're behaving in a terrible immature manner-" Giles says.

"Bingo. You know why? I am immature! I'm a teen! I've yet to mature!" Buffy says.

Giles frowns, "I was simply offering a little constructive criticism-"

"You were harsh. You act like I picked this gig. But I'm the picked. Too bad if I want a normal job." Buffy says.

"What you have is more than a… gig. It's a sacred duty." Giles says. Buffy gives him a 'been there, heard that' look. Giles scrambles - trying to calm her. "Which shouldn't prevent you from eventually procuring a more… mundane form of employment if you like. Such as I have."

Buffy sighs, "It's one thing being a Watcher and a librarian. They go together – like chicken and… another chicken. Two chickens. Or something. You know what I'm saying - you can spend all your time with a bunch of books and no one blinks. But what can I do? Carve stakes for a nursery?"

Giles sighs, "Point taken. I suppose I've never really thought about. Seriously though you can do anything you want though. Look at your cousins, the Charmed Ones. They still manage to hold down lives and fill their Charmed responsibilities. You can too, Buffy."

Buffy looks back at Giles and nods, "Your right I guess. According to Xander they placed me in law enforcement."

"That would be a job that would be suited to being the Slayer. But don't limit yourself, Buffy. Prue works at Buckland's right? Phoebe is going to college, correct? And Piper owns P4. Which aren't you part owner of?" Giles says.

Buffy shakes her head, "Officially not till I turn 21, because of the liquor license. Unofficially, yes." They walk up to the Mausoleum. "This is the place." She pulls open the heavy iron door, enters, Giles following her in.

Buffy clicks on her flashlight, guiding the beam through the dusty gloom. She leads Giles to the open vault door.

"May I?" Giles asks.

"Be my guest." Buffy says handing him the flashlight.

Giles shines the flashlight into the empty vault. "It's a reliquary, used to house items of religious significance. Most commonly, a finger or some other body part from a saint."

"Note to self: Religion - freaky." Buffy says.

Giles turns, paints the wall with the flashlight beam-which now falls across letters carved in the granite above the doorway: du Lac. "Du Lac… Oh dear."

Buffy reacts to his tone. "I hate when you say that. So I'm assuming big bad. Question is Slayer or Power of Three?"

"Josephus du Lac is buried here." Giles says.

"Was he a saint?" Buffy asks.

Giles shakes his head. "Hardly. He belonged to a sect of priests who were excommunicated by the Vatican at the turn of the century."

"Excommunicated and sent to Sunnydale. Must have been big with the sinning." Buffy says.

Giles nods, "Remember the book that was stolen from the library by a vampire a few weeks back? It was written by du Lac and his cohorts - Damn it. In all the excitement, I let it slip my mind -"

Buffy frowns, "I'm guessing it wasn't a Taste of the Vatican Cookbook."

Giles shakes his head, "The book is said to contain rituals and spells that reap unspeakable evil. However, it was written in archaic Latin - so nobody but the sect members could read it."

Buffy nods, "Then everything's cool. The sect is gone. Worm food like old du Lac, right?"

"I don't like it, Buffy. First the book is taken from the library. Now vampires steal something from du Lac's tomb…" Giles says.

"You think they've figured out how to read the book?" Buffy asks.

"I don't know. But something's coming, Buffy. And I guarantee, whatever it is - it's not good. I don't know if your cousins will be needed but it could having them available for this." Giles says as he moves off purposefully, Buffy following.

Back at the library Buffy, Willow, and Xander sit around the table.

"So Giles is sure that the vampire who stole his book is connected to the one you slayed last night? Or is it "slew?"" Willow asks.

"Both are correct." Giles emerges from the stacks with a yellowed periodical. "And yes. I'm sure."

Prue, Piper and Phoebe walk in through the doors. "What's the sitch, Giles?" Phoebe asks.

Giles sets the magazine down before them. It's a National Geographic, circa 1921. He motions for the sisters to join them, "du Lac was both a theologian and a mathematician. This article describes an invention of his, which he called the du Lac Cross."

"Why go to all the trouble of inventing something and then give a weak name like that? I'd have gone with "Cross-o-matic!" or "The Amazing Mr. Cross!"" Xander says.

Giles indicates a yellowing photo of the stolen crucifix. Prue peruses the accompanying article. "The cross was more than a symbol. It was also used to understand certain mystical texts - to decipher hidden meanings and so forth."

"You're saying these vampires went to all that trouble for your basic decoder ring?" Buffy asks.

Giles regards her for a moment, "Actually, I guess I am."

"According to this, du Lac destroyed every one of the crosses - except the one buried with him." Prue says.

"Why destroy his own work?" Buffy asks.

Giles shrugs, "I suppose he feared what might happen if the cross fell into the wrong hands."

"A fear we'll soon get to experience for ourselves, up close and personal." Xander says.

Piper nods, "Unless we preempt their plans."

"How?" Willow asks.

Piper looks to Prue, "Phoebe and I will go back to the Manor start looking for any reference to this du Lac in the Books."

Giles nods, "And we'll be trying to learn what was in the book before they do." He regards the group with grim purpose. "Which means we can expect to be here late tonight."

Willow smiles, "Goody! Research party!"

"Will, you need a life in the worst way." Xander says.

Piper looks to Buffy, "You still want me to drop you off?"

Buffy nods, "Please?"

Prue frowns, "Seriously your still not considering going out with Angel tonight?"

Buffy sighs, "Prue I doubt seriously were going to stop whatever tonight. Besides I will have my cell on me. Call and I will flame back."

Prue frowns, "Alright, but only because Angel will be waiting for you."

Later at the skating rink Buffy skates around the rink. She is alone on the ice, which seems to glow from the moonlight filtering in from the high-grimy windows. She breathes in the cool air - takes off again.

She picks up speed. Remembering the movement. And the rush. Her blowing hair frames a smile. She spins into a tight pirouette. She pivots, skating backward, getting up her nerve and picking up speed - then launching into an triple salchow.

Buffy lands hard, the momentum carrying her a good ten feet before she comes to a stop. She catches her breath - when she sees a shadow move across the ice in front of her. She looks around hopefully – "Angel?"

Only it's not Angel. It's Octarus. And his giant hands are already around her neck. He is about to lift her up when she flames out. She flames back in several feet away.

"Buffy!" Angel says.

Octarus turns at the interruption, just in time to meet Angel's fist. Octarus releases his grip on Buffy, and she falls to the ground in a gasping heap.

Octarus slams a ham sized fist into Ange's face - sending him sprawling. Angel immediately gets up to defend himself, but finds he is trapped in an alcove.

"Angel duck!" Buffy yells as she powers up a fireball. She throws it at Octarus as Angel ducks down. Octarus turns as the fireball engulfs him, vanquishing him. A ring drops to the floor at Angel's feet.

"And the hellmouth presents - 'Dead Guys On Ice'. Not exactly the evening we were aiming for…" Buffy says.

Angel picks up the ring and looks at it, "You're in danger. You know what the ring means?"

"I just killed a Superbowl champ?" Buffy asks.

Angel shakes his head, "I'm serious. You should go home and wait until you hear from me. Are you okay?"

"What about you? That cut -" Buffy says.

Angel shakes his head, "Forget about me. You're hurt."

Buffy's shaken - but she puts on her brave face. "Hey. No biggy. I've been slammed by bigger sides of beef than that -"

Angel shakes his head, "No you haven't."

Buffy falters. He's right. "No. I haven't."

"This is bad, Buffy. We have to get you someplace safe." Angel says.

Buffy is rightfully alarmed by the suggestion. "You mean - hide?"

"Let's just get you out of here." Angel says. He starts to move but Buffy stops him - indicates his bloody cut.

"Wait. Your eye is all… Let me -" Buffy says as she moves toward him - about to use the arm of her sweatshirt to wipe the blood off. But he pulls away. "Come on. Don't be a baby. I won't hurt you."

Angel shakes his head, "It's not that. I - you shouldn't have to touch me when I'm like this."

Buffy is at a loss. "Like - what?"

Angel reacts - is she kidding? "You know. When I'm…"

"Oh." Buffy says in understanding. She approaches him again. Very deliberately this time. Her hands go to his face. He looks away, but does not pull back. The gentleness of her touch holds him fast.

Buffy turns his face back to hers. Tenderly runs her fingers along his transformed features. Angel is overwhelmed. Nobody has ever touched him like this. "I didn't even notice." She draws him close. Gaze steady. Until her lips touch his…

They melt into a heart-stopping kiss.

Later that evening in the library Giles and Prue are studying the ring.

"This guy was hard core, Giles, Prue. And Angel was power-freaked by the ring." Buffy says.

"I'm afraid he was not overreacting. The ring is worn only by members of the Order Of Taraka."

Piper looks up, "Hang on a second. I remember seeing them in the Book. She flips through and finds the page. "They are a society of demon assassins dating back to King Solomon…"

"And didn't they beat the Elks last year in the Sunnydale Adult Bowling League Championship?" Xander says.

Piper rolls her eyes

Giles shakes his head ignoring Xander, "Their credo is to sow discord and kill the unwary."

"Bowling is a vicious game –" Xander says.

"That's enough, Xander -" Giles says.

Willow, Xander, Prue, Piper, Phoebe, and Buffy glance at each other, reacting to Giles' tone. Buffy, especially, knows to worry. "I'm sorry but this is no time for jokes. I need to think."

Phoebe shakes her head, "These assassins. Why would they be after Buffy?

"'Cause she's the scourge of the underworld?" Willow asks.

Phoebe shakes her head, "So? So are Prue, Piper and I. And their not coming after us."

Giles sighs, "I don't know. But I think the best thing to do is to find a secure location. Someplace out of the way where you can go until we decide on the best course of action -"

Buffy stands, she's officially freaked. "Okay. You and Angel have both told me to head for the hills. What's the deal?"

Giles sighs, "I - this is an extraordinary circumstance…"

Prue looks to Buffy, "Giles your scaring her."

Piper nods, "They're that bad aren't that. They wouldn't be in the Book of Shadows otherwise right?"

Giles sighs, "They might be yes. They're a breed apart. Unlike vampires – they have no earthly desire except to collect their bounty. To find their target and eliminate it - And you are the target. You can kill as many of them as you like. It won't make any difference - because where there is one, there will be another. And another. They won't stop coming until the job is done."

Prue frowns, "So even the Power of Three would be a stalling tactic?"

Giles nods, "Afraid so."

Piper sighs, "That's why their in the book. By themselves they probably a standard vanquish. But where you vanquish one…"

"The worst of it is, they are masters of deceit. Vampires are bound by the Night, but these predators can be anywhere, anytime. They can appear as normal as the next person. Just another face in the crowd. You might not ever know when one of them is near - not until the moment of your death." Giles says.

Later Buffy moves flanked by Piper and Prue upstream through the Career Fair gauntlet, against the teeming mass of people.

"It'll be alright, Buffy." Piper says. "We'll find a way to stop them."

Buffy looks to her cousin, she is definitely wigged. She runs past them suddenly and as she gets out of sight of everyone she flames out.

Later that night Giles, Piper and Willow sit at the library table, poring over volume upon volume.

"I wish there was more we could do." Willow says.

Giles looks up, his eyes reflecting fatigue and concern. "We're doing all we can. The only course of action is to decipher the contents of the stolen book -"

Willow shakes her head, "I've never seen Buffy like that." She looks to Piper, "You said she just took off."

"Talked to Phoebe, she didn't go home." Xander says. "And her cell is turned off."

Giles sighs, "Perhaps my words of caution were a bit too alarming -"

"You think?" Piper says. "But they had to be said. Buffy needs to know what she's up against."

"I wish we knew where she was." Willow says.

"So do I." Piper says. "Did you try Prue, Xander?"

Xander nods, "So far nshe hasn't seen her. Of course with that new power of hers she could disappear before Prue sees her."

"True she could have flamed anywheres." Piper says.

Outside the Manor Buffy moves along the sidewalk. She looks tired and cold - like she has been walking a long time. She stops and looks up at the Manor. She sees Phoebe in the window.

No place feels safe. Not even here. Buffy moves on before Phoebe spots her.

Buffy arrives at Angel's apartment door sometime later and knocks. "Angel?" No answer. She tries the door. It's locked. She forces the lock and opens the door. "Hey…" She clicks on a standing lamp. Looks around. She approaches the unmade bed pushed up against the wall and sits down. Her exhaustion and fear finally catching up with her. She lies down and curls up - small and alone in the bed. She turns her head against his pillow. She shuts her eyes.

The next morning in the Giles' office. Giles, bleary-eyed and rumpled from a sleepless night of urgent study, talks on the phone while he pages through a book. "Xander? …No, neither Phoebe or I still have heard from Buffy. Why don't you go relieve Piper and Prue at the Manor so they can get out on the streets again. I don't know, get Cordelia to drive you." He hangs up.

He picks up the book he's looking at and rushes into the main room of the library

Giles moves to the table where Phoebe and Willow are asleep. Giles moves to Willow, gently shakes her.

Willow wakes with a start, crying out, "Don't warn the tadpoles!"

This wakes Phoebe as she looks around, "What?"

Giles is startled by her outburst. "My goodness. Are you alright?"

"Giles? What are you doing here?" Willow asks.

"You're in the library, Willow. You and Phoebe fell asleep." Giles says.

"Oh… I…" Willow says.

"Any word?" Phoebe asks.

Giles looks to Phoebe, "No. I sent Xander over to the Manor so Piper and Prue can get out and search again."

"Good thinking. That gets someone at the Manor and both of them on the street." Phoebe says. "It's times like this I wish I had a car."

Giles nods and looks to Willow, "Don't warn the tadpoles?"

Willow looks rather embarrassed, "I - I have frog fear. I'm sorry, I conked out -"

Giles shakes his head, "Please. You've gone quite beyond the call of duty. And, fortunately, I think I've finally found something -"

"You did?" Phoebe asks.

Giles nods as he indicates the book, "I had to go back to the Lutheran Index. But I found a description of the missing du Lac Manuscript. It's a ritual, Willow, Phoebe. I haven't managed to decipher the exact details - but I believe the purpose is to restore a weak and sickly vampire to full health."

"A vampire like - Drusilla?" Willow asks.

"Exactly." Giles says.

"What does that have to do with the Order of Taraka? The assassins?" Phoebe asks.

"I would imagine Spike called them here to get Buffy out of the way. I'm sure he wants nothing to come between him and his plans to revive his lady love." Giles said.

Willow nods, "So this is good. We know what the deal is."

Giles shakes his head, "I wish I could agree. But all we know is the goal of the ritual. We don't know where it will take place or when. We don't know what it entails -"

Phoebe nods, "Sounds like something the Power of Three can handle then. That's good that way Prue, Piper and I can try and conserver out energies for finding Buffy."

"Still it's bad." Willow says.

Giles shakes his head, "No. No. We just have more work to do." He tries to smile encouragingly.

"Then - why are you all pinched?" Willow asks.

At the Manor Xander knocks on the door.

"I can't even believe you. You drag me out of bed for a ride? What am I, mass transportation?" Cordelia asks.

"That's what a lot of the guys say. But it's just locker room talk. I never pay it any mind." Xander says.

"Great. So now I'm your taxi and your punching bag -" Cordelia says.

Xander knocks again, "I like to think of you more as my witless foil - but have it your way."

Cordy looks at him.

Prue opens the door, "Xander any word?"

Xander shakes his head, "None. Giles sent us over to take over so you and Piper can hit the streets again."

30 minutes later after Prue and Piper have left Mister Pfister knocks on the door. Cordelia opens it as Pfister tips his hat - holds up the bag that reads QUINTESSENCE SKIN CARE. "Good day. I am Norman Pfister with Quintessence Skin Care and Cosmetics. I was wondering if I could interest you in some free samples?"

"Free?" Cordelia says and she steps aside to let him in.

In Angel's Apartment Buffy is still curled up on Angel's bed - arms tightly wrapped around the pillow. A sound. Something moves in the apartment. Loud enough to rouse Buffy from her dream. Her eyes flutter - then snap open just in time for her to dodge the short axe that slams into the pillow just inches from her neck. Buffy leaps from the bed - comes face to face with Kendra.

"You must be number two -" Buffy says. Kendra replies with a swing of the axe, which Buffy leaps to avoid. "Thanks for the wake-up. But I'll stick with my clock radio."

Kendra brings the axe down again, but Buffy catches her arm mid-flight. To Buffy's distress - she can't wrench the axe from Kendra. They are locked in a dead-even struggle. Like an arm wrestling match between perfect twins. A split second as they meet eyes - a twinge of recognition. Then Buffy takes advantage of the moment - sweeps Kendra's legs out from under her. Kendra hits the ground hard, but uses her legs to pin Buffy's legs and bring her down too. Now Buffy and Kendra roll on the floor - the axe still in Kendra's grip. They keep trading the upper hand. One moment Buffy is on top - the next it seems Kendra will prevail. They smash into Angel's table, his bookshelf, his dresser… Buffy's getting fed up.

"Come on. Don't make me do the chick fight thing -" Buffy says.

Kendra doesn't know what to make of this comment. "Chick… fight?"

"You know –" Buffy says as she violently jerks Kendra by the hair - distracting her as she digs her nails into the hand that holds the axe.

Kendra cries out - drops the axe. Buffy grabs it and straddles Kendra, pinning her. Buffy draws the axe back - the intent clear. "Cliched - but effective."

Buffy is about to bring the axe down as Kendra speaks up, "Who are you?"

"What do you mean who am I? You attacked me. Who the hell are you?" Buffy says.

Kendra glares at Buffy. Proud and defiant, "I am Kendra, the Vampire Slayer."

Buffy takes this in. Come again?


	32. Chapter 32: What's My Line Pt 2

**Chapter 32: What's My Line Pt. 2**

"Let's start again. You're the who?" Buffy asks.

"I'm the Slayer." Kendra says.

Buffy shakes her head, "Nice cover story. Here's a tip – try it on someone who's not the real Charmed Slayer.

Kendra looks at Buffy thrown for a moment by the mention of the Charmed Slayer, "You can't stop me. Even if you kill me, another Slayer will be sent to take my place."

"Could you stop with the Slayer thing? I'm the Charmed Slayer!"

Kendra isn't sure why Buffy keeps saying she's the Charmed Slayer. The Charmed Slayer is supposed to be dead since she was called, "Nonsense. There is but one - and I am she."

Buffy takes this in, truly puzzled. Kendra is so annoyingly earnest. "Okay . . . Scenario: I back off. You promise not to go all wiggy until we go to my watcher and figure out what this is all about."

"Wiggy?" Kendra asks.

"You know - no kicko, no fighto?" Buffy says.

Kendra considers and then nods, "I accept your scenario." They let their arms down, circling each other, exhausted from the fight and harboring a good amount of suspicion and contempt. "Your English is very odd, you know."

"Yeah - it's something about being woken by an axe. Makes me talk all crazy. So you were sent here?" Buffy asks.

"Yes, by my Watcher." Kendra says.

"To do what, exactly?" Buffy asks.

"To do my duty. I am here to kill vampires." Kendra says.

A short time later Giles paces in front of Buffy and Kendra in the library - trying to make heads or tails of the situation. "Your watcher is Sam Zabuto, you say?"

Kendra nods, "Yes, sir."

"We've never met - but he is very well respected." Giles says.

"What? So he's a real guy? As in, non-fictional?" Buffy asks.

Giles nods, "And what are you called?"

"I am the vampire slayer." Kendra says.

Buffy rolls her eyes. "We got that part. He means your name."

Kendra nods, "Oh. They call me Kendra, only. I have no last name, sir."

"Can you say - stuck in the 80's?" Buffy says.

Giles shakes his head, "Buffy - please. There has obviously been some kind of misunderstanding here."

Willow enters the library, startling everyone. "Hey-"

Kendra immediately advances on Willow - about to attack. "Identify yourself!"

Buffy quickly flames out and back in between Kendra and Willow. "Back off, Pink Ranger. This is my friend-"

"Friend?" Kendra asks. "And did you get across the room that quickly?"

Buffy sighs, "You know. Person you hang with? Amigo? And about the other thing. It's on a need to know basis. And you don't need to know."

"I - I don't understand." Kendra says.

Buffy rolls her eyes - turns to Giles. "You try. I'm tapped."

Prue, Piper and Phoebe walk in to the room. Prue walks over to Buffy glaring at her, "Payson Patricia Halliwell!"

"Kendra. There are a few people, civilians if you will, who know Buffy's identity. Well not all of them are civilians. Anyways Willow is one of them. And they also spend time together. Socially. Prue, Piper and Phoebe here are the Charmed Ones."

Buffy looks down, "I'm sorry, Prue. Really."

"You know how worried you had us?" Prue says.

Kendra takes this in. Understanding, but still puzzled, "And you allow this, sir?"

Giles sighs, "Well, you see . . ."

Buffy nods, "I know, Prue. I'm sorry. I was scared, okay. I don't want to die again, twice was enough."

"But, the slayer must work in secret. For security-" Kendra says.

In light of everything Prue nods, "We'll talk about this later at home."

Giles nods, "Of course. With Buffy, however, it's . . . Some flexibility is required-"

"Why?" Kendra asks.

"Hi guys. What's going on?" Willow asks.

"That's what I would like to know." Piper says.

"There's been a big mix-up." Buffy says.

"It seems, that somehow, another slayer has been sent to Sunnydale." Giles says.

Phoebe shakes her head, "Is that even possible? I mean, two slayers at the same time?"

Giles shrugs, "Not that I know of. The new slayer is only called after the previous slayer has died-" Good lord . . . You were dead, Buffy."

Buffy sighs, "Which time? And it was only for a minute or two both times."

"Clearly, it doesn't matter how long you were gone. You were physically dead, causing the activation of the next slayer." Giles said.

Kendra frowned, "She . . . died?"

"Just a little." Buffy says.

Giles nods, "She drank a potion the first time to vanquish a ghost. The second time she drowned. But both times she was revived."

"So there really are two of them?" Phoebe asks.

Giles nods, "It would appear so. Yes." He sits. Stunned. "We have no precedent for this. I'm quite flummoxed."

"What's the flum? It's a mistake. She isn't supposed to be here. She goes home." Buffy says. "No offense. But, I'm not dead and it's a teeny bit creepy having you around."

"Buffy!" Prue says. "That's rude."

"Sorry," Buffy says apologetically.

"I cannot simply leave. I was sent here for a reason. Mr. Zabuto said all the signs indicate that a very dark power is about to rise in Sunnydale." Kendra says.

"He's quite right. I'll need to contact him." Giles says.

"So what was your plan for fighting this dark power? Just sort of attack people till you found a bad one?" Buffy asks.

"Of course not," Kendra says.

"Then why the hell did you jump me?" Buffy asks.

Kendra looks at Buffy sheepish, "I thought you were a vampire."

Phoebe laughs, "Really?"

Kendra nods, "I had good reason to think she was." She looks to Buffy, "Did I not see you kissing a vampire?"

Piper nods in understanding, "Angel."

Buffy nods, "You saw me with Angel. He's a vampire but he's good."

"Angel? You mean Angelus? I've read of him. He is a monster." Kendra says.

Prue shakes her head, "No, no, he's good now."

Willow nods, "Really."

"He has a gypsy curse." Buffy says.

"Oh." Kendra said. "He has a what?"

Buffy sighs, "Just trust me. Angel's on the home team now. Wouldn't hurt a fly."

"I cannot believe you. He looked to me like just another animal when I -" Kendra says as Buffy eyes her, worried.

"When you what? What did you do to him?" Buffy asks.

"I . . ." Kendra says.

Prue frowns, "Take it easy Buffy." She looks at Kendra, "What did you do?"

Piper looks to Phoebe, "Did you call the Manor to let Cordelia and Xander know. That Buffy had been found?"

Phoebe shakes her head, "I forgot."

A short time later in the back room of Willy's. Freaked-out and breathing hard, Buffy bursts into the storage room - only to find it empty. "Angel -?"

Kendra and Prue follows her Buffy.

Kendra moves around the room. Checking the floor. "No ashes."

"What?" Buffy asks.

Kendra nods, "When a vampire combusts, he leaves ashes."

"Yeah, we know the drill." Prue says.

Kendra nods, "So I did not kill him."

Buffy nods, "And I don't have to…"

"Buffy, don't even finish that thought." Prue says, "We don't kill humans. You would think our trip to the future would have taught you that."

Willy enters, momentarily unseen. "Whoah, there's a lot of tension in this room."

Before he can speak another word Kendra charges him. Slamming him into a table and drawing her fist back for a mighty blow as Buffy catches her hand mid-flight.

Buffy looks at Kendra, exasperated. "Doesn't anyone just say "hello" where you come from?"

Kendra keeps her grip on Willy firm. "This one is dirty. I can feel it."

Buffy nods, "That's nice for you, percepto girl. But we're not going to get anything out of him if he's oh, say, unconscious." She grabs Willy away from Kendra. "Where is Angel?"

"My bud, Angel? You think I'd let him fry? I saved him in the nick. He was about five minutes away from being a crispy critter." Willy says.

Buffy shoots Kendra a vicious look. "Where did he go? Home?"

"Uh, he said he was gonna stay underground. You know, recuperate." Willy said.

Prue frowns, "Are you telling us the truth?"

"I swear! I swear on my mother's grave should something fatal happen to her god forbid." Willy says.

Kendra nods, "Then he is all right. We can return to your Watcher for our orders."

"Orders? I don't take orders. I do things my way." Buffy says.

"Buffy!" Prue says.

"Ok I don't take orders. But Prue, Piper, Phoebe and I do things our way." Buffy said. "Better?"

Prue sighs and nods.

"No wonder you died." Kendra says.

"Let's go." Buffy says and they start out.

"I have to ask if any of you girls has considered modeling. I got a friend with a camera, strictly high class nude work - art photographs, but naked."

Prue frowns and telekinetically lifts Willy up in to the air, "You are aware they are underage, right?"

Back at the school Buffy, Prue, Kendra, Giles and Willow are gathered under the colonade.

"Kendra, I've conferred with your Watcher, Mr. Zabuto. He and I agree that until this matter with Spike and Drusilla is resolved, you two should work together." Giles says.

Buffy holds her tongue as Prue glares at her.

Kendra nods, "So you believe that Spike is attempting to revive this Drusilla to health?"

Giles nods, "Yes. That would be the dark power your Watcher referred to. Drusilla is not just evil. She's also quite mad. Restored to her full health there is absolutely no telling what she might do."

"Then we will stop Spike." Kendra says.

"It's a little more complicated than that, okay, John Wayne?" Buffy says.

Giles nods, "Yes, I'm afraid it is. Spike has called out the Order of Taraka to keep Buffy out of the way."

"The assassins? I read of them in the writings of Dramius." Kendra says.

"Really? Which volume?" Giles asks.

"I believe it was six, sir." Kendra says.

Prue looks to Giles, "Focus."

Giles nods, "Kendra - perhaps you could show me the bit in Dramius six about the Order of Taraka. I must admit, I could never get through that book."

"Yes, it was difficult. All those footnotes!" Kendra says.

Kendra and Giles move off, but Giles stops - turns to Buffy.

"Oh, Buffy. Principal Snyder came snooping around for you." Giles says.

"Eeee, the career fair." Buffy says.

Giles nods, "You'd best make an appearance, I think."

Buffy sighs, "Right."

"Buffy's a student here?" Kendra asks.

"Yes." Giles says.

"Right. Of course. I'd imagine she's a cheerleader, too." Kendra says.

Giles shakes his head, "Actually, she gave up cheerleading. It's a funny story, really . . ." Kendra just looks at him. Clearly, Buffy's wacky life does not amuse. "Let's go find that book, shall we?"

Prue looks to Buffy, "Would you like me to come with you. Explain to Snyder?"

Buffy shakes her head, "No that's alright Prue. Thanks anyways. And again I'm sorry, really."

Prue sighs, "We still need to talk of course. But I guess in light of the circumstances I won't ground you this time." She turns and follow Kendra and Giles.

They move off to the library. Willow and Buffy watch, somewhat stunned.

"Get a load of the She-Giles." Buffy says once Prue is out of earshot.

"Creepy." Willow says.

They gather their stuff, move for the door.

"I bet Giles wishes I were more of a fact geek." Buffy says.

"Giles is enough of a fact geek for both of you." Willow sys.

Buffy sighs, "But you saw how he and Kendra were vibing. "Volume six - ha, ha, ha!""

Willow nods, "Buffy. No one can replace you. You'll always be Giles' favorite."

"I wonder . . ." Buffy says.

"Of course you will. You're his Slayer. The Charmed Slayer."

Buffy shakes her head, "No - I mean, I wonder if it would be so bad. Being replaced."

"You mean, letting Kendra take over?" Willow asks. "Just being a witch?"

Buffy nods, "Maybe. It would be wild if, after this thing with Spike and the assassins is over, I could say - "Kendra, you slay. I'm going to Disneyland . . ."

"But not forever, right?" Willow asks.

Buffy shakes her head, "No, Disneyland would get boring after a few months. But I could do . . . other stuff. Any stuff. Career day stuff. Who knows, Willow, I might even be able to have, like, a normal life . . ."

Willow and Buffy stand amid the hubbub of career week a few moments later, looking at a large schedule of events that's posted on the wall.

"Okay, my tests say I should be looking into law enforcement - duh - and environmental design . . ." Buffy says.

"Environmental design? That's landscaping, right?" Willow asks.

Buffy shrugs, "I checked the shrub box. Landscaping was yesterday - so law it is."

They start to move through the career seekers. Buffy notices Oz, who is standing nearby, staring at Willow intently. He carries his guitar case.

"Don't look now, Will, but that guy over there is totally checking you out." Buffy says.

Willow glances over to Oz - waves it away. "Oh. That's Oz. He's just expressing computer nerd solidarity."

"Really? Then why is he on his way over?" Buffy asks.

Oz approaches. Eyes only for Willow. "Hi."

Buffy smiles, keeps moving. "Told you." She heads toward the law enforcement booth.

Buffy looks to a sign-in sheet and she adds her name and Police Lady takes the paper. "Listen up and answer when I call your name!" Buffy and the other seminar attendees gather around. "Buffy Summers!"

"Here." Buffy says.

The Police lady draws her gun and aims at Buffy. Buffy dives for cover, cursing the fact she is in a crowded room or she would have flamed out. The Police Lady shoots her gun at the diving Buffy.

"Get down!" Buffy yells.

All the career day folks freak as Police Lady shoots again and again at Buffy.

"Look out!" Oz says as he throws himself over Willow – taking her to the ground. A bullet grazes him. They land hard. Oz on top of her, bleeding.

Buffy crawls on the ground through the chaos, moving out of Police Lady's line of sight until she ends up behind her. Buffy grabs Police Lady's legs from under her, dropping her.

Police Lady and Buffy roll on the ground. Buffy finally manages to get the gun out of her hand and it skitters away.

Police Lady simply draws another gun. Points it right at Buffy's face.

But before Police Lady can shoot - a foot kicks the gun from her hand. Buffy looks up to see KENDRA, ready to kick some lady-in-blue butt. She sees Prue behind Kendra. Buffy takes advantage of the distraction and pounds police lady repeatedly in the face-

Still, Police Lady manages to throw Buffy off her and grab one of the kids who was at the law enforcement booth before Buffy or Kendra can stop her. She's got yet another gun - which she points at the poor kid's chest.

"Don't!" Buffy says.

Hostage in tow, Police Lady backs out of the lounge. She gets to the door, tosses the kid to the ground and exits.

Kendra goes after Police Lady while Buffy and Prue runs to Oz and Willow.

"He's, he's shot-" Willow says. "Are you okay?"

"I'm shot. Wow. It's very . . . odd. And painful." Oz says.

Kendra runs back into the room. Moves to Buffy. "She's gone."

People emerge from their hiding spots. What just happened here? The hostage kid stands - shaky. "Was - was that a demonstration?"

Buffy, Kendra, Giles and Willow are doing the post-siege analysis.

"She was definitely one of the Taraka gang, Giles. And way gun happy." Buffy says.

Giles nods, "And this Oz, he's alright?"

"The paramedic said it was only a scrape, thank goodness-" Willow says. "Prue said she would watch out for him till the paramedics are done.

Xander and Cordelia walk in.

"Down girl-" Buffy says.

But Kendra is totally rooted - looking at Xander like a deer caught in the headlights. Buffy's puzzled.

"Who sponsored career day today – The British Soccer Fan Association?" Xander asks.

Giles sighs, "We had a rather violent visit from one of the Order of Taraka-"

"You want to talk Order of Taraka? We met the king freak of the Order of-" Xander says as he sees Kendra.

"Forgive me. Xander, Cordelia – this is Kendra. It's very complicated, but she is also a slayer-"

Cordelia is too wigged-out to be newly fazed. She barely glances at Kendra, sits. "Hi. Nice to meet you."

"A slayer? I knew this "I'm the only one, I'm the only one" thing was just an attention getter." Xander says.

Buffy rolls her eyes, "Just say hello, Xander."

Xander moves to Kendra, who appears mortified by his attention. He notices her babe factor - vibes her. "Welcome. So you're a slayer, huh? I like that in a woman."

Kendra can only look at her shoes. Totally flustered. "I - I, hope . . . I thank you. I mean, sir . . . I will be of service."

"Good. Great. It's good to be a giver." Xander says and looks to Buffy - what's with her? Buffy shrugs.

"This assassin you encountered, Xander. What did he look like?" Giles asks.

Cordelia shrieks as she finds a dead worm in her hair.

"Like that." Xander says.

Buffy shakes her head, "You and bug people, Xander. What's up with that?"

"But this dude was different than the preying mantis lady. He was a man of bugs. Not a man who was a bug." Xander says.

"Okay." Willow says. "Huh?"

"The important thing is - everybody's okay. Still, it is quite apparent that we are under serious attack-"

Buffy nods, "Yeah. These Taraka guys are Uberbad. If Kendra hadn't been there today I would have been toast. There was no way to use my powers without exposing myself and Prue's number one rule is not expose our powers."

Kendra and Buffy exchange a look. The thanks noted.

"I fear the worst is yet to come. I've discovered the remaining keys to Drusilla's cure. The ritual requires her sire and must take place in a church on the night of the new moon-"

"The new moon? But that is tonight." Kendra says.

Giles nods, "Exactly. I'm sure the assassins are here to kill Buffy before she can put a stop to things-"

Buffy suddenly stands - her tone urgent. "They need Drusilla's sire? You mean the vamp that made her?"

"What is it, Buffy?" Willow asks.

"It's Angel. He's Drusilla's sire." Buffy says painfully.

"Man! That guy got some major neck in his day-" Xander says.

Willow hits Xander and Xander shuts up. Kendra is clearly displeased - but holds her tongue.

"This thingy. This ritual. Will it kill him?" Buffy asks.

Giles nods, "I'm afraid so."

Buffy frowns, "We have to do something. We have to find the church where this ritual takes place-"

"Agreed. And we must work quickly. There are only five hours to sundown." Giles says.

"Don't worry, Buffy, we'll save Angel." Willow says.

Kendra frowns, "Angel? Our priority must be to stop Drusilla."

"Angel's our friend. Except I don't like him." Xander says bridling.

Buffy glares at Kendra, "Look, you've got your priorities and I've got mine. Right now, they mesh. You gonna work with me or are you gonna get out of my way?"

"I am with you." Kendra says.

Buffy nods, "Good. Cause I've had it. Spike is going down. You can attack me, you can send assassins after me . . . that's just fine. But nobody messes with my boyfriend. I'm going to call the Manor and see if Piper and Phoebe are home and then call Prue and get her back here."

A couple hours later Willow is at the computer with Giles and Prue watching as she scrolls through some information. "There are over 2000 churches in San Francisco? That seems a bit excessive.

**_(A/N – From the research I've found there is at least 1400 churches in San Francisco. That doesn't include of course Synagogues, Buddist Temples, etc. I added another 600 to the total since San Francisco is sitting on the Hellmouth in this story.)_**

"It's the extra evil vibe from the hellmouth. Makes people pray harder." Willow says.

"Check and see if any of them are closed or abandoned." Prue says.

Willow obliges. Giles carries a large book over to Phoebe, Cordelia and Xander who are looking through some sort of demon "mug book".

"We got demons. We got monsters. But no bug dude or Police Lady." Xander says.

Giles hands them the book he holds, "You should have better luck with this. There's a section devoted entirely to the Order of Taraka."

In Giles Office Kendra looks out at the others, then over at Buffy, who is checking and re-checking her weapons, clearly keyed up and freaking about Angel. Phoebe stands behind silently watching.

"And those two, they also know you are the Slayer." Kendra says.

"Yup." Buffy says.

Kendra looks to Phoebe, "And you?"

Phoebe nods, "Prue, Piper and I know, yes."

Kendra shakes her head looking back to Buffy, "Did anyone explain to you what "secret identity" means?"

"Nope. Must be in the handbook. Right after the chapter on personality removal." Buffy says. There's no real rancor there - Buffy is too focused. Kendra picks up a crossbow, checks it out. "Careful with that thing."

"Please. I am an expert in all weapons-" Kendra says and she accidentally fires an arrow into Giles' lamp. Kendra is startled, tries to cover.

"Is everything all right?" Giles asks from the other room.

"Yeah, it's okay. But you need to purchase a new lamp." Phoebe says.

"Sorry. This trigger mechanism is different." Kendra says. "Perhaps when this is over you can show me how to work it."

"When this is over, I'm thinking pineapple pizza and teen video fest - possibly something from the Ringwald oeuvre." Buffy says.

Phoebe smiles, "That sounds like a wonderful idea, Buffy."

"I'm not allowed to watch television. My Watcher says it promotes intellectual laziness." Kendra says.

"And he says it like it's a bad thing?" Buffy asks.

Xander says from the other room, "Here we go. I am the Bug Man, coo coo coo chu."

In the main room Piper looks at the book, "Says here he can only be killed when he's in his disassembled state."

Xander addresses Cordelia - as to a three-year-old. "Disassembled. That means when he's broken down into all his buggy parts-"

Cordelia, annoyed, grabs the book. "I know what it means, dork head-"

Xander tries to grab the book. "Dork head? You slash me with your words."

They inadvertently touch. "Arrrgggghhhh!" Xander and Cordelia says. They jump away from each other as though they've been electrocuted.

Piper rolls her eyes and grabs the book looking over what it says in detail.

In Giles office they hear the scream. "Your life is very different than mine." Kendra says.

"You mean the part where I occasionally have one? Yeah, I guess it is." Buffy says.

"The things you do and have, I was taught distract from my calling. Friends. School. Even family." Kendra says.

Buffy frowns, "What do you mean - even family?"

"My parents - they sent me to my watcher when I was very young." Kendra says.

"How young?" Buffy asks.

Kendra shrugs, "I don't remember them, actually. I've seen pictures . . . But that's how seriously the calling is taken by my people. My mother and father gave me to my watcher because they believed that they were doing the right thing for me - and for the world. You see?"

Buffy is shocked. But Kendra shuts down hard. "Oh. I'm-"

"Please. I don't feel sorry for myself. Why should you?" Kendra says.

"It just sounds very lonely. I don't know what I would do without my cousins or even Xander and Willow." Buffy says.

Phoebe smiles at the compliment.

"Emotions are weakness, Buffy. You shouldn't entertain them." Kendra says.

"What? Kendra - my emotions give me power. They're total assets." Buffy says.

Kendra shrugs, "Maybe. For you. But I prefer to keep an even mind."

Phoebe nods, "Kendra our Charmed Powers are tied to our emotions. If we didn't have access to our emotions we couldn't use our powers."

Kendra picks up a dagger, polishes it.

Buffy thinks for a moment, "Huh. I guess that explains it."

"Explains what?" Phoebe and Kendra ask.

Buffy smiles, "When we were fighting. You're amazing. Your technique. It's flawless. Better than mine-"

"I know." Kendra says.

"Still - I would have kicked your butt in the end. And you know why? No imagination." Buffy says.

Kendra starts polishing the knife a little more intensely. "Really? You think so?"

Buffy nods, "Yep. You're good. But power alone isn't enough. A great fighter goes with the flow. She knows how to improvise. Don't get me wrong, I mean, you have potential-"

"Potential . . ." Kendra says as she puts the weapon down - furious. Gets in Buffy's face. "I could wipe the floor with you right now."

Buffy smiles, "That would be anger you're feeling."

Kendra is thrown, "What?"

"You feel it, right? How the anger gives you fire? A slayer needs that." Buffy says.

Xander enters, grabs a book. Kendra instantly goes nonverbal and shy again.

"Scuze me, ladies." Xander says. "Nice knife." He ducks out.

Buffy looks at Kendra with some sympathy. "I'm guessing dating isn't big with your Watcher either."

"I am not permitted to speak with boys." Kendra says.

Phoebe blinks, "Really?"

"Unless you're pummeling them, right?" Buffy says. "Wait a minute."

"What?" Kendra and Phoebe ask.

"That guy. The sleazoid you nearly decked in the bar." Buffy says.

"You think he might help us?" Kendra asks.

"I think we might make him." Buffy says.

At Willy's, Willy is thrown against the wall by Buffy. Kendra and Prue paces nearby.

"Honest! I don't know where Angel is!" Willy says.

Buffy frowns, "How about this ritual tonight? What have you heard?"

Willy shakes his head, "Nothing. It's all hush hush-"

"Just hit him, Buffy," Kendra says impatiently.

"As much as I hate harming mortals, Buffy. I have to agree with Kendra. If you slapped him around just a little you might get a response from him."

Buffy nods, "She - likes to hit."

"You know, maybe I did hear something about this ritual. Yeah . . . It's coming back to me . . . But I'd - I'd have to take you there-" Willy says.

Buffy lets Willy down. Starts to drag him toward the door. "Let's go."

Kendra hesitates. "First, we must return to the watcher."

"I think she's right Buffy. We need backup." Prue says.

"Excuse me? While we run to Giles, the whole thing could go down-" Buffy says.

"But, it is procedure-" Kendra says.

"It's brainless, you mean! If we don't go now - Angel could be history." Buffy says.

Prue sighs and nods, Buffy is right of course. And in this instance Angel is the innocent they have to protect. "Alright."

"Is that all you're worried about? Your boyfriend?" Kendra asks.

Prue glares at Kendra, "As the Charmed Ones and the Charmed Slayer. We protect the innocents. In this scenario Angel is the innocent we have to protect."

"It's as I feared. He clouds both of your judgments. We can't stop this ritual alone-"

Buffy nods, "He'll die-"

Kendra finally loses her patience. Says what she's been thinking all along. "He's a vampire. He should die! Why am I the only person who see it?"

This hits Buffy hard. Her face goes cold. "I'm going. With you or without you. Prue go back to Giles, okay. Get Piper and Phoebe. We could use the Power of Three."

Kendra shakes her head, "You're crazy. You'll be killed."

"Then I guess this is goodbye." Buffy says as she grabs Willy and leaves.

Kendra is stunned.

"If your not going with her then come on. We got to get my sisters and the rest of the guys." Prue says.

Willy leads Buffy into the dark vestibule of a Church foyer. "Here you go. Don't ever say your friend Willy don't come through in a pinch-"

Buffy moves to follow, when out of the darkness appear Pfister and Police Lady and Spike's two vampire henchmen. They surround her. Willy turns to the vamp henchmen.

"Here you go. Don't ever say your friend Willy don't come through in a pinch-"

Buffy frowns.

Willy, Pfister and Buffy - who struggles against the iron grip of Police Lady and the vampire henchmen walks into the chapel. Spike is appalled but Willy doesn't notice- "It's pay day, pal. I got your slayer." Willy says.

Spike advances on him, seething. "Are you tripping? You bring her here - now?"

Buffy sees Angel and Drusilla and she frowns. Angel is gone - can't acknowledge her.

"You said you wanted her-" Willy said.

Spike frowns, "In the ground, pinhead! I wanted her dead-"

"Now - now that's not what I heard." Willy says nervously, "Word was, there was a bounty on her, dead or alive-"

"You heard wrong, Willy." Spike says.

"Angel . . ." Buffy says.

Spike is distracted by Buffy. Looks over where she looks. "Yeah, it bugs me too, seeing 'em like that. Another five minutes and Angel'll be dead though, so I forebear. But don't feel too bad for Angel. He's got something you don't have."

"What?" Buffy asks.

"Five minutes. Patrice?" Spike says.

Police Lady raises a gun to Buffy's head.

The doors burst open, knocked completely off their hinges by Prue's telekinetic power. Kendra is handspringing across the room before anyone even has time to react, smashing into Police Lady and knocking her to the floor, her gun skittering away.

"Who the hell is that?" Spike asks.

Buffy takes the moment to shake off her vamps. "It's your lucky day, Spike."

Kendra grabs Spike, "Two slayers." She punches him, spinning him toward.

"No waiting." Buffy says as she punches him, spinning him again.

Kendra moves to punch him again, but he ducks, engages her in fisticuffs as Police Lady comes for Buffy, stilettos popping out from her sleeves.

Police Lady is suddenly frozen by Piper, "Stay away from my cousin."

The vamps get up to get Buffy and Kendra - but both of them is arrowed from the back. Giles and Phoebe is behind them, crossbows in hand. Willow, Prue and Xander flank them, all armed.

"Hey larva boy!" Xander calls out as Pfister turns and stares at him. "That's right. I'm talking to you - the big cootie."

Pfister has heard enough, starts for Xander. Xander races into the FOYER - shuts the door. Pfister sheds human form and devolves into worm state, streaming under the door.

Cordelia is on the other side of the door and has spread some kind of glue on the floor. She and Xander watch as the worms come under the door and get stuck.

"Welcome, my pretties. Mwa haa haa!" Xander says as he and Cordelia start to stomp on the worms. Xander goes at it gleefully. Cordelia, a little gingerly.

Spike, Kendra and Buffy trade blows with each other.

"Buffy!" Piper shouts she's fighting through my freeze."

"Power of Three!" Buffy says.

Kendra looks to Buffy, "You got this?"

Buffy nods, "Go."

Kendra runs over to Police Lady as she unfreezes.

"Rather be fighting you alone anyway." Spike says.

Buffy simply smiles.

Prue telekinetically flies Spike into a wall just as Willy is trying to exit thataway.

Buffy smirks, "I didn't say I would be fighting alone."

Spike grabs Willy, "Where are you going?"

"There's a way in which this isn't my fault." Willy says.

Spike frowns, "They tricked you."

"They were duplicitous!" Willy says outraged.

"Well, I'll only kill you just this once." Spike says.

Buffy makes her way to the alter and grabs the handle of the knife, trying to pull it from Angel and Drusilla's hands.

Spike tackles her from behind. Down they go.

Willy runs past Giles and Willow narrowly missing Giles outstretched fingers. Willy then passes Xander and Cordelia, who run in to join Giles and Willow.

Kendra and Police Lady are under the organ loft.

Police Lady knocks Kendra into a beam holding up the organ loft. It gives slightly, just dust raining down. Not sturdy. Police Lady slices Kendra in the arm, drawing blood. Kendra looks at her shirt, getting angry.

"That's my favorite shirt." Kendra says. "That's my only shirt!" Now she's pissed. She comes at Police Lady in a hail of blows, finally knocking her out right under the organ loft at the back.

Spike punches Buffy, gaining a moment to look about. Clearly, he's outnumbered. He pulls out the knife, cuts the bonds and grabs Dru as Angel falls to the floor. "Sorry, dear, we gotta go. Hope that was enough . . ." He grabs a torch by the altar and hurls it at Prue, Piper and Phoebe who are chanting the Power of Three spell. It hits an old curtain on the floor and starts a blaze. He carries Dru on the other side of the fire to the back, towards the organ loft.

Buffy rises, pissed off. She grabs a censer and swings it overhead. Throws it and it slams into the back of Spike's head. He stumbles forward right into the beam holding the organ loft up.

The beam falls, the loft crashes down on Spike and Dru.

"I'm good . . ." Buffy says.

"She's good . . ." Kendra says.

Buffy comes to Angel, Prue joins her to help carry him out. Kendra next to Buffy.

"It's gonna be okay . . ." Buffy says.

"Buffy?" Angel asks.

"Let's get him out." Kendra says.

They do, leaving the growing fire headed toward the rubble.

The next day outside the school Buffy and Kendra are walking toward the street. Kendra wears one of Buffy's shirts. "Thank you for the shirt. It is very generous of you."

Buffy smiles, "Oh, hey, it looks better on - well, me, but don't worry." There is ease between them now - Kendra smiles at the barb. "Now, when you get to the airport -"

Kendra nods, "I get on the plane with my ticket. And sit in a seat. Not the cargo hold."

"Very good." Buffy says.

Kendra nods, "That is not traveling undercover."

Buffy smiles, "Exactly. Relax. You earned it. You sit. You eat the peanuts. You watch the movie, unless it's about a dog or Chevy Chase."

"I'll remember." Kendra says.

They arrive at the curb where a taxi waits.

"Thank you. For helping me save Angel." Buffy says.

Kendra shakes her head, "I am not telling my Watcher about that. It is too strange that a slayer loves a vampire."

"Tell me about it." Buffy says.

Kendra smiles, "Still, he is pretty cute."

"Well, then, maybe they won't fire me for dating him." Buffy says.

Kendra shakes her head, "You always do that."

"Do what?" Buffy asks.

"You talk about slaying like it's a job. It's not. It's who you are. Just like being a witch is who you are." Kendra says.

"You get that from the handbook?" Buffy asks.

Kendra shakes her head, "From you."

"I guess I can't fight it. I'm a freak." Buffy says.

Kendra nods, "But not the only freak."

Buffy smiles, "Not anymore." She tries to hug Kendra.

"I don't hug." Kendra says.

Buffy takes a step back, "No. Good. Hate hugs."

Kendra gets in the taxi. Buffy watches it pull away.

Buffy moves to a quiet area where she can't be seen. "Now time to face the music." She flames out.


	33. Chapter 33: P4 H20

**Chapter 33: P4 H20**

Prue walks towards a dock. Buffy flames in right in front of her, "Hey finally got it down, only took one try. Why didn't you wait for me?"

Prue looks from Buffy to the edge of the dock, "Buffy you know your not supposed to flame where people could see you."

Buffy shakes her head, "I wouldn't have if you had waited for me like you said you would. Where are we anyways?" She looks around, "A lake? Why are you here?"

Prue doesn't answer as she sees a guy in a canoe and the water starts bubbling next to it. He falls out and Prue runs along the edge of the water, with Buffy trailing behind her. The guy tries to get out of the water but can't. "Flame to him, Buffy."

Another guy runs up to Prue and Buffy before Buffy can flame out. "No, it's too late. It's already taken him."

"Just call 911." Prue says.

At the Manor Piper's on the phone talking to Dan. She runs down the stairs into the kitchen. Phoebe's there reading the paper. Piper sits down at the table and pours cereal into a bowl. "Pouring."

"Uh, chewing." Dan said.

"I can't believe you eat that stuff." Piper says.

Phoebe shakes her head, "You guys are killing me with cuteness over here."

Piper frowns, "Don't you have somewhere to be, somewhere very far away."

Phoebe moves closer.

"What do you say tomorrow, when Jenny and Payson's at school, we have breakfast for real?" Dan says.

Piper nods, "I'll take what I can get."

Phoebe shakes her head, "Nausea." Prue and Buffy walks in. "Prue, what are you doing home? You told Piper that you were heading into the office. How come you didn't drop Buffy off at school?"

"Yeah, things changed." Prue says.

Piper nods, "Uh, Dan, I have to call you back, okay."

"Okay." Dan says.

Piper hangs up.

Prue sighs, "Okay, Buffy and I saw something or someone drown and it was anything but natural."

"On the freeway?" Piper asks.

Buffy shakes her head, "No we were up at some lake."

"Oh, wait a minute. The lake as in the lake, where mom was killed?" Phoebe asks.

"You said you were stuck in traffic." Piper said. "Why did you take Buffy up to the lake?"

"Uh she didn't. I flamed up there looking for her." Buffy said. Piper glares at her. "I was a little ticked she forgot she was taking me to school."

Prue sighs, "Yeah, I was up ar the lake, when Buffy flamed up there to find me. I just go there sometimes to think."

"You never told us that." Phoebe says.

They walk past the dining room and up the stairs.

Prue sighs, "Because I didn't want to make a big deal about it. Anyway, this isn't about mom, alright. We saw someone get pulled under, I told Buffy to flame to him but this man ran up to us before she could and said "Its already taken him.""

"Do you think he knows what happened?" Piper said.

Buffy shrugged, "He could."

They walk in Prue's room.

"Which means I need to get to Bucklands to drop stuff off and get back to that lake." Prue says.

Phoebe shakes her head, "Wait a minute, Prue, aren't you kind of missing the point? How can you think that what ever you saw didn't have something to do with how mom died?"

"Look, we need to stop worrying about the past and start dealing with the present. They're re-opening camp." Prue says.

Phoebe frowns, "I thought they closed it the summer that mom…"

Prue sighs, "Exactly. And no one has been allowed in the lake since and if there's something in it, killing, then the last thing we need is a lake full of kids."

Buffy nods, "Well, how do we find the guy that stopped us?"

Piper nods, "What about the woman who used to run the camp? Mrs. Johnson. If she's still up there, she'll probably know who he is."

"She's still there, same cabin." Prue says.

"I guess you go up there to think a lot." Phoebe says.

Prue nods, "I'll meet you guys up at the lake. I should be there in an hour." She leaves.

Phoebe sighs, "Do you really think the thing that Buffy and she saw has nothing to do with how mom died?"

Piper shakes her head, "Nope. You?"

Phoebe sighs, "Not a chance."

"So how did Aunt Patty, die?" Buffy asks. "I know I'm probably dragging up some bad memories but it's not something you've all never told me."

"We'll tell you on the way up there." Piper says.

45 minutes later in Mrs. Johnson's place at the lake. Phoebe's looking at a photo and Mrs. Johnson brings in some cookies.

"Well, I'm finding it hard to believe enough times gone by for you two to of grown up so much. Here." Mrs. Johnson says as she hands Piper the plate of cookies.

Phoebe smiles, "Aww, look at little Prue. Nice pigtails Piper." She laughs.

Buffy shakes her head, "Yeah Piper you look cute."

"Not fair." Piper says.

Phoebe sighs, "No, what's not fair is that I never got to go to camp with you guys." She grabs the plate off Piper and starts eating a cookie.

Buffy sighs, "Phoebe."

Piper smiles, "Um, we heard you were thinking of opening up the camp again."

Mrs. Johnson nods, "Oh, was. I thought it was over and then today another drowning. I can't ask the campers to go swimming in the lake when…"

Piper nods, "Um, we were wondering if you might help us with something. Prue and Buffy was up here the other day and they mentioned a man, um, older, a bit off."

Phoebe nods, "I think the word that Prue used was crazy."

Piper: We were wondering if you might know who he is.

Mrs. Johnson nods, "Oh, Sam. Only one it could be. The man's not wired together properly. He showed up when the drownings started. He just stayed here, no friends, no life of his own. You know, with someone like that, you have to wonder what he's capable of."

Piper, Buffy and Phoebe look at each other.

Outside a few minutes later Prue pulls up in Piper's car. She gets out and stares out at the lake. Piper, Buffy, Phoebe and Mrs. Johnson walk up to her.

"Mrs. J., you remember my sister, Prue." Piper says.

Mrs. Johnson smiles, "Oh, Prue, of course I do. It's good to see you." She and Prue hug. "Wow! You're looking more and more like your mother everyday."

Prue shakes her head, "Um, actually it's Piper who resembles her the most."

There's an awkward silence.

"People say I look like my mom," Buffy said trying to break the silence.

Mrs. Johnson looked to Buffy and nodded, "I only met Patience once when she and Patty dropped Prue and Piper off for camp. But from what I remember I would say you definitely could be a younger version. Will you all come see me again? The old broad gets lonely up here. I love to see my campers."

Piper smiles, "Sure."

Mrs. Johnson waves, "Bye."

"Bye." Piper says.

"Bye, it was nice to meet you." Buffy says.

Phoebe smiles, "Bye. Thank you."

"Bye." Prue says.

Mrs. Johnson goes back up to her house.

Piper nods, "She's not opening the camp, Prue."

"Really, so that means it's just between us and whatever is hiding in that lake. Any word on that crazy guy?" Prue asked.

Buffy nods, "His name is Sam and he lives right…"

Prue's phone rings. She answers it. "Hello, this is Prue."

"Hey, how's my favorite auctionette?" Jack says.

Prue shakes her head, "Fine, how's my favorite auction-ass?"

"Ooh, nice one. Hey, listen, I just wanted to let you know that since you're not here, I'm gonna take your twelve o'clock lunch with Mr. Fugimotto." Jack says.

Prue frowns, "Ah, no, no, no. Wait, Mr. Fugimotto is very particular."

"Prue, would your relax. I will take great care of your client okay. Later." Jack says as he hangs up.

Prue frowns, "I just can not figure out what this guy's deal is."

"That's funny, we were just gonna ask you the same thing." Piper says.

"Excuse me?" Prue says.

Phoebe sighs, "Every time someone compares you to mom you flinch. It's a compliment, not a curse."

"Is it? Because every single day, I feel like I'm becoming more and more like her and everyday it terrifies me." Prue says.

Buffy shakes her head, "Prue."

"I mean, don't you guys see it?" Prue says, "Look at what happened to her and then look what's happening to me. No successful relationship with guys, being responsible for a family, now because of being this charmed thing, the very real possibility of dying young, it's like history is repeating itself."

"Prue if it anyone's dying young it's me not you." Buffy said. "Or did you forget Slayer's traditionally don't live into their 20's."

Phoebe shakes her head, "Buffy."

"Prue, that's all just..." Piper says.

Prue sighs, "Coincidence? I thought that we had figured out that nothing is a coincidence in our lives. Like Buffy and I being here when that thing attacked, it's like we were meant to be here."

Piper nods, "Well, you're not exactly meant to be here when you're here every week."

"Alright, look, I just wanna find this Sam guy, see what he knows about the demon, vanquish it and get on with our lives." Prue says.

They walk back towards Sam's place and enter.

"Sam? Be vewy, vewy quiet. We're hunting demons." Phoebe says.

Buffy nods, "I guess he's not home."

Prue looks through some sheets of paper and finds a picture of their mother. "Oh my."

"What? What is it?" Piper asks.

Prue frowns, "What is he doing with a picture of her?"

"Who is this guy?" Buffy says.

"Or what?" Phoebe says.

Prue finds some newspapers. "Okay, he has articles on every single drowning at the lake."

Piper finds a certificate. "New York teacher of the year, Sam Wilder. In 1872?"

"Okay, so this guy is either 127 years old or…" Phoebe says.

Buffy sighs, "A demon."

Prue shakes her head, "Named Sam? A demon named Sam? I mean, can't it be his grandfather's certificate? After all, he did save me and Buffy."

Piper opens a drawer and finds some letters. "What are these? I found..." Leo orbs in and scares Piper. "Whoa! Leo, hi, what are you doing here?"

"Come on, we gotta get outta here. Sam could be back at any minute." Leo says.

Prue frowns, "Wait, you know Sam?"

"Come on, we gotta…" Leo says.

"We are not going anywhere until you tell us what you know. Who is Sam?" Prue asks.

Leo sighs, "Sam was your mom's and Patience Whitelighter."

"Sam was mom and Aunt Joyce's Whitelighter?" Piper says.

Leo nods, "Emphasis on was. When your mom died, Sam clipped his wings. He's mortal now, but once, yeah he was a Whitelighter. He looked after your mother, and Patience."

Buffy sighs, "Then he lost Aunt Patty."

Leo nods, "To the same demon you're fighting now."

"And you knew? This whole time he's been living up here while…" Piper says.

Leo shakes his head, "I couldn't tell you. And what would it change? It would only distract you, maybe even gotten you all killed. I mean, you guys were gonna have to face this thing sooner or later. And I'm here to make sure you do it with a clear head. Emotions will get the best of you if you let them."

"Well, can you really blame us?" Piper says.

"Leo, he let our mother, Buffy's aunt, die." Phoebe says.

"Leo's right, this isn't about mom and it's not about Sam for that matter. It's about a demon who's waiting until tomorrow for brunch to be served." Prue says.

Piper nods, "Mrs. J's not opening the camp."

Prue sighs, "That doesn't end it, it just stalls it."

Buffy nods, "Prue's right. How long will it be before Mrs. Johnson thinks the drownings stopped again before she tries to reopen again."

Leo nods, "You guys are behind and need to catch up. Book of Shadows, get a working knowledge of this demon before you face him."

Phoebe nods, "Hmmm, said like an unfeeling professional. This is personal for us, Leo."

"Leo doesn't do personal anymore, he just does his job." Piper says.

Leo sighs, "Now that I've done it, I guess there's no reason for me to hang around." He orbs out.

"Okay, he's gone. Now you can explain." Phoebe says.

Prue shakes her head, "Explain what?"

Phoebe sighs, "Why you're acting like all of this doesn't phase you, Prue. We are talking about how our mother was killed."

Buffy smiles sadly, "Even I never knew Aunt Patty, except for our brief trip back to 1975. This just brings back the fact that I will never get to know either."

They hear Mrs. Johnson screaming for help.

"Is that Mrs. Johnson?" Piper says.

They run outside and towards the dock. Prue stops short at the edge of the dock.

"Your hand, give me your hand! Prue, what are you doing? We need you." Phoebe says.

Prue starts thinking about the day her mother died and when she's in the bodybag.

"Get off the dock! It's her! It's taken her over!" Sam says.

Mrs. Johnson goes under the water.

"Oh my Goddess." Buffy says.

Sam frowns, "Get off the dock now!"

Buffy grabs Piper and Phoebe and flames to the edge of the dock.

"Why didn't you listen to me? I told you to stay away from the lake. It only kills in the water. Why didn't you listen to me? Nobody ever listens." Sam says.

"We know who you are." Prue says.

"You shouldn't listen to people in town, they'll just tell you I'm crazy but I'm not." Sam says.

"We know you worked with my mom and Aunt Patty." Buffy says.

Phoebe nods, "And lost our mother."

Sam sighs, "I knew you'd come. I knew it. And then when I saw you two." He looks at Prue and Buffy, "It's in your eyes, your mother. Both of you have each of your mother's eyes. I knew the moment that you two showed up you were Patty and Patience daughters."

"You have no right talking about her. You lost that right when you lost her. Why are we dealing with him?" Phoebe says.

"Because we need to know what he knows. Sam, you have to tell us about the demon." Piper says.

Sam shakes his head, "No, no, you can't fight this thing. It's under water but it has a … it-it thinks. You never know where it's gonna be, who it's gonna be. Sometimes it takes over its victim's bodies to lure you to the water. Sometimes it doesn't. Leave now, please! Forget you ever came here. Forget you ever knew."

"How can we do that? I mean, it's out there killing. We can't just walk away." Buffy says.

Sam sighs, "You really wanna know what I know? I know you're not strong enough or well versed enough in your powers to take this thing on." He looks to Piper. "I know that you have the same power as your mother. The power to freeze. And you know what happened when she tried to use it." He looks to Prue, "And I know you'll let your emotions get in the way, you'll lose focus and you'll lose your life. That's what I know." He looks to Buffy. "And you in this instance are the weakest against this demon. You have a Fire based power because of the Slayer, you would have no chance. It would just extinguish your power before you could even use it. And the augmentation won't help against it either because there is no way to fight it."

"Well, you obviously don't know us that well because we're not leaving." Prue says.

Sam nods, "Strong, willful, just like Patty."

"I'm nothing like my mother." Prue says.

Sam nods, "But you're here. Just like she was."

"But we'll beat it." Buffy says.

"Now, you have one choice. You can either get on board or get the hell out of the way." Prue says.

Sam sighs, "The power of three augmented. Okay, okay. If you're gonna do this then you're gonna need me to help you."

"Alright, enough of this. How do we kill it?" Phoebe asks.

Sam shakes his head, "You don't." He blows magical dust at them. "Now, you're gonna go home and you're gonna go directly to bed. Then when you wake up tomorrow you will not remember coming to the lake, or discovering the demon, or meeting me. I can't let it happen again."

The next morning Buffy, Prue, Piper and Phoebe walk out of their rooms.

"I fell asleep, woke up, and suddenly it's Thursday." Prue says.

"I don't feel so good." Phoebe says.

Buffy and Piper are scratching their arms.

"Oh! What's that?" Prue says.

Piper shakes her head, "I don't know. I itch everywhere."

"Yeah," Buffy says.

Phoebe frowns, "It looks like the time Prue got poison ivy."

"But Prue got poison ivy at camp and…" Piper says.

The doorbell rings.

Piper come downstairs answers the door.

Dan's standing there holding a tray with bowls of cereal on it. Piper looks confused. "You don't look hungry, you look confused, and you're contagious."

Piper frowns, "Dan, what are you…?"

"Breakfast. Me, you, here, remember?" Dan says.

Piper nods, "Uh, everything's a little hazy this morning."

"Well, is there anything I can do?" Dan asks.

Leo orbs in behind the door.

Piper smiles, "You can hold that thought." She freezes him and closes the door.

Leo frowns, "What are you doing here?"

"What are you doing here? I live here. What, are you checking up on me and Dan? I thought we talked about this." Piper says.

Leo frowns, "It has nothing to do with him. Why aren't you up at the lake?"

Prue, Buffy (who's still scratching) and Phoebe walk in the foyer.

"What lake?" Buffy asks.

Leo frowns, "Look, nobody has shut down the camp, so the kids are on their way there now." Prue, Buffy, Piper and Phoebe look confused. "He did it didn't he?"

"Did what?" Piper asks.

"Who did what? Who is he?" Phoebe asks.

Leo frowns, "Sam, used the powder, sort of like a supernatural mickey. He must of gotten it from…"

"Mom." Prue says.

Leo nods, "Good, it's fading. Now, concentrate. It's sort of like remembering a dream. Okay, the lake, the kids, the demon, Sam."

Buffy frowns, "Sam? Why would he do this to us?"

"To keep history from repeating itself." Leo says.

Piper shakes her head, "Oh, just a sec, you guys scoot. Go, go, go." Buffy, Prue and Phoebe walk in the living room. Piper opens the door. Dan unfreezes. "Dan, I know we were supposed to do this this morning, but I'm really not feeling up to it."

"Well, I'll cook while you scratch." Dan says.

Piper shakes her head, "I can't, there's just some stuff, family stuff going on."

Dan nods, "Say no more. I completely understand."

Piper smiles, "I'd kiss you but…"

Dan nods, "But you're contagious. Tomorrow. I'm just glad you can tell me things."

Piper smiles, "Well, I feel like I can tell you anything." Dan leaves. Piper closes the door. "Except that there's a demon."

Leo sighs, "And that you're a witch." Piper looks at him. "Sorry, that was…"

"The truth." Piper says.

Buffy, Prue and Phoebe come back in.

Phoebe nods, "Prue and I should go get dressed."

Prue nods, "The only place you two will be going, contagious girls, is back to bed."

"But…" Buffy and Piper say.

Prue shakes her head, "But nothing. You both just look in the Books for this things Achilles heel."

"But what if there isn't one?" Buffy asks.

"Then we're screwed." Phoebe says.

Later in the kitchen Leo's got his hands above the Charmed Book of Shadows and the pages are flipping by themselves. Buffy is looking through hers.

Leo gives up as Piper enters carrying a washing basket. "I can't find anything."

Buffy closes her book, "Ditto."

Piper nods as she looks at Leo, "Well, then you don't have to stay with us. Looks of sympathy are not part of your job description."

Leo shakes his head, "No."

"Um, why didn't your healing touch work? I mean, what, you can save a life but you can't cure poison ivy?" Buffy asks.

Leo sighs, "It's not really up to me. I can only heal when they allow me to, when I'm meant to."

Piper frowns, "Well, why weren't you meant to help us? Why wouldn't we be meant to help my sisters?"

Leo shrugs, "There's always a reason. Maybe you're both meant to be here."

Piper searches through the washing and finds some letters. "Dear Sam? Leo. Buffy."

"What is it?" Buffy asks.

"Letters that my mom wrote to Sam. I must've forgotten about them because of the powder. "Dear Sam, Where are you? It's been two weeks since you were last here and I wonder are you alright. Do they have you off guiding someone? And I wonder when they will send you back to San Francisco. To me." Piper says.

Leo frowns, "Is this a…"

"A love letter?" Buffy says.

Later Buffy, Piper and Leo are sitting in the cane chairs. They're reading the letters.

"Sam, yes you were clear. My eyes were open to the difficulties, the risks, but my answer is the same as it was when you were still here with me. No one understands me the way you do, no one can." Buffy says.

"What I wouldn't do for what other people consider ordinary. A conversation that gets finished, a night spent uninterrupted. A night with you." Leo says.

Piper nods, "It's like I could've written these."

"I wish you had." Leo says.

Piper shakes her head, "What would it have changed? Looks like this one is about our water demon. "You can't be with me up at the lake. This demon is too strong and I can't risk losing you, not for myself or the others you protect especially Patience. They must as always come first. You know I'd never face this demon if I didn't think I'd be home in time for dinner to see my girls, to see Patience, to see you. She never came home. When did this happen? Where was dad?"

"Your sisters need to know about Sam, your mom, Piper." Leo says.

Buffy nods, "I think Leo is right, Piper."

Piper nods, "And if this demon is as strong as she thought, then they're going to need me and Buffy but how do we get there in time to… Can you? I mean, is that breaking the rules?"

"What rules haven't we already broken?" Leo says.

"I can try Flaming up there." Buffy said. "I did it yesterday morning. But I'm still a little shaky with it when it comes to passengers."

"No Buffy, till you get control it would probably be better to do short hops. I'll take you both. I'll have hold on to the both of you." Leo says.

Leo holds Piper and Buffy and they orb out.

At the lake Prue is talking to Sam.

"It's time Sam. We need to know. How was mom gonna vanquish it?" Prue asks.

"I don't know. I failed, I lost her, isn't that enough?" Sam says.

Leo, Buffy and Piper orb in.

"Whoa, that felt really…alright, oh, laying down now." Piper says as she sits down on a chair.

Buffy looks a little queasy and sits down, "Either it's the poison ivy or that is just not very good to do on a full stomach."

"What are you two doing here?" Prue asks.

"He loved her." Piper says.

"What? Who loved who? What is she talking about?" Prue asks.

"Sam." Buffy said.

"Found the letters, Sam." Leo says.

Sam sighs, "Patty and I…"

"Fell in love." Piper and Buffy say.

Leo nods, "In the letters she told you to stay away. Not to go to the lake."

"But I did. I wouldn't have for anyone else, not even Patience. But I should've followed the rules, not fallen in love. I never would've been there. I never would've distracted her and she never would've died." Sam said.

Phoebe nods, "You loved her and you blame yourself."

"Don't you blame me? Everyday I wake up and for just a second, just a second I think maybe it didn't happen. Yes I blame myself." Sam says.

Prue nods, "We have to see past our emotions to deal with this, Sam. So do you."

"Even so, it doesn't change the fact that I didn't see it happen. I tried to warn her and she froze me." Sam said.

"Why?" Buffy asks.

Piper looks to Leo as she understands, "Because she was trying to protect him."

Sam nods, "Protecting was supposed to be my job. I couldn't help her, I don't know how I can help you, I didn't see what happened."

"I know somebody who can see anything." Prue said. "Well two actually but I don't think Buffy is going to be able to sleep at the moment."

Phoebe shakes her head, "Oh, no. Wait a minute. You tiptoe around the subject of mom, you deny looking like her, you can't even go to the end of that dock because you're afraid to walk in her footsteps and now you want me to relive her last moments? How is that fair?"

"It's not. None of this is. Mom's death, Sam's guilt. But I'm asking you to help me end it." Prue says.

Phoebe walks over and holds Sam's hands. She has a premonition. In the premonition: Patty's on the dock. She grabs a power cable.

Sam comes running towards her. "Patty, look out!"

Patty freezes him. The water demon raises up and a whole heap of water falls on top of her. The premonition ends and Phoebe starts coughing.

"Did you see her?" Piper asks.

Phoebe nods, "It entered her and it drowned her from the inside."

Prue nods, "Phoebe, in your vision, what was mom doing?"

"She was using something on the dock. Some... a wire?" Phoebe says.

Leo nods, "Power cable?"

"Makes sense. Electricity is the only thing that separates water particles." Piper says.

"So, what do we do differently? I know I'm no use against it, Sam was right about that. My augmentation won't be any use and it would just extinguish my fire power." Buffy said.

Prue shakes her head, "Maybe nothing. Sam, would mom's plan have worked if she had finished it?"

"Absolutely." Sam says.

Piper nods, "But you said her power, my power, doesn't work against this demon. And as Buffy pointed out her's won't either."

Phoebe nods, "So that's it. We use mom's plan with one difference. The witch at the end of the dock is not gonna be the one with the power to freeze."

"It's gonna be me." Prue says.

"Are you ready?" Buffy asks.

Prue nods, "Yeah."

"You don't have to do this." Sam says.

"Yes, I do." Prue says.

"Just focus on the demon, not what this is about." Phoebe says.

"Right." Prue says.

"Forgot how good this feels." Sam says.

"Be careful," Buffy says.

Prue nods as she starts walking to the dock.

"Really? How's it feel to be mortal?" Leo asks.

"Why would you want to know?" Sam asks. Prue's standing on the start of the dock. Sam walks up to her. "Let's go face our demons." They walk onto the dock. Prue picks up the power cables.

"I don't envy Prue right now. She's having to face more than one demon at once both internal and external." Buffy said.

"Okay, you in the water. I know that you've been waiting for this. For me. Well, here I am, so come and get me. You took what matters most to me and as long as I live, you will never kill again." Prue says.

The water starts bubbling.

"Prue, behind you!" Piper says as she, Buffy and Phoebe start running towards the dock.

"Piper, wait!" Leo says before Piper freezes him.

The water demon rises out from under the water.

"No! Not her! Take me!" Sam says as it sweeps over him like a wave and enters his body. "Stay back!" He picks up the power cables. "Now!" Prue turns on the power and Sam gets electrocuted. He falls to the ground.

"No, Sam." Prue says as she turns it off.

Buffy, Phoebe and Piper run up to them. Leo unfreezes.

"It's gone, it's gone." Sam says.

Phoebe nods, "Leo, do something."

Leo tries to heal Sam.

"What? Why isn't anything happening?" Prue asks.

"Because it's not meant to." Buffy says looking between Piper and Leo.

"It's okay, it's time to go." Sam says.

Prue shakes her head, "No."

Sam smiles, "I did what I've been waiting to do, I kept it from happening. History won't repeat itself."

"But you're going." Phoebe says.

Sam nods, "I'm gonna see Patty again." He looks to Leo. "Don't lose her." Patty's spirit appears. "Patty? Patty?"

"Say hi for me, for us." Prue says.

Sam's spirit appears next to Patty. They disappear.

The next day in the living room. Phoebe's sticking Patty's letters in a photo album. Buffy and Piper's sitting on the couch putting stuff on their poison ivy.

"At least fighting this demon came with a consolation prize. I mean, it didn't bring mom back but these brought her closer." Phoebe says.

Buffy nods, "It's a good idea, Pheebs. Making a journal out of Aunt Patty's letters."

"Yeah, not as good as the real thing though." Phoebe says.

Piper nods, "Nothing is."

Leo orbs in near the kitchen. Buffy and Piper sees him but Phoebe doesn't. He gestures with his head for Piper to go over there.

Buffy nods and looks Piper as she mouths, 'Go.'

"Um, tea. Either of you want some tea? I'm gonna go get some." Piper says.

Phoebe nods, "Sure."

Buffy nods, "Why not."

Piper goes in the kitchen.

Buffy looks back at Phoebe, "How do you think Prue is holding up?"

Phoebe looks up at Buffy and sighs, "She'll be alright. I think she is finally going to be able to move on. I think we all are."

Buffy nods, "I guess your right. I think I'm going to go take a nap." She stands up and smiles as she flames out.


	34. Chapter 34: Ms Hellfire

**Q/A: _BeneathYouICrunch - _**I checked Piper's Molecular Combustion power doesn't come till season 3 and we're still in season 2.

* * *

**Chapter 34: Ms. Hellfire**

Prue's on the phone while Buffy and Phoebe's sitting at the table eating their breakfast.

"All right, I can meet with the Curson Foundation at noon but then we'll have to move my 1:00 lunch regarding the Lowe estate. That will affect my 2:30 slide presentation and my 4:30 meeting with the new printers. Have you confirmed Mrs. Swanson yet?" Prue says.

"The last Tae Bo class is at seven." Buffy says.

"Okay. I can meet the printers at their office, walk to the Royal Hotel afterwards for my 5:30 with Mrs. Swanson." Prue says before looking to Buffy and Phoebe. "I just have enough time to make it to kick boxing class." She speaks into the phone. "Her plane doesn't arrive until six?"

Prue's cell phone rings.

Buffy sighs, "So much for Tae Bo. Oh, that's your phone, I will get it for you."

Prue smiles, "Thanks, it's probably Jack."

"You don't have time for Jack, literally," Phoebe says.

Buffy answer's Prue's cell, "Prue Halliwell's phone." She looks to Prue. "It's Mr. Caldwell's office."

Prue frowns, "It's the new VP. Monique, why is Mr. Caldwell calling me at home? What emergency staff meeting? When this morning?"

"9:30. Be there or be fired," Buffy says.

"I'm on my way," Prue says.

"Bye." Buffy says as she and Prue hang up. "I am very tired and now I need a nap."

Prue sighs, "Yeah, well, I need another me. I don't even have time to have fun anymore."

Piper enters carrying a bag.

"Oh, look who it is," Prue says.

Piper smiles, "Morning."

"Hi. Do you recognise that person?" Phoebe asks.

Prue nods, "Yeah, she looks vaguely familiar. Kind of like a sister or a cousin we used to have. What was her name? Pi... P..."

"Peeper?" Buffy asks.

Phoebe shakes her head, "Pi... Pippy?"

"Pipper?" Prue says.

Phoebe smiles, "Whatever happened to her?"

"I don't know. She fell in lust with the next-door neighbour, started spending all her time there." Prue says.

Piper smiles, "That's because she could, for the first time in months, her life was nice and calm and normal. I don't even care that it's Friday..."

"Shh! Don't even say it." Phoebe says.

Piper smiles, "The 13th. See, I said it, and nothing happened."

Suddenly someone starts shooting through the windows of the house. They scream and run past the dining room, into the living room. Prue, Buffy and Phoebe dive behind the couch and Piper stays on the other side of the room.

"I told you not to say it!" Phoebe says.

Piper frowns, "Oh, so this is my fault?"

"Run!" Prue and Buffy says.

"No!" Piper says.

Phoebe shakes her head, "Get your butt over here right..."

Piper runs past the table and freezes the bullets and glass that's coming towards her. She hides behind the couch. The person stops shooting and they peek over the top of the couch and the person starts shooting again. They duck behind the couch.

"Oh, like I need this today." Prue says.

The person stops shooting again.

"Since when do demons use bullets?" Buffy asks.

Piper shakes her head, "Maybe it's not a demon."

"Who else would want to kill us?" Prue asks.

Phoebe sighs, "Well, you know, you were a little sharp to the mailman yesterday, we all know how testy they can be."

They hear the door knob on the front door rattling.

"Freeze." Piper says.

"Kick." Phoebe and Buffy says.

"Send flying." Prue says.

"Okay." Phoebe says.

They wait for the door to open but then a woman comes out of the dining room. She shoots, Prue uses her power, the bullets stop in front of them and then flies back to the woman and kills her. Buffy, Prue, Piper and Phoebe run over to her. The woman is bleeding.

"Oh, my God, she's not a demon." Prue says.

Phoebe grabs the woman's purse and dumps it on the table while Buffy goes to call Darryl.

Prue, Piper and Phoebe look at all the things that were in the woman's purse.

"Multiple aliases." Phoebe says.

"Foreign currency." Piper says. "And throwing stars?"

Prue winds up the lipstick and a blade pops up. "Not exactly Avon calling."

Buffy comes back into the dining room, "Darryl is on his way."

Piper finds a key to an apartment. "Sutro Heights Apartments. That's kinda scary. She didn't live too far from here."

Buffy shakes her head, "What's even scarier is that we've never been attacked by a mortal before."

Prue nods, "Yeah, I've never killed a mortal before either."

"Prue, you had no choice." Phoebe says.

Prue shakes her head, "Still doesn't make it any easier."

Piper sighs, "Does it make it easier if the mortal was a hit woman?"

Piper's looking at the woman's planner.

"A list of names. So?" Buffy says.

Piper nods, "Yeah, look closer. We're on it. Or at least one of us is. "P. Halliwell" and other than an "M. Steadwell" we're the only other name not crossed off."

Prue frowns, "A hit woman. Someone obviously hired her." Prue flips through the planner. "Someone who knew we have powers. I mean, look."

"Prue: Telekinesis, Piper: Power to freeze, Payson: Fireball and Flame Teleporting, Phoebe: Negligible." Piper says.

Phoebe frowns, "What? Negligible?"

"Someone has a lot of information. I've only been flaming for a few weeks." Buffy says.

Piper nods, "Well, that explains why she drove us to the front door and surprised us from behind."

"So, why would a demon hire a mortal to kill us. It doesn't make any sense." Prue says.

"I just wish we knew about that part of the equation before we called..." Piper says.

Darryl knocks on the door and walks in.

"Darryl, hi, thanks for coming." Prue says.

"To tell you the truth, I'm not sure if I actually want to be here. Depends on whether or not you actually tell me the truth this time." Darryl says.

"Someone tried to kill us." Buffy says.

Darryl frowns, "Did you see who it was?"

Prue nods, "She's in there."

"She?" Darryl walks over to the hitwoman.

Piper nods, "We were just sorta standing here talking when suddenly she started shooting up the place."

"A hit woman, we think." Phoebe says.

Prue nods, "Who obviously wanted us dead, we were on her list."

"And that's why you're standing here alive and she's in here riddled with bullets." Darryl says.

Buffy shakes her head, "Darryl, it was self defence. You can check her gun if you don't believe us. The only fingerprints you're gonna find on it are hers."

"Begs the same question. How come she's got the bullets in her body if you didn't fire the gun?" Darryl asks.

Phoebe sighs, "Do you really wanna know, Darryl?"

"Tell me." Darryl says.

Prue, Piper, Buffy and Phoebe look at each other for a moment before they all nod. "We're witches. We... We have powers." Buffy says.

Piper nods, "And we think that there's a... how do I put this? A demon behind this."

"The only way for us to find out who it is, is if you can keep all of this quiet for as long as possible." Prue says.

Darryl frowns, "Let me see the book."

Piper hands him the planner.

Phoebe nods, "There are eight names that are crossed out. Besides us there is only one name that's not crossed out."

"'Plastique, 10 a.m.' Plastic explosives. For all we know she's probably got some place already rigged to blow." Darryl says.

Prue nods, "Maybe it's some place M. Steadwell is supposed to be at, at ten."

Phoebe looks at Piper's watch. " Okay, it's after nine already."

Darryl nods, "I'll check DMV, see if I can get an address."

"I'm gonna go with you." Phoebe says.

Piper nods, "Prue, Buffy and I can go to her apartment and see if we can find anything there."

"After we make a quick pit stop at Bucklands." Prue says.

"Are you kidding?" Piper asks.

"I can't lose my job." Prue says.

"What do we do with the..." Buffy says.

Darryl nods, "I can call in a favour and put the body on ice but it's not gonna buy you much time. One day, max."

At Bucklands there's a staff meeting in progress.

"As the new regional V.P. of Bucklands auction houses, I'll be implementing a new course of action for the new millennium." Caldwell says as Prue sneaks in and sits down beside Jack. "The problem is I don't know any of you well enough to know who's worth keeping and who's not."

Jack whispers to Prue, "You're late, partner."

"We are not partners," Prue whispers back.

"Do you wanna bet?" Jack whispers.

"You. Dark hair. Yeah, the one who tried to sneak in late. What's your name?" Caldwell asks.

"My name? Uh, Prue, Prue-Prue Halliwell." Prue says.

Caldwell nods, "Yeah, right, okay, you'll be partnered with Sheridan there. Every employee in this room and their partner, has until tomorrow night to scour through the obits. Do whatever you have to do to raise $100,000 of auction material." Prue raises her hand. "Yes."

"By tomorrow?" Prue asks.

"If you want to keep your job. Welcome to the new Bucklands." Caldwell says before he leaves.

"Whoa. I guess we better clear the decks, huh? You know, Prue, we might even have to work over dinner." Jack says.

Buffy and Piper's standing outside impatiently.

"Dinner, no." Prue says.

Jack shakes his head, "Come on, we're in this together aren't we?"

Prue nods, "Yeah, but..."

Suddenly Prue astral projects outside where Buffy and Piper's standing.

"Prue?" Piper and Buffy says shocked.

The Prue inside the office is just sitting still with her eyes closed.

"Prue?" Jack says as Prue astral projects back into her body. "Prue, have you even heard a word I've said?"

Prue shakes her head, "No, I'm feeling a little... weird. I'll be, uh... ooh." She gets up and walks over to Piper and Buffy.

"What the hell just happened?" Piper asks.

"I don't know. I think it was some sort of astral projection." Prue says.

"How did you do it?" Buffy asks.

Prue: shakes her head, "I don't know. I just felt this desperate need for there to be two of me and all of a sudden there was."

Piper nods, "Do you think this is part of your powers growing?"

Prue sighs, "Maybe. I mean, if I can move things with my mind, why not my body."

"Well, let's just get out of here before it happens again." Buffy says.

Some time later at the hit woman's apartment. Prue, Buffy and Piper exit the elevator.

"Look at this place. Lalique fixtures, silk-woven rugs, I could get used to living here in a hurry." Prue says.

"Yeah, you just have to know who to kill," Buffy says sarcastically.

"I'm gonna check the kitchen." Prue says.

"Alright, I got the bedroom." Prue says.

"I guess I have out here." Buffy says. She looks around the living room it is filled with roses but not much else. She finds the mail next to a couch, "current resident" is written on it.

Buffy heads towards the bedroom as Piper joins her.

"She must not have lived here long, all the mail is marked resident." Buffy says.

"Were you twirling?" Piper asks.

Prue shakes her head, "No. But opportunity knocked, and I did answer. Check out this wardrobe."

"Um, Prue, honey, focus." Piper says.

"I can't. It's not just the clothes. Wigs, make-up kits, prosthetic enhancements." Prue says.

"I wonder if anybody knew what she really looked like?" Piper asks.

"I doubt it." Prue says.

Buffy nods, "If it weren't for the roses, we wouldn't even know what to call her.

"What roses?" Prue asks.

"They're in the living room addressed to Ms. Hellfire." Buffy says.

"Really?" Prue asks.

Buffy nods, "Mmm hmm." She leads Prue into the living room and shows her the roses.

Prue reads the card on the roses. "Until we meet at last. Bane."

Three guys enter the apartment holding guns.

"Don't move. Don't even flinch, or you're both dead. That's it, now slowly turn around. Watch their hands, one of them can kill you with them in a second. Which one of you is Ms. Hellfire." DJ says.

Buffy looks to Prue, "She is. I'm Protégé."

"Protégé, hunh?" DJ says.

"You Bane?" Prue asks.

"I'm his right-hand man, DJ. Bane is very unhappy with you. He'd like to see you now." DJ says.

Piper freezes them. "Okay, sorry to disappoint you, boys. Let's go, get outta here, come on."

"Um, you know, thank's in part to Buffy, they think I'm Hellfire." Prue says.

"So?" Piper asks.

Buffy smiles, "So maybe Prue should go with them. I mean, maybe the best way to find out who hired her is to pretend to be her."

Piper shakes her head, "Okay, that's very funny, let's go."

"Piper, I'm serious. I mean, you said yourself, nobody knows what she looks like, certainly not this Bane guy." Buffy says.

Piper sighs, "Buffy, Prue, somebody might know what she looks like."

"Yeah, but I can protect myself. I mean, I have something that they don't have. Something that guns can't even compete with." Prue says.

"Today may not be the best day to boast about your powers." Piper says.

"It's in part why I didn't give my real name, Piper. If they believe I'm Ms. Hellfire's Protégé I can go where Prue goes and Flame her out."

Prue nods, "Plus if this hit woman was hired by a demon, then it's only a matter of time before he finds out that P. Halliwell is still alive and send someone else. So we have to do something. I mean, if you've got any better ideas then I'm certainly game."

"I know, and unfortunately, I don't." Piper says.

"Okay, so unfreeze them." Buffy says.

Piper frowns, "Is it just me or are you two a little too eager to play this role?"

Buffy simply smiles.

"It's not a bad role to play." Prue says.

Piper nods, "True. If you wanna get yourselves..."

"We'll be fine." Buffy says.

Piper goes in the other room and unfreezes them.

"Are you gonna make this easy or not?" DJ asks.

"Put that thing away before you hurt yourself. And Protégé is coming also, she goes where I go." Prue says.

"I have no problem with that." DJ says.

Buffy, Prue and the guys leave.

Later at Bane's place. It looks like a bar. Bane and a nervous guy is there.

"I swear to God, Bane. I tried to get the money for you but... I messed up, I messed up. I was scared, I didn't know how you were gonna react." The nervous guy says.

"You lied to me." Bane says.

"I didn't know, I didn't know." Nervous guy replies.

Bane nods, "You made a mistake, and you're sorry for it, right?" He sees Prue and Buffy walk in.

"Right. Yeah." Nervous guy says.

"Well, lesson learned, all right? Just never lie to me again. Understood?" Bane says.

The nervous guy smiles, "Thank you." He walks away.

Bane walks up to Prue and Buffy. His eyes are on Prue, "Wow, you are more beautiful than I imagined."

"So we finally meet." Prue says.

Bane nods, "Did you like the roses? And who do we have here?"

"I would have preferred orchids." Prue says. She points to Buffy, "This is my protégé, you can call her Protégé. She goes where I go."

Band nods, "Beautiful and honest. Let's take a walk." He looks to DJ. "You know what to bring." Buffy, Prue and Bane walk up the stairs. "What do I call you?"

"What you always call me." Prue says.

"Ms. Hellfire seems so cold in person. Unless your emails to me has been a tease." Bane says.

Prue smiles, "I think you know me better than that."

They sit down.

"Do I? You didn't confirm the Halliwell's this morning." Bane asks.

"We didn't have a clean shot." Buffy says.

Bane frowns, "That's disappointing. What about the last one on the list?"

Prue nods, "Steadwell? It was a blast."

Bane smiles, "I Like your style. Always have. The problem is you still got the Halliwell's but you've only got until midnight to take them out."

DJ opens a bottle of champagne.

"Um, don't worry about the Halliwells, we know their every move." Prue says.

Bane nods, "I'm getting a lot of pressure, you know."

"From who?" Buffy asks.

Bane looks to Prue, "You know who."

Prue nods, "Of course. I just haven't passed that information yet to Protégé."

DJ pours champagne in three glasses. Prue's phone rings. "Aren't you gonna answer that?"

Prue looks to Buffy, "Yeah." She answers it. "Hello?"

"Hey, what happened to you this morning, you completely disappeared." Jack says.

"I'm with a client." Prue says.

"Well, they'd better be a rich client. Time is money." Jack says.

"Champagne?" Bane says handing Prue a glass, then he looks to Buffy.

"Champagne, at this hour? Where are you?" Jack says.

Buffy holds up her hand, "No thank you. Alcohol and me are non-mixy things. One drink and I'm out like a light."

Bane nods, "Understood. What would you like?"

"A coke?" Buffy asks.

Bane smiles and looks to DJ, "Get her a coke."

"Me?" Prue says.

"To us." Bane says as he and Prue clink their glasses.

"Hey, Prue, you know me, I'm all for having a good time but we're under serious pressure here." Jack says.

"Yeah, I know..." Prue says as she astral projects to her office.

"Are you there?" Jack asks.

"Oh, God." Prue says.

"Is she alright?" Bane asks and Buffy nods.

"Prue?" Jack says.

Prue astral projects back in her body.

"Are you all right? What happened?" Bane asks.

"Prue, what the hell's going on?" Jack asks.

"I'll call you back." Prue says and then hangs up. "Sorry."

"Maybe you better hold off on this one. At least until the job is completed." Bane says.

"Guess we better be going." Prue says.

Bane shakes his head, "You're not going anywhere. Not without my driving ya."

Buffy and Prue starts walking down the stairs.

"Tell him, I'm on it." Bane says.

"Hey, man, why me? I don't even know the guy." DJ says.

"You will. Just go to my office, he'll show. Okay." Bane says.

Back at the hit woman's apartment. Prue, Buffy and Bane walk out of the elevator. All the roses are gone and now its fill with orchids.

"Well, thanks for the..." Prue says as she sees orchids all around the room, "…ride."

Bane smiles, "You say you preferred orchids."

Buffy nods, "She does."

"I'm impressed." Prue says.

"I'm glad. Now close your eyes. Both of you. Trust me." Buffy and Prue closes them. He gets two jewellery cases out of his pockets. "Go ahead, open them." They does so. "And open these when I leave, okay? Now remember, four Halliwells by midnight. On second thought, make it by ten. It gives me more time to take care of it myself, in case you fail." He kisses Prue then leaves.

They opens up the cases and an expensive diamond necklace are in them.

"Wow." Buffy says. "Why did he give me one though?"

"Maybe because your my protégé and he likes you?" Prue asks.

Later back at the Manor in the kitchen a car door slams from outside. Phoebe looks out the window. "Oh my God. Prue's home... I think."

"That's Prue, all right. And there's Buffy. What's she carrying though?"

They walk out of the kitchen. Prue and Buffy comes in the front door.

"Wow." Phoebe says.

"Gee, Prue, it looks like being a hired killer agrees with you." Piper says.

"I don't want to risk anyone seeing me out of uniform. It's also why…" Prue says motioning towards Buffy who holds up an outfit and coat. "Better get changed."

Buffy nods and heads upstairs.

"We've been worried sick about you two." Piper says.

"I'm sorry, we just didn't want to jeopardise our covers." Prue says.

"Nice cover." Phoebe says.

Piper nods, "And nice Porsche. A gift from Bane?"

"No, Bane prefers... never mind. Look, we need to get back before they get suspicious. Tell me what you know." Prue says.

"We know M. Steadwell is safe." Phoebe says.

Piper nods, "Can't say the same for the kitchen."

"And idea why she was on the list?" Buffy asks coming back down the stairs.

"Woah, Buffy." Phoebe says when she gets a look at her cousin. "Anyways could be because she's a witch. I mean, not a magical witch but a witch practitioner nonetheless."

"A hyperactive witch practitioner." Piper says.

Prue nods, "I wonder if all the names were witches? How many were on the list?"

"Ten. Except 'P. Halliwell' was only down once, so if you count us individually, thirteen." Piper says.

Buffy nods, "Thirteen dead witches by midnight on Friday the thirteenth. Ring any bells?"

"Barbas." Piper says.

Prue nods, "Gotta be."

"It can't be. I mean, we eighty-sixed him already." Phoebe says.

Buffy nods, "He must have found some kind of loop hole."

Prue nods, "We gotta get back to Bane, try and flush Barbas out."

"Buffy, Prue, you both can't go back there." Piper says.

Prue sighs, "Piper, it's almost eight. We have got to get to Barbas fast otherwise Bane's gonna want to see four bodies, our bodies."

"Have fun." Phoebe says."

"Phoebe, we're working." Buffy says.

"More like you're working it." Phoebe says. "Come on, Prue, Buffy. I've taken a walk on the dark side. I know all the signs."

"Okay, so it's a little different." Prue says.

Phoebe nods, "And dangerous."

"We can handle it," Buffy says. "I can flame us out. May not get back to the Manor in one shot but…"

"Buffy, Prue… Barbas can paralyse you and use your greatest fear against you. You don't want to face that alone." Piper says.

Prue nods, "How? I've already conquered my fear of drowning. What else can he do?" Prue asks.

"He really can't use my greatest fear against me anymore. I'm not afraid of losing any of you anymore." Buffy says.

"Maybe tap into some other fear. You can't defeat him alone, Prue, Buffy." Phoebe says.

"We know that. But for now we'll be okay. Buffy or I will call you guys and check in in an hour." Prue says as they turn and leave.

At Bane's place Buffy and Prue walks in matching wearing leather pants, small leather tops and long fur coats.

Bane sees them. He walks up to them. "You two look like you're ready to celebrate. Are the Halliwells dead?"

Buffy and Prue takes off their coats.

"The night's young. We have a little bit of business to discuss." Buffy says.

"What, all work and no play?" Bane asks.

"Oh we'll play. Right after we get our money." Prue says.

Bane nods, "Oh, you'll get paid when they're dead."

"You know, the boss has a nasty habit of disappearing in the middle of night. We'd hate for our money to disappear with him. Can we trust you? And Barbas?" Prue says.

Bane shakes his head, "I'm disappointed either of you doubt either one of us."

"We wanna talk to him." Buffy says.

Bane nods, "Well, like you said, the night is young." Prue and Bane walk over to the crowded dance floor. Buffy hangs back at the edge watching as Bane and Prue start dancing really close together and they smile at each other. Prue and Bane start kissing. DJ walks up to them and taps Bane on the shoulder. Prue and Bane stop kissing. "DJ, what's your problem?"

"I need to talk to you." DJ says.

Bane frowns, "Better be life and death. Excuse me." He kisses the top of Prue's hand and walks over to the bar.

Prue walks over to Buffy.

"Any ideas on what he wants?" Buffy asks motioning towards DJ.

Prue shakes her head, "Not offhand. But whatever it was he seemed it was important enough. Can you hear them?"

Buffy nods, "Barely the music is almost loud enough to drown them out even with Slayer hearing."

"Make it fast." Bane says.

"I just came from the morgue." DJ says.

"He's been to the morgue." Buffy says.

"Looking for a date?" Bane asks.

"No, checking on yours. She's a fraud." DJ says.

"He knows the real Ms. Hellfire is in the morgue."

"What are you talking about?" Bane asks.

"Bane doesn't quite buy it yet." Buffy says.

"Marcy Steadwell isn't in the morgue, and I think the real Ms Hellfire is."

Bane looks over at Prue and Buffy. "I don't believe it."

"Bane doesn't believe it." Buffy says.

DJ nods, "Barbas believes it."

"Dang, Barbas believes it. We may have been compromised." Buffy says.

"Be ready to Flame. Even if you have to leave without me." Prue says.

Later at Ms. Hellfire's Apartment. Buffy, Prue and Bane exit the elevator.

"You know, it's not midnight yet, we still have time. Lots of time." Prue says.

Bane nods, "Do you both think you could fool me? Get away with it? You killed the woman I loved."

"What are you talking about?" Buffy asks.

_*Flashback*_

_"Buffy, whatever happens. Even if they suspect me. You must not let them suspect you. Tell them you were deceived by me. That I don't know, make something up."Prue says at Bane's place._

_*End Flashback*_

"You two killed Hellfire," Bane says.

"I am Hellfire," Prue says.

"What are you talking about? She is Ms. Hellfire." Buffy says.

"Liars!" Bane says as he pushes them. Barbas appears.

"Buffy, flame!" Prue says.

Barbas smiles, "So very nice to see you again, Miss Halliwell and Miss Halliwell." He passes his hand in front of Prue and Buffy's face.

"Halliwell? From the list?" Bane says.

Barbas smiles, "Well, well, well. Can't say that I'm surprised. You greatest fear is that someone will kill your sisters." He looks to Buffy, "And your cousins."

"No." Prue and Buffy say.

Barbas smiles, "Oh, yes. The demons are after them. Even as we speak. They have assumed your sisters' and cousins' identities in order to kill them. But you must kill the impostors first, by midnight."

"Kill the impostors." Prue and Buffy says.

"Yes." Barbas says.

Bane smiles, "Then I get to deal with them."

An hour later Piper and Phoebe walk in.

"Are you sure that was the Porsche parked out front?" Phoebe says.

Piper nods, "Positive. Prue and Buffy are here somewhere."

Phoebe nods, "Let's just hope they're alone." Buffy and Prue walks in to the room. "Prue. Buffy."

"We've been so worried." Piper says.

Prue uses her power and Piper falls to the ground.

Phoebe frowns, "Prue?"

Buffy powers up a fireball and throws it at Phoebe. Phoebe dives to the ground narrowly missing it.

Phoebe crawls over to Piper, "You alright?"

Piper shakes her head, "No, I'm not. Are you?" Phoebe shakes her head they stand up and walk quickly outside in the hallway. "What is going on?"

"I think you need to freeze them fast." Phoebe says.

Piper frowns, "Good witches don't freeze remember."

They don't look so good right now." Phoebe says.

Buffy and Prue walks in the hallway.

"I won't let you kill my sisters." Prue says.

"I won't let you kill my cousins." Buffy says.

There's a plate on a stand in the hallway. Prue uses her power and lamp flies towards Phoebe and Piper. They duck and it smashes against the wall.

Buffy powers up a fireball and throws it and Piper and Phoebe dodge out of the way.

"The've flipped out." Piper says.

Phoebe nods, "The patio. Fast. Come on." They run onto the patio and hide behind a lattice. "Oh, no. Oh, no. Oh, no." She's about to sneeze.

"Don't, don't, don't, don't." Piper says.

Phoebe sneezes. Buffy and Prue sees them.

"They don't know we're their sisters." Phoebe says.

"Cousins, in the case of Buffy." Piper says.

"Do you really want to nitpick right now?" Phoebe asks.

Piper shakes her head, "Okay, we gotta make Prue choose. We've gotta try and convince astral Prue. Make her wanna be in two places at once. And I don't know maybe have her astral project into Buffy and force her to see the truth? You ready?"

"Yeah." Phoebe says.

"Go, go." Piper says.

They run in two different directions. Buffy and Prue stands there. They don't know which way to go.

"Hi!" Phoebe says.

"Come on, Prue. Come get me." Piper says.

"Uh, no, it's me you want. Over here." Phoebe says.

"No, Prudence. Come on, me." Piper says.

"No, me." Phoebe says.

"It's a trick." Buffy says.

Prue astral projects.

"Phoebe. Phoebe, we need to hurry before she becomes one again. Phoebe." Piper says.

Buffy looks to Phoebe and powers up a fireball. She throws it as Phoebe runs past her and up the stairs. The fireball grazes Phoebe's shoulder.

"Prue, Barbas has brainwashed you and Buffy." Phoebe says.

"You're going to hurt my sisters." Prue says.

Buffy starts towards the stairs.

"Prue, we're your sisters. Listen to me. You gave me the chicken pox." Piper says.

Phoebe nods, "Remember, I taught you how to French kiss."

Buffy starts up the stairs.

Piper looks at Buffy, "We have to hurry." She looks to Prue. "You broke your ankle when you were seven. Come on, Prue. We went to Duran Duran together. You stretched out my leg warmers."

"And then you gave them to me." Phoebe says.

"How do you know all this?" Prue says.

"Because we're your sisters, Prue." Phoebe says.

"Sisters." Prue hugs Phoebe and astral projects back in her body.

"Prue, are you with us?" Phoebe asks.

Prue nods, "I want Barbas."

"Uh Prue we have another problem first. Buffy's still brainwashed." Piper says.

Prue frowns as she astral projects back in front of Phoebe and Piper. "Buffy, stop."

"Prue they are going to kill Piper and Phoebe." Buffy says.

"Buffy think for a second." Prue says. "Tell her something like you did me."

Piper nods, "Buffy when the Order of Taraka were after you, you ran because you were scared of dying. Oh and you were so adorable in your Dorothy Hamill phase."

"Buffy after we came back from 1975 you got a letter from your mom. She said she wanted to name you Payson not Buffy. But your dad wouldn't let her." Piper says.

Prue nods, "Buffy, what did Melinda see?"

"That you, Piper, Phoebe, and I would have many more generations of her beautiful daughters and that I would be the longest living Slayer." Buffy said.

Prue smiles, "Buffy that vision is about to end if you don't think for a second. Your about to end that vision here and now."

Buffy looks past Prue to Phoebe and Piper. "Piper? Phoebe?"

They nod and smile. "Yes, Buffy."

Prue astral projects back into her body.

Buffy walks over and hugs Phoebe and Piper, "I'm sorry." Prue runs up the stairs and hugs Buffy from behind.

Piper smiles, "It's alright Buffy. So now all we have to do is lay low until midnight and then he'll disappear and go back to wherever the hell it is he came from."

Buffy shakes her head, "No, he's back early. He knows what rules apply or don't. I…" she looks to Prue, "…we don't wanna take any chances. Let's go show him what his greatest fear is."

In Bane's apartment the clock reads 11:57.

"If they're not back in one minute, then I'm gonna spend my last two minutes killing you." Barbas says.

Bane frowns, "Hey, I didn't come to you. You came to me, remember?"

Barbas nods, "That's right. If you hadn't been blinded by your passion, then I would be minutes away from freedom right now." Buffy and Prue walks in. "Are they dead?"

Prue smiles, "They're right where they belong."

Phoebe and Piper walk in.

"Kill them." Barbas says.

Bane gets out his gun and Piper freezes them.

"Ooh, I'm beginning to see your attraction to the dark side." Phoebe says.

Buffy rolls her eyes.

"It wasn't just his dark side I was attracted to," Prue says. "Do you think you can just unfreeze him?"

"I don't know, I've never tried." Piper says.

Buffy takes the gun out of Bane's hand. Piper unfreezes Bane.

"Looking for this?" Buffy says.

Bane frowns, "What's going on?"

Prue smiles, "Witchcraft at its best."

Prue uses her power and Bane flies across the room.

Barbas unfreezes. The clock chimes. "No! No! Nooo!" He spins in a circle and is engulfed in flames. He is vanquished.

Buffy smiles, "I never get tired of kicking his butt."

Buffy and Prue walks over to Bane. "Just a little something to think about in jail," Prue says.

Bane shakes his head, "It won't be the only thing I think about, I promise."

"Is that a threat?" Buffy asks.

Bane shakes his head, "No. It's a compliment on you both."

"You do know I'm underage," Buffy says.

The next day at the Manor Phoebe and Piper are cleaning the windows.

"Dan did a really good job with these windows. He is obviously very good with his hands." Phoebe says.

"Hey, hands off those hands," Piper says.

Phoebe smiles, "So, did you decide whether or not you're gonna move in with him?"

"I have to admit it's very tempting," Piper says.

Phoebe nods, "Yeah, well, you gotta do what you gotta do. And you deserve to be happy. And don't worry about us, we'll be fine. Especially if I get your room."

"Yes, you could have my room. That is if I was moving out." Piper says.

"Oh, you're not gonna move out?" Phoebe says. "Oh, that is so good because you need to be with your family just a little while longer."

Buffy comes in to the living room, "I couldn't agree more."

"I adore Dan but it's just way too soon for me to move in with him. There's just a few things I need to figure out first. Are you happy now, Phoebe?" Piper says.

Phoebe smiles, "I'm delirious. Thank you."

Piper looks to Buffy, "How you feeling?"

"There is no amount of I'm sorry I can say to make up for trying to kill you. But otherwise I'm okay." Buffy says.

Prue comes in. She's talking on the phone. "Well, just tell Marcy that she can sell the ring and use the money to rebuild the bookstore. Tell her it's a thank you for protecting us. No Darryl, the ring is not hot. I'll talk to you later." She hangs up.

"So, what else did Hellfire and _Protégé_ get from Bane?" Piper asks.

Prue sighs, "Diamond necklaces, bracelets, a Hockney, a Salvador Dali."

"You can't really keep all that stuff, can you?" Piper asks.

Prue shakes her head, "No." Piper shakes her head. "No. It wouldn't really be right but maybe I can figure out a way to use it for some good and save my job. And if not, I can always astral project and job-hunt twice as fast."

Buffy nods, "And I think I have the perfect charity for it to go to."

"Sure, just rub it in. I would love to be in two places at once." Phoebe says.

Prue nods, "As long as one of those places is fun, I'll be happy. I think I may have learned a few things from Ms. Hellfire." The doorbell rings. "You know, change my routine, shake things up a little bit." Phoebe and Piper laugh. Prue goes and answers the door. "Jack."

Jack shakes his head, "You know, Prue, it is bad enough that you don't answer your phone, come into the office or otherwise appear to be doing your job but now you're gonna take me down with you. What have you got to say for yourself?"

"$275,000." Prue smiles as Buffy walks up next to her.

"Excuse me?" Jack says.

"It's the market value of the anonymous estate donation Buffy and I were out acquiring." Prue says.

Buffy nods, "They had one request that all proceeds go to Stop the Violence Foundation."

Prue looks at Buffy and smiles, "Not bad for a day's worth of work, now, is it?"

Jack shakes his head, "No, it certainly isn't. And you know, I never doubted you for a moment, partner."

Prue shakes her head, "Liar. Let's go celebrate, partner."

"Okay." Jack says.

"Come on Buffy, my treat." Prue says.

Jack looks at Buffy and nods, "Sure why not. You helped Prue and I keep our jobs." He, Prue and Buffy walk outside.


	35. Chapter 35: Surprise

**Chapter 35: Surprise**

_It's late. All is dark and peaceful. Buffy stirs in her sleep, wakes. Reaches for a glass of water on her night stand, finds it empty. She climbs out of bed and walks out into the hall still half-asleep. From the shadows behind her emerges Drusilla, ripe, carnivorous blood staining her mouth. _

_Dru stalks Buffy - is a heartbeat away from grabbing her when Buffy senses something and turns._

_There is nothing there. Buffy shrugs it off, moves to the bathroom door. She opens it and enters P4. The music is haunting, otherworldly._

_Willow is at a table, having coffee with a monkey - who wears a little hat and a vest. She turns and waves. Buffy, puzzled, waves back._

_Buffy turns and sees Piper, who is drinking coffee out of a large cup and saucer. _

_Prue looks concerned - addresses Buffy. "Do you really think you're ready, Buffy?"_

_"What?" Buffy asks._

_The saucer slips from Prue's grasp. The plate falls to the ground and shatters._

_Buffy looks from the broken plate back to Prue – but she is gone._

_Buffy turns again, wanders to the dance floor - which is alive with sexual energy. Couples writhe sensuously to the music - totally entwined, into each other - oblivious to her._

_The crowd parts and Buffy sees Angel on the other side of the dance floor. They meet eyes - smile. Through all the oddness - it is a moment of true connection, love. They move toward each other._

_Just as Buffy is about to reach Angel, Drusilla appears again behind him. Dru stakes Angel ANGEL in the back - so swiftly and suddenly that Buffy can't act in time to save him._

_"Angel!" Buffy yells as she reaches for him. Her hand touches Angel's as he crumbles to ash._

_Drusilla leers as she addresses Buffy, relishing every moment of her suffering. "Happy Birthday, Buffy."_

Buffy bolts up from her bed, waking in horror from her dream. She's panicked, sweating...

The next morning Buffy knocks at Angel's door. A little tentative. "Angel?"

"Hold on.." Angel says before he opens the door. "Hey... Everything okay?"

They move inside.

"That's what I was going to ask you. You're okay, right?" Buffy asks.

Angel nods, "Sure. I'm fine. What's up?"

Buffy moves into his arms, relieved. Angel's happy to hold her, if a bit confused. "I had this dream. Drusilla was alive. It was awful-"

"What happened?" Angel asks.

Buffy sighs, "She killed you. Right in front of me. I saw the whole thing."

Angel strokes her, trying to soothe. "It was just a dream. It wasn't real."

"But it felt so real." Buffy said.

Angel shakes his head, "It wasn't. Here I am."

Buffy moves away from him now, her anxiety mounting. "This happened before, Angel. That dream I had about the Master... It came true."

Angel sighs, "Still, not every dream you have comes true. I mean, what else did you dream last night? Can you remember?"

Buffy thinks, "That... Giles and I opened an office supply warehouse in Las Vegas."

"You see my point." Angel says.

Buffy nods, "Yeah. But, I mean, what if Drusilla is alive? We never saw her body."

Angel sighs, "She's not. But even if she was - we'd deal." He moves to her. Draws her back into his arms.

"But, what if-" Buffy says.

Angel silences her with a kiss. Tense at first, Buffy relaxes into it. The intensity grows fast. "What if what?"

"Sorry. Were we talking?" Buffy says. They kiss some more. The bed in the corner entices. They both feel it - glance there - but don't go there. "I... have to get to school."

Angel nods, "I know."

And they kiss some more.

"God. You feel-" Buffy says.

Angel nods, "You have to go to school..." He kisses her, picks her up and moves her to the front door. Now they kiss against the door. Finally pull back.

"Alright. This is me." Buffy says as she opens the door, but pauses for one last kiss.

"You still haven't told me what you want for your birthday." Angel says.

Buffy smiles, "Surprise me."

Angel smiles, "Okay. I will..."

"This was nice. I like you first thing in the morning." Buffy says.

"It's bed time for me." Angel says.

Buffy laughs, "Then I like you at bed time." She realizes how that sounds. "I mean... You - know what I mean..."

"I think so," Angel says. "What do you mean?"

"That I... I like seeing you." Buffy says, "And the part at the end of the night when we say goodbye, it's.., getting harder."

Buffy waits for an agonizing beat before he responds. "Yeah. It is," Angel says.

They just look at each other. Afraid to say any more.

Later Buffy and Willow are walking toward school together.

"I like you at bed time? You actually said that?" Willow says.

"I know. I know." Buffy says.

Willow shakes her head, "Man. That's - I don't know, that's moxie or something!"

Buffy nods, "Totally unplanned. It just came out."

"And he was into it? He wants to see you at bed time, too?" Willow asks.

Buffy stops walking. Suddenly feeling the weight of this. "Yeah. I think he does. I mean, he's cool about it-"

Willow smiles, "Of course he is. Cause' he's cool. He would never, you know…"

Buffy nods. "Push."

"Right. He's not the type." Willow says.

Buffy sighs, "Willow. What am I going to do?"

"What do you want to do?" Willow asks.

Buffy shrugs, "Well... WANT isn't always the right thing... To do, I mean. To act on want can be wrong."

Willow nods, "True."

"But, to not act on want. You could watch your whole life pass you by-" Buffy says.

Willow nods, "Carpe diem. You told me that once."

"Seize the fish?" Buffy asks jokingly.

Willow rolls her eyes, "Carpe. It means seize the day."

Buffy smiles, "Oh. Right. I think we're going to... seize it, Will. Sooner or later. Once you get to a certain point - seizing is sort of inevitable."

This sinks in. They start to walk again - slowly.

"Wow," Willow says.

Buffy nods, "Yeah."

"Wow..." Willow says again.

Buffy notices Oz, guitar in hand, walking ahead. "Ooh, speaking of wow potential, there's Oz. What are we thinking? Any sparkage there?"

Willow blushes, "He's nice. I like his hands."

"Ooh, fixation on insignificant detail. Definite crush sign." Buffy says.

"I don't know, though. I mean, he is a senior..." Willow says.

Buffy shakes her head, "You think he's too old cuz he's a senior? Please. My boyfriend had a bicentennial."

"That's true, I guess... I just..." Willow says.

Buffy sighs, "You can't spend the rest of your life waiting for Xander to wake up and smell the hottie. Make a move. Do the talking thing."

"What if the talking thing becomes the awkward silence thing?" Willow asks.

Buffy shakes her head, "You won't know unless you try. Come on, Will - seize the fish!"

Buffy smiles, moves on ahead. Leaving Willow to her task. She passes an old, dark-skinned man who lurks near the school. His dress has a slightly ethnic flair. He watches her enter the building, then moves off - unnoticed.

Later in the school lounges Xander approaches Giles.

"Good morning. I trust that everything is in order for the party." Giles says.

Xander nods, "Absolutely. Ready to get down, you funky party weasel?"

Giles sees Buffy and Ms. Calendar approaching. "Ah. Here comes Buffy. Remember - discretion is the better part of valor..."

"You could have just gone - "shhhh." Are all you Brits such drama queens?" Xander says. Giles would respond, but Buffy and Ms. Calendar have now joined them. Xander turns to Buffy, "Buffy! I feel a pre-birthday spanking coming on."

Buffy gives Xander a look that would melt steel.

"I'd - curb that impulse, Xander." Ms. Calendar says.

Xander nods, "Check. Cancel spanking."

"What's the matter, Buffy? You look fatigued." Giles says.

Buffy sighs, "Rough night. I had a dream that Drusilla was alive - and she killed Angel. It really spun me. I even went by Angel's on the way to school to make sure he was okay."

"There's a line I haven't tried. I just dropped by to see if you're dead. It says caring. Concerned. Smootchies guaranteed." Xander says.

Buffy frowns, "Please. I didn't go over there for smootchies - Well. When I found out he was okay I was relieved, and so, naturally... Someone stop me."

"So, Angel's alright?" Ms. Calendar says.

Buffy nods, "Yeah, but... I've just got this bad feeling. This wasn't a normal dream."

"You feel it was more of a premonition? " Giles says.

Buffy shrugs, "I don't know. I don't want to start a big freak-out over nothing."

"Still. We should be on alert. If Drusilla is alive then we may be facing a cataclysmic state of affairs-" Giles says.

"Again. So many words." Xander says, "Can't you just say we'd be in trouble?"

"Go to class, Xander," Giles says.

"Gone," Xander says as he starts to move away. Stops. "Notice the economy of phrasing. "Gone." It's simple. Direct." And then he finally heads off.

"I guess I should get gone, too." Buffy says.

Giles nods, "Don't worry yourself unduly, Buffy. This could be nothing."

"I know. I should keep my Charmed Slayer cool and all, but, it's Angel. Which automatically equals maxi-wig." Buffy says before she heads to class.

The next morning at the Manor Piper is clearing plates from the breakfast table while Buffy gets ready to leave for school. There is an open birthday card near Buffy's place.

"Mall trip for your birthday on Saturday. Don't forget," Piper says.

Buffy smiles, "Space on a Piper-sponsored shopping opportunity? Not likely."

Piper smiles, "So, does seventeen feel any different than sixteen?"

"Funny you should ask - I actually woke up feeling more mature, responsible and level-headed." Buffy says.

"Really? That's uncanny," Piper says.

Buffy nods, "And yet, true. I now possess the qualities one looks for in a licensed driver."

Piper sighs, "Buffy, you're going to have to take that up with Prue."

"Piper, Prue is… dragging her feet," Buffy says. "She's worried I will get in an accident or something my first time out. How can I prove to her otherwise if I can't drive."

Piper sighs, "I'll talk to her, okay?"

Buffy smiles, "Thanks."

Prue walks into the kitchen having heard the whole conversation. She has a plate in her hand. "Do you really think you're ready, Buffy?" The plate slips from her grasp - shatters on the floor.

"Dang," Prue says."

Buffy just stands there, power-freaked by the dream deja-vu.

Piper shakes her head, "Don't worry about it Prue. Buffy could you get the broom?"

There is no response from Buffy. Prue and Piper look up and see she's gone. They hear the front door slam.

"What's wrong with Buffy?" Prue asks.

Piper shrugs, "I don't know."

Later in the library Buffy is talking to Giles.

"…and then Prue broke the plate. It was exactly like I saw it in my dream, Giles. Every gesture. Every word. Beyond creepy." Buffy says.

Giles nods, "Yes. I'd imagine-"

Willow and Xander enter the library and see Buffy.

"Hey! The woman of the hour," Xander says.

Willow smiles, "It's happy birthday Buffy!" She and Xander move to Buffy to give her a hug - but sense her mood. "Not - happy birthday Buffy?"

"It's just... A piece of the nightmare Buffy had the other night actually came to pass." Giles says.

"Something happen to Angel?" Xander asks.

Buffy shakes her head, "He's fine. For now. But if part of what I had a dream about came true-"

Willow nods in understanding, "Then all of it may come true."

Buffy nods, "And Drusilla might be alive." She turns to Giles. "In the dream, I couldn't stop her. She blind-sided me, Giles. Angel was dead before I knew what happened."

"Even if she is alive, we can still protect Angel." Giles says, "Dreams are not prophecies, Buffy. You dreamt the Master had risen, but you stopped it from happening."

"You ground his bones to make your bread," Xander says.

Buffy nods, "That's true, except for the bread part. I guess we're one step ahead. But Giles, I'd like to stay that way."

Giles nods, "Absolutely. Let me read up on Drusilla, see if she has any particular patterns. Why don't you meet me here at 7:00? Map out a strategy."

"Okay. What do I do till then?" Buffy asks.

Giles smiles, "Go to class.., do your homework... Have supper..."

"Oh, right. Be that Buffy," Buffy says as she grabs her book bag, and heads out.

That night Buffy arrives for her appointment with Giles, heads toward the door but is startled by Ms. Calendar - who steps from the shadows.

"Payson," Ms. Calendar says.

"Goddess. I didn't see you there," Buffy says.

Ms. Calendar smiles, "Sorry... Giles wanted me to tell you that there's been a change of plans. He wants to meet you someplace near his house. I guess he had to run home and get a book or something."

Buffy nods, "Yeah, 'cause heaven knows there aren't enough books in the library-"

"He's - very thorough," Ms. Calendar says.

Buffy nods, "Which is not to bad. It's kinda manly in an obsessive/compulsive sorta way, don't you think?"

"I have my car. I can drive, if you want..." Ms. Calendar says.

Buffy thinks about it. She could probably flame straight to him. But decides not to. "Okay..."

As Ms. Calendar drives she appears anxious.

Buffy looks out the window, "So - where are we headed, anyway?"

Ms. Calendar doesn't reply as she pulls the car into the dark alley behind P4.

Buffy checks out their surroundings - confused. "We're going to the P4?"

Ms. Calendar shrugs, "I'm not sure. Giles gave me an address. I'm just following his directions -"

Buffy sees something out the window. Grows alert. "Uh oh."

"What?" Ms. Calendar asks.

On a loading dock of a neighboring building there are three suspicious-looking guys checking around furtively as they move arectangle-shaped cast iron box from the loading dock to a waiting truck

"This looks funky. Stop for a sec," Buffy says.

Ms. Calendar slows the car. "Payson - maybe you shouldn't."

"Sorry. Sacred duty, yadda, yadda, yadda." Buffy says as she flames out.

"What is this...?" Ms. Calendar says.

Buffy flames into the middle of the group, she recognizes one of the vamps instantly, "Every time I see you you're stealing something. You should talk to somebody about this klepto issue."

Buffy is attacked by a hulking vamp - she fights him off, but is distracted when she hears the truck start. She looks and sees that the vamp that stole the du Lac cross, Dalton, is now in the back of the truck with the box, struggling to close the cargo gate.

Buffy leaves the hulking vamp and flames out and over to the driver's side of the truck. She gets the door open and powers up a fireball and throws it dusting the vamp behind the wheel.

Buffy moves to the back of the truck to intercept Dalton and the box. Dalton knows he's no match for her and runs off, leaving the box behind.

Buffy spins powering up a fireball as the Hulking vamp comes at her. She throws it dusting him.

Inside P4 Prue, Piper, Phoebe, Giles, Willow, Oz, Xander, Cordelia and Angel all huddle in the dark. P4 is decorated for Buffy's birthday and the place is empty except for them.

Angel looks anxiously at the clock on the wall. "Where is she?"

Buffy flames in from outside holding the box.

Everyone hops up and yells, "Surprise!"

Buffy rolls her eyes as if she couldn't figure out why Ms. Calendar was bringing her here..

"Buffy, are you okay?" Angel asks noticing that Buffy looks a tad winded.

"There were these vamps in the alley. And one of Dru's guys was there. By the way guys thanks." Buffy says. "Giles you should of coached Ms. Calendar on her lines a little better. It was fairly obvious where we were going."

They all look for a moment a bit down. "Still you are so sweet!"

"You're sure you're okay?" Prue asks.

Buffy nods, "I'm fine."

Oz continues to stare at Buffy as Willow approaches him.

"Are you okay?" Willow asks.

"Yeah. Did you see how she came in?" Oz asks.

Willow sighs, "Uh, sort of..."

Xander nods, "Buffy can do magic. Vampires are real, lot of 'em live in San Francisco, Prue and Willow will fill you in."

Prue nods, "Right." She looks at her sister, "Got to tell him something to try and keep our secret."

"I know it's hard to accept at first..." Willow says.

Oz shakes his head, "No, actually, it explains a lot."

Ms. Calendar comes in the door.

Buffy looks at the box in her arms and sets it down on a table. "Our vampire thief is back, he left this behind. What is it?"

Giles shrugs. "I have no idea. Can it be opened?"

Buffy moves to the box, runs her hands under the lid. "It feels like it has some kind of release... There." She slowly lifts the lid. Everyone peers into the box, inside is a powerful, heavily armored arm.

The arm shoots from the box – grabs Buffy by the neck.

Prue telekinetically pulls the arm off Buffy, "Angel."

Angel nods and wrestle the arm back in the box. He slams the lid shut, locks it.

"Clearly - the Hellmouth's answer to what do you get the Slayer who has everything?" Xander says.

Piper looks to her cousin, "Buffy, are you alright?"

Angel is helping Buffy to a chair. She sits.

"Man. That thing had major grip-" Buffy says.

"What was that?" Phoebe asks.

"Looked like an arm," Oz states matter of factly.

Angel, troubled, gets up and moves to the box. Checks it over more carefully. "It can't be- She wouldn't..."

"What? The vamp version of "snakes in a can?" Or do you care to share?" Xander asks.

Buffy reads Angel's expression. Moves to him. "Angel?"

Angel nods, "It's a legend. Way before my time. Of a demon brought forth to rid the earth of the plague of humanity. To separate the righteous from the wicked... And burn the righteous down. They called him the Judge."

"The Judge... This is he?" Giles asks.

Phoebe frowns, "I seem to remember reading about him in the Book of Shadows."

"Well, not all of him..." Angel says.

Buffy nods, "Uh, still needing backstory here..."

Phoebe nods, "If I'm remembering right he can't killed. There was no vanquishing spell for him. No potions nothing."

Giles nods, "Phoebe's right." He looks to Angel for confirmation, and continues as Angel nods, "An army was sent against him. Most of them died, but they were finally able to dismember him. But not kill him."

Angel nods, "The pieces were scattered - buried in every corner of the earth."

"You think they left his heart in San Francisco?" Xander asks.

Scattered glares.

"I had that thought too." Oz says.

"So all these parts are being brought here," Piper says.

Buffy nods, "By Drusilla. The vamps outside were Spike's men."

Angel frowns, "She's just crazy enough to do it."

"Do what? Reassemble the Judge?" Willow asks.

Angel nods, "And bring forth Armageddon."

"Is anyone else gonna have cake?" Cordelia asks and there are no takers. She moves to the cake.

"We have to get this out of town," Prue says.

"Angel," Ms. Calendar says.

Buffy frowns, "What?"

"You've got to do it. You're the only one who can protect this thing," Ms. Calendar says.

Buffy frowns, "What about me?"

"You're just gonna skip town for a few months?" Ms. Calendar says.

"Uhm I can flame out with it," Buffy says.

Prue shakes her head, "I think Ms. Calendar is right, Buffy. I'm not letting you flame overseas and you don't have a passport."

Buffy sighs and nods. She doesn't like it though.

Angel nods, "I have to take this to the remotest region possible."

"But that's not months." Buffy says.

Angel looks at Buffy, "I can catch a cargo ship to Asia, maybe trek to Nepal..."

"You know - those wacky, newfangled flying machines are much safer than they used to be..." Buffy says.

"I can't fly. There's no sure way to guard against the daylight." Angel says. "I don't like this any more than you do, Buffy. But there's no other way."

"When?" Buffy asks.

Angel nods, "Tonight. As soon as possible."

"But - it's my birthday." Buffy says pathetically.

Ms. Calendar moves to Buffy - puts a hand on her shoulder. "I'll drive you to the docks."

Prue nods, "I'll go with you."

Buffy and Angel meet eyes. Buffy knows he has to go - but she's desperate for him not to.

Prue looks to Buffy, "I know you don't like this. If you had better control of your power, Buffy I would consider it."

Buffy sighs, "I know, Prue."

At the docks Angel, who holds the iron box, and Buffy move furtively down the docks toward a large cargo ship.

They stop when they are still some distance away. Angel sets the box down. "I should go the rest of the way alone."

"Okay..." Buffy tries to smile, be the brave little soldier. Can't.

"I'll be back." Angel says as Buffy nods - unconvinced. "I will."

"When? Six months? A year?" Buffy asks. "Who knows how long it will take. Or if we'll even-"

"If we'll even - what?" Angel asks.

Buffy sighs, "Just, if you haven't noticed, someone pretty much always wants us dead."

Angel shakes his head, "Don't say that. We'll be fine."

"But we don't know," Buffy says.

"You can't know. Nobody can. That's just the deal," Angel says. "I... have something for you. For your birthday. I was going to give it to you earlier, but..." He pulls a small box from his coat. Hands it to her.

Buffy opens it - inside is a silver ring with two hands holding a heart engraved on it. "It's beautiful."

Angel nods, "My people... Before I was changed, they exchanged this as a sign of devotion. It's a Claddagh ring. The hands represent friendship, the crown represents loyalty. The heart, well, you know... Wear it with the heart pointing toward you, it means you belong to somebody."

Buffy just looks at him.

Angel lifts his own hand. He is wearing a ring like the one he gave her. Heart turned in. "Like this."

Buffy's trying hard not to lose it. "Angel-"

"Put it on." Angel says.

Buffy does. Heart pointing in. Looks at it. Then at him. "I don't want to do this."

"Me either," Angel says.

"So - don't go," Buffy says. She and Angel knows he has to.

Angel takes her into his arms and they kiss. The potentially last kiss kind of kiss. "Buffy... I-"

Angel never gets to finish because Dalton and three other vampires suddenly leap on them from a cargo net that hangs above their heads.

Vamp #1 takes on Angel, while #2 knocks Buffy to the ground. Dalton makes a bee-line for the box.

"Angel! The box!" Buffy says spotting Dalton.

Angel beats vamp #1 off him - at least for the moment - and tackles Dalton. The box falls from Dalton's hands.

While Dalton and Angel struggle, Buffy is engaged with Vamp #2.

Buffy and Vamp #2 fight fiercely, but Vamp #2 manages to knock Buffy into a thick wood pylon. Buffy hits her head hard, is momentarily stunned. Vamp #2 then sidekicks her legs out from under her, sending her sprawling off the edge of the dock and into the water.

Angel hears the splash just as Vamp #1 grabs the iron box. Angel turns to look for Buffy. "Buffy!?"

Angel sees Vamp #1 making off with the box. There is no other choice - he dives into the water.

Dalton runs off.

Angel is the first to reach Buffy and fishes her out of the water.

Prue, Piper, Phoebe, Giles, Willow and Xander are gathered in the library - waiting for Buffy and Ms. Calendar to return. There are a number of books open on the table.

Giles checks his watch. "They should be back by now..."

"Maybe Buffy needed a few minutes to pull herself together," Phoebe says. "I know I would."

"Poor Buffy. On her birthday and everything," Willow says.

Xander nods, "It's sad. Granted. But let's look at the up-side for a moment. I mean, what kind of future could she have really had with him? Working two jobs. Denny's waitress by day, Slayer by night. Angel's always in front of the tube, with a big ole' blood belly... And he's dreaming of the glory days when Buffy still thought the whole creature of the night routine was a big turn-on..."

Piper shakes her head, "You've thought way too much about this-"

"That's just the beginning. You want to hear the part where I fly into town in my private jet and take Buffy out for prime rib?" Xand asks.

Xander does not see Buffy - who enters in a new outfit.

"Xander -" Willow says.

"And she cries?" Xander says.

"What happened?" Prue asks.

"Dru's guys ambushed us. They got the box." Buffy says.

Giles frowns, "Where's Jenny?"

"She took Angel to his apartment to get clothes. I flamed home to change." Buffy says.

"And we were needing clothes because." Xander asks.

Buffy sighs, "We got wet. Giles, Prue, what do we know?"

Giles shakes his head, "The more I study the Judge, the less I like him. His touch can literally burn the humanity out of you. A true creature of evil can survive the process. No human ever has."

Prue nods, "No vanquish. The Books say there is no vanquish."

"So what's the problem? We send Cordy to fight this guy and we go for pizza." Xander says.

Buffy sighs, "Can he be stopped? Without an army?"

Giles looks down at the Book, "No weapon forged can kill him. Not very encouraging. But if we can keep them from assembling him..."

Buffy nods, "We need to find his weak spots. And we need to figure out where they'd be keeping him."

"This could take time," Giles says.

Prue nods, "Phoebe start scrying."

"We better do a round robin. Xander, you go first," Willow says.

"Good call," Buffy says.

Xander moves to the phone.

"Round robin?" Giles asks.

"Willow and Xander call their folks and say their staying over at the Manor," Prue says. "I had them work this system out when they found out about Buffy being Charmed. It's meant so their free to help with research if needed. How did you think they've gotten away with pulling all nighters with you?"

Xander speaks into the phone, "Hey, mom. Listen, Willow, Buffy and I are studying at the Manor. I'm gonna stay over here... uh huh..."

Hours later the clock now reads 2:00 am. Willow, Piper and Xander are at the table, looking through books and research material. Ms. Calendar is absorbed in work at the computer. Prue and Phoebe are taking a nap.

"I think I read this already..." Xander says.

"I can't get over how cool Oz was about all this," Willow says.

"Gee, I'm over it," Xander says.

"You're just jealous cuz you didn't have a date for the party," Willow says.

"No, I sure didn't..." Xander says.

Giles moves with Angel from the stacks to his office they stop as they see Buffy, asleep at Giles' desk.

Giles looks at her kindly, backs away. "It seems Buffy needed some rest."

Angel nods, "Yeah. She hasn't been sleeping well. You know, tossing and turning."

Phoebe looks at him, "What?"

Willow, Xander and Calendar look at him, suspicious.

"She told me. Because of her dreams," Angel says.

"What dreams?" Phoebe says. "She had another Slayer dream?"

Giles nods, "Yes."

In Giles office Buffy is tossing slightly from the dream she is having.

_Buffy, dressed for a party in a sleek black dress, moves through The Factory. Black and tattered party decorations hang down from the ceiling. Buffy has to push them aside as she moves forward._

_Ahead of her, a female figure darts among the streamers. _

_Buffy follows her, "Hello? Who is that?"_

_The figure turns. It's MS. CALENDAR, who promptly ducks back into the shadows. _

_Buffy reacts, confused. She turns, and sees all the cast iron boxes in a circle. She moves to them - reaches for one - but is stopped by Drusilla's voice._

_"Now, now. Hands off my presents."_

_Buffy looks up. Drusilla, wearing the same dress that Buffy has on, she stands with Angel in her grip, holding a gleaming knife to his throat. She starts to draw it across his neck._

_"No!" Buffy screams as she looks around, terrified. Angel and Drusilla have suddenly vanished._

_"Buffy?" Angel's voice says._

Buffy's eyes snap open. Angel is standing over her, gently shaking her shoulder. "No! Angel!-"

Prue, Piper and Phoebe are standing right behind him.

"It's okay..." Angel says.

Buffy, not quite out of the dream world, moves into his arms, shaking and terrified. "I'm here. I'm right here."

Buffy is wide-eyed and full of fear.

A few minutes later Buffy comes out of the office, Angel, Prue, Piper and Phoebe on her heels. She starts gathering her weapons. Giles, Ms. Calendar, Willow and Xander react to her urgency.

"Buffy? Are you alright?" Giles asks.

"She had another dream," Angel says.

"I think I know where Drusilla and Spike are-" Buffy says.

Giles nods, "Very good. However, you need a plan. I know you're concerned, Buffy, but you can't just go off half-cocked."

Buffy nods, "We have a plan. Angel and I go to the factory to do recon. See how far they've gotten assembling the Judge. You guys fan out and check places the boxes may be coming into town. Ship yards, the airport... We have to stop them from getting all the boxes in one place-"

"Yes, well... That's quite a good plan, actually." Giles says.

Buffy nods, "This thing is nasty and it's real, Giles. We don't have time to wait for it to come get us." She looks to her cousins, "Research. If you have to come up with a new Power of Three spell explicitly for the Judge."

Prue shakes her head, "Buffy I'm not sure I like you going in alone, even if it is with Angel."

Buffy nods, "I know. But right now I need you guys here helping them. Trying to find a way to bring the Judge down. This is only recon were not going in there to fight."

Prue sighs and nods, "Okay. Be careful."

"I will, promise." Buffy says as she heads out the door. Angel follows her.

At the factory Buffy and Angel steal in through a dark doorway to the balcony. They keep out of sight, talk quietly.

"Angel. Maybe I should go in alone. I mean, if my dreams are so true-"

"I'm not letting you go by yourself," Angel says firmly.

Buffy knows she can't fight him on this, "Okay - what do we do if the Judge is already put together?"

"I'll deal with it. You keep your distance," Angel says.

Buffy looks at him. Blinks, "We're going to have to get over this virtuous thing or we're dead meat."

Angel nods knowing she's right, "If he's assembled, we retreat. Together. If we have to you will flame us out, and hope like heck I don't dust. Then we get the others and make a battle plan.

Buffy nods, "Deal. But we flame out as a last resort. If we can get out another way… Okay? I don't want kill you myself."

"Deal," Angel says.

They creep along the upper deck area of the factory. Peer over the edge.

Below the party from Buffy's dream is in full swing. Spike, Drusilla and the Judge aren't in sight.

"I saw this. The party..." Buffy says.

Angel nods - then grows alarmed, seeing something downstairs. Buffy follows his gaze to the Judge who strides across the room with Spike and Drusilla. He seems to sense something and he stops.

"What? What is it?" Drusilla asks.

The Judge doesn't reply. Just starts scanning the room. Then looks up at Buffy and Angel.

Angel grabs Buffy - speaks in an urgent, hushed tone. "We have to get out of here-"

They move quickly toward the window they came in, but find two vamp minions have come up the back way. Another two block the only other escape route.

Buffy looks at Angel debating to flame out. The decision is made for her when the minions grab her and Angel.

Buffy and Angel are brought before the judge by the minions. Spike and Dru are digging it, big time.

"Well, well. Look what we have here - crashers." Spike says.

"I'm sure our invitations just got lost in the mail-" Buffy says.

Drusilla moves to Buffy - examining her closely. Runs a finger along her cheek. Buffy holds her ground, defiant. "It's delicious. I only dreamed you'd come."

Angel tries to shake off the minions restraining him, "Leave her alone-"

"Yeah, that'll work. Now say pretty please -" Spike says.

The Judge steps forward and sets his sights on Buffy. "The girl."

"Chilling, isn't it? She's so full of good intention," Drusilla says.

The Judge starts to move toward her. But Angel breaks free from his captives - moves in front of her.

"Take me. Take me instead of her," Angel says.

The Judge is almost on top of him. Angel starts to shake.

"You're not clear on the concept, pal. There is no "instead". Just first and second," Spike says.

Drusilla smiles, "And if you go first - you don't get to watch the Slayer die." She motions to the minions, who move in on Angel again, drag him away from the Judge.

The Judge moves to Buffy, who struggles against the vamps holding her. She manages to kick the Judge.

"No, Buffy - don't touch him!" Angel shouts

Buffy starts to tremble uncontrollably.

Angel sees a cluster of televisions hanging over the judge and the chain that holds them up.

Buffy is getting weaker. She's moments away from being burned alive.

Angel summons all his strength and knocks the vampires off him and dives for the chain that holds the televisions.

Before the vamps can get to him, he yanks the chain from the ground. As they fall the Judge manages to jump clear. The televisions crash through the floor and create a opening into the sewer tunnels.

Buffy takes advantage of the confusion that follows this spectacle, breaks free from the vamps and runs to Angel. "This way-" She moves to hole in the floor and they leap in.

Drusilla sees them, calls to her minions. "Stop them!"

Angel and Buffy run down a tunnel with a pair of minions not far behind. They turn a corner, duck into a dark alcove. The minions run past - not seeing them in their hiding place.

It's raining as Buffy and Angel cautiously emerge from the sewers.

"I think we lost them-" Buffy says.

Angel looks at Buffy - shaky, exhausted, soaking wet again. Her shirt is ripped in the back and she has a bloody cut. "Come on. You need to get inside."

Buffy nods as Angel leads her into his apartment.

Angel turns on a few lights. "You're shaking like a leaf."

"Cold," Buffy says.

Angel nods, "Let me get you something." He goes to his wardrobe.

Buffy moves about a little aimlessly.

Angel comes back with a shirt and some sweats, he leads her to the bed. "Put these on and get under the covers. Just to warm up." Buffy nods, waits. He gets it - turns his back to her. "Sorry."

Buffy starts to take off her shirt - winces with pain.

"What?" Angel asks.

"I - I got cut or something on my back," Buffy says.

"Can ... Let me see," Angel says.

Buffy nods, "Okay."

Angel turns back to her. Buffy's holding her unbuttoned shirt around her. Angel moves to the bed. Sits on the edge, gently moves her shirt off her shoulder so he can see her injury. He touches her back - looks at the wound, which is small. "It's already closed. You're fine."

They are both obviously affected by being this close. This vulnerable. Buffy leans back into him. Angel's arms go around her. He breathes her in...

"You almost went away today-" Buffy says.

"We both did," Angel says. He holds her tighter. For an intoxicating beat.

"Angel. I feel, like - If I lost you..." Buffy says. "But you're right. We can't be sure. About anything-"

"Shhhhh. I-" Angel says.

Buffy turns. They are face to face. "You - what?"

Angel finally says exactly what's been on his mind for some time. "I love you. I try not to, but I can't stop-"

"Me too. I can't either," Buffy says as they kiss. A kiss that is the beginning of something much bigger and they both know it.

Angel stops - pulls away, "Buffy. Maybe we shouldn't-"

"Don't. Just... kiss me." Buffy says and Angel does. They lie gently back on the bed.

Some time later a crash of lightening wakes Angel. Buffy is sleeping next to him, the covers pulled up around her naked shoulders.

Angel sits on the side of the bed - holds his head in his hands, clearly in terrible pain. He coughs, looks anxiously to Buffy, afraid of waking her.

It's still raining as Angel, dressed now, moves out of his apartment into the street. He holds his coat close to him, staggers a few feet, then falls to his knees.

"Buffy.." Angel says as he looks to the sky, racked with pain, desperate-


	36. Chapter 36: Innocence

**Chapter 36: Innocence**

Buffy slowly wakes up. She takes a moment to remember where she is and what has happened, then she turns to look at Angel.

He's gone.

Buffy peers into the darkness of the room, pulling the blanket up as she sits. "Angel?"

There is no answer. She sits, a bit thrown. There is a flash of lightning.

The next morning Buffy enters through the kitchen, tentatively. Her clothes are no longer wet but she is decidedly rumpled. She listens for a moment for any of her cousins. Coast is clear.

Buffy moves through the dining room and starts up the stairs. She's halfway up when Prue enters from the living room. "Good morning."

Buffy instantly turns around and starts coming back down. "Good morning..."

Prue frowns, "You and Angel were going on a simple recon. What happened?"

"The Judge assembled," Buffy says. "The noticed us. We tried to escape but were caught before I could flame us out. Due to Angel's quick thinking we were able to exit through a hole into the sewers and made our way to his apartment. It was raining and the sewers were running pretty good. On top of that when we got to his apartment I was drenched and cold. He gave me some clothes and told me to change and then tucked me into bed to get warm. I must fell asleep. He was gone when I woke up, probably to do some more recon."

"At least your alright," Prue says. "You had us worried when you didn't come home. Go take a shower I'll drive you to school."

"Thanks." Buffy says as she and Prue heads up the stairs.

"I'll go let Piper and Phoebe know your okay," Prue says as she continues past Buffy on up to the attic.

30 minutes later Buffy and Prue walk into the library.

"Buffy!" Willow says.

"We were just going to rescue you," Xander says.

Willow nods, "Well, some of us were..."

"I would have..." Giles says.

"Where's Angel?" Ms Calendar asks.

Prue frowns, "He hasn't check in with you guys?"

Giles shakes his head, "No..."

"What happened?" Cordelia asks.

Giles nods, "Is the Judge...?"

Buffy nods, "No assembly required. He's active."

"Damnit," Giles says.

Buffy sighs, "He nearly killed us. Angel got us out."

"Why didn't you call? We thought..." Giles says.

Prue nods, "I've talked to her on her reasons why she didn't call. And they were good reasons. I'm not going to have her go into it again."

"So nobody's heard from him?" Buffy asks.

Willow shakes her head, "No..."

Ms. Calendar shakes her head, "He didn't say where he was going?"

Buffy looks to Prue, "No, we just... we just split up."

Prue nods in understanding. She would talk to Buffy later about why didn't get the entire story.

"I'm sure he'll come by," Willow says.

Buffy isn't convinced, "You're right. I'm sure."

Giles nods, "Buffy, Prue, the Judge. We have to stop him."

"We know," Prue says.

Giles nods, "What can you tell us?"

"Not much. I just touched him - kicked him - and it was like a sudden fever. If he'd gotten his hands on me -" Buffy says.

Prue looks down and nods, Buffy might have died for real this time.

"In time he won't have to. The stronger he gets... he'll be able to burn us all with a look," Giles says.

"Also not the prettiest man in town," Buffy says.

"I'll just have to keep researching, look for a weakness. You all should get to your classes," Giles says. "Prue a moment."

The kids start out.

"I better go too. I'll go on the net and search for anything on the Judge." Ms. Calendar says.

Giles nods, "Thank you."

"We'll stop in after classes, help you research." Xander says.

"Yeah, you might find something useful - if it's in an I-Can-Read book." Cordelia says as she strides out. He follows, all a-huff. Willow and Buffy bring up the rear.

Giles looks to Prue, "I don't mean to pry, but what did she tell you?"

"After Angel got them out down into the sewers they made their way to his apartment. It was raining and Buffy was drenched and cold. She said Angel gave her some clothes to sleep in and put her in his bed to warm her up. She fell asleep and when she woke he was gone." Prue says. She didn't mention the fact that she was pretty sure that Buffy had slept with Angel. She didn't want to air her cousin's sex life to anyone. But she would be talking about to Buffy later.

In the Hall Buffy's pensive. Willow looks at her, asks, "You don't think Angel would have gone after the Judge himself, do you?"

Buffy shakes her head, "No... he'd know better than that. Maybe he needed to... I don't know. I just wish he'd contact me. I need to talk to him."

Ms. Calendar watches the girls walk off, concerned herself.

Later in one of her afternoon classes Buffy sits as a teacher drones on about history. Buffy looks out the window, looks at her hands, at the clock. Her mind clearly not on her studies. "So, can somebody tell me some of the differences between the Bolsheviks and the Mensheviks? What really separated them? Anyone?"

The teacher looks to Buffy, who stares back for a moment. Buffy rises and walks out of the class. "Miss Halliwell, I'm sorry, did you have somewhere important to be?"

Buffy doesn't hear. She's gone.

Buffy comes down the steps and knocks on Angel's door. Nothing. She opens it and enters. She walks tentatively in, looking about her. "Angel?" She's alone.

Buffy flames out and back to the Manor, "Anyone here?"

Prue walks down the stairs from the attic, "Buffy?"

"Angel wasn't his apartment. Please help me find him?" Buffy asks.

Prue looks at Buffy and nods as she remember Andy, "Of course. But Buffy before we go. Care to explain why you didn't give me the whole story this morning."

Buffy sighs, "You mean about…"

Prue nods, "Yes I mean… You don't think that's why he left?"

Buffy shakes her head, "No I don't. I'm sure that's not why."

"Okay I just wanted to make sure. Also while you are still underage. I'm not going to admonish you for having a sex life. I wasn't a virgin at 17 either." Prue says. "I'll go let Piper and Phoebe know I'm leaving. Then we'll go find Angel."

That night Buffy and Prue return to Angel's apartment.

"I'll stay out here, in case he's in there. Give you two a moment of privacy," Prue says.

Buffy nods, "Thanks Prue." She enters the apartment and goes to the bed. Angel steps up behind her. "Angel!"

"Hey." Angel says.

Buffy goes up to him, embraces him. "Oh, God, I was so worried..."

"Didn't mean to frighten you..." Angel says.

"Where did you go?" Buffy asks.

"Been around." Angel says.

Buffy nods, "I was freaking out. You just disappeared. I had Prue driving me around town checking everywhere we thought you might be."

Angel breaks away, gets his shirt off the bed. "What, I took off."

"Well, you didn't even say anything. You just left." Buffy says.

Angel nods, "Yeah, like I really wanted to stick around after that."

Buffy frowns, "After... What do you..."

Angel shakes his head, "You got a lot to learn about men, kiddo. Although I guess you proved that last night."

"What are you saying?" Buffy asks.

Angel smiles, "Let's not make an issue out of it. In fact let's not talk about it at all. It happened."

"I don't' understand. Was I... was it... not good?" Buffy asks, she can barely get this question out - so it's like a kidney- punch that he starts to laugh.

"No, you were great! Really. I thought you were a pro," Angel says.

Buffy frowns, "Goddess, Angel, how can you say those things to me?"

"Lighten up. It was a good time. Doesn't mean we have to make a big deal," Angel says.

"It is a big deal!" Buffy says.

Angel shrugs, "It's what? Fireworks. Bells ringing. A dulcet choir of pretty little birdies. Come on, Buffy, it's not like I've never been there before." He puts a friendly hand on her shoulder.

Buffy jerks away, "Get away from me."

"I should have known you wouldn't be able to handle it," Angel says as he starts to leave.

Buffy turns, a world of hurt in her eyes. "Angel... I love you."

Angel winks at her, "Love ya too." He turns to go. "I'll call ya." He walks out the door.

Buffy is unable to move.

Outside Prue watches Angel come out. "Angel?"

"Hey, Prue. I tried to let her down easy." Angel says and walks on past her with out another word.

Prue turns and enters Angel's apartment. "Buffy?"

Buffy turns to Prue, tears in her eyes as she collapses into Prue's embrace.

An hour later in the school lounge Angel is talking to Ms. Calendar. He has Willow by the neck.

"I've got a message for Buffy." Angel says.

"Then give it to me yourself." Buffy says as she and Prue comes out of the darkness.

Angel spins to see her. She is trying to be strong, but she is shaking. "Well, it's not really the kind of message you tell. It sort of involves finding the bodies of all your friends."

"This can't be you..." Buffy says.

Prue has to agree Angel has never been this cruel.

"We already covered that subject," Angel says.

Xander, who is now behind Angel, takes the cross from Jenny and starts moving slowly toward Angel.

"Angel... there must be some part of you inside that remembers who you are," Buffy says.

Angel shakes his head, "Dream on, schoolgirl. Your boyfriend is dead. You're all gonna join him."

Buffy nods, "Just leave Willow alone. Deal with me."

Angel smiles, "But she's so cute and helpless. It's really a turn on -"

Xander reaches around and shoves the cross in Angel's face.

Angel roars, lets go of Willow. He knocks Xander to the ground - Buffy comes forward - Angel leaps at Buffy, grabs her. She is too wigged to do much more than stare at him. "Things are about to get very interesting."

"Buffy!" Prue says.

Angel kisses Buffy, hard - she tries to move her head away - then he tosses her to the ground like a rag doll and takes off, the double door swinging shut behind him.

Buffy is still semi-prone on the ground as the others come up to her.

"Buffy, are you okay?" Xander asks.

"Buffy?" Willow asks.

Buffy just stares at the doors he exited by. She can't even speak.

Prue walks over to Buffy and sighs as she pulls her cousin to her feet, "Everyone step back. Give her some air."

Ten minutes later in the library. Everyone is gathered in the library, in various stages of freakingdom.

"And we're absolutely certain that Angel has reverted to his former self?" Giles says.

Xander nods, "We're certain. Anybody not feeling certain here?"

Willow nods, "Giles, it was just - you wouldn't have believed him. He was so... He came here to kill us!"

"It's true Giles," Prue says from her place next to Buffy where she is trying to comfort her cousin.

"What are we gonna do?" Cordelia asks.

"I'm leaning toward blind panic, myself," Giles says.

"Rupert, don't talk like that. The kids," Ms. Calendar says.

Giles frowns, "I'm sorry. It's just, things are bad enough with the Judge here. Angel crossing to the other side... I just wasn't prepared to deal with that."

"None of us was," Prue says.

Willow approaches Buffy and Prue, "Are you okay?" Buffy shakes her head. "Is there anything I can do?"

"I should have known. I saw him... at home and he was... different. The things he said..." Buffy says.

"What things?" Giles asks.

Prue looks up, "It's private."

Ms. Calendar frowns, "But you didn't know he had turned bad."

"How did you?" Willow asks.

"What?" Ms. Calendar asks.

"You knew. You told me to get away from him." Willow says.

Ms. Calendar nods, "Well, I saw his face."

"If we only knew how it happened..." Giles says.

"What do you mean?" Prue asks.

Giles nods, "Well, something set it off. Some event must have triggered his transformation." Prue and Buffy look at each other. Their sure of what the trigger is, but neither of them speak up. "If anyone would know, Buffy, it should be you."

"I don't... I ..." Buffy says.

"Did anything happen last night that might -" Giles asks.

"What part of private don't you understand," Prue says.

Buffy stands and starts out, distraught. Willow has her eyes locked on Buffy, realization sinking in.

"Prue, I'm sorry but we can't afford to... Buffy!" Giles says.

"Giles, shut up." Willow says it levelly, eyes still on the departing figure of Buffy.

Prue moves after her cousin joining her in the hall the two of them walk down it in silence. She puts her arm around Buffy holding her close as they walk. "Why don't you flame us back to the Manor."

Buffy looks at Prue and then nods. They flame out, and to her room in the Manor.

Buffy stares blankly, trying to hold herself together. She goes to the dresser.

Prue watches her making sure she will be alright.

Hanging over mirror is the cross Angel gave her the year before. She looks at it, then at herself in the mirror. Beginning to tremble, she looks at her hand and the claddagh ring. She pulls it off abruptly, letting it drop to the floor as the last vestige of her resolve crumbles. She cries.

Buffy moves blindly to the bed, sitting. Lying, curled up, unable to stop the tears.

Prue looks to Buffy and then climbs on the bed behind her and reaches across and holds Buffy's hand trying to comfort her. Buffy eventually falls asleep.

_Buffy and Angel are together in his apartment - her hand on his back, his face in her neck, her eyes opening._

_"I love you..." Angel says just before he roars and disappears._

_Buffy stands at Angel's grave a moment later. Behind her and to the right stands a woman in black with a veil. Buffy looks behind her as the woman lifts the veil - to reveal Ms. Calendar, who looks straight ahead, ignoring her._

_Buffy turns back and Angel is standing, in broad daylight, by his grave. _

_"You have to know what to see," Angel says serenely._

_Buffy looks behind her again, but Ms. Calendar is gone._

Buffy awakens, still in her clothes. Steely purpose in her eyes. She gets up and exits into the hall, "Prue, Piper, Phoebe."

Later Buffy, Prue, Piper, and Phoebe strides through the mass of students. Buffy is paying no attention to anything around her.

They walk in to the computer classroom Giles and Ms. Calendar look up as Buffy crosses the room to them. She never breaks stride. It's one swift motion from walking to taking Ms. Calendar by the neck and slamming her down onto the desk.

"Buffy!" Giles says and he tries to grab her to find he's being telekinetically held back by Prue.

"What do you know?" Buffy says.

Ms. Calendar is wide eyed - Buffy is choking her, a murderer's calm in her eyes.

"Buffy, stop it!" Giles says.

Buffy lets Ms. Calendar up, who gasps for breath.

BUFFY

Did you do it? Did you change him?

"For God's sake, calm down!" Giles says.

The sisters stride up next to Buffy. "Did you know what was gonna happen?" Prue asks.

"Buffy, Prue, you can't just go accusing everyone around you of -" Giles says.

"I didn't know exactly." Ms. Calendar says. Giles stops, stares at Ms. Calendar. She cannot even look at any of them as she continues. "I was told... I was sent here to watch you. When they told me to keep you and Angel apart, they never told me what would happen."

Giles frowns, "Jenny..."

Ms. Calendar sighs, "I'm sorry, Rupert. Angel was supposed to pay for what he did to my people."

"And me?" Buffy asks. What was I supposed to be paying for?"

"I didn't know what would happen until after. I swear, I would have told you..." Ms. Calendar says.

"So it was her. She did it." Prue says.

Ms. Calendar nods, "I think so. I mean, if you..."

Giles frowns, "I don't understand."

"The curse. If Angel achieved true happiness, just a moment of... he would lose his soul." Ms. Calendar says.

"But how do you know that you were responsible... Oh." Giles says.

Prue nods, "Now you understand why I said it was private. You don't have a right to know about Buffy's sex life. I don't care if you're her Watcher or not. Somethings should be private."

"If I could do anything -" Ms. Calendar says.

"Curse him again. Can't you do that?" Buffy asks.

Ms. Calendar shakes her head, "Those majicks are long lost, even to my people."

Phoebe looks to Ms. Calendar, "But you did it once, it may not be too late to save him..."

"It can't be done. I can't help you." Ms. Calendary says.

Buffy nods, "Then take us to someone who can."

Some time later Buffy, Giles, Prue, Piper, Phoebe and Ms. Calendar enter her uncle's room. They stop, Jenny putting her hand over her mouth.

Buffy looks down at the body - then her eyes drift over to the wall.

On the wall is written in blood: WAS IT GOOD FOR YOU TOO?

"God..." Ms. Calendar says.

Giles nods, "Buffy, he's doing this deliberately. He's trying to make it harder for you."

Prue nods, "I have to agree with Giles. He's torturing you mentally."

"He's just making it easier. I know what I have to do." Buffy says.

"What?" Prue, Piper and Phoebe ask.

Buffy looks at her cousins, summoning her resolve. "Kill him."

Later in Giles Office Xander and Oz set an oblong wooden crate down on the desk. Buffy comes up to it as Giles starts to open it with a crowbar. Prue, Piper and Phoebe stand behind Buffy watching.

"Happy Birthday, Buffy. Hope you like the color," Xander says.

Buffy nods, "Giles, Prue, we'll hit the factory first but we may not find them. If they're on the offensive we need to figure out where they'll go."

Giles nods, "Agreed."

Prue looks to Phoebe, "Up for trying to scry for him again?"

"Yeah, for what he's doing to Buffy." Phoebe says. "More than ready."

Giles pries open the box. Ms. Calendar comes into the office tentatively.

"This is good." Buffy says.

Ms. Calendar looks between the sisters and Buffy, "Do you... is there something I can do to –"

"Get out." Prue and Buffy says.

"I just want to help." Ms. Calendar says.

Buffy looks pleadingly at Giles and Prue.

There's no joy, nor anger in Giles reply. Just a decision. "She said get out."

Prue nods in agreement.

Slowly, Jenny leaves.

Xander turns to Buffy. "Do you want me to show you how to use it?"

"Yes I do," Buffy says. "Prue."

"Already on it," Prue says. "Phoebe's scrying for him as we speak."

In the main room Phoebe stands over a map of San Francisco. She has Buffy's claddagh ring in hand and is scrying. Suddenly the crystal drops, "Got him!"

Later at the mall Buffy and the gang walk in the entrance, full of purpose. Xander and Giles still carry the box by its rope handles.

"Everybody keeps back. Damage control only. Take out any lesser vamps if you can. I'll handle the smurf." Buffy says. She looks to Prue, "It's going to be crowded no powers. As it is we already got exposure from the demons. We don't want to expose our powers also. Just help them get the innocents out."

Prue nods, "Okay."

A moment later an arrow whips into the Judge's chest. He stumbles back, his power cut off.

The Judge pulls the arrow out of his chest, quietly seething. "Who dares...?"

Buffy is standing on top of the popcorn machine, holding her crossbow. "I think I got his attention..."

The Judge sees her, takes a step forward, throwing down the arrow. "You are a fool. No weapon forged can stop me."

Buffy drops the crossbow, "That was then." She hoists the rocket launcher Xander has procured for her. "This is now."

Drusilla sees the rocket launcher, starts to dive out of the way as Angel does the same.

Buffy flicks a switch and sights up the Judge.

The Judge looks at the thing in confusion and just a touch of worry. "What's that do?"

Buffy fires and the rocket streaks across the hall, high above the heads of the bystanders - straight toward the Judge and impacts with a shuddering blast.

Drusilla gets pelted with debris. She looks back at the Judge. Or rather, the place he was. It's smoke, rubble, and small fires.

Drusilla, whimpering, bails, her henchvamps following.

The gang come out from behind the concession stand as Buffy climbs down, tossing the launcher to Xander.

"My best present ever," Buffy says.

Xander smiles, "Knew you'd like it."

"Do you think he's dead?" Willow asks.

Buffy is looking around her, her guard still up. "You guys pick up the pieces. Keep 'em separate."

They move to comply.

"Pieces? We're getting pieces? Our job sucks!" Cordelia says.

Buffy is still looking about - and then she spots him, off to the right. Angel slips around a corner, past panicking civilians.

"Prue." Buffy says. And they take off after Angel as the rising smoke sets off the sprinklers

Buffy and Prue makes their way quickly but cautiously along, water cascading down everywhere.

They turn a corner, looking around them. This cul de sac has a pastry and coffee counter, not much else. Everything being soaked by the sprinklers.

Buffy stops, listening. She spins - and a fist knocks her hard to the ground.

Angel steps up, grinning. "You know what the worst part was? Pretending I loved you. If I'd known how easily you'd give it up, I wouldn't have bothered."

Buffy rises, her fury bottled in calm. "That doesn't work anymore. You're not Angel."

Prue nods, "Buffy's right. Angel had a soul. You killed him."

Angel smiles, "You'd both like to think that, wouldn't you? Doesn't matter. The important thing is, Buffy here made me the man I am today."

Prue and Buffy comes at him - and they all trade vicious blows, Angel getting the upper hand.

Angel drives Buffy and Prue back, toward the glass counter.

Buffy and Prue hesitates, out of breath and Buffy is frightened.

Angel beckons to her, "Not quitting on me already, are you? Come on, Buffy. You know you want it."

"Prue stay back, this is my fight." Buffy says as she hits him in the stomach like a pile driver - He doubles over in pain - and she grabs him, thrusts his head right through the glass of the pastry case - then pulls him roughly up so the back of his head smashes through the glass top of the case.

Buffy wails on him. Punching his face, round-housing him, just pummeling the guy, everything she's gone through pouring out in a hail of blows. She sends him slamming back into the wall. He staggers back toward her, face cut and bloody, as she powers up a fireball.

Buffy hesitates. Pain running through her face. Hand trembling. And finally extinguishes the fireball.

Angel's smile is aggravatingly charming. "You can't do it. You can't kill me."

"Buffy?" Prue says with concern.

Buffy kicks him between the legs, just about as hard as a person can.

Angel drops to his knees, mouth open in an extreme of agony that cannot even scream.

Buffy turns to Prue, "Give me time." She walks away, leaving him gasping in the artificial rain.

Prue stands there a moment and then nods and follows Buffy.

Outside the Mall Giles is talking to the sisters, and Buffy.

"It's not over. I suppose you know that," Giles says. Buffy nods, not looking at him. "He'll come after you particularly. His profile - well, he'll strike out at the things that made him the most human."

Buffy looks at Prue even though she speaks to all of her cousins and Giles, "You must be so disappointed in me."

Giles shakes his head, "No, I'm not."

"No," Prue says.

Buffy nods, "But... this is all my fault."

Prue shakes her head, "I don't believe it is."

Buffy looks at Prue. She is close to crying.

"Do you want me to wag my finger at you and tell you, you acted rashly? You did, and I can. But I know you loved him, and he has proven more than once that he loved you. You couldn't have known what would happen. The coming months are going to be very hard - I suspect on all of us. But if you're looking for guilt, Buffy, I'm not your man. All you will have from me is my support... and my respect." Giles says.

"The same goes for us," Phoebe says.

Buffy says nothing, spilling eloquent tears.

Back at the Manor Buffy sits on the couch watching TV. Prue and Phoebe are on either side of her.

Piper walks in from the kitchen carrying a cupcake, "Did I miss anything?"

"Some singing. And some running around," Buffy says.

Piper sets a candle in one of the cupcakes.

Piper smiles, "Here we go... I'm sorry I didn't have time to make you a real cake."

"This is perfect," Buffy says.

Piper nods, "But we're still going shopping tomorrow."

Buffy nods as Piper gets matches and she lights the candle. Piper pushes the cupcake over to Buffy.

"Happy birthday. We don't have to sing, do we?" Piper asks.

Phoebe smiles, "I think we should."

Buffy shakes her head, looks at the candle.

Prue nods, "Well, go on. Make a wish."

"I'll just let it burn," Buffy says.

Prue puts her hand to Buffy's hair, touching it softly. Buffy puts her head in Prue's lap.

Prue, Piper and Phoebe look at each other and nod at the unspoken agreement. They will help Buffy to take down Angel together.


	37. Chapter 37: Heartbreak City

**Chapter 37: Heartbreak City**

Outside a movie theatre Prue, Jack, Piper, Dan, Buffy and Phoebe walk onto the sidewalk. Prue and Jack are holding hands and Dan has his arm around Piper.

"Fifth and Sixth wheels cutting in," Phoebe says.

Buffy rolls her eyes. She hadn't really wanted to go along on the almost triple date – Phoebe's had cancelled at the last second. But the sisters had insisted she needed to get out. They knew she needed something to take her mind of Angel so they had dragged her along.

"Oh, would you stop that," Piper says.

Phoebe nods, "Well, it is a double date."

Prue sighs, "It would have been a triple date if Kevin hadn't cancelled."

Phoebe nods, "I know. It seems to be an epidemic lately. Guys canceling on me."

They look at Buffy for a moment knowing it's really not just about Kevin cancelling on Phoebe, but about Buffy. Phoebe was trying to get Buffy to say something. Buffy had not said much over the weekend.

"You know what happens when they cancel." Piper says.

"Ooh, back to square one." Prue says.

Piper nods, "Do not pass go."

"And all accrued nookie credits are thrown out," Phoebe says.

Jack shakes his head, "There's a penalty?"

"Oh yeah!" Prue, Piper and Phoebe say.

Jack nods, "You know this glimpse into feminine mystery frightens me to no end so allow me to change the subject. What did you think of the movie?"

"I liked it," Piper says.

Prue nods, "Loved it except for the bellbottoms."

"It was okay, I guess," Dan says.

Piper shakes her head, "Who are you kidding? I heard you sniffle."

"Fighting a cold," Dan says.

"Liar," Piper says.

Prue nods, "Jack? Buffy? Phoebe?"

"As far as classics go, it was no Dirty Dozen." Jack says.

Buffy simply shrugs.

"I slept through it," Phoebe says.

"You slept through Dirty Dozen?" Jack asks.

Phoebe shakes her head, "No, Love Story. The last thing I remember is the hockey game.

"That was the very beginning," Piper says.

Phoebe nods, "Okay, let me guess. Boy meets girl, grim reaper swipes girl, and boy's left with his hockey skates?"

Jack shakes his head, "That's the review."

"Anybody want a coffee?" Dan asks.

Jack smiles, "I hope so because I am buying."

Prue, Jack, Piper and Dan walk into a coffee shop laughing and giggling. Phoebe walks in and stops, and looks back at Buffy. Prue notices them standing there.

"Hey, you two are gonna come get coffee, right?" Prue asks.

Phoebe looks at Buffy and shakes her head, "I think were just gonna get a cab, call it a night. I think we're both pooped. Right, Buffy."

"Yeah," Buffy says.

Prue looks at Phoebe and knows that Phoebe is looking for an excuse to take Buffy home, "I'm sorry that Kevin backed out on you."

"His loss," Phoebe says.

Prue nods, "It is so his loss because you are beautiful, my sister." She hugs Phoebe.

Phoebe nods, "You're so beautiful. Alright, go see your man. Have some coffee."

Prue smiles, "Okay. I love you."

Phoebe nods, "I love you too."

"Me three." Buffy says.

Prue walks over to the others.

Cupid comes up to Phoebe and Buffy. "I need your help." He grabs Buffy.

"Let go of her," Phoebe says.

"Hate will destroy me and everything else if you don't help me," Cupid says.

Phoebe frowns, "I am warning you, buddy."

"Phoebe, Buffy, you gotta believe me. I know why you can't find love, Phoebe. And why Buffy is well…"

"Hey, you, let go of her," Dan says.

Cupid runs away. Prue and Piper run up to Phoebe and Buffy.

"Are you two okay?" Piper asks.

"Uh, yeah," Buffy says.

Prue nods, "What was that about?"

Phoebe shrugs, "I'm not sure."

The next morning Phoebe walks out of her bedroom and walks over to Piper's room. She knocks on the door. "Piper, you still asleep?" She opens the door and walks in. She notices Piper's bed hasn't been slept in. She walks out and over to Prue's room. "Hey, Prue, guess who got lucky last night?" She opens the door and notices Prue's bed hasn't been slept in either." She walks over to Buffy's room and looks in to find her not there." She hears something in the attic and goes up to check. She finds Buffy there flipping through her book, "Buffy?"

Buffy looks at Phoebe, tears in her eyes.

Phoebe nods and walks over to hug Buffy as she guides her cousin downstairs.

The phone rings.

"I'll get it," Phoebe says as she picks up the phone. "Hello?"

"Morning," Prue says.

"Hey, Prue. Did that coffee keep someone up all night?" Phoebe asks.

"Believe it or not, all we did was talk," Prue says.

"Yeah, right," Phoebe says.

"No, I swear. We just talked about everything, it was really great," Prue says.

"Really? How's he react to the witch part?" Phoebe asks.

"Cute. Alright, where's Piper?" Prue asks.

"Oh, she's still at Dan's. Hey, if only I'd bagged Mr. Creepy, we could have scored a Halliwell hat trick last night." Phoebe says as she looks at Buffy.

"Don't be mad," Prue says.

"No, I'm not mad. I'm thrilled for you both. I mean, it's been a long time. You deserve to be happy," Phoebe says. "Prue I found Buffy going through her Book up in the attic."

"What?" Prue asks. "Why was she… Oh!"

"Yeah," Phoebe says."We really need to do something Prue."

"Agreed," Prue says.

Cupid walks up behind Phoebe and Buffy. "You're gonna need a new lock on that back door."

Buffy turns and kicks Cupid in the mouth. He falls onto the stairs.

"Phoebe?" Prue asks.

"Our stalker is back." Phoebe says.

Prue hangs up and runs out of Jack's place.

"I'm getting rather used to you kicking love in the teeth." Cupid says.

Phoebe looks to Buffy and places a hand on her shoulder. Buffy visibly relaxes, "Okay, who are you and what do you want?"

Cupid smiles, "More importantly I know who you are Phoebe and who Buffy is. And that's why I'm here. I need your help. Charmed Slayer and Charmed Ones kind of help."

"Who are you?" Buffy asks.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," Cupid says.

"Try us," Phoebe says.

Cupid nods, "Well, for lack of a better name, Cupid."

In Dan's house. Piper's laying on Dan's bed. Dan comes in carrying a tray with breakfast on it.

"Oh, my," Piper says.

"All eggs over, bacon crisps, a box of jewellery and dried toast," Dan says.

"A box of what?" Piper asks.

Dan smiles, "Would you like the morning paper with that?"

"What did you do?" Piper asks.

Dan shakes his head, "It's not a big deal. It's not a ring or anything. But just because it's jewellery, I don't want you to feel like you gotta keep it. If you wanna take it back, you can."

"I get it, I get it," Piper says as she picks up the box.

"You gonna open it?" Dan asks.

Piper opens it and there's a diamond necklace in it "Oh."

Dan smiles, "'Cos if you want to you can take it back." Piper kisses Dan passionately. Phoebe looks around the corner and tries to get Piper's attention. Piper opens her eyes and sees Phoebe. She stops kissing Dan. "Hey, is something-"

Piper freezes Dan. "Phoebe, what are you doing in here? How did you get in here?"

"We have got a very big problem. Well more than one actually. Phoebe pulls Buffy and Cupid into the room. "Piper, Cupid. Cupid, Piper."

"Hi, sorry to interrupt. Glad to see things are working out for you and Dan," Cupid says.

Piper frowns, "What?"

"You have to come home really fast," Phoebe says.

Cupid nods, "Yeah, a demon of hate stole my ring and he's gonna use it to find all the loves that I've put together so he can destroy them, which will in turn destroy me."

"Wait a minute," Piper says.

"He's telling the truth." Phoebe says. "The demon's name is Drazi. He's in the Book of Shadows."

Cupid nods, "Yeah, Phoebe's already started working on the potion that will vanquish it."

Phoebe sighs, "And Prue's on her way home."

"From where?" Piper asks.

"From Jack's. Okay, hurry. Kiss very fast." Phoebe says.

"You said we had more than one problem?" Piper asks.

Phoebe looks to Buffy, "I found Buffy in the attic this morning going through her Book."

"Oh." Piper says.

Cupid, Buffy and Phoebe leave.

Later back at the Manor Prue, Piper, Buffy Phoebe and Cupid are in the living room.

"So we're actually supposed to believe that you're Cupid?" Prue asks.

Cupid nods, "You believe in warlocks and demons but you can't believe in me?"

"Where's the chubby baby?" Piper asks.

Phoebe rolls her eyes, "Guys."

"And the bow and arrow?" Prue asks.

"Where's the warty chins, hooked noses and pointy hats?" Cupid asks.

"I think we should just vanquish him and get it over with," Buffy says.

Prue sighs as she looks at Buffy before looking back at Cupid, "Alright, show us something supernatural."

"Drazi took my ring. It's my powers, how I get in," Cupid says.

"Get in?" Prue asks.

Cupid nods, "People's hearts, to waken love. See, but Drazi's all about hate and he's gonna use the ring to get in the same way."

"You're still gonna have to back up the Cupid claim," Piper says.

Cupid nods, "Okay, fine." He points to Piper, "Dan," points to Prue, "Jack," points to Phoebe, "Clay," points to Buffy, "Pike," points to Prue, "Andy. My sincerest condolences. Eric in London, Alec in college," points to Piper, "Not Jeremy the Warlock, Joe in college, Barry in high school, Tim in eighth grade," points to Phoebe, "Ken, Kyle, Steve, Mike, Ken again, Brian, Joel, Martin, Peter, Paul, Tony."

"Okay, you know I didn't love all those guys, right?" Phoebe asks.

Cupid nods, "Yeah, well, they wanted to love you but you're closed hearted. That's what sent them away. Just as Buffy is closed hearted now because of what happened with Angel. My condolences on that Buffy."

Buffy growls at the mention of Angel.

"My closed heart? I do not have a closed heart." Phoebe says.

Cupid shakes his head, "Look, if people get the feeling that there's nothing there, then eventually it's hasta la vista, Phoebe. That explains the recent rush of cancelled dates."

"Okay, so wait, our past relationships, you made those happen?" Prue asks.

Cupid shakes his head, "Well, actually, my assignment here's only two years old. I helped you two meet Jack and Dan but most of your prior loves were work from fellow agents."

"Agents?" Piper asks.

Cupid nods, "Oh, yeah. I'm just one of many. We work in secret all over the world making connections

"Did you connect me and Leo?" Piper asks.

Cupid shakes his head, "Uh, no. That was the work of you two. Those connections were forbidden to make for obvious reasons. The same was true for Buffy and Angel. That connection was forbidden mainly because of the curse."

"Um, can we go back to the hasta la vista remark please?" Phoebe asks.

Cupid sighs, "We don't have time right now to debate the topic of your closed heart, Phoebe. We gotta finish the potion so we can vanquish Drazi before it's too late."

Prue nods, "Okay, so how are we supposed to find him?"

"The same way he can find me. We can sense each other. We're connected in a cosmic way. There's a fine line between love and hate." Cupid says.

Buffy rolls her eyes, "Oh, brother."

Cupid nods, "Hey, don't take Drazi lightly. You guys are in danger as well you know." He points to Prue and Piper.

"We're in danger every day. We're used to it." Prue says.

Cupid nods, "Look, if Drazi succeeds, eventually he'll kill the ability to love. And believe me, it's a fate worse than death."

Cupid clutches his chest in pain.

"What's the matter?" Prue asks.

"It's Drazi. He's killing love." Cupid says.

"Buffy can you come here." Prue says.

"What now, Prue?" Buffy asks.

"You are going with us," Prue says.

"Prue, I would rather not," Buffy says.

"Your going with us. You need to put Angel behind you. And the best way to do that is by moving forward." Prue says. "Helping an innocent will do that."

Buffy sighs and nods, "Alright."

Somewhere in San Francisco Max is on a stretcher and a policeman is talking to Cindy.

"He just walked into the traffic. Dumb ass. Is he gonna die?" Cindy says.

"I can't answer that," the Policeman responds.

Cindy nods, "Because he should you know. I don't think I've known anyone who deserves to be hit by a car more than that guy."

Buffy, Prue, Piper, Phoebe and Cupid pull up in the car. They get out and walk over to Max.

"It's Max," Cupid says.

"Is he one of yours?" Piper asks.

Cupid nods, "Yeah, I matched him up with Cindy last night. She was afraid to risk love too."

"Are you picking on me?" Phoebe asks.

"Phoebe, I'm..." Cupid says.

Buffy sighs, "Pheebs if he's picking on anyone it's me."

"Do you think it's easy finding love with all the demon hunting we have to do?" Phoebe says ignoring Buffy.

"Well, your sisters don't seem to be having any problem." Cupid says.

Buffy looks to Prue, "This was a mistake. I'm going to flame back to the Manor."

"No you are not," Prue says.

"Alright, you know, let's stay focused. We have things to do." Phoebe says.

Prue looks to Cupid, "Are you sure Drazi did this?"

Cupid nods, "Positive. He's still here too. I can feel him."

"Where?" Buffy asks looking around for something to pummel.

"There." Cupid says and points to Drazi.

"Do you think he knows who we are?" Prue asks.

Drazi walks off.

"Apparently." Piper says.

Cupid nods, "He's getting away. Do you have the potion?"

"Yes." Phoebe says as they all start running after him. "We're not gonna catch him."

Prue frowns, "Piper, freeze him."

Piper shakes her head, "He's too far away."

Cupid nods, "Well, someone better do something fast."

Buffy suddenly flames out and in front of Drazi.

"What?" Drazi says.

"Surprise." Buffy says as she powers up a fireball and throws it at Drazi. It hits him and sends him flying.

Prue, Phoebe, Piper and Cupid run up to Drazi.

Drazi stands up. "Hiding behind witches skirts?"

"Stealing things that don't belong to you?" Piper says and she freezes him. "Okay, go."

Phoebe throws the potion on Drazi and he unfreezes.

"What the...?" Drazi says as he starts melting and turns into black goo.

"Did we get him?" Buffy asks.

"Sure looks like it." Cupid says. "Though, I don't know what happened to my ring. It shouldn't have been affected by what we did to Drazi."

"Good." Buffy says, "I'm flaming back to the Manor." She flames out.

Prue shakes her head,

"So that's it right? We're done? You can just move on." Phoebe says.

"In a hurry to get rid of me, Phoebe?" Cupid asks.

"Look, Cupid. I know you're just trying to help but did you ever think that I may not be ready for love right now?" Phoebe says.

Cupid shakes his head, "No, you and Buffy are more than ready."

"Don't start. Just go." Phoebe says.

"Well, I need the ring to get back. I mean, unless you can get me another one but the problem is I need it to get back to them." Cupid says

"Wait, you're stuck here?" Prue asks. "Couldn't Buffy flame you there?"

Cupid shakes his had, "No Buffy couldn't flame me there. And no I'm not actually stuck here, you can help me get back home. One more potion, some well-chosen words from the Charmed Ones and I'm on my way." He looks to Phoebe. "Care to help me with that potion?"

"Me? Why me?" Phoebe asks.

Cupid smiles, "Because you're free tonight, they have dates."

"Hey, how'd you know... never mind, scratch that." Piper says.

Prue looks to Cupid, "One condition. You get Buffy to help you."

Cupid nods, "I understand, ever since Angel lost his soul. She has been in a funk. You would like me to help show her that not everything turns out bad."

Prue nods, "Yes." She and Piper turn and walk off.

Cupid stands there smiling at Phoebe. "What are you smiling at?"

"You." Cupid says and they walk off.

Later back at the Manor in the kitchen Buffy, Phoebe and Cupid are making the potion.

"So this will send you back?" Buffy asks.

Cupid nods, "When I drink this, you and your cousins say the magic words and I'm gone."

Phoebe sighs, "I can not believe I am stuck here doing the grunt work while they're..."

"Twisting the night away? Don't blame them." Cupid says.

Phoebe shakes her head, "No, I'm not blaming anybody. It's just... I'm here..."

"Stuck with me." Cupid says.

Phoebe nods, "Um, I'm sorry, but did you do something specific to tick Drazi off? Or did he also find your honesty to be a complete and total pain in the ass?"

Buffy rolls her eyes.

"Drazi fell in love with a mortal woman," Cupid says. "I redirected her love towards a mortal man away from Drazi. She's married now, very happy. But Drazi blames me for denying him love." Buddy starts stirring some stuff in a bowl really fast. "A hundred slow strokes there."

"So are you telling me that demons love?" Phoebe asks.

Buffy rolls her eyes, "Pheebs really. You ask that after…"

"Sorry, Buffy," Phoebe says.

Cupid nods, "Buffy is right though demons do love. It was love that drew her and Angel together. You know, if a demon can open his heart, there's hope in you too, Phoebe. And you Buffy."

Phoebe sighs, "Okay, you know, my heart is not closed. Okay, it's open, just not to everybody."

Cupid nods, "Your heart is closed."

"Mine is," Buffy says. "How do you find love again after…?"

Cupid looks to Buffy, "After such a tragic end?" Buffy nods. "You look for it, you seek it out. You don't hide from it. That's what your doing right now, Buffy. Your hiding from it, afraid to take a chance. "

Phoebe shakes her head, "I'm picky."

"No, you're terrified." Cupid says.

Phoebe frowns, "Of what? What am I terrified of?"

Cupid shrugs, "You tell me."

"I don't want to play this game," Phoebe says.

Cupid moves to Buffy he stands behind her, puts his arms around her and stirs the stuff in the bowl. "Like that."

Buffy nods, "Thanks. So, how does this work?"

"It's a travel potion with an aphrodisiac." Cupid says.

"Really? An aphrodisiac?" Phoebe asks.

Cupid nods, "Lavender, oysters, rosemary and chocolate and basic caris compound. The key ingredient is desire."

"Desire?" Buffy asks.

Cupid nods, "Desire to go home. 'Cos home..."

"Is where your heart is." Phoebe and Buffy say.

Cupid nods, "Are you afraid of loss?"

Buffy shakes her head.

Phoebe shakes her head, "No, I swear if you barf up, it's better to have loved and loss than never to have loved at all, I might just have to..." She smells the potion. "Mmm, it smells really good."

"It does," Buffy says.

"So tell me, Phoebe, what has not loving gotten you?" Cupid asks.

"It's kept me safe." Phoebe says.

"Safe from what?" Buffy asks.

Phoebe looks to Buffy and in that instant she knows how Buffy has felt since Angel turned, "From people leaving."

"Your mothers?" Cupid asks.

Buffy and Phoebe nods. "Yeah," Phoebe says.

Cupid nods and looks at Buffy, "Angel?"

Buffy nods.

Cupid looks to Phoebe, "And your father?"

"And you." Phoebe says.

Cupid smiles, "Are you falling for me, Phoebe?"

Phoebe walks away from him. "No, I am not falling for you, thank you very much."

Cupid laughs, "Ladies and gentleman, Phoebe Halliwell - running away from love."

Buffy shakes her head, "I think I understand now."

"You are, Cupid. You're the one that's leaving me." Phoebe says.

Cupid shakes his head, "Look, Phoebe, what I am is the potential for true love. That's all. Because once you've let love in, it'll never leave. Don't confuse the message with the messenger, Phoebe. It's what you're always done. See, messengers make mistakes, they get lost, they run away, they even die. But the message, open your heart, it comes from life itself. Hear it. For my sake and yours." He looks to Buffy, "What do you understand?"

Buffy smiles for the first time in days, "'I hold it true, whate'er befall; I feel it, when I sorrow most; 'Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.' To love you must know sorrow also. I think I'm ready to love again."

Cupid smiles.

Later at P4 Phoebe, Buffy and Cupid walk up to Jack and Dan.

"Hey guys, are Prue and Piper around?" Phoebe asks.

Jack nods, "Yeah, they're in the ladies room." He looks to Cupid. "Excuse me, have we met?"

"Yeah, you look really familiar," Dan says.

Cupid nods, "I've been around."

"Yeah, okay, come on." Buffy says.

Buffy, Phoebe and Cupid walk towards the bathroom..

Prue and Piper walk out of the bathroom they see Cupid, Buffy and Phoebe.

"Hey," Buffy says and smiles.

"Hey yourself." Prue says, "Look Piper she's smiling."

Piper nods, "I see that." She looks to Cupid, "Cupid."

"Evening ladies," Cupid says. "I trust everything's going well?"

Piper smiles, "Very well."

Cupid nods, "Prue?"

"Well, it's a little early to tell but all the signs are pointing to maybe," Prue says.

"Did you get everything we need to send him home?" Piper asks.

Buffy nods, "Yeah. He drinks this..." she holds up a bottle "while we say this..." she holds up a piece of paper "and he's gone. Any idea where you wanna do this?"

"In there. The stock room," Piper says.

Prue nods, "Um, is this gonna take very long 'cos you know?"

"Go tell your boys you'll be back in a few minutes," Phoebe says.

Piper smiles, "Okay."

"And don't dawdle," Buffy says.

Prue and Piper run out to Jack and Dan.

"Ain't love grand?" Cupid asks.

Cupid grabs his chest in pain.

"What's the matter?" Buffy asks.

"I can't believe it," Cupid says.

Phoebe frowns, "Is it Drazi?"

Cupid nods, "He's alive."

They see Prue and Dan, Jack and Prue fighting.

"I'd love to. What about you?" Dan says.

"Rebound guy?" Jack asks. "Is that it? What makes you think I'm gonna take this crap?"

"What, you think I'm just gonna jump in the sack with you on the second date? Why don't you just drop dead." Prue says.

"I can't believe you're still threatened by him," Piper says.

"You think I'm an idiot?" Dan asks. "You think I don't know?"

"Uh, you guys." Phoebe says.

"Shut up!" Jack, Dan, Piper, and Prue says.

"Fine. Why don't we just end it?" Prue says.

"You know what? Fine." Jack says.

"We are dating aren't we?" Dan asks.

Piper shakes her head, "No, we're not. Not anymore. And you can have that back." She pulls off the necklace and throws it at him.

"I'm sure Leo can replace it with something that means more anyway." Dan says.

"Probably," Piper says.

"I'm just glad that nothing ever happened." Prue says.

Jack nods, "Yeah, well, you and me both."

"Yeah, well, I'm really glad. I mean, I learnt a valuable lesson. Never go out with a jerk." Prue says.

"Thanks for the evening Prue," Jack says.

"Alright, bye." Prue says.

They start leaving.

"Whoa, whoa, wait." Phoebe says.

"What the heck?" Buffy asks.

Cupid shakes his head. "It's not them, Phoebe, Buffy. They're caught in Drazi's spell."

Phoebe nods, "If he did this, why didn't you sense him?"

"Because I thought he was dead," Cupid says.

Prue and Piper turn back around.

"You're still here?" Prue says.

"You know what? None of this would have happened if you would've just left us alone. Now get out. Get out of my club." Piper says.

Buffy frowns, "Piper! This isn't just your club or have you forgot we're all partners."

"Maybe I should change that." Piper says.

Cupid starts to leave.

"Where are you going?" Phoebe asks.

"There's nothing I can do. They're trapped," Cupid says.

Prue shakes her head, "Oh, we are not trapped. For the first time in my life I see things how they really are. Now whoever you are, whatever you're selling, just get out."

"No, no. Listen to us." Buffy says, "You guys are under a spell. Okay, this is not you. Listen to me."

Piper frowns, "If you're with him, why don't you go too?"

"What?" Phoebe says as Prue and Piper walk away. "No, you guys." She and Buffy look to Cupid. "We vanquished Drazi. How is this happening?"

"The ring must have saved him," Cupid says.

"What, so he's invincible now?" Buffy asks.

Cupid shakes his head, "Maybe not. Maybe if destroying the loves that I put together is killing me. Maybe the reverse is true. Patching everything up with everybody just might kill him."

"But you can't do that without the ring," Phoebe says.

Cupid smiles, "Well, I've got you two."

"I'm sorry. What?" Phoebe asks.

Cupid smiles, "Your heart is as big and true as anyone I've ever seen, Phoebe. So is Buffy's. You'll both be my ring."

Phoebe shakes her head, "I'm flattered, I think. But I have no idea what you're talking about."

"I think I do." Buffy says.

Cupid nods, "Come on, we've got to start with the first couple Drazi tore apart."

"Okay." Phoebe says.

"Do you know where to go?" Buffy asks.

Cupid nods, "I believe so. You think you can do it?"

Buffy smiles as she, Phoebe and Cupid walk out the back door into the alley. "Yes I can. Hold on." She flames out with Phoebe and Cupid.

Buffy flames in to a secluded spot near an office building. They see Cindy not far off, "Hey I managed it in one shot with passengers."

Phoebe smiles, "Yes you did."

"There she is. We've got to hurry." Cupid says.

Phoebe shakes her head, "But wait, I'm still not exactly sure what the plan is."

"It's simple. Just talk to her." Cupid says.

"About what?" Phoebe asks.

"She's just the same as you," Cupid says. "Her fears are your fears. Just pretend you're talking to yourself. Here she comes. Hi."

"Do I know you?" Cindy asks.

Cupid shakes his head, "No, but we know you and we know about Max. How is he?"

Cindy shrugs, "I don't know. Look, I'm really sorry about what happened. I'm not even sure how it happened but I'm sorry." She starts to walk away.

Buffy nudges Phoebe.

"Uh, Cindy, Cindy. Look, sooner or later Max's pain will go away. But yours won't." Phoebe says.

"Excuse me?" Cindy says.

"She means, it hasn't yet has it? The pain of love loss deepens if you don't deal with it. Look, I know, I know what it's like, believe me. I closed myself off to love too because I was afraid. But you know what? Fear and love can not live in the same house." Buffy says.

"You're getting to her," Cupid says.

Phoebe nods, "It's because the people that we love eventually leave us. So, we've given up on love."

Cindy shakes her head, "You mean love's given up on me."

Buffy smiles, "No, it hasn't. It can't. Your fear of loss has left you paralyzed. Believe me, I know. But you can change that. You can take the risk and love again."

Phoebe nods, "Yeah, they don't call it lovers leap for nothing, right?"

"What?" Cindy asks.

Cupid shakes his head, "Actually, lovers leap is a reference to suicide."

Phoebe grimaces, "Oh. Let me rephrase that. Go to Max. Push through what ever hate or fear or doubt you think might exist between both of you. Just tell him what's in your heart."

"I love him," Cindy says.

Buffy nods, "Then tell him that. Now. Before it's too late."

"Who are you two?" Cindy asks.

Phoebe and Buffy look at each other and speak at once, "Messengers."

Cindy smiles, "Thank you." She leaves.

"I'm starting to fell better already," Cupid says. "You two were good."

We were good weren't we?" Phoebe asks looking at Buffy.

Buffy smiles and nods.

Phoebe nods, "So why do I feel that was more for my sake than for Cindy's?"

Cupid smiles, "Because in order to let love in, you have to overcome the obstacles within yourself."

Buffy nods, "I agree. My obstacle was Angel. I can't let him dominate my thoughts. I have to move on."

"You know, we have to go reconnect Prue and Piper's love connection before it's too late," Phoebe says.

Cupid nods, "You know the more couples we put back together, the more Drazi's gonna come looking for me wherever I am."

"Isn't that the plan?" Buffy asks.

Cupid nods, "Yeah. I just wanted to make sure you both knew what you're getting yourselves into."

At the Manor the doorbell rings. Piper opens the door.

"This better be good," Jack says.

Piper frowns, "Am I supposed to know what you're talking about?"

"Don't buy the innocent act. She pulls it all the time," Dan says.

"I beg your pardon?" Piper asks.

"Just cut to the chase, Piper," Jack says. "Why did you call?"

Piper shakes her head, "What? I didn't."

Jack stands at the bottom of the stairs and calls out to Prue. "Prue, I wanna talk to you."

"Isn't this your number? "Come to my house a.s.a.p."" Dan says.

Piper rolls her eyes, "That's really pathetic. Paging yourself?"

"Pathetic?" Dan says.

"Prue!" Jack says.

"I'm sorry, I meant moronic." Piper says.

Prue comes down the stairs.

"What?" Dan asks.

"Why are you here?" Prue asks.

"You called," Jack says.

"Oh, you wish," Prue says.

Piper shakes her head, "What is going on?"

Buffy, Phoebe and Cupid enter.

"Hate and it's gotta stop. Buffy and I asked Jack and Dan to come over her." Phoebe says.

"And what is he still doing here?" Piper asks.

"Trying to help you," Cupid says.

Prue shakes her head, "No reason to hang around here, that's for sure."

"Oh, on the contrary. Everyone on the couch now." Buffy says.

"Payson, just mind your own business." Jack says.

"Hey, don't talk to my cousin like that." Prue says.

"Please," Cupid says.

"Okay, everyone on the couch now." Buffy says, and it's evident in her voice she means business. The glint in Buffy's eyes tells Prue and Piper that the Slayer wants to come out and play.

Dan, Piper, Prue and Jack sit on the couch.

"You don't look okay. Are you alright." Dan asks Cupid.

Cupid nods, "I'm having a rough day."

"But we can change that." Phoebe says, "You are all acting like you are under some kind of spell."

"Phoebe," Prue and Piper says.

Buffy shakes her head, "Would you stop thinking and just feel. Look, I know that some ugly things were said tonight but you can get past that."

"Assuming that we want to," Prue says.

Phoebe nods, "You know you want to."

"Remember how you felt the first time you saw Jack?" Cupid says.

"How would you know?" Jack asks.

"Yeah, I hated him," Prue says.

Cupid nods, "My point exactly. Opposites attract. But after a while he started to make you smile didn't he? He made you laugh. Look at him again. Remember that."

Prue and Jack look at each other and Prue smiles slightly.

Buffy nods, "And Piper, I watch you when you talk to Dan and I see light and warmth and hope and I know you feel that way. Same way I felt with Angel. And Dan, you don't need someone whispering in your ear telling you not to trust Piper. Trust yourself."

"I'm not saying you have to tell me everything but when you deliberately keep secrets from me I..." Dan says.

"It's not because I want to, I told you it has nothing to do with you." Piper says.

Dan nods, "But does it have anything to do with Leo?"

Piper shakes her head, "No, it has to do with you and me and what I would like us to become."

"It's working," Cupid says.

"Where is he?" Buffy and Phoebe asks.

"He's close," Cupid says.

Phoebe nods, "Okay, okay, here's the plan. Jack, Dan, you go down to the corner market and get whatever you want. If the food of love is Cheetos and soda, then play on. Um, can you pick up a couple of frozen pizzas?"

"So we can talk." Jack says sarcastically.

Phoebe nods, "Yes, that's very good, Jack. Very good, you're quick."

"I'll drive," Dan says.

Buffy smiles, "Yeah, okay, take your time. Bye, bye."

Jack and Dan leave.

"Hey, what the hell is going on?" Prue asks.

Phoebe nods, "Okay, think you guys. Do you remember Drazi? Well, he's still alive and if Cupid's right, he's on his way here as we speak. Whatever bad feelings you had for Dan and Jack, Drazi did it. He's twisted your relationships with hate."

"So what do we do now?" Piper asks.

"Exactly what you're doing right now," Buffy says. "You let Dan and Jack into your hearts."

"Okay, hold on. I don't love Jack," Prue says.

Cupid nods, "No, but you like him a lot. And it's helped make you open to love."

Drazi walks around the corner and grabs Cupid.

"Hello, lover boy." Drazi says as he reaches in Cupid's chest and grabs his heart. "I should of finished you off the first time."

Piper freezes them. "Okay, so much for loving him to death. What do we do with him now?"

Buffy smiles, "Same thing, only different."

"Been there, blew that." Prue says.

Buffy nods, "Yeah, the only difference is the ring won't be protecting him..." Phoebe takes the ring off Drazi's finger, "…it will be protecting him." Phoebe puts the ring on Cupid's finger.

"How can you be sure?" Piper asks.

Buffy shakes her head, "I can't." She grabs a bowl full of the potion off the table. "But love is a risk. If he's taught me anything it's that. Right, Pheebs?"

"Right, Buffy," Phoebe says.

Buffy throws the potion on Drazi and he and Cupid unfreeze.

"No, no. No, not again!" Drazi says as he starts melting and he turns into black goo and disappears.

"Is he gone this time?" Piper asks.

Cupid nods, "Yeah, he's definitely gone."

"How do you know?" Prue asks.

Cupid smiles, "Because I've never felt better." He looks to Buffy and Phoebe. " I knew you two could do it. And now I have to go."

"I know." Phoebe and Buffy says.

Cupid smiles, "I won't be far. Don't mourn me, Phoebe, Buffy. Remember me, celebrate me and seek me out."

Cupid kisses both Phoebe and Buffy and disappears.

"Now that boy can kiss." Phoebe says.

Buffy smiles, "Yes he can."

The next night outside the movie theatre. Jack, Dan, Prue and Piper are there. They just saw "The Dirty Dozen".

"You gotta remember though the mission was successful. Bronson made it home." Dan says.

Jack nods, "Just in time to make death wish."

Prue shakes her head, "Oh, no."

"You'll love it, I promise." Jack says.

Phoebe's walking behind them. Kevin walks up to Phoebe.

"Sorry, Phoebe. I almost forgot to get our parking validated." Kevin says.

Phoebe smiles, "No problem, Kevin."

Kevin nods, "Hey, I just wanted to say I'm really sorry that I cancelled on you the other day."

"Love means is never having to say you're sorry." Buffy says behind them. She is the only one without a date. But she is no longer in her funk either. She smiles.

"What?" Kevin says.

"It's nothing. We saw "Love Story" here the other night and... never mind." Buffy says.

"I love that movie." Kevin says.

"Really?" Phoebe asks.

Kevin nods, "Yeah."

"Me too... now." Phoebe and Buffy say as they look at each other and smile.

They catch up to the others who are waiting for them.

"Hi." Prue says.

"Hello," Phoebe says.

"Let's grab some coffee. I am buying," Jack says.

Buffy smiles, "Sounds wonderful."


	38. Chapter 38: Awakened

**Chapter 38: Awakened**

At P4 Piper's at the bar cutting up some yellow spiky fruit. She coughs and gets a glass of water and takes a sip. Phoebe comes up to the bar. Buffy coughs as she walks to the bar.

Piper smiles, "Oh, I am so glad to see you two."

"Is that because I can work tonight or is it because I am now Phoebe Halliwell, college student."

Buffy smiles, "Congratz, Pheebs."

Piper nods, "Okay, neat, thin slices please. Wait, you enrolled?" Phoebe nods. "Phoebe, this is huge."

Phoebe nods, "Hugest thing I've done since I came back home. I mean, aside from vanquishing demons and saving the world from evil of course. Okay, so I signed up for two general courses." She gets a piece of paper out of her bag and hands it to Piper.

Piper looks at the paper and then hands it to Buffy, "Am I reading that right?"

Buffy looks at the paper and nods, "Seven electives."

Piper nods, "Seven, Phoebe?"

"Alright, so I'm a little confused. I could use some advice. What do you think I should take?" Piper coughs. "Honey, are you okay?"

Piper nods, "Yeah, its just a little cough."

Phoebe nods, "I bet Prue made you have soup at lunch today," Buffy coughs, "after she heard that little cough." She looks to Buffy, "Are you okay, Buffy?"

Buffy nods, "Like Piper said, just a cough."

Piper sighs, "I had to cancel actually. Last night's paper work took a bit longer than expected."

"So I guess you missed your massage today also." Phoebe says.

Piper nods, "A reporter from the San Francisco Chronicle called and had a ton of questions about the club."

Phoebe frowns, "Piper, you have got to take care of yourself. So should you, Buffy You've both been feeling funky since yesterday."

Piper nods, "It's probably just a bug."

Buffy nods, "Yeah, just a cold."

Phoebe nods, "Even more reason for you not to push it. Either of you. Buffy maybe you should let Prue and I patrol for you tonight."

Piper shakes her head, "I'm fine, besides it's all paying off, the club is finally doing well, we're making money, now would you slice."

"I'm fine, Pheebs. I'm sure by the time I patrol the cough will be gone. Remember I got Slayer healing." Buffy said.

Phoebe picks up the knife and a piece of fruit. "What kind of fruit is this anyway?"

Piper smiles, "Kewano. It's from South America. It's great for Mai Tai's. Just got them in yesterday actually. The bartender has a connection at the docks."

"Wait, you smuggled it in?" Phoebe asks.

Buffy rolls her eyes, "Oh, it's fruit, Phoebe, not drugs."

Phoebe nods, "Look, just because we're witches, does not mean you're invincible. Okay, you guys need to start taking care of yourselves."

Piper sighs, "Thank you, Doctor."

Phoebe smiles, "Hey, Doctor Phoebe Halliwell. I like it."

A short time later Buffy and Piper's walking through the crowd.

Phoebe comes up to them. "Buffy, Piper, you both need to go home."

"Phoebe, we're fine, I'm just… Phoebe you're right." Piper says just before she faints.

Phoebe quickly kneels down next to Piper, "Oh my God. Call 911."

Buffy swoons for a second and then she too faints.

At the Hospital Piper's lying in a bed hooked up to some machines. Buffy's in the next bed also hooked up to some machines. Prue's standing between the beds. Piper wakes up.

"Hey." Prue says.

Piper looks at Prue confused, "Prue?"

Prue smiles, "You're awake."

"What happened?" Piper says.

Prue nods, "You don't remember?"

Piper shakes her head, "I remember being in the club and talking to Phoebe and Buffy and then I gotta admit, it's a little fuzzy."

"You and Buffy collapsed and we called an ambulance." Prue says.

Piper nods, "Oh, that must have been great for business. So what's wrong with me?" Realization finally sinks in at what Prue said. "Buffy?"

Prue motions over to the next bed.

Piper looks past Prue at Buffy. "Prue?"

"Um, they don't really know." Prue says as Buffy wakes up. "We're just sort of waiting for blood test results."

Piper nods, "I'm sure it's nothing too exciting. It's probably something trendy like mono or Epstein Barr."

Prue nods, "Yeah, well, whatever it is you're gonna take the time to get better."

Buffy looks around confused, "Prue? Piper?"

Prue comes around to Buffy's bed, "Right here Buffy. How are you feeling?"

Piper nods, "You sound like Phoebe. Where is she anyway?"

Buffy shakes her head, "Alright I guess. What's going on?"

Prue sighs, "You and Piper collapsed at the club." She looks back to Piper. "She's…"

Phoebe walks up to the receptionists desk. The nurse has her back facing Phoebe.

"Uh, hi. Nurse person." Phoebe says as the nurse turns around. "Can you tell me where Dr. Wallis is. He said that my sister and cousin's test results should be in by eight and it's twenty past eight now."

Nurse nods, "What's your sister and cousin's names?"

Phoebe nods, "Piper and Payson. Piper Halliwell and Payson Halliwell. Thank you. Piper and Payson Halliwell.

"Piper Halliwell and Payson Halliwell have been transferred to Dr. Williamson's care. If you have a seat in the waiting area, I'll page him." The nurse says

Phoebe blinks, "What happened to Dr. Wallis?"

Nurse nods, "I'm sure that Dr. Williamson will be able to answer all of your questions. Please, have a seat in the waiting room."

"Okay." Phoebe says as she goes to sit down.

A boy in a wheelchair comes up to her. "Are you sick too?"

Phoebe shakes her head, "No, I'm not sick."

Boy nods, "Then why do you look so sad?"

Phoebe smiles sadly, "My sister and cousin are here and they don't know what's wrong with them."

"The doctor's don't know what's wrong with me either. Maybe your sister, cousin and I have the same thing." The boy says.

Phoebe nods, "What is your name?"

Boy smiles, "Nathan."

Phoebe smiles, "Well, hello, Nathan. I'm Phoebe. And who is that?" She points to a Ninja doll sitting on his lap.

Nathan nods, "Ninja doll. I found him in the children's ward."

"You know, I don't think that's just a ninja doll. If I know my ninja dolls, I think that one's really a magical wi…zard." Phoebe says.

Nathan looks at her surprised, "Really? How can you tell?"

"Well, let me see him." Phoebe says as she takes the ninja off of him. "I've seen what his type can do. He's got powers. He can move things and freeze things and can kick box too. And the really cool thing about him is he can do all this to the demon…to the bad guys inside your body without anyone even knowing about it."

Nathan smiles, "Really? He can freeze the bad guys and move them?"

Phoebe nods, "And kick box them too. Don't forget that. Right out of your body. All you have to do is when you feel bad, you close your eyes and just picture him fighting them for you. Do you think you can do that?"

"Yeah." Nathan says.

Dr. Williamson and some other Doctors walk up to Phoebe. "Phoebe Halliwell?"

Phoebe stands up. "Yes."

Dr. Williamson nods, "I'm Dr. Williamson."

Phoebe smiles, "Hi." She looks to Nathan. "Bye, it was nice to meet you."

Nathan smiles, "See ya."

Phoebe looks behind Dr. Williamson at the interns following him, "And who are they?"

"Medical interns. They'll be viewing my work with your sister and cousin." Dr. Williamson says.

Phoebe frowns, "Because…"

Dr. Williamson nods, "Because they're studying the same field that I did. I'm an infectious disease specialist." He and the interns walk into the room where Piper, Buffy and Prue are.

"Specialist? Wait." Phoebe says.

Dr. Williamson nods, "Misses Halliwell, I'm Dr. Williamson."

Phoebe nods, "Um, he's a specialist."

Piper frowns, "Where's Dr. Wallis?"

"I'll be keeping him posted. How are you both feeling?" Dr. Williamson

Piper nods, "Okay. A little hot."

Buffy sighs, "About the same."

Dr. Williamson's pager beeps. "Have either of you been out of the country recently? Africa, South America, Caribbean?"

Piper shakes her head, "I wish. No. I haven't been out of the city."

"No. I'm in high school student." Buffy says.

Dr. Williamson nods, "Well apparently you've both contracted a blood disease rarely seen in the United States, Arroyo fever."

"How is that possible?" Prue asks.

Dr. Williamson nods, "Well, Arroyo fever's transmitted through a bite of a sand fly which dies right after the bite. Have you had anything imported brought into your home recently."

Buffy shakes her head.

Piper shakes her head, "No."

Phoebe nods, "But you have in the club. What was the name of that weird fruit?

"Kewano." Piper says.

Dr. Williamson nods, "That's a possible carrier. Sometimes the fly's been known to live long enough in the crate to make the trip but rarely survives the quarantine period."

Piper nods, "I think I have a bite on my shoulder." She shows him the bite.

Buffy rolls up her sleeve of her left arm, "I got a bite here." She indicates her arm.

Dr. Williamson looks at Piper and Buffy's bites. "When did you two get these?"

"Just after I opened the fruit." Piper says.

Buffy nods, "About the same time. I was helping Piper with her deliveries yesterday."

"Tell the nurse I need ten cc's of penildron, each." Dr. Williamson says.

One the Interns nods, "Right away." He turns and leaves.

Dr. Williamson turns back to Piper and Buffy, "It's a high grade antibiotic which will be most effective when it administered through an I.V. Should bring your fevers down." His pager beeps again. "I gotta run some more tests. I'll be back shortly."

"Excuse me, they're gonna be okay, right? I mean, it's not life threatening." Phoebe asks.

Dr. Williamson nods, "Well, I'll know better after I run more tests. Excuse me." He leaves.

Phoebe sits on Piper's bed. Prue and Phoebe stare at Piper and Buffy smiling.

Piper looks to Buffy who nods, "We'll be okay."

Prue nods, "Yeah, I mean he didn't seem too worried. Just prescribed antibiotics."

"The tests are just to confirm his diagnosis I'm sure." Buffy says.

Prue nods, "Yeah, don't you agree, Phoebe?"

Phoebe nods, "I think we should call Leo."

Piper frowns, "Why?"

"Why not? He can heal both of you." Phoebe says.

Piper shakes her head, "No. He's out of our lives. He's not even our Whitelighter anymore. Besides with Dan in my life."

Buffy rolls her eyes. On one hand she definitely would like to get better. On the other hand she can understand what Piper is saying."

Phoebe nods, "But if Leo knew you both were sick."

Piper shakes her head, "No, and that's final. No demon or warlock did this to us, right Buffy?"

Buffy nods, "Right Piper. Besides my Slayer healing will probably take care of it."

"Just let the doctors do their magic." Piper says.

"I just wanted you both to get well soon." Phoebe says as she rests her head on Piper's stomach.

Piper smiles, "I know and we will. Now you get outta here. Prue, go to Bucklands, Phoebe, go to wherever it is you got to and someone please call Dan so he doesn't worry."

Buffy nods, "Someone call Giles also. Someone is going to have to take up my patrol."

Prue smiles, "Okay. Bye. Love you."

They leave.

Buffy looks to Piper, "How are you feeling, really?"

Piper looks to Buffy, "Probably the same as you."

Buffy nods, "We don't want to worry them till there is something to worry about."

Piper nods, "Right."

In Prue's office at Bucklands Prue walks in. Jack's there.

"Hey. Have you had a chance to look at the thread density results on the Monet?" Prue says.

Jack shakes his head, "Yeah, and you were right. There are some unexplained thread markings in the area around the station, as the signature."

"Have you told Cauldwell yet?" Prue asks.

Jack shakes his head, "Not yet. I was hoping to talk you into going home first. Prue, you're exhausted."

Prue sighs, "Yeah, I know, but I prefer to stay here, you know, keep busy. How long can tests take anyway?"

Jack nods, "Piper and Payson are gonna be fine."

Prue smiles sadly, "I know, it's just that after everything I've seen in my life and believe me I've seen a lot of weird stuff. It takes a lot to scare me. But this time I'm really scared."

Jack hugs Prue. "You know, I'm not really good at this, saying the right thing stuff. You know what? Why don't you go back to the hospital and I'll stay here and handle everything. Okay?"

Prue's cell phone rings. She answers it. "Hello?" She listens to person on the other end. "Ok we'll be there." She hangs up and looks at Jack, "I have to go. Something's happening at the hospital."

Jack nods, "I hope everything is alright."

Prue nods as she walks out of her office and dials her cellphone.

"Hello?" Phoebe says.

Prue sighs, "Yeah, Pheebs, the hospital just called. They need for us to get down there right away."

"Why? What happened?" Phoebe says.

At the hospital Phoebe and Dan run down the corridor to Piper and Buffy's room. Prue's standing at the doorway.

"Prue, what's going on?" Phoebe asks.

Prue shakes her head, "I don't know. All they said was that their condition has worsened."

Phoebe frowns, "What is that supposed to mean?"

"We're not gonna leave the door until we find out." Dan says.

Dr. Williamson walks towards them.

Prue nods, "Dr. Williamson."

Dr. Williamson sighs, "Unfortunately your cousin and sister's immune systems aren't as strong as we thought they would be and antibiotics are having no effect on the disease."

Phoebe frowns, "So what do we…what do you do now?"

Giles walks up next to Prue and Piper.

"Well there's nothing more we can do." Dr. Williams says.

Prue frowns, "What do you mean by that? What are you saying?"

Dr. Williamson nods, "Well, either Piper and Payson pulls out of their comas on their own or I'm afraid your sister and cousin's not going to survive."

Phoebe starts crying.

Giles takes off his glasses and starts cleaning them.

Prue looks to Giles and Dan, "Will you stay with them? Phoebe and I need to do something, we'll be right back."

Giles nods, "Of course, Prue." Prue and Phoebe turn and leave.

In the attic back at the Manor Prue and Phoebe walk over to the Book of Shadows.

"Okay, we can't let Piper or Buffy die." Prue says.

Phoebe nods, "No, we can't but Prue, this isn't a demon or a warlock that we're up against."

Prue sighs, "Alright, there are spells in here to vanquish demons, then there's gotta be a spell in here to vanquish a lousy bug."

Phoebe sighs, "Okay, but even if there is a spell, how do we get past the personal gain issue, the consequences?"

"What consequences? The power of three remains unbroken, the Charmed Slayer is alive, innocents are saved. I don't really see a down side to that, do you?" Prue says.

Phoebe nods, "Prue, if good witches could really vanquish diseases, do you think there'd be one sick person in the world?"

Prue sighs, "We have to save Piper and Buffy."

Phoebe nods, "I agree. All I am saying is before we resort to the Book of Shadows, maybe we should call Leo."

Prue shakes her head, "No. Piper told us not to. And Buffy agreed with her."

"So, let them be pissed at us, at least they'll be alive." Phoebe says.

Prue sighs, "We don't even know how to contact him. He's always just sorta been around."

Prue and Phoebe start calling him. "Leo? Leo?"

Leo orbs in and startles Prue and Phoebe.

"Whoa, it worked." Phoebe says.

Prue nods, "Alright, Leo, look Piper and Buffy are very…

Leo nods, "Very sick, I know. That's why I could hear you calling. I've been nearby watching."

Phoebe frowns, "Wait, you've been watching her this whole time and you haven't healed them?"

Leo shakes his head, "I can't. They know about Buffy and Piper too and they won't let me interfere. I'm not even supposed to be here right now."

Prue frowns, "Leo, you can't just let Piper or Buffy die."

Leo sighs, "Don't you think I would do something about it if I could."

"But you love Piper." Phoebe says.

Leo nods, "I know. But I'm not her Whitelighter any more. And besides, even if I could help either of them, my powers probably wouldn't even work because they weren't fighting evil." Leo hear the Elders calling him. "I have to go, they know I'm here. I'm sorry. Tell Piper I love her. Tell Buffy I'm sorry." He orbs out.

Phoebe frowns, "Screw the consequences."

They start searching through the Book of Shadows.

Back at the hospital Prue and Phoebe are walking down the corridor.

"Do you really think the awakening spell's gonna work?" Phoebe asks.

Prue sighs, "Better. Alright, Look, I'll get Buffy and Piper's blood. Are you sure that you can get a puppet?"

Phoebe nods, "Positive. I'll meet you in their room."

Prue smiles, "Alright."

In Piper and Buffy's room A nurse is drawing blood from Piper's arm, she's already gotten Buffy's. Giles and Dan's there.

Prue walks in. "How are they?"

The nurse puts a small container full of Piper's blood on a tray. Prue uses her power and she floats both Buffy and Piper's blood over to her and she puts them in her pocket.

Dan shakes his head, "No change. It just looks like she's sleeping but I can't wake her up."

Giles sighs, "The same for Buffy."

"She'll _wake up_, I promise." Prue says.

Giles looks up at Prue as if to ask what are you going to do.

Prue mouths, 'Spell.'

In Nathan's room Nathan's playing with the Ninja doll.

Phoebe walks in. "Hey, Nathan. Remember me?"

Nathan smiles, "Phoebe, I was hoping you'd come back."

"Really? Why?" Phoebe asks.

Nathan nods, "You were right. The wizard did it. I feel great. Just like I used to."

Phoebe smiles, "The power of positive thinking."

Nathan shakes his head, "The power of magic. The doctors are letting me go home in a couple of days."

"Oh, that's great, Nathan. I'm so happy for you." Phoebe says. "You know, I was wondering if you would let me borrow the wizard for a while. My sister and cousin could use a little magic right about now."

Nathan nods handing the doll to Phoebe, "They can keep him. I don't need him anymore."

Phoebe smiles, "Thank you."

Phoebe exits Nathan's room and walks back to Buffy and Piper's room. "Hey." She notices Dan there. "I was gonna bring back some sodas but the machine down the hall was busted and I didn't know where to find another one."

Dan nods, "I'll find it."

"Really? You don't mind?" Phoebe asks.

Dan shakes his head, "No, it's no trouble. I'll be back in a minute." He leaves.

Phoebe looks Prue, "I got him."

Giles frowns, "Are you sure this is the best course of action?"

Prue sighs, "This is our only course of action. We're not going to watch Piper and Buffy die."

Giles sighs and then nods.

Phoebe nods, "Let's do this." Phoebe puts the ninja on Piper's stomach. Prue puts a drop of Piper and Buffy's blood on the ninja. They then hold the ninja between them and Prue touches Piper as Phoebe touches Buffy.

"Troubled blood with sleeps unease, remove the cause of this disease." Prue and Phoebe says.

Dr. Williamson opens the door.

Giles hurries over to the door and holds it closed.

Dr. Williamson calls from the other side of the door, "Hey!" He tries to open the door.

"Sleep eternal never more, and shift this source of illness borne, to this puppet whom none shall mourn." Prue and Phoebe says.

Phoebe frowns, "Prue, it's not working."

Suddenly, Buffy and Piper spring up into a sitting position. Phoebe sets the doll down on Buffy's bed as she hugs her. Prue hugs Piper.

Dr. Williamson calls out from the other side of the door. "Come on, open the door!" Giles steps away from the door, quickly as Dr. Williamson enters. "Who's blocking the damn door?"

Prue smiles, "What's up, Doc?"

Dr. Williamson sees Buffy and Piper awake. "When did this happen? Misses Halliwell, are you both feeling alright?"

Phoebe puts the ninja in the hazardous waste bin.

Dan and two other nurses come into the room. "Piper!" He drops two of four sodas.

Piper sees the cans of soda. "Are those for me?"

Dan hugs her. "You're okay."

Piper nods, "Yes I am okay."

Dr. Williamson frowns, "This doesn't make any sense. Fever's gone, vitals are normal. I've never seen anything like it. The site of the infection's gone too." He moves over to Buffy and checks her and notices the exact same results. "The same with you."

Buffy nods, "So can we go home now?"

Dr. Williamson looks to the nurses, "Draw some blood. I wanna run comparatives."

Nurse nods, "Yes, Doctor."

Buffy sighs, "Um, then can we go home? Because no offence, but I hate hospitals."

Piper nods in agreement, "So do I."

Prue, Phoebe and Dan laugh. Phoebe and Dan climb Piper's bed and lay all over Piper. Prue goes over to Buffy and hugs her along with Giles.

"Get off me." Piper says.

Inside the bin the ninja sits up. A nurse walks over and puts something in the bin. The ninja pushes his sword through the plastic and it pokes the nurse on the leg.

"Ow!" The nurse says before she walks away.

The ninja then cuts through the plastic and jumps out.

Later at P4 there's no one in there except Buffy, Prue, Piper, Phoebe, Giles, Dan and a bartender. They have music on.

Piper smiles, "Turn it up." Prue turns the music up. She walks over to the bartender. "Alright, you can go home. I'll clean up." He leaves.

Phoebe runs over to Dan who's sitting down. "Dance with me, Dan."

Buffy sits next to Giles. "Want to… you know?"

Dan shakes his head, "It's almost two in the morning."

Phoebe pulls Dan out of the chair.

Giles shakes his head, "I think tonight, Buffy. You deserve some rest."

"So what. Come on, you're young." Phoebe says.

Dan shakes his head, "Stop the music, stop that music."

Phoebe goes over to Prue. Dan puts his arms around Piper.

Buffy pulls Giles to the side out of earshot of Dan. "Are you sure that you don't want me to go on patrol? I feel fine."

Piper smiles at Dan, "Somebody need a nap?"

Giles nods, "I am sure Buffy. You need to rest up. Go spend time with your cousins."

Dan sighs, "You know what? That's not fair. You've been asleep for almost twenty-four hours ."

"Okay what did you do with Giles? Are you sure your alright. I don't think I've heard you ever willingly give me a night off." Buffy says.

"And I know you've been up for almost twenty-four hours by my… our side. I can't tell you how much that means to me or Buffy, being there for us. Hangin' tough." Piper says.

Giles nods, "That is true but unlike the previous two times you almost died, this was as closest as you ever came, Buffy. You could have been dead."

Dan smiles, "It wasn't that tough." He and Piper kiss.

Buffy nods, "Okay. Why don't you go on home, Giles. I may stay home from school tomorrow to rest up. You will give Willow and Xander my love?"

Piper smiles, "Now go home. I'll see you tomorrow."

Dan leaves.

Giles nods, "Of course, Buffy. You get some rest, now." He leaves.

Piper and Buffy walks over to Prue and Phoebe who are playing patty-cake with their hands. "Okay, spill." Piper says.

Prue and Phoebe stop clapping.

"What are you talking about?" Phoebe asks.

Buffy frowns, "You guys cast a spell didn't you?"

Prue smiles innocently, "Who, us?"

Piper shakes her head, "Yeah, you. Not that we're not grateful to be cured because we are," Buffy nods in agreement, "but what about that little personal gain problem?"

Phoebe sighs, "Okay, but don't you think we would have seen any consequences by now? It's been hours."

Prue nods, "Yeah, maybe saving two protectors of the innocent isn't really personal gain."

Piper looks to Buffy who nods, "Maybe. Like I said, we're not complaining. I'm just glad you didn't call Leo. Strange though with all the demons we've faced, this bug, this thing was the scariest of them all."

Buffy lets out a sigh, "Yeah this was scarier than when I faced the Master or Jackson Ward. And I actually died then."

"Yeah, you don't have to convince us." Prue says.

Piper smiles, "I love you guys."

"So do I." Buffy says.

Phoebe nods, "We love you both also."

They hug.

Prue smiles, "Hey, you two just don't ever scare us like that again."

Piper nods, "Don't worry."

"Yeah don't worry. I plan to live to be a white haired old Slayer." Buffy says.

"Ooh, ooh! Oh, God, I almost forgot. I have to get that Monet authenticated by tomorrow." Prue says.

Phoebe shakes her head, "At this hour?"

Prue nods, "Why not? I'm wide awake." She leaves.

Piper nods, "I guess I should clean up."

Buffy nods, "I think I will help you, Piper."

Piper and Buffy starts cleaning up. Phoebe stands there dancing and then she notices them moving very quickly. They get faster and faster.

"Uh, Piper. Uh, Buffy. Piper! Buffy!" Phoebe says.

Piper and Buffy stops in front of Phoebe.

Piper nods, "What?"

Phoebe shakes her head, "I think I found a consequence."

The next morning outside P4 The Center for Disease Control people pull up in their trucks and go inside. Dr. Seiger walks up to Buffy, Phoebe and Piper.

"Piper Halliwell?" Dr. Seiger says.

Piper nods, "Whoa, what's going on?"

Dr. Seiger smiles, "I'm Dr. Seiger from the Center for Disease Control. We have a court order to take you, your sister, and your cousin into custody and to quarantine your club until further notice."

Buffy frowns, "What!"

Later at the the hospital Buffy, Phoebe and Piper are locked in a room in the isolation ward. Phoebe's knocking on a glass. "Hello? Remember us?"

A nurse talks into an intercom outside the room. "I'm sorry, we can't hear you. What is it you want?"

"We wanna get the hell outta here. That's what we want." Phoebe says.

The nurse nods, "Dr. Williamson will be right in to discuss the situation."

Buffy frowns, "Discuss what? I feel fine."

Piper nods in agreement, "So do I."

"Dr. Williamson will be right in." She says before she leaves.

Phoebe frowns, "This is ridiculous. Why won't they tell us anything?"

Piper frowns, "They're lucky they're in the other room, I'd freeze their butts."

Buffy nods, "I'd give them a case of the hot foot. See how they like a fireball up the…"

Piper frowns, "Buffy!"

A doctor opens the door and Prue walks in.

Phoebe smiles, "Oh, Prue, thank God."

"You're obviously not here to get us out." Piper says.

Prue shakes her head, "When I got home, someone from the C.D.C. was waiting for me and they took like a quart of blood."

Phoebe nods, "Ditto."

"Yeah, I can't patrol if I'm locked up in here. How long do you think the vamps and demons will wait till the find out the Slayer isn't patrolling. And the Charmed Ones are unable to protect the innocents. Before they start…"

Phoebe rests a hand on Buffy's shoulder comfortingly.

Piper sighs, "Well, they might as well have taken all of mine, they've shut down the club, they'll ruin it. I'll lose everything."

Phoebe shakes her head, "No, you won't. Once this whole thing gets straightened out."

"I have a feeling it's not gonna be that easy. Look, I overheard some doctors talking. There's others here that are infected with the disease." Phoebe says.

Buffy frowns, "But I thought that it wasn't contagious. That we couldn't spread it to anyone."

Prue nods, "Yeah, so did I." She sees the intercom. "So, can they hear us?"

Piper shakes her head, "No."

Prue nods, "Did any of you sleep by any chance?"

"Sleep? Buffy and Piper was bouncing off the walls last night." Phoebe says.

Piper nods, "It's gotta be a consequence of the awakening spell you guys cast."

Prue frowns, "I have a bad feeling that's not the only consequence."

Dr. Williamson walks in. "Sorry to keep you waiting."

Phoebe shakes her head, "What, no mask?"

Dr. Williamson shakes his head, "No, I don't need it. None of us do. However the disease is being spread, it's not airborne. I just ruled that out."

"Great, then we're free to go." Buffy says.

Dr. Williamson shakes his head, "Afraid not."

Phoebe frowns, "You can't keep us here."

Buffy nods in agreement, "Yeah I have school."

"Actually, I can, by law. Not just because your sister circumvented it by opening the uninspected fruit, but because she and your cousin are carrying a rare disease that has every possibility of spreading to epidemic proportions." Dr. Williamson said.

Prue frowns, "I thought that you said it wasn't contagious."

Dr. Williamson nods, "Arroyo fever isn't supposed to be contagious."

Buffy frowns, "Well, then maybe you misdiagnosed it."

Dr. Williamson sighs, "I didn't and aside from the fact that I have no idea how this disease is being spread there's another little mystery that's concerning me. You and your cousin's recovery makes no clinical sense. Neither of your blood has any antibodies which means your immune system has never fought it off. By all medical standards, you both should be dead by now, Misses Halliwell."

"What's the matter, Doctor? You don't believe in miracles?" Piper says.

Dr. Williamson shakes his head, "Not the kind that don't leave traces, no. I've got six people infected and there's nothing I can do to save them unless I figure out how it is you two survived. I'm gonna run a series of tests on all four of your blood work. Even DNA sampling. Maybe it's a genetic marker, I don't know. But I'm gonna find out and you're not leaving until I do." He leaves.

Phoebe frowns, "Well, his bedside manners sure could us a little work."

"Great I'm going to be kicked out of school." Buffy said.

Prue frowns at Buffy, "Buffy we have more important things to worry about. If we have to we can always home school you."

"You're right, Prue." Buffy says.

Piper frowns, "Six people? How's that possible?"

Prue shakes her head, "When we did the spell, we must have awakened everything in the room including the disease."

Phoebe nods, "So, do you think there's anything different about our blood because we're witches?"

Prue sighs, "I don't know but our first priority is to figure out how to help save these people."

Phoebe nods, "Yeah, but even if we can find a spell to save them, how do we prevent it from spreading to other people."

"You have to reverse the spell." Buffy says.

Phoebe shakes her head, "No, Buffy, we can't reverse the spell because…"

Prue nods, "You both could go back into a coma, and then you both could die."

Piper shakes her head, "We're not gonna die. Just reverse the spell and call Leo so he can heal us."

"Leo? I thought you two didn't want us to call Leo." Phoebe says.

Piper nods, "Well, yeah, that's when we thought we were sick, not dying."

Prue sighs, "Piper, um, we already talked to Leo, he's not allowed to help."

"They won't let him." Phoebe says.

Buffy sighs, "Oh. Great."

"Well thanks for doing something I specifically asked you not to do." Piper says.

Phoebe shakes her head, "Piper, you just said…"

Prue sighs, "Phoebe, give it a rest. Um, look, Piper, Buffy, we don't know the reversal spell anyway."

"Yeah, and they won't let us outta here to get it." Phoebe says.

Buffy smiles, "Well I could get it if they didn't notice I was gone. But trying to flame to the Manor could risk exposure. Prue is the only one who can get it and not risk exposure."

"No, I can't. Okay, I can not just astral project on command. I can't control it like that." Prue says.

Piper nods, "You can learn to control it just like you learned to control your other power. Just concentrate."

Prue shakes her head, "Piper, Buffy, I can't and I won't."

Piper looks to Buffy who nods, "Prue, you have to try. We can't let anybody else die."

Prue shuts her eyes and tries to astral project. She appears in the attic at the Manor.

A nurse looks in the room and sees Prue standing still with her eyes closed. "What's wrong with her?"

Phoebe shakes her head, "Nothing. She's fine."

In the attic at the Manor Prue finds the spell and tries to remember it. She astral projects back into her body. "Whoa."

"Did you see it?" Buffy asks.

Prue nods, "Yeah, Buffy, Piper, I don't…"

Piper smiles sadly, "Prue, we've already discussed this. For some reason there's no magical out for us but there is for the others. Please."

Prue nods, "What was awakened from it's sleep, must once again slumber deep."

Prue touches Piper and Phoebe touches Buffy.

"What was awakened from it's sleep, must once again slumber deep." Prue and Phoebe chant. "What was awakened from it's sleep, must once again slumber deep."

Buffy and Piper collapses on the floor.

Phoebe frowns, "Prue, get help."

Prue bangs on the door. "Help!"

Dr. Williamson and some other doctors run in. "Help me get them on the beds." They pick up Piper and put her on the bed. They then pick up Buffy and put her on another bed. "You girls wanna tell me what the hell is going on? Get them on the monitors. Miss Halliwell, Miss Halliwell, can you hear me? Assist in respiration. Starting CPR."

The other doctor is already performing CPR on Buffy.

Phoebe and Prue start crying.

Dan enters the room, Giles is not far behind him.

Dr. Williamson gives the nurse instructions and she races off. "She's not responding to CPR. Come on, Miss Halliwell."

The other Doctor looks over to Dr. Williamson, "This one is not responding to CPR either."

Buffy and Piper's spirits rise out of their bodies. They appear in a place that's bright and golden. Someone is walking towards them. It's Leo.

Piper blinks, "Leo?"

Leo nods, "Hurry, both of you take my hands. We don't have much time."

"Are we dead?" Buffy asks.

Leo shakes his head, "No, not yet. Not if you both take my hands."

Piper frowns, "I don't understand."

"It's the only way, I can heal you both. The only chance I have of them not finding out. Hurry." Leo says.

Back in the hospital room…

Dr. Williamson nods, "Give me the paddles."

The other Doctor echoes the command.

"Charging." Two nurses say at once.

Both the Other Doctor and Dr. Williamson gets the paddles and applies them to Piper and Buffy's bodies. "Clear." They say at the same time.

"No response. I'm not getting anything for either of them." A nurse says looking at first one machine and then another."

Dr. Williamson nods, "Again."

"Charging," The two nurses say again.

"Clear." Dr. Williamson and the other Doctor say.

Back in the golden light.

"I don't wanna lose you, Piper. And I know you don't want to lose Buffy." Leo says as he holds his one hand above Piper's hands. He holds the other hand over Buffy's hands.

In the Hospital room Buffy and Piper are dead.

Nurse nods, "Time of death, 9:40am."

Back in the Golden light Leo heals both Piper and Buffy. They float back in their bodies.

"Wait, I think they're responding. There's a heartbeat." Prue says.

Buffy and Piper starts coughing.

Dr. Williamson frowns, "Piper?" He then looks over at Buffy. "Payson? What the hell? This is incredible."

"Leo." Piper says.

Dan hears her.

Buffy echoes Piper, "Leo."

Prue and Phoebe look at each other and smile.

Phoebe and Prue goes over to Piper and kiss and hug her. They then go over to Buffy and kiss and hug her as well.

Giles smiles and goes over to Buffy and hugs her.

Phoebe looks between her sister and cousin, "Are you two okay?"

Nurse shakes her head, "I don't understand. What happened?"

"I don't know but I'm gonna find out." Dr. Williamson says.

Later at P4 Piper gives a box of fruit to a guy. "These haven't been inspected yet. Put them in the back. We're returning them to the supplier." She walks up to Buffy, Prue and Phoebe.

"Looks like someone learnt her lesson." Phoebe says.

Piper nods, "Yeah, the hard way unfortunately."

Buffy looks down and nods, "Yeah."

"Still, the clubs doing okay. Doesn't look like quarantine ruined business too much." Prue says.

Piper nods, "Thanks to no cover charge and free drinks. Have you guys seen Dan around?"

"No, why?" Prue and Phoebe say.

Piper shakes her head, "No reason I guess. I thought he might stop by."

Phoebe nods, "Uh, you know, Piper, Dan heard you call Leo's name when you were coming around at the hospital."

"He did? That wasn't me thinking about Leo, that was just..." Piper says.

Phoebe nods, "Him saving you, I know. Buffy said Leo's name also, Dan just didn't hear her."

Buffy sighs, "I owe Leo one."

"Still, how are you gonna explain that to Dan?" Prue asks.

Phoebe nods, "Well, at least you're alive to try. That's what's important."

Prue nods, "Yeah, I mean, just because we're witches, doesn't mean we're above the laws of nature."

Buffy smiles, "Or the Wiccan ones."

Piper sighs, "I know, you don't have to tell me twice. I'm not taking anything for granted anymore."

Prue nods, "Ditto."

"Neither am I. I think from now on I'm never patrolling alone. I don't want to put you guys through that again." Buffy says.

Prue smiles, "I think that's a good idea, Buffy. Having at least myself or Piper along could help when you patrol. And minimize the risk of an early death."

Phoebe smiles, "So Prue, welcome to the ranks of the unemployed. I'm proud of you. I think what you did was very brave."

Prue smiles, "Thank you." Leo walks in. "Ooh, Piper." She points to Leo. "Leo."

Phoebe smiles, "Tell him thanks for us too."

Buffy and Piper walks over to Leo.

"Hey." Piper and Buffy say.

Leo smiles, "Hey. How are you two feeling?"

Piper nods, "Okay. A little tired. Which is actually a good thing. Leo, thank you for everything you..."

Buffy smiles, "Yeah thanks, Leo."

"Couldn't let you die, Piper. And I know it would have been torn you up inside if Buffy had died, so I couldn't let her die either." Leo said.

Piper nods, "I think we're both very glad you couldn't." Buffy nods. "Did you get in trouble?"

Leo nods, "Yeah, actually, a lot. They found out what I did. They clipped my wings."

Buffy frowns, "What?"

Leo nods, "It's not permanent. It's more like a suspension... I hope."

"Leo, I-I-I don't know what to say." Piper says.

Leo shakes his head, "Neither of you have to say anything. You both didn't do anything, I did. I guess in the back of my mind I always hoped someday, somehow Piper, you and I would get a second chance."

Buffy rolls her eyes.

"I'm with Dan now." Piper says.

Leo nods, "I know. But I also know now that I'm a mortal, I'm gonna fight for you. May the best man win." Leo walks away.

Buffy smiles, "That's kind of nice to know that you have two guys fighting for you. I just wish my stalker would go away."

Piper nods, "Don't worry, Buffy. We will find a way to take out Angelus for you."


	39. Chapter 39: Passion

**Chapter 39: Passion**

A security blanket of sunshine lights the room as Buffy wakes and she smiles. She rolls onto her side, coming face to face with an envelope made of parchment paper. The envelope is propped against the side of her pillow at eye level.

Buffy sits up, heart-beating, picks up the envelope. She removes a sheet of parchment paper, unfolds it to reveal a charcoal sketch - skilled, accurate, lovingly rendered - of Buffy sleeping, her head on her pillow… obviously drawn while she slept the night before.

Buffy gets up and runs out of her room and runs downstairs. She finds Prue, Piper and Phoebe in the kitchen having breakfast.

"Look who's awake." Piper says. "You almost overslept."

Buffy shakes her head, "I'll flame over there later. Angelus was in my room."

Prue, Piper and Phoebe look up at Buffy in shock.

"Your sure," Prue says.

Buffy nods and hands the sketch to Prue, "Yeah. Unless I'm learning to draw myself in my sleep."

Prue looks at the sketch and frowns. She then looks at her sisters, "Find some way to keep him out of the Manor. I'll take Buffy to school on the way to Bucklands. That way she and I can talk to Giles together."

30 minutes later Buffy and Prue walk into the library.

"He was in my room…" Buffy says.

"Who?" Giles asks.

"Angelus. He was in my room last night." Buffy says.

"You're sure." Giles says.

Prue nods, "Yes. He left her a sketch he drew of her sleeping by her bed."

"A visit from the pointed-tooth fairy." Xander says.

Cordelia frowns, "Wait, I thought vampires couldn't come in unless you invited them in."

Giles nods, "Yes, but if you invite them in once, thereafter, they are always welcome."

"Ya know, I think there may be a valuable lesson for you gals here about inviting strange men into your bedrooms…" Xander says.

"Oh, my god! I invited him into my car once! That means he could come back into my car whenever he wants!" Cordelia says.

Xander rolls his eyes, "Yep. Now you're doomed to having to give him and his vamp pals a lift whenever they feel like it. And those guys never chip in for gas."

"Giles is there a spell to reverse the invitation? A barrier of some sort to keep him out?" Prue asks. Piper and Phoebe were researching on their end trying to find one but it didn't hurt checking other sources.

"That also works for cars." Cordelia says.

"Well, I could certainly check my-" Giles says.

All eyes turn as two students step into the library. They both freeze at the four pairs of eyes fixed on them.

"Hel-lo… excuse me, but have you ever heard of knocking?" Xander says.

"We're supposed to get some books," one of the students says, "On Stalin. For a report."

"Does this look like a Barnes and Noble?" Xander asks.

Giles shakes his head, "Xander! This is the school library."

"Since when?" Xander asks innocently.

Giles nods and points, "Yes, third row, historical biography."

"Okay… uh, thanks." The Students pass them, walk behind the shelves.

Prue, Buffy, Giles, Cordelia and Xander look at one another for a beat, frustrated. Silenced.

"So… about-ay ee-thay ampire-vay… Allway-hay?" Xander says.

Giles nods, and the gang crosses to the doorway and exits.

Prue, Xander, Buffy, Cordelia and Giles walk the empty hallway.

"So, apparently Angel has decided to step up his harassment of you," Giles says.

"By sneaking into her room at night and leaving stuff? Why not just slash her throat, or strangle her in her sleep, or cut out her heart…? What? I'm trying to help." Cordelia says.

"It is a good, question though." Prue says. "Well, Giles?"

Giles nods, "It's a classic battle strategy, to throw ones opponent off his game. He's trying to provoke Buffy." He turns to Buffy. "To taunt you… goad you into a misstep of some sort."

"The "nyah, nyah, nyah, nyah" approach to battle," Xander says.

Giles nods, "Yes, Xander, once again you've managed to boil a complex thought down to its simplest possible form."

"Giles, Angelus once told me, when he was obsessed with Drusilla, one of the first things he did was to kill her family…" Buffy says.

Xander frowns and looks to Prue, "Your cousins."

Buffy nods, "We're going to have to do something to make sure Prue, Piper and Phoebe are protected from him."

"Buffy, we're the Charmed Ones. We've taken out vampires before with you." Prue says.

"Prue," Buffy says. "I'm still going to worry till I've taken care of him."

Giles nods, "I'll look for a spell…

"What about until you find a spell?" Buffy asks.

"Until then, you and your cousins are welcome to ride around with me in my car. You can protect them there." Cordelia says.

"Buffy, I understand your concern, but it is imperative you remain level-headed in this." Giles says.

Buffy shakes her head, "Easy for you to say. You don't have Angelus lurking outside able to come in whenever he wants."

"I know how hard this is for you. But as the Slayer, you do not have the luxury of being slave to your passions. You mustn't let Angel get to you, regardless of how provocative his behavior may become." Giles says.

Prue nods, "He does have a point. We have to keep an open mind on this."

"There you go. You Zen, you win." Xander says.

Buffy frowns, "Great, so basically, what you're saying is, "Just ignore him and maybe he'll go away.""

Giles nods, "Precisely."

Xander shakes his head, "Hey, how come Buffy doesn't get a snotty "once again you boil it down to its simplest form" thing? Watcher's pet."

Prue frowns, "Giles, seriously he's not going away because we ignore him."

In Ms. Calendar's classroom Willow sits in the front row.

"Don't forget I need your sample spreadsheets by the end of the week." Ms. Calendar says. The BELL RINGS. The exodus begins. "And I want both a paper print-out and a copy on disk." She looks to Willow, "Willow…"

Willow stop and turns to Ms. Calendar, "Yes?"

"I may be a little late coming in tomorrow. Do you think you could take over my class until I show?" Ms. Calendar asks.

"Really? Me? Teach the class? Sure! Oh, wait… but what if they don't recognize my authority? What if they try to convince me that you always let them leave class early? What if there's a fire drill? What if there's a fire?" Willow babbles.

Ms. Calendar smiles, "Willow… Willow, you'll be fine. I'll try not to be too late, okay."

Willow nods, "Okay… good. Earlier is good. Will I have the power to assign detention? Or make 'em run laps?"

"Willow…"

Willow and Ms. Calendar turn to see Giles and Buffy standing at the doorway to the hall. Buffy and Ms. Calendar's eyes meet. There's still a little tension there.

"Hello, Rupert… Payson." Ms. Calender says.

"Hey, Will. I thought I might take in a class. I could sure use someone who knows where they are," Buffy says.

Willow looks from Jenny to Buffy, then crosses quickly to join Buffy at the door. "Sorry. I have to talk to her. She's a teacher. And teachers are to be respected. Even if they're only filling in until the real teacher shows up. Otherwise, chaos could ensue, and…"

Buffy and Willow turn and leave.

That evening in her room at tha Manor Buffy is talking to Willow on the phone.

"I agree with Giles, you need to just try and not let him get to you. Angel's only doing this to try to get you to do something stupid. I swear, men can be such jerks sometimes… dead or alive." Willow says.

Buffy sits up in bed, her back against her headboard, as she talks on the phone. "I just hope Giles can find a "keep out" spell soon. I know I'll sleep easier once I can… sleep easier."

"I'm sure he will. He's, like, BookMan. Until then, just try to keep happy thoughts and…" Willow says.

"And… what? Willow…?" Buffy asks.

30 minutes later Willow and Buffy sit up side by side, backs against the headboard in Buffy's bed. Both are heavily laden with crosses and weapons, amazingly alert and wide-eyed.

"Thanks for having me over, Buffy. Especially on a school night and all." Willow says.

"Hey, no problem. Sorry about your fish," Buffy says.

Willow nods, "It's okay, we hadn't really had time to bond yet. I just got them for Hanukkah. Although, for the first time, I'm glad my parents didn't let me have a puppy."

Buffy shakes her head, "It's so weird… Every time something like that happens my first instinct is to run to tell Angel. Well actually not my first but definitely up there under Prue, Piper and Phoebe. I can't believe it's the same person. He's the complete opposite of what he was."

Willow nods, "Well… Sort of, except…"

Buffy sighs, "Except what?"

"You're still the only thing he thinks about." Willow says. "So…" she points to crossbow by Buffy's feet "…are you using that?

Prue walks into the room, "How are you Willow?"

"I'm okay, Prue. Thanks for asking." Willow says.

Prue smiles, "Piper, Phoebe and I are keeping our doors open. That way we can be in here in an instant. Buffy if you have to flame Willow straight to the attic."

"Okay," Buffy says.

The next morning Buffy and Willow walk toward the school.

Xander runs up to them. "Well, good morning, ladies. And what did you two do last night?"

"Oh, we had kind of a pajama-party-sleepover-with-weapons thing." Willow says.

"Ah, and I don't suppose either of you had the presence of mind to locate a camera to capture the moment?" Xander asks.

"I have to go. I have a class to teach in about five minutes and I need to get there early to glare disapprovingly at the stragglers." Willow says before she spots Ms. Calendar. "Oh, darn. She's here… Five hours of drawing up lesson plans yesterday down the drain."

Buffy watches Ms. Calendar and Giles and sighs. "I'll see you guys in class." She angles away to interrupt Ms. Calendar on her way inside. "Hey."

"Hi. Is there something - did you want something?" Ms. Calendar asks.

"Look, I know you're feeling bad about what happened and I want to say… good. Keep it up." Buffy says.

"Don't worry, I will." Ms. Calendar says. She turns to go.

"Wait. I, uh –" Buffy says. "He misses you." This is not what Ms. Calendar expected. "He doesn't say anything to me, but I know he does. I don't want him to be lonely. I don't want anyone to."

"Payson… Buffy, if I have a chance to make it up to you." Ms. Calendar says.

Buffy looks at Ms. Calendar and nods. It's what Prue would want her to do, "You really didn't know?"

Ms. Calendar looks to Buffy and shakes her head, "I was just told to watch him. I was never told what would happen if he and you…"

Buffy nods, "Then were good. In fact let's start over, okay?"

Ms. Calendar nods, "Sure."

"Hi, I'm Payson Halliwell, but my friends call me Buffy." Buffy says as she holds out her hand.

Ms. Calendar looks at Buffy and then smiles as she shakes Buffy's hand, "Jenny Calendar."

A few minutes later Buffy finds Giles in the hall. Cordelia sees them and crosses over to them.

"Buffy… so, how was your night?" Giles asks.

"Sleepless… but no fatalities," Buffy says.

Giles nods, "I found a ritual to revoke the invitation to vampires."

Cordelia smiles, "Oh, thank goodness. I actually had to talk my grandmother into switching cars with me last night."

Giles gives Cordy an incredulous look, then back to Buffy. "The ritual itself is fairly basic, actually: recitation of a few simple rhyming couplets, burning of moss herbs, hanging of crosses, sprinkling of holy water…"

"So stuff that we have at the house. And we can perform the ritual." Buffy says.

Giles and Buffy start away, leaving Cordelia behind.

"Holy water?! But… my car has leather upholstery!" Cordelia says.

That night at Willow's, Willow is nailing a wooden cross to her wall. "I'm going to have a hard time explaining this to my dad."

Buffy looks on as Willow nails the last of four wooden crosses to the frame around her French windows. Behind them, Cordelia pokes around Willow's room, bored.

"You really think this'll bother him?" Buffy asks.

Willow nods, "Ira Rosenberg's only daughter nailing crucifixes to her bedroom wall? I have to go to Xander's house just to watch "A Charlie Brown Christmas" every year."

"I see your point," Buffy says.

Willow smiles, "Although, it is worthwhile just to see Xander do the Snoopy dance."

"Uh, Willow, are you aware that there are no fish in your aquarium?" Cordelia asks.

Willow reacts, a hint of sadness wells up.

"You know, Cordelia, we've already done your car. You can call it a night if you want." Buffy says.

Cordelia crosses to her coat on Willow's bed. "Sure, two's company, three's… not. And you know I'd do the same for you if either of you had a social life." She picks up her coat from Willow's bed, revealing a parchment paper envelope on the pillow. "Oh, hey… this must be for you."

Willow and Buffy exchange a concerned look. Willow takes the envelope, removes the paper inside, glances at it. She reacts with concern, then holds the page out to Buffy. "It's for you…"

Buffy takes the paper from Willow and sees a charcoal sketch of a sleeping Piper. "Piper…"

Outside the Manor Piper turns her car into the driveway, the headlights sweep across Angel, who seems to appear in front of the car out of nowhere. Piper slams on her brakes out of habit.

Angel crosses to open the door for Piper. "Piper, I have to talk to you."

Piper frowns as she gets out of her car. She raises her hands trying to freeze him, "Angelus. Why aren't you freezing?"

Angel smiles and pulls out a necklace from under his shirt, "Protection amulet. Protects me from your powers. You really didn't think I wouldn't take precautions?"

Piper turns and runs for the front door, Angel is on her heals. She fumbles for her keys and finally unlocks the door seconds before Angel grabs her. She runs inside as Angel tries to follow her.

Angel stops short when he sees Buffy standing just inside the front door holding burning sage. "… his verbes, consenus rescissus est," Buffy says.

Buffy breezes past Piper to just inside the open doorway, face to face with Angel, who is unable to move any closer. "Sorry, Angelus. I've changed the locks."

Buffy slowly, coolly closes the front door in Angel's face, leaving him stranded on the porch.

Later that evening Giles knocks on the door. Willow answers it.

"Willow? Hi." Giles says.

Willow smiles, "Hi. Come on in. Here's the book." She hands him Ms. Calendar's book.

"Yes, I should do my apartment tonight. Did the ritual work out all right?" Giles asks.

Willow nods, "Oh, yeah. It went fine. Well, it went fine up until the part where Angel showed up and tried to kill Piper. He has a protection amulet that protects him from their powers."

"That's disconcerting," Giles says. "So otherwise the ritual went fine? Buffy had no problems in casting it?"

Willow shakes her head, "Nope. I guess she really is a powerful witch just like her cousins."

"Well goodnight, Willow." Giles says.

Late that night Willow is staying over again. The phone rings. Buffy walks over and answers the phone, "Hello…?"

"Buffy?" Giles says.

"Giles! Hey, we finished the sp-" Buffy says.

"Jenny… Ms. Calendar… she's been killed…" Giles says.

Buffy's face goes slack and she starts to slide down the wall until she's sitting on the floor. "What…?"

"It was Angel…" Giles says.

Willow notices, crosses quickly to Buffy, kneels down in front of her, as Buffy lets the phone receiver fall to the floor. "Buffy…?" She picks up the phone. "Giles?"

"Willow. Angel's killed Jenny." Giles says.

Willow criest out, "What? No… Oh, no…"

Piper, Prue and Phoebe come down the stairs sees Willow crying and Buffy looks distraught.

Piper goes to Willow, holds her. "Willow! My god, Buffy, what's wrong? Has something happened?"

Prue kneels down next to Buffy and holds, "Buffy?"

Moments later Buffy and Willow run from the house as Cordelia's car pulls up to the curb. Xander is in the passenger seat, Cordelia behind the wheel. They both look shaken.

The girls go to the car as Xander and Cordelia come out and meet them at the curb.

"Well? Where's Giles?" Buffy asks.

"No luck. By the time we got to the station, the cops said he'd already left. I guess they just wanted to ask him some questions." Xander says.

"I still don't get it. Why Ms. Calendar? She was so… harmless." Cordelia says.

"Because Angel's a blood-sucking coward. They pick on the harmless." Xander says.

"And we're sure it was Angel?" Cordelia asks.

"It was Angel, alright." Buffy says harshly.

"Did Giles say… is Ms. Calendar going to… you know, be a vampire?" Cordelia asks.

Willow shakes her head, "No."

"Cordelia, will you drive us to Giles' house?" Buffy asks.

Cordelia nods, "Of course. Does your cousins know?"

Buffy nods, "Yes."

"But do you think maybe he wants to be alone?" Willow asks.

"I'm not worried about what he wants. I'm worried about what he's going to do." Buffy says.

Later the door is slightly ajar door and Xander pushes it open and pokes his head in.

"Hello…? Giles…?" Xander says as he ducks under the yellow crime scene tape to enter the room, followed by Buffy, Willow and Cordelia.

The group fans out, starts poking around.

Xander crosses to the empty wine bucket, sees the single rose on the desk, and the album cover propped up next to the still revolving turntable.

"Looks like Giles had big plans for the night," Xander says.

"Giles didn't set all this up…" Buffy says flatly by the entry table by the front door. She has Angel's sketch of Ms. Calendar in her hand. She puts the picture down, crosses to the stairs and up. "…Angel did. All this is like the pretty gift wrap he wrapped Ms. Calendar's body in."

"Oh, man. Poor Giles," Xander says.

Willow stands by an open and very stripped-bare trunk. "Look, all his weapons are gone."

"But, I thought he kept his weapons at the library," Cordelia says.

Xander shakes his head, "Those are his everyday weapons. These were his "good" weapons. The ones he only breaks out when company comes to visit."

"So, it is what we were afraid of. Giles isn't here," Willow says.

"Well, then, where is he?" Cordelia asks.

Buffy comes back down the stairs. She has a distant, unfocused look in her eyes. "He'll go to wherever Angel is."

"That means the Factory, right?" Willow asks.

"So, Giles is going to try to kill Angel, then," Cordelia says.

"Well, it's about time somebody did," Xander says bitterly.

"Xander!" Willow says shocked.

"I'm sorry. But let's not forget that I hated Angel long before all of you guys jumped on the bandwagon. So, I think I deserve something for not saying "I told you so" long before now. And, if Giles wants to go after the… fiend who murdered his girlfriend, I say "Faster, Pussycat. Kill. Kill."" Xander says.

"You're right," Buffy says flatly.

"What?!" Willow says.

"Thank you," Xander says.

Buffy nods, "There's only one thing wrong with Giles' little revenge scenario."

"And, what's that?" Xander asks.

"It's gonna get him killed," Buffy says.

Later at the factory Angel and Giles are fighting.

"All right, you've had your fun. But you know what it's time for now?" Angel says.

Buffy comes up behind Angel, staggers him with a kidney punch. He lets go of Giles, gasping for breath, as Giles drops to the ground unconscious. "My fun." She hits Angel, kicks him, drives him back.

Spike and Drusilla fade into the shadows, escaping.

Flames spread to the chairs and nearby boxes.

Angel decks Buffy and takes off, scrambling up to the gangway. Buffy runs after, jumps onto a box, thence to another, thence to the gangway where she tackles Angel.

Buffy gains the upperhand as they spar, leaning Angel against the railing, the fire raging below them.

"You know, even when I feed off other girls, the name I call out… is yours," Angel says.

Suddenly Buffy sees Giles on the ground, out cold, the fire reaching closer to him.

Angel takes her moment of distraction to knock her down. He takes off.

Buffy is momentarily torn but then she jumps down and drags Giles to safety as he begins to regain consciousness. They head out the door.

Buffy and Giles are met by Willow, Xander and Cordelia as they make it outside.

"Buffy!" Willow says.

"Are you okay?" Cordelia asks.

Giles turns on Buffy, "Why did you come here? This was not your figh-"

Buffy decks Giles with a single, wicked, angry punch to the face. He falls back, gets to his knees. "You bastard!"

"You don't understand…" Giles says weakly.

Buffy is fighting back tears as she advances on him. He is still on his knees, practically shaking. "How could you do that? You're trying to get yourself killed? You can't! You can't leave me alone… not now… I can't do this by myself!"

Giles stares at her, despair draining the fight out of him. "Jenny…" Buffy goes to him, drops to her knees, holds him tightly. He hangs limp in her arms, looking at nothing. "Jenny…"

The others stand, watch, as Buffy holds him.

A couple days later Giles and Buffy stand next to Ms. Calendar's grave. Prue, Piper and Phoebe stand back a ways giving Buffy and Giles some privacy.

"In my years as a Watcher, I've buried… too many people. Some I knew… most I didn't. Jenny is the first one that I've loved," Giles says.

Buffy sighs, "Sometimes, I wonder if any good ever comes of it."

"Comes of what?" Giles asks.

"Falling in love. Letting your emotions call the shots for you. Because if there is an upside, I sure haven't come across it." Buffy says as she sighs, "You're right about that rule of yours. You're the Watcher, I'm the Slayer… we don't have the luxury of passion. It just gets in the way. Life's easier without it."

Giles looks to Buffy, "No it's not." He motions to Prue, Piper and Phoebe.

Prue nods as she and her sisters walks over to Buffy and Giles. "Buffy remember what you learned from Cupid?"

Buffy nods, "It's better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all." She looks to Giles, "I'm sorry I couldn't kill him for you… for her… when I had the chance. Did she tell you that we made up, that I forgave her?" Giles nods. "She was my friend. I think I'm finally ready… because I know now that there's nothing that's ever going to change him back to the Angel I fell in love with."


	40. Chapter 40: Pardon Our Past

**Chapter 40: Pardon Our Past**

Piper and Prue are throwing a party. Piper is serving drinks. Prue shows a couple to the door. Loud music is playing.

"Great party." A woman says.

Prue smiles, "Drive carefully."

"Good night." A man says.

Piper puts the tray on the table in the hall. Prue comes to her. "Great party. Maybe we should do this more often," Prue says.

Piper's attention is directed towards Dan and Leo, who are drinking beer and talking in the living room. "Yeah. Maybe next time we can trim the guest list by one."

Prue shakes her head, "Piper. I had to invite Leo. He was at the club when I went to go pick up the supplies. He knew that we were throwing a party."

Piper sighs, "Well didn't you think maybe he'd feel a little awkward being here because of Dan?"

"It doesn't look like he feels too awkward to me. Look, Piper, he's been mortal for what? A couple of weeks now? I mean, I felt bad for him. He doesn't know anybody and it's not like there's a fallen-white-lighters-support group to join or anything." Prue says.

"Prue, I'm not upset with you. I'm just…I'm…I'm, upset with the whole situation." Piper says.

Prue nods, "Well, Leo's just going to have to accept the fact that you're with Dan now. You are still with Dan, right?"

Piper nods, "Yes. Of course."

Leo and Dan laughs.

"What do you think they're talking about?" Piper asks.

Prue shrugs, "You."

Piper sighs, "Great."

Buffy and Phoebe comes out of her room by the stairs.

"Hey you guys." Phoebe says as Prue and Piper look at her and Buffy. "Give us a break. It's after midnight. I have midterms tomorrow."

"And I have a history test," Buffy says.

Piper nods, "Sorry. Pheebes. Sorry, Buffy. We didn't realize we were being so loud."

"Why don't you two take a study break? Clear your heads. Come on down." Prue says.

Phoebe shakes her head, "I can't. I have too many phobias." Prue and Piper give her the "what" look. "To learn about for my psych exam. I had no idea there were so many. "Claustrophobia. Arachnophobia."" She reads from the cards in her hand. "Um. "Kleptophobia, Phallusphobia.""

"Relax-a-phobia." Prue says.

"I have to cram in five whole years of Civil War history," Buffy says. "And you know what they say. Those that fail History are doomed to repeat it in summer school."

"Cute." Phoebe says.

Prue smiles, "Just trying to help."

"You can help by keeping it down," Buffy says.

Phoebe nods, "Did I mention it's after midnight?"

"Twice," Piper says.

"Party's breaking up anyway," Prue says.

"Thank you," Buffy and Phoebe says.

Phoebe kisses her hands, throws them at her sisters, and then she and Buffy go to their respective rooms.

In Buffy's room she has some papers, books, and laptop is scattered on her bed. She is going through her notes.

"Good night everybody," Piper says from downstairs.

"Finally," Buffy says she returns to studying until she hears music again. It sounds like the party is still going on. She exits the room and joins Phoebe, "I swear…"

Phoebe nods in agreement as they go to the stairs and begins walking downstairs.

"OK. we asked you guys once to keep it down," Phoebe says.

Buffy and Phoebe looks and sees no one around. As they walk downstairs, they still hear the party noises. They go into the dinning room. Something pushes both of them against the wall. They are forced to have their hands up against the wall. Something pulls their shirt off, then slips their bra strap off. Something then pulls their skirts up. They fallsto the ground. A lamp off the table and breaks.

Outside Piper, Prue, Leo, and Dan look towards the sound.

"Phoebe? Buffy?" Piper says.

They go inside and see Phoebe and Buffy on the ground.

"Phoebe? Buffy?" Prue says as they go to them. Prue and Piper kneel down by them. "Hey. Are you two all right?"

Phoebe and Buffy sits up and pulls their bra straps up and puts their shirts back on. They look at each other and then nods.

"Uh…yeah. I think so," Phoebe says.

"What happened?" Piper asks.

Buffy shakes her head, "Don't know, but I'd sure like to find out."

A few moments later Prue, Buffy and Phoebe are sitting on the couch. Buffy is laying her head in Prue's lap. Leo and Dan are standing behind the table behind the couch. Piper brings Phoebe and Buffy a glass of water. She then sits on the coffee table.

"Thanks." Phoebe and Buffy says.

"You sure you're both all right?" Dan asks.

Phoebe nods, "Yeah we're fine really."

"You're both lucky. Falling down like that, you really could have hurt yourselves." Dan says.

Prue nods, "Maybe we should call it a night, huh? Let them get some rest."

"Oh. OK." Piper says and she looks at Dan. "I'll walk you out."

Dan nods, "OK." Piper begins to show Dan out. Leo begins to walk around. Dan stops in the doorway with Piper and looks at Leo. "Hey, uh, Leo." Leo stops. "You coming?"

Buffy shakes her head, "Uh no. He has to stay here and…"

"Um, take glasses back to P3." Prue says.

Dan frowns, "Now? At this hour?"

"I'm a tough boss. Ready?" Piper says as she and Dan begin to leave.

"Nice chatting with you." Leo says.

Piper and Dan stop.

"Yeah. You too." Dan says.

Piper and Dan go by the door and kiss. Leo sees this. Dan leaves. Piper comes back into the living room.

"Well, I thought he'd never leave," Leo says.

Piper sighs, "What the hell were you two chatting about all night."

Prue frowns, "Piper do you mind?" Piper sits on the coffee table. "Buffy, Phoebe, so what really happened?"

Phoebe and Buffy look at each and nod.

"Uh…OK. We heard what we thought were party noises, so we came downstairs to check and to yell at you guys and…We were attacked by something invisible." Phoebe says.

"So what? Like a ghost?" Prue asks.

Buffy shrugs, "Uh, I didn't sense another being. It was more uh… I don't know, like a, like a daydream, I guess."

"A daydream? Since when do daydreams attack people?" Piper asks.

"It wasn't really an attack, it was more of... a seduction," Phoebe says.

"Yeah same here," Buffy says.

Leo frowns, "Interesting daydreams."

Phoebe nods, "Yeah."

"So I guess the question is what was it?" Prue asks.

Buffy and Phoebe looks at Leo.

"Have you ever run across anything like this? I mean, as a white lighter?" Buffy asks.

Leo shakes his head, "Not really."

Piper nods, "Which means we have no idea if it's going to strike again or not."

The next morning at school Piper is walking Buffy to her class.

"This is so embarrassing. I haven't needed someone to walk me to school since the first grade," Buffy says.

Piper nods, "Yeah, well, get used to it. Until we figure out what happened, Prue and I are yours and Phoebe's bodyguards."

"How do you know that you don't need the bodyguard?" Buffy asks. "How do you know that he won't come after you next?"

"Because from your and Phoebe's descriptions. It sounded very, uh, intimate." Piper says. "It makes us think that yours and Phoebe's are the only bodies it's interested in. Hey, you know, are you sure you're up for taking this exam?"

Buffy sighs, "I have to go to school sometime don't I. And this particular teacher doesn't believe in makeup exams."

Piper nods, "Okay."

"Oh!" Buffy says as she stops by her class in the doorway and looks at Piper. "You're not going to sit beside me in all my classes."

"I'm not?" Piper asks.

Buffy shakes her head, "No! You are not! You're going to wait patiently out here or better yet with Giles. I can check in between classes, please? Willow and Xander will be in there. They can watch me during classes"

"All right, but if anything weird happens have one of them come get me," Piper says.

Buffy nods, "OK." She turns and goes into class.

Moments later Buffy is taking the exam for History until something chokes her. She drops her papers and is thrown out of her chair. One girl screams.

The students jump out of their seats as Buffy continues to choke. Willow and Xander make their way through crowd and kneel next to her.

Willow looks to Xander, "Go get Piper."

Xander nods and turns to the teacher, "Payson's cousin is on campus I'm going to go get her." The teacher nods and Xander runs out of the room.

Willow turns back to Buffy, "Buffy. Buffy." Buffy stops choking and sits up. "Are you OK?"

That afternoon at Manor Piper and Prue are sitting on the couch. Leo is sitting in the armchair. Buffy and Phoebe is standing behind the couch. Giles is sitting in another armchair going through Buffy's Book of Shadows.

Piper is looking through the Charmed Book of Shadows, "What am I looking for?"

"Anything to do with past lives. Potions, spells, incantations. If I'm right, there should be something in the Book of Shadows about it," Leo says.

"You really think this has something to do with Phoebe and Buffy's past lives?" Prue asks.

Leo nods, "Well that's how our souls evolve, how we grow as invidious. From one lifetime to the next."

"OK. Then why is our past life trying to kill us?" Phoebe asks.

Leo shakes his head, "I don't think it is. I…I think it's trying to warn the two of you. Give you a chance to do something about it. Maybe it's because you get premonitions…"

Prue frowns, "Wait. Do something about what?"

Leo sighs, "About w…w…whatever happened before that's endangering her now. Anyways I believe it also because of Buffy's Slayer dreams."

"I've been meaning to talk to you all about that," Giles says. "There is no such things as Slayer dreams."

"What?" Buffy asks.

Giles sighs, "I've been researching it and didn't want to say anything till I was sure. The only Slayers who get prophetic visions are witches with an premonition power."

"You mean I have Phoebe's power?" Buffy asks.

"How is that possible?" Piper says.

"I believe it was passed down. Buffy you said your mother had the power of premonition," Giles said and Buffy nods. "That is like where it came from, something that was passed down from her mother."

"This is like huge," Phoebe says. "So you did wind up with a Charmed power after all, Buffy."

"Looks like," Buffy said. "Not sure how I feel about that though. I've seen how you've had to deal with them."

Phoebe nods and puts an arm around Buffy's shoulders, "Believe me I understand completely."

**_(A/N All I'm doing is giving an explination for the Slayer Dreams. Something that was really never explained much in the series. I may eventually advance them from being only during her sleep to being more active like Phoebe's eventually. I originally had planned to do this during Surprise and changed my mind. )_**

Piper finds a spell, "Leo's right. There's a spell that will take you to that past life."

Buffy and Phoebe goes and sits between Prue and Piper.

"Wait. We're not doing this," Prue says.

Piper slides Phoebe the Charmed Book of Shadows.

Phoebe shakes her head, "Looks like you don't have to. It's written in first person. Buffy and I can do it alone."

Prue frowns, "Phoebe, Buffy. "She flips through some pages looking for a return spell. "There's absolutely no spell to bring you back." She looks to Giles, "Did you find the spell?"

Giles nods, "I did and I find no reversal spell, either."

Prue flips back to the spell.

"Which means they can probably come back whenever they want to." Leo says.

Prue frowns, "Probably? That's not good enough. What if they can't? They could be trapped in their past life where something awful may have happened to them."

"But if Buffy and I don't go back, the same awful thing could happen to us in this life." Phoebe says.

Buffy nods, "Phoebe's right."

Prue sighs, "Fine. Then we're going with you."

Piper shakes her head, "We can't. Not according to the way the spell is written. Only Phoebe and Buffy can."

Phoebe sighs, "I've just started to turn my life around. I really don't want my past life to ruin it for me now." She pauses for a minute and sighs. She then looks to Buffy, "You ready?"

Buffy nods, "Whenever you are."

"Remove the chains of time and space and make my spirit sore. Let these mortal arms embrace the life that haunts before," Phoebe and Buffy recite moments before they fall asleep.

Past Buffy and Past Phoebe are riding in an old car in the 1920s. It honks and stops. Someone in a tuxedo opens the back door to let them out.

Past Buffy and Past Phoebe walk up the steps. They are passed by a woman.

"Thanks for the love potion. Worked wonders," the woman says to Past Phoebe.

They go up the stairs where a man is standing by the front doors.

"Welcome back," the man says as he opens the door.

There is a party going on. 1924 music is playing. Some people smile Past Buffy and Past Phoebe. Some look hateful.

Past Buffy and Past Phoebe is walking into the living room. Past Dan is playing the piano. He sees them and they looks at him mad. He looks away. They go by the stairs by the bar. A woman approaches them.

"Well, I was wondering where you went off to." The woman says.

Past Buffy holds up a bag, "We had to get some herbs. We can't very well make our potions without them. Would you like us to curse anyone for you?"

The woman looks at a guy who looks at her. "Maybe later."

They both give an impish giggle. The woman goes.

Past Piper goes to the bar. "Hurry up with that giggle water Jake. We have thirsty people waiting."

The bartender nods. Past Phoebe and Past Buffy looks at her disguised. They go to the bar.

Past Phoebe smiles, "What's a matter dear cousin? You're not afraid of us are you?"

Past Buffy nods, "Why dear sister she's not right now is she?"

Past Piper shakes her head, "Should I be?"

Past Phoebe looks to the bartender, Jake, "Our usual and bring it to our booth." She looks to Past Piper, "Would you tell your husband to play something different?" She looks at Past Dan, "I'm board with this old song."

Past Piper goes to Past Dan, "Don't worry about them, baby. Just keep playing."

"Anything for you," Past Dan says.

Past Piper looks at Past Phoebe and Past Buffy, mad. Past Phoebe and Past Buffy looks at her equally made and goes into the parlor. Past Piper grabs a make-up case with no make-up in it off the piano and leaves. Past Prue take a picture of an old couple with an old camera and smiles at them. Past Phoebe and Past Buffy walks to her. Past Prue looks mad at them.

"Hello cousin," Past Buffy and Past Phoebe says.

"We have to talk…soon," Past Prue says.

Past Buffy shakes her head, "We're done talking." She and Past Phoebe begins to walk away.

Past Piper goes to Past Prue.

"Did you find the spell?" Past Prue asks.

Past Piper holds up the make-up case and opens it without taking her eyes off Past Phoebe and Past Buffy. Past Prue takes out a piece of paper. Past Phoebe and Past Buffy looks back at them. Past Prue and Past Piper looks at them mad. Past Phoebe and Past Buffy begins leaving again.

A little girl is sitting by a crystal ball and a woman sitting across from her. "Say these words. Heed the…"

Past Phoebe and Past Buffy walks to her.

"Christina Larson. What in the devil are you doing?" Past Phoebe says.

Past Buffy glares to the woman, "And you get out of here." The woman gets up.

"I told you to watch my things. That's all." Past Phoebe says. She takes a proscenia doll and throws it on the ground, breaking it's head.

"My dolly!" Christina says as she goes to pick it up and begins to cry.

"Spells and charms are not toys Christina. Do you understand me?" Past Buffy says before she and Past Phoebe leaves.

"I've been looking all over for the both of you," a man says to Past Phoebe and Past Buffy. He kisses them both sexually. He then looks around and sees no one is watching him. Suddenly there are two of him.

Both men slips slips off a strap from their dresses. They then begin to slip up Past Phoebe and Past Buffy's dress, then stop.

"Why must you tease me Anton?" Past Phoebe says.

Anton, "Come with me." Both Anton's become one person again as he leads Past Phoebe and Past Buffy to the back of the house. A guy takes a package inside through the back door. They exit and stop just outside the back door. "Drink this."

"What is it?" Past Buffy asks.

Anton smiles, "A potion to triple your power. In case your cousins'," he looks at Buffy, "and sister, are ready for us. It's the only way for us to succeed. You two do want that, don't you?" Past Buffy and Past Phoebe hesitates for a minute and then they smile. "That's my girls." They drinks the potion. "Go ahead. Test it." They looks around to make sure no one's watching. They then shoot a jet of fire through their fingers and sets a box of wine on fire.

Back in the present Buffy and Phoebe wakes up and sits up with a jolt.

"OK. OK." Piper says.

"Where am I?" Phoebe asks.

Prue smiles, "Your home, honey. Your both home. Your both OK. What happened?"

"We were bad…very, very…bad." Buffy says.

A few moments later Phoebe enters the attic looking for the family tree. Buffy, Giles, Piper, Prue, and Leo follow her.

"Family tree. I know I saw one somewhere." Phoebe says.

Piper shakes her head, "Uh, I still don't understand."

Phoebe nods, "We were all related. Cousins. Well you Piper and Buffy were sisters.

"Really?" Piper asks.

Buffy nods, "Really. And we lived here at the manor back in the twenties."

Phoebe begins looking for the family tree

"Together? Here?" Piper asks before she looks at Prue. "So much for evaluation."

Prue shakes her head, "Wait. So you both saw us in our past lives? I mean, did we look the same?"

Phoebe looks up from the trunk, "Uh, yeah. You did, actually. Kind of." She opens the trunk, kneels down, and begins to look through it.

Leo shakes his head, "Well, they probably looked the same to you two because your soul recognized their souls. I mean, we all tend to travel in the same circle of family, friends, even enemies throughout our various lives. And that's why our souls recognize each other. So we can keep finding each other. That's what soul mates mean."

Buffy nods, "It was really weird being back like that because it wasn't like I had any control over my actions. It was more like I was a visitor. Watching. Feeling."

Phoebe nods in agreement, "I was the same way."

Piper frowns, "Feeling bad?"

Phoebe nods, "Feeling very, very bad." Prue and Piper give her and Buffy a look. "OK. I admit it. I liked it. It felt good to be respected and powerful." She looks at Leo. "Hey! Speaking of powers." She stands up, "How come I didn't get to keep that kick ass power I had back then?"

"Well, if you screw up your regress. Your past self must have abused the power. That's why it was taken away from you." Leo says.

"Uhm Leo, if Phoebe lost hers how come I still have mine?" Buffy asks.

"You likely won yours back at some point in another life, Buffy. Or you won them back in this one when you became the Slayer." Leo says.

Phoebe nods, "It's too bad I lost mine because it was hot." She looks at Prue and Piper, "Literally."

"Yeah. Apparently that wasn't the only thing that was really hot," Prue says.

Buffy smiles, "Ooh. Yeah. Anton was hot too. Ooh." She kisses her hands. "And he was such a good kisser."

Phoebe looks through the desk behind her, "And so good with his hands."

Buffy nods, "Those hands… And he had this power to duplicate himself. While he was kissing Phoebe his duplicate was kissing me simoultaneously."

"Hands that very well may have killed you both." Piper says. "

Phoebe nods, "Maybe. But, you know, it could have also been Past Dan."

"Dan? As in my Dan?" Piper asks.

Buffy nods, "Uh-huh."

You both saw him too?" Piper nods.

Phoebe nods, "He was your husband. Sorry Leo."

Leo smiles, "That's OK. I'm hoping Piper learns from her past mistakes."

Piper looks at Leo. "Huh."

Prue looks at Piper and smiles. "Huh."

Piper nudges Prue.

"Prue, this was the camera that you used in your past life." Phoebe says motioning to the old camera.

"Wait. I…" Prue says and goes over to Phoebe to see the camera, "…I was a photographer?"

Buffy nods, "Yeah, and apparently a really good one because people were lining up to get their portraits taken."

"Really?" Prue asks as Phoebe begins looking through a drawer. "So um, any idea what kind of power I had?"

Phoebe stops for a minute, "Uh, I don't know, but whatever it was, it must've been pretty powerful because Anton had to triple mine and Buffy's." She pulls up a rolled up family tree. "I found it. The family tree."

They all go to a box and Phoebe unrolls the family tree while they all kneel down. Leo puts his hand on the top to make sure it doesn't roll up on its own.

"Well there we are at the bottom." Piper says.

Prue nods, "Right. There's mom and Grams." Her finger slide by her parents' and grandparents' names and birth dates.

"OK. This must be us again. 4 of us." Phoebe says and points to the family tree. She slides her fingers across the names P. Bowen, P. Bexter, and P. Russell.

Buffy nods, "And this is Piper and Me since it's the only sisters listed for that generation." She points next to P. Bexter where there is another P. Bexter.

Prue nods, " Yeah, well, which one's which?"

"Wait a minute. What's the date today?" Phoebe asks.

"Uh, February 17th." Piper says.

Buffy and Piper sighs.

"I think that this one is me." Phoebe says as she points to P. Russell, "She died February 17th, 1924. The same age I am also."

Buffy nods, "Which means I'm," she points to the P. Bexter with the same date of death. "And apparently she was the same age I am also."

"Certainly explains why the warnings are happening today." Piper says.

Phoebe looks at Leo, "So, it doesn't mean that we're going to die today too, right?"

Leo shrugs, he doesn't know.

"We have to figure out what happened…fast." Prue says.

"Wait. Wh…what was that little girl's name? Christina…Christina…Christina Larson. Christina Larson. Maybe she can remember what happened." Buffy says.

"Can you say long shot?" Prue asks.

Phoebe nods, "Well, it's the only shot we got, Prue. I will call Darryl and maybe the police can track her down. I just hope she's forgotten what I did to her doll."

Later at the retirement home, Buffy, Phoebe, Piper, Prue, and Leo are there talking to Christina, who's in a wheelchair.

Christina points at Phoebe, "My dolly! You broke my dolly!"

Phoebe shakes her head, "No. No. That wasn't me. It was just someone that looked like me. Sort of. It's…it's hard to explain."

Leo nods, "But she recognizes your soul. That's a good sign."

"Just let her know that you're the good Phoebe and the good Buffy, not the bad ones." Prue says.

Buffy nods, "Uh…" She goes by Christina. "You don't have to be afraid of us anymore. We're not going to hurt you. I promise."

Piper nods, "Ms. Larson, we need your help."

Phoebe kneels down, "Do you remember when you were a little girl back in 1924? You used to go to a speakeasy that was run by four women. Do you remember that?"

Christina nods happily, "Daddy was the bartender. He used to pick me up after school and take me there." She giggles a little. "I liked the piano." She sings this next line. "If you were the only girl in the world, and I…"

Buffy touches Christina's hand, "The girls that looked like us, do you remember them?"

Christina takes her hand away, "They were evil witches." She looks at Leo, Prue, and Piper. "I used to hide upstairs by the landing." She looks at Phoebe and Buffy. "I saw everything."

Piper nods, "Did you see anything bad happen to the evil witches?"

Christina nods, "Oh. It was scary. Fire and screaming." She turns to Phoebe. "And then…you…" she turns to Buffy, "and you were murdered."

Phoebe nods, "Do you remember who murdered us?"

Prue nods, "Was it a man named Anton?"

"They were such pretty necklaces. Just ripped off of the bad witches and then strangled them." Christina says

Leo nods, "Who strangled the evil witches?"

Christina cries, "That was my favorite dolly."

Buffy sighs, "We're so sorry." They walk outside. Buffy looks at Phoebe and then at Piper, Prue, and Leo, who are following them. "Well, bright side, at least we don't have to worry about ending up in a place like this in our golden years."

Prue sighs, "Hey, at least we have time to figure out what happened."

Phoebe nods, "Not much time. By midnight, we'll be dead again."

"By midnight? How do you know that?" Piper asks.

Buffy sighs, "Midnight, a full moon, what's the difference? It's always one or the other, right? Phoebe and I know we won't make it to February 18th unless…"

Leo nods, "You go back to the past again and find some answers."

A little later Prue, Piper and Buffy are sitting on the couch. Leo is standing behind the couch, pacing. Phoebe brings the Charmed Book of Shadows as she sits on the couch between Prue and Buffy. She begins to open the book to the past life spell.

"Whatever you two do, make sure you get back before your past lives gets killed. Otherwise we may not be able to wake either of you up," Leo says.

Phoebe nods, "Don't worry. Dying is one experience I don't plan on reliving."

"I've done it three times already." Buffy says. "I really don't want to make it number four."

Prue nods, "Are you sure that you both want to do this?"

Phoebe looks to Buffy who simply sighs. "No…but here it goes."

"Remove the chains of time and space and make my spirit sore. Let these mortal arms embrace the life that haunts before." Buffy and Phoebe says and they fall asleep.

Prue lays Phoebe's head down on the pillow as Piper does the same for Buffy.

Back to just after Past Phoebe and Past Buffy threw their jet of fire. Boxes blow up.

"Feels good to be bad, doesn't it?" Anton says.

"Sometimes." Past Phoebe and Past Buffy says.

They turn around.

"Second thoughts?" Anton asks.

"They're my cousins, Anton," Past Phoebe says.

"Payson's my sister, Anton." Past Buffy says.

Anton nods, "They're good witches, my loves, which is why I gave you both these amulets to wear." He points to the necklaces. "They protect you both from their witchcraft so they can never harm either of you." They look like they're thinking about not doing it. "Hey, killing them is the only way for me to get their powers, and once I have them…together…we will be unstoppable." He duplicates himself and one version kisses Past Phoebe passionately while the other kisses Past Buffy passionately. "First thing's first. Are you both ready?" They nod as both versions of Anton meld back into one person. "Good. Now remember, wait until after I lure Payson away from her piano man before you make your move."

"How you gonna do that?" Past Phoebe asks.

Anton smiles, "Easy, by posing as her former lover…" he waves his hand over his dace and changes into Past Leo, "…and fighting through her power. Shall we?"

"Let's," Past Phoebe and Past Buffy says before they go inside.

A man is singing "If you were the only girl in the world and I were the only boy".

Past Piper is watching Past Dan playing the piano. She spots Anton as Past Leo. He smiles. She looks at Past Dan to make sure he isn't watching. She goes to Anton. "What are you doing here?"

Anton draws her to the corner, "Just missing you baby." He starts grabbing her sexually.

Past Piper frowns, "Stop it. We can't do this anymore. What is the matter with you? This isn't like you."

"You're right. It's not." Anton says as he waves his hand in front of his face and turns back into Anton. Past Piper tries to scream, but Anton covers her mouth. He signals to Past Phoebe and Past Buffy. They go to Past Prue, who is getting a couple ready. Past Prue begins to go back to the camera and then sees Past Buffy and Past Phoebe. She stops.

"Do you wanna talk now? Upstairs?" Past Buffy says.

Past Piper gets free from Anton's grip, but falls to the floor. Everyone focuses their attention on her. Past Phoebe amd Past Buffy throws a jet of fire at Past Prue. Past Prue blocks them by blowing at them. Icy breathe, literally, comes out of her mouth and destroys them. People get up and start to run. In the process, Past Phoebe, Past Buffy and Past Prue get knocked down. Past Piper is being chocked by Anton. Past Dan gets a rake and hits Anton in the back. Past Prue gets up.

Anton turns around and hits Past Dan, who is flown to the fire place and knocked out. He turns to Past Piper. She tries to freeze him, but he fights through it and begins to choke her again. "Oh, I'm gonna like having that power."

Christina runs upstairs and hides at the landing. Everyone flees from the house except Past Dan, Past Phoebe and Past Buffy, who are standing, Past Piper, Past Prue, and Christina. Past Prue tries to use her power on Past Phoebe. It goes into her necklace.

"How does it feel to be powerless against us?" Past Phoebe says.

Past Prue pulls a trigger on her camera and a little fire comes out, blinding Past Phoebe and Past Buffy for a moment. Past Prue kicks Past Phoebe down and then goes to kick Past Buffy down. Past Phoebe tries to get up, but Past Prue holds her hands back.

Past Piper, is almost near death, kicks Anton in the balls. He lets her go and she stands up. She pushes a grandfather clock on Anton. Past Piper runs and grabs Past Buffy holding her down. Past Prue takes Phoebe's amulet off and throws it. Past Piper takes Buffy's amulet off and tosses it also.

"We know Anton's a warlock." Past Piper says.

Past Prue takes a slip of paper off her leg, "And that he's fallen in love with the both of you…"

"And turned you both evil." Past Piper says as a tear rolls down her face. For a moment she hesitates as it would mean killing her sister.

"We can't have you guys join forces. Not in this life. Not in any life." Past Prue says.

Past Piper looks to Past Buffy, "God forgive us. I love you my sister."

Past Prue holds the paper where Past Piper and her can see it. "Evil witches in my sight. Vanquish thyself. Vanquish thy might. In this and every future life."

Back in the present Phoebe and Buffy wakes up with a gasp. They look at Prue and Piper and backs away. Prue and Piper gets up and follows them.

Prue frowns, "Buffy, Phoebe what?"

"You! You were the ones that we're trying to kill us." Phoebe says.

"Why Payson? Why did you want to kill me, your sister?" Buffy says.

Phoebe and Buffy head upstairs away from them. Piper, Prue, and Leo are following them.

"Don't be ridiculous. You both know we'd never hurt either of you." Piper says.

Buffy frowns, "No? Tell that to Past Buffy and Past Phoebe. You two cursed them."

Prue goes to grab Phoebe's arm as Piper grabs Buffy's arm. "Phoebe. Buffy. Come on."

Buffy and Phoebe draw their hands back.

"Hey! You know they didn't try to kill either of you Phoebe, Buffy. You know that it was their past selves." Leo says.

Phoebe sighs, "We know, and it was our past selves that tried to kill them first."

Phoebe and Buffy goes in to Phoebe's room.

Piper frowns, "Huh?" Phoebe slams her bedroom door close. Piper opens the door. Phoebe and Buffy are sitting on Phoebe's bed looking out the window. "Buffy, Phoebe, whatever happened, you can't blame yourself. It wasn't really you."

Buffy sighs, "But that's the thing. It was us, or at least a part of us that we can relate to." She looks over her shoulder at Prue and Piper. "And we don't mean hurting you guys. We can't even imagine that, but being in our past life, that powerful, evil feeling, it was…it was seductive." She looks back at the window. "And that's what scares us. I mean, what if that's who we really are."

Prue goes and sits by Phoebe and Buffy. "But that's not who either of you are. Not in this life. I mean, you-you've both evolved. You've both grown. You're both good now."

Leo nods, "Buffy you would never have been called as the Slayer if you were evil."

Phoebe sighs, "We were good then too. Before we…before they turned. Before they fell in love with Anton." She looks over at Piper. "Who, surprise, was a warlock." She looks at Prue. "Oh. And that's not the only surprise. Anton could glamour into looking like anyone he wanted to." She looks at Piper. "That's how he lured Past Piper. He glamoured into her former lover."

"Her former lover? Who was that?" Piper asks.

Leo smiles, "It was me."

Piper turns around. "Wh…"

Leo nods, "Or, rather, past me."

Piper looks at Leo. "Him?"

Buffy nods, "Yeah. Hey, how did you know that?"

"Yeah. How did you know that?" Prue asks.

Piper looks at Leo.

Leo sighs, "When you become a Whitelighter, they let you see your past lives for perspective."

Phoebe looks at Prue. "No wonder he knows so much stuff about this."

Piper shakes her head, "Hold it. Wait a minute. You knew that we were lovers before and you didn't tell me?"

Leo sighs, "No. I just…"

"You just what? I'm getting a migraine." Piper says.

Leo nods, "Look Piper, I didn't want to tell you because I didn't want it to influence you in the present. I wanted you to decide whether or not you wanted me in this life."

"I need an aspirin." Piper says.

"OK." Buffy says as she and Phoebe stands up. "Can we get back to our problem. Since, at best, we only have till midnight to live?"

Piper nods, "Right. Sorry." She turns to Leo. "We will talk later."

Prue nods, "I…I…I understand how Past Phoebe and Past Buffy was killed, but not why killing her is going to kill you two."

Phoebe sighs, "Because of the curse. They didn't want to risk Past Phoebe, Past Buffy and Anton getting back together in any lifetime. Anton was…is immortal. And I guess that they thought he, Buffy and Phoebe were soul mates or something."

Piper frowns, "So he's still alive? Running around out there somewhere?"

Buffy and Phoebe shrugs.

"You know, the more immediate question is how do we protect Phoebe and Buffy from their past lives?" Leo asks.

Buffy nods, "The amulets could protect us."

Prue frowns, "What amulets?"

Phoebe smiles, "The ones that Anton gave Phoebe and Buffy. I wonder if Christina knows where they are."

"76 years later? I don't think so." Piper says.

Prue nods, "We probably have a better chance of looking in the Book of Shadows under Anton and, uh, seeing where he got the amulet in the first place." She goes to Piper.

Buffy nods, "Yeah. Good. You guys go check that out and I'm going to run downstairs and grab something to eat. I'm starving. Want to join me Pheebs?"

Phoebe nods, "Sure, I'm hungry."

Piper nods, "OK. We'll meet you downstairs."

Prue and Piper leave. Piper looks angrily at Leo.

"Leo. Wait." Phoebe says and he looks at her. "We want you to come with us to the retirement home."

"What about your sisters'?" Leo asks.

Buffy shakes her head, "We don't want them there. If we don't find the amulets, we're going to die, Leo. And Phoebe and I don't want them to see that." Phoebe grabs her bag as Buffy grabs Leo and Phoebe's hands and flames out.

At the retirement center Christina is sitting in a wheelchair looking out the window. Buffy and Phoebe comes through the door with Leo behind them.

"Christina? Hi. It's Phoebe and Buffy. We're sorry to bother you again, but we need your help with something." Phoebe says.

Buffy nods, "It's really important." She kneels down. "We need you to try to remember back to the day that the bad witches died, and the pretty necklaces was torn off their necks. Do you remember that day?"

Christina doesn't response.

"Christina. I…I know this is difficult, but please try. Phoebe's and Buffy's lives depends on it." Leo says.

Phoebe nods, "Do you remember what happened to the necklaces Christina?"

Christina looks at Phoebe and Buffy. "I was up on the landing watching the whole scary thing."

Buffy nods, "And the necklaces?"

"Th… Th… They just slid across the floor into the foyer." Christina says.

Buffy and Phoebe sighs and Buffy gets up. They begin to leave.

"Oh. Damn it. Now we're never going to find it this way." Leo says.

Phoebe and Buffy stops and turns around.

Phoebe nods, "Maybe, or maybe not. Leo, do you think that I can write a spell that can not only send Buffy and I back to the past but give us complete control over our actions as well?"

Leo shrugs, "I don't know. Why?"

"Because if she can, we could go back to the past and find the amulets and hide them someplace safe so we know where to find them when we come back to the present." Buffy says.

Leo nods, "The only way for you to do that would be to switch life forces with Past Phoebe and Past Buffy." They give him the "what" look. "In other words you would be in 1924 and evil Phoebe and evil Buffy would be right here in your bodies."

Phoebe nods, "But just long enough for us to find the amulets and then switch back."

"Yeah, but if something goes wrong, we risk unleashing a powerful evil witch in the present and losing you both in the past." Leo says.

Buffy nods, "But if we don't do anything Leo, we're going to lose us anyway. We have to find the amulets. It's our only hope."

Phoebe looks around for a pad and a pen then and finds them on the night table. She goes there and begins to write a spell.

Leo sighs, "You both do realize you won't look any different to them? They'll still think you're evil Phoebe and evil Buffy and try to kill you.

Phoebe nods, "Leo. Don't worry so much." She touches his chin. "You're mortal now. You'll get wrinkles." They smile. Phoebe and Buffy lies down on the bed, looks at the paper, then closes their eyes.

"In this time and in this place, take the spirit we displace. Bring it fourth while we go back, to inhabit a soul so black." Phoebe and Buffy recite.

In 1924 Past Piper and Past Prue are trying to kill Past Phoebe and Past Buffy.

"We'll…kill…you." Past Phoebe says.

Phoebe frowns, " No, uh, wait. It's…I'm not. Grrr."

Phoebe and Buffy kick Past Prue and Past Piper.

"Aaah!" Past Prue and Past Piper says.

Buffy and Phoebe goes to a bar and looks over the counter.

"OK. The amulets. Where is the amulets?" Buffy says.

Buffy and Phoebe sees Past Prue and Past Piper get up and Buffy and Phoebe runs upstairs.

"Why are they running from us? Why aren't they just using their powers?" Past Prue asks.

Past Piper shrugs, "They're probably trying to lure us into another trap."

Back in the present Leo watches Buffy and Phoebe.

"Phoebe, Buffy are you two all right?" Leo asks as he leans closer to her and whispers the next line. "Are you there?"

Christina gets up and goes to her jewelry box, "Here…there…everywhere." She takes the amulets out of her jewelry box.

Leo frowns, "What?" He goes to Christina.

Christina waves her hand in front of her face and changes into Anton, who hits Leo. He crashes into the bathroom door and knocks him out. The real Christina is in the bathroom gagged and tied to a wheelchair. Anton goes to Phoebe and Buffy, who is Past Phoebe and Past Buffy, "If you were the only girl in the world, and I were the only boy." He puts the amulets on them and then kisses them. "Wake up my sweets."

Past Phoebe and Past Buffy wake up and sees they are someplace new.

"Anton? What's going on?" Past Phoebe asks.

Anton helps Past Phoebe and Past Buffy to stand up, "It's OK."

"Where are we?" Past Buffy says.

Anton smiles, "You've both been reincarnated…reborn…to me."

In 1924 Past Piper and Past Prue are coming towards the stairs and Buffy and Phoebe are on the landing.

"Uh, we're not who you think we are. I'm a different me. A me from another lifetime where we've evolved into sisters'. Good sisters'. H-happy sisters'." Phoebe says.

"And I'm a different me, again from another lifetime where we've evolved into good cousins. H-happy cousins." Buffy says. "So happy that we even still consider ourselves sisters. I was even named after you Payson."

Past Piper looks to Past Prue, "Must have cut off too much blood to their brains."

Past Prue nods, "Must have."

Phoebe looks to Buffy, "Screw this." She and Buffy sits against the wall. "In this time and in this place, take the spirit we displace. Bring us forth while they go back to their soul so black." It doesn't work and they stand up. "Uh-oh."

Past Prue tries to use her power against Phoebe and Buffy, but misses and her icy breath hits the wall.

Past Prue and Past Piper come upstairs looking for Buffy and Phoebe.

Buffy and Phoebe sneaks to the stairs. They walks downstairs, looking behind them to see if Past Prue and Past Piper are following them.

"In this time and in this place…" Phoebe and Buffy says as they back into Anton.

"Oh, there you both are." Anton says as he kisses Phoebe and then Buffy against their will. "You both are too good to be true."

"Thanks for reminding us." Buffy says as kicks him and he files to the pool table. It breaks from under him.

Past Prue and Past Piper come up behind them.

"Got her." Past Prue says as she clamps Phoebe's hands.

Past Piper grabs Past Buffy from behind and clamps her hands. "Sorry, my sister."

Past Piper and Past Prue begin to chant.

"In this time and in this place…" Phoebe and Buffy chant.

In the present Past Phoebe, Past Buffy and Anton are walking towards the couch. Anton lets go of Past Buffy and Past Phoebe's hands.

Piper walks up to Past Phoebe, "Hey. How's it going?"

Leo pops out from behind a couch behind them, "Behind ya!"

Prue pops up behind the couch. Past Buffy and Past Phoebe shoots a jet of fire at her. Prue uses her power to make the fire go to Anton. Anton, Past Buffy and Past Phoebe look at each other sadly. Anton screams and turns into dust. Piper comes and bats Past Phoebe over the head and before Past Buffy knows what happens she is hit over the head also. Past Phoebe and Past Buffy falls to the ground, "Sorry Pheebes. Sorry Buffy."

"Get the amulets," Leo says.

In 1924 Phoebe and Buffy continue to chant, "While they go back to their soul so black."

In the present Phoebe and Buffy sits up with a gasp.

"Piper… Prue." Phoebe and Buffy says.

"OK. It's them. Put it back on fast." Piper says as she puts an amulet on Buffy.

Prue puts the other amulet on Phoebe.

Both amulets glows for a moment.

Prue smiles, "It's OK."

Piper nods, "You're both safe.

Phoebe and Buffy look at each and smiles. "Thank you guys…for saving our lives. All of them." Phoebe says.

"Ditto," Buffy says.

The next morning Phoebe and Buffy are sitting on Phoebe's bed with both Book of Shadows.

Prue walks in. "Hey, you two all right?"

Phoebe looks to Buffy who nods, "Yeah. I think so. We're just writing a little warning in the book about Anton."

"Why?" Prue asks. "You both don't think that we actually vanquished him?"

Buffy shrugs, "We don't want to take any chances. Phoebe and I just hope our future selves are somewhere near the books if he ever strikes again."

Prue nods, "Something tells me that we're always going to be near it. Always have been. Always will be."

Phoebe smiles, "Yeah. You're probably right. Of course the warning won't do much good if the mine and Buffy's future selves turns out to be bad."

Prue sits on the bed, "It's not just you, you know. I mean, we all have a little bad in us. It's just that when you turn bad things tend to catch on fire."

Buffy and Phoebe laughs.

"And this is supposed to be making us feel better?" Phoebe asks.

Prue nods, "What I mean is that it's just as natural to be bad as it is to be good. That's how we know what good is. That's how we're able to make the choice to be good. Remember, Anton wouldn't have needed evil Past Phoebe or evil Past Buffy if you hadn't evolved into good Phoebe and good Buffy."

Buffy nods, "Still, it's okay to be bad every once in a while isn't it?"

Prue nods, "Oh yeah. A lot."

They laugh.

Buffy gets up and hands Prue her book, "Is Piper downstairs?"

"Last I checked why?" Prue asks.

"I just need to talk to her," Buffy says.

Phoebe looks at Buffy and then nods, "Sister to Sister?"

Buffy nods, "Yes." She turns and walks out the door and downstairs, "Piper?"

"In here," Piper says from the kitchen.

Buffy walks into the kitchen and over to Piper who is fixing breakfast. "Piper I need to apologize."

"For what?" Piper asks.

"You are or were my sister," Buffy says. "And I turned on you."

Piper sighs and turns to Buffy, "It's in the past."

"No it's not. Not for me." Buffy says. "For me it was just yesterday. I experienced it. I know that was your past life but it was still you. And I think it's why Leo was wrong about one thing. I was punished, still am. I wasn't stripped of that power because when I was reborn I was punish in another way. It's why I'm not your sister in this life."

Piper sighs and turns off the stove. She walks around to Buffy and hugs her.

"I know you all consider me a sister despite that were cousins now. But you and I, I would like to think we are in fact still sisters." Buffy says.

Piper wipes a tear from her face and smiles, "I'd like that."

"Promise me something." Buffy says. "Promise me that if I ever show signs of turning evil. That you will bind my powers till you can turn me back. I don't want to ever put you through that again. I saw what having to cast that spell did to your past self. It was destroying you. You knew what you had to do was the right thing to do. But I could tell it was eating you up inside. And I don't ever want that to happen again."

Piper lets out a sigh and then nods, "I promise my sister." Buffy smiles. "What?"

"That's what your past life called me, my sister," Buffy says. "It's just nice to hear you say it again. Even if it is in a different lifetime."

Piper smiles, "How about I call into the school and tell them your sick. Then you and I can have a day just the two of us."

"I'd like that," Buffy says.


	41. Chapter 41: I Only Have Eyes For You

**Chapter 41: I Only Have Eyes For You**

At P4 the place is packed. Couples slow dance as a band plays a mellow, sexy song. Buffy sits by herself, a little glum. Xander and Cordelia dance past. Willow is moving through the crowd with some drinks, she sees Buffy looking bummed - wishes she could do something for her broken-hearted friend. But her expression brightens when an especially handsome, sweet-looking guy, Ben, approaches Buffy.

"Hey. I'm Ben. We had Algebra II together last year." Ben says.

Buffy searches - can't remember. "Sorry. I pretty much repress anything math related."

"Miss Jackson. Second period. You were in the seat three over - one behind." Ben says.

Buffy smiles, "Oh - yeah... I remember now. Weren't there chalkboards and pencils and desks and stuff?"

Ben smiles, "That's the one!"

Buffy taps her head, "Like a steel trap."

"So... I was wondering... You know that dance tomorrow night? Are you going?" Ben asks.

Buffy sighs, "The Sadie Hawkins thing? Isn't that the deal where the girls ask the boys?"

Ben nods, "Yeah. And I thought, maybe, if you're free you might... ask me."

Buffy balks, "Oh... Gosh... I-"

Ben sees where this is going - tries to save face. "Hey. No. Don't worry about it."

Buffy sighs, "It's not you. You seem great. It's just well, I went through a really bad breakup recently. I'm not really looking at going out with anyone right now. Too tell the truth I'm not even sure I'm going to the dance."

Ben nods, "Oh. That's too bad. I'm sorry to hear that."

Buffy smiles, "That's nice of you to say."

"No problem," Ben says and he turns and walks off.

Willow watches as Ben walks away from Buffy. Buffy grabs her purse and starts for the door. Willow moves quickly - heads Buffy off at the pass before she can leave. "Hey. You bailing?"

"Yeah. I'm gonna stop by the library and see if Giles wants me to patrol. Then sack it." Buffy says.

Willow nods, "You've been doing a lot of that. Patrolling and sacking. In fact, you've kinda been all work, no play Buffy."

"I play. I have big fun. I came here tonight, didn't I?" Buffy says.

Willow nods, "You came. You saw. You rejected."

Buffy sighs, "You mean that guy? I'm... just not in date-mode right now."

Willow smiles, "But maybe you need to date to get in date mode."

"I don't think I'm ready." Buffy says.

"You're thinking too much. Maybe you should just be impulsive!" Willow says.

Buffy sighs, "Impulsive. Do you remember my ex-boyfriend, the vampire? I slept with him. He lost his soul. My boyfriend is gone forever and the demon that is wearing his face is killing my friends. The next impulsive decision I make will involve my choice of dentures."

Willow nods, "Okay, the Angel thing went badly, I'm on board with that. But that's not your fault. And anyways, love isn't always like that. Love can be... nice."

Buffy sighs and turns and walks over to the bar, "Piper!"

Piper looks to Buffy, "Hey what's up sis?"

Buffy smiles, "I'm going to see if Giles wants me to patrol tonight. You up for going with?"

Piper nods, "Sure let me get my stuff."

Buffy nods, "Okay." She heads for the backdoor and the alley.

Buffy waits outside for only a moment before Piper joins her.

"I saw you talking to a boy in there," Piper says.

Buffy sighs, "Not you too."

Piper smiles, "It's what sisters do Buffy. And since we have this whole new relationship between the two of us."

Ever since the deal with Phoebe and Buffy's past lives coming back to bite them in the rear. Piper and Buffy had grown closer. In part it was due to the fact that in their past lives they had been sisters. For many generations in fact. And Buffy had wanted to reconnect to her 'sister'.

Buffy nods in understanding, "Yeah I talked to him. He wanted to see if I was going to the Sadie Hawkins dance. You know I'm ready to love, have been since we helped Cupid. I just don't know if I'm ready to date. Besides I don't think I'm going to the dance anyways."

Piper nods, "Ok sis.

Buffy took Piper's hand and flamed over to the school. They arrived in a secluded spot outside the building. Habit always had Buffy arriving in that spot even when there was no one around to see her arrive or leave. They walk into the school and head for the library.

A girl struggles in the boy's grasp as he holds the GUN closer to her, shaking with emotion.

"I'm not afraid to use it. I swear. If I can't be with you-" boy says.

"Oh my God-" the girl says.

Buffy and Piper turns a corner and sees the couple as the girl manages to shove the boy away and head for an exit that leads to a balcony.

"No! Please!-" the girl says.

The boy scrambles after her - raises the gun as if he might fire.

"Don't walk away from me, bitch!-" the boy says.

Buffy powers up a fireball and takes very careful aim and throws it knocking the gun out of the boy's hand. "Hey! Leave her alone!"

Buffy jumps at the boy as a janitor rounds the corner. She wrestles the boy the ground. The Janitor moves the crying girl.

The boy blinks. Suddenly power-freaked. "It's... What happened?"

"What happened?" Piper says.

"You went OJ on your girlfriend!" Buffy says.

"This is nuts... I don't know why I - I got so mad..." the boy says.

Buffy frowns, "Because you're a jerk?"

The girl speaks up. She also looks totally freaked. "He's not. We weren't even fighting a few minutes ago."

"We weren't. I swear to God..." the boy says.

"If you weren't fighting - why did you have a gun?" Piper asks.

"I don't know. I - I don't even know where I got it." The boy says.

The Janitor scans the floor and shrugs. "I don't see any gun."

Buffy scans the floor and then looks to Piper as if to say what the heck.

The next day Buffy sits in the Principal's office while Snyder, worked up, grills her.

"I'm sure you know why I asked you both here." Snyder says.

"To thank me?" Buffy says.

Snyder frowns, "That's right. I want to thank you. What would Gateway High do without you around to incite mayhem, chaos and disorder?"

"What? I didn't incite! I stopped that boy from killing his girlfriend. I mean - ask them. Ask the janitor. Call in Piper she was with me."

"People can be coerced, Halliwell. And family can and will lie. I'm no stranger to conspiracy. I saw JFK." Snyder says. "I'm a truth seeker. I've got a missing gun and two confused kids on my hands. Pieces of a puzzle. I'm going to look at all those pieces carefully and rationally. And I'm going to keep looking until I figure out exactly how this is all your fault."

The intercom buzzes. "Mr. Snyder? Billy Crandle chained himself to the snack machine again."

Snyder shakes his head - fuming. Starts for the door. "Pathetic little no-life vegan." Buffy starts to get up but Snyder pushes her back into her chair. "Not so fast, Missy. I'm not done with you yet. You stink of lies." He leaves.

One of the yearbooks on a nearby shelf is drawn out by an invisible force. It falls to the ground with a thud.

Buffy is startled by the book falling. She rises and picks it up - looks at the cover. It's from 1955. Buffy is only mildly curious as she puts it back on the shelf.

Later Buffy's in history class.

The teacher, Mr. Miller, stands at the chalk board, writing away and talking in a colorless monotone, "... before 1935 the New Deal focused on revitalizing stricken business and agricultural communities..."

The whole class is bored beyond belief. Many of them can barely keep their eyes open.

Buffy fights sleep. But Miller's voice is like white noise. "The New Deal also tried to regulate the nation's financial hierarchy-"

Finally Buffy's eyelids droop and close.

_Buffy's eyes snap open and she looks around, she notices the decor is wrong. Then she sees what everyone is wearing. Class has just ended. A couple of cute girls giggle as they look at a flyer for the 1955 SADIE HAWKINS DANCE._

_"I told Mrs. Hall we'd go help decorate the gym. Who are you taking?" A girl says._

_Another girl smiles, "David said yes."_

_"You're kidding! He's so dreamy." The first girl says._

_They move off as Buffy nears the teacher's desk. She sees a beautiful young teacher, Grace Newman, who smiles kindly as she takes papers. The kids file out, except for James, who lingers. He hands Miss Newman his paper. Their hands touch as she takes the paper from him._

_Ms. Newman flusters, "Thank you, James. How are you enjoying that book I loaned you? The Hemmingway?"_

_James smiles, "I like it. Very much." Impulsively, he touches her hand again. He moves closer. They both know they shouldn't be talking like this. "It's honest."_

_They lock eyes. Ms. Newman stammers, "I... Yes. It's based on a true story, actually. He fell in love with his-" She stops as his hand moves up her arm. They move closer, eyes on each other. They're interrupted as the door to the classroom starts to open. James and Ms. Newman pull quickly apart, startled._

Buffy wakes, startled. She looks around, disoriented - sees that she's back in the present day. At the board, Mr. Miller is still writing and tediously narrating. "...to revive industrial activity, the NRA, the National Recovery Administration..." He turns away from the board to look at the class, but continues to write. As he's talking his hand starts to scrawl in large angry letters – 'Don't walk away from me, bitch.' Mr. Miller doesn't even notice what he's doing. "...assigned a number of task forces-"

The class looks at the board with shock and Mr. Miller looks back at the board. He's clearly confused and embarrassed by what he's just written. "Oh! Good God." He immediately erases the phrase.

Buffy is stunned.

After History class Buffy is walking with Xander. "I'm telling you, something weird is going on."

"Something weird is going on. Isn't that our school motto?" Xander says.

Buffy nods, "Pretty much. But this time... I don't know. It bugs me."

They arrive at Xander's locker, which he does the combo on. "I'm not trying to poo poo your wiggins, but a domestic dispute and a little case of chalkboard Tourette's? Sounds like "Hellmouth Lite" to me-"

Xander opens his locker and a blue, decaying arm bursts from inside and grabs him by the shirt. Xander, of course, screams for real this time. The arm starts to pull Xander into the locker. After a brief struggle, Buffy manages to rip Xander's shirt and free him of the death grip. She slams the locker shut.

They both stare at the locker. Then Buffy flings the locker door open again - ready to fight. But - to their surprise - there's nothing. They look inside except for Xander's stuff - it's empty.

In the library Willow is studying while Giles goes about some researchy stuff of some kind. Xander and Buffy enter, tripping. Xander looks a mess - what with his ripped shirt and all.

"Xander. What did you do – criticize Cordelia's outfit?" Willow asks.

Xander shakes his head, :You're just a big bucket o' funny, Will. I'll have you know I just got accosted by some kind of locker monster."

Giles perks up, "Loch Ness monster? Really?"

Buffy shakes her head, "Locker monster. Is what he said. But it wasn't really a "monster". It was more like a guy reached out and grabbed him. But when we opened the locker a second time - gone. Nothing."

"This is right after Buffy's history teacher started doing some freaky channeling thing in class." Xander says.

"Fascinating. It sounds like paranormal phenomena." Giles says.

Buffy sighs, "Great another ghost. Please tell me I don't have to die again to vanquish this one. I really don't want a repeat of Jackson Ward."

"A ghost? Cool!" Willow says.

Xander shakes his head, "Oh no, not cool. This was no wimpy chain-rattler. This was more – 'I'm dead as hell and I'm not gonna take it anymore.'"

Giles nods, "Exactly. Despite the Xander-speak, that's an accurate definition of a poltergeist."

"I defined something? Accurately? Check me out." Xander says and he slams a book on the table shut. "Guess I'm done with the book learning!"

Buffy looks to Giles, "Jackson Ward was able to manipulate things but not manifest physically in our plane…"

Giles nods, "From what you said about Jackson Ward, he was an evil spirit. This is likely a poltergeist. They are two different types of entities. A poltergeist can manifest itself in our plane."

"Why is it here? Does it just want to scare people?" Willow asks.

Giles shrugs, "It doesn't know exactly what it wants. That's the problem. A poltergeist is usually plagued by all manner of worldly troubles. But, being dead, it has no way to make it's peace. So it lashes out. Growing ever more confused, ever more angry..."

"What can we do? Is there any way to stop it?" Willow asks.

Giles nods, "For a poltergeist the only tried and true way is to figure out what unresolved issues keep the spirit here - and resolve them. It is not an entity that can be vanquished like Jackson Ward was."

Buffy sighs, "Great. So now we're Dr. Laura for the deceased."

"Only if we can find out who this spirit is. Or... was." Giles says as something occurs to him. Perhaps he knows who it is?

The next day Buffy, Willow and Xander hang with Giles in the library.

"It was just like with this couple you encountered the other night, Buffy. The janitor remembered everything. He knew he's killed this poor woman - but he had no idea why. They had no intimate relationship." Giles says.

"And the gun? Did you ever find it?" Willow asks.

Giles shakes his head, "No. The police, everybody... We looked all over. I think it's very clear. What's happening."

Xander nods, "Fill me in, then. 'Cause I've read the book, seen the movie and I'm still fuzzy about what's going on."

"It's Jenny," Giles says.

Buffy frowns, "What?"

"You think she's the poltergeist?" Xander asks.

Giles nods, "Don't you see? She died here under tragic conditions. Now she's trapped."

Willow shakes her head, "But - what about the whole deal with the gun?" She glances at Buffy, lowering her voice, "Angel didn't shoot Ms. Calendar."

Buffy still registers the comment, looks down.

"The gun is insignificant. It's the violence of the thing that matters." Giles says.

Buffy shakes her head, "I don't know. It seems like the fights these couples keep having is sort of... specific. You know?"

Willow nods, "She's right, Giles. The gun, the place... It's like a pattern that doesn't fit with the way Ms. Calendar died."

"Yes. Well. I appreciate your thoughts on the matter," Giles says. "In fact, I encourage you to always challenge me when you feel it's appropriate. You must never be cowed by authority. Except, of course, in this instance when I am clearly right and you are clearly wrong."

"Great. Glad to know we have this open line of communication." Buffy says.

Later in the computer classroom not surprisingly - Buffy, Xander and Willow are now hanging without Giles.

"This is freaky. I don't think I've ever seen Giles be so pig-headed." Willow says.

Xander nods, "I know. He's usually "Investigate Things From Every Boring Angle" guy. Now he's "I cling To My One Lame Idea" guy. What gives?"

Buffy sighs, "He misses her. He can't think. Just a little more fallout from my love life."

Willow moves to her computer. Starts with the clickity clack. "Okay, but this ghost stuff is something else. Let me do a cross check, look for other shootings at the school."

Buffy nods, "Yeah, we need some alternate ghost theories. What do we know?"

"Dog spit is cleaner than human's." Xander says.

Buffy smiles, "Besides that."

Willow taps some keys. A moment as some information comes up on the screen. Then her expression registers shock. "Oh boy. We know plenty... It says here that a student murdered a teacher on the night of the Sadie Hawkins dance. The rumor was that they were having an affair and she tried to break it off. After he killed her, he went into the music room and shot himself."

"Ladies and gentlemen - we have a poltergeist. It has to be one of those two, right?" Xander asks.

Willow nods, "It all fits. The gun. The Sadie Hawkins dance..."

Buffy nods, "Which is tonight. I'll call Prue."

"How come we never heard about this murder/suicide thing before?" Xander asks, "When did it happen?"

"Well, it says -" Willow says.

"1955." Buffy says as she pulls out her cell phone.

"How did you know?" Willow asks.

Later Willow opens an 1955 yearbook to the "In Memoriam" page for Grace Newman.

Prue walks into the classroom, "What's up Buffy?"

Buffy looks up at Prue all business, "We got a ghost." She points to the yearbook, "I dreamt about this woman the other day. Her and this young guy."

Willow turns some pages. Finds a photo of James Stanley. "James Stanley?" Buffy nods. "He's the one. He did it."

Prue nods, "So you had a premonition about these two?"

Buffy nods, "In history class." She looks at the photo, "He couldn't make her love him, so he killed her. What a sicko."

Prue has to agree, "There are better ways of putting that but yeah."

"He looks so normal in his picture," Willow says. "He was smart, too. He made the honor role."

"Smart?" Prue asks. "I wouldn't call killing someone very smart.

Xander nods, "He killed a person and he killed himself. Those are pretty much the two dumbest things you can do."

"He killed himself?" Prue asks.

Buffy nods and motions to the computer.

Prue reads the article that Willow found earlier," So we got an angry ghost. So do we want to try and vanquish it like Ward?"

Buffy shakes her head, "Giles said it was a poltergeist not an evil spirit like Jackson Ward was. He said about the only way to get rid of it was to resolve what was holding it here. Oh and it can actually manifest itself on our plane, Jackson Ward couldn't do that."

Willow sighs, "Whose ghost do you think we're dealing with? His or hers?"

"Considering how violent it is, I'd say it's his." Buffy says.

Prue nods, "Sounds likely. If he killed her then shot himself and the events are repeating themselves… It's more than likely him."

"That tracks." Xander says.

Willow looks to Prue, "Is there a way to communicate with him?"

Prue shakes her head, "Not that I know of. If he's not showing himself I don't know how. It would be like talking to an empty room and there be no one there."

Willow nods, "I've been browsing in some of Ms. Calendar's pagan sites. Maybe there is something there about a way to communicate with him."

Prue nods, "It's worth a try, Willow. I will be the first to admit that the Book of Shadows does not always have all the information it should. Right, Buffy?"

Buffy nods remembering the deal with her and Phoebe's past life and Anton. There had been no mention of Anton in either book till she and Phoebe added the information. "Right, Prue. So we gotta shut him down before some other innocent guy shoots some nice girl and blows his brains all over the music room wall."

"Okay, who's hungry?" Xander asks.

Buffy looks to Prue, "Just in case go back and check the Books?"

Prue nods, "I'll call you if we find anything."

The Cafeteria is crowded with students as Xander sits with Willow and Buffy at a table. None of them are really enthused about their food.

Cordelia comes over and sits next to Xander with a plate of spaghetti. She addresses them all, indignant. "I hope you guys weren't planning on going to this Sadie Hawkins dance tonight - because I'm totally organizing a boycott. Do you realize that the girls are suppose to ask the guys - and pay and everything? I mean, who's genius idea was that?"

"Obviously some hairy-legged feminist," Xander says.

"Really. We have to nip this in the bud or things could get way scary-" Cordelia says.

A guy at the table across from them yells as the sandwich he just bit into has turned into writhing black snakes.

Xander looks down at his nacho sticks in terror, and sees snakes on his plate.

The whole cafeteria erupts into total chaos. Everybody's food has transformed into wriggling serpents.

Buffy does what she can. She yanks a snake off a girl nearly frozen with fear.

Snyder takes in mayhem from the cafeteria doors. He is concerned but calm.

Cordelia screams at her snake filled plate. She tries to toss it away from her, but one of the snakes coils and strikes - biting her on the face.

The evening Prue, Piper, Phoebe, Xander, Willow, Cordelia (still bandaged from the snake trauma) and Buffy are gathered in the living room at the Manor.

"Remember the plan to contact the spirit and talk to it? Scrap that plan." Willow says as she lays out a map of the school that she's drawn. "The time for touchy-feely communication has passed. I've done some homework and learned that the only solution – is the final solution."

"Nuke the school? I like it!" Xander says.

Willow shakes her head, "Not quite. Exorcism."

"Are you crazy? I saw that movie. Even the priests died!" Cordelia shakes her head.

Prue looks to her sisters who nods.

"It's at least worth a try." Phoebe says. "Unlike with Ward we can't vanquish this ghost on the Astral plane like we did him. For the singular reason we have exactly no idea of where this ghost actually is. I'll look through the book to see if there is another way. Till then we should probably try Willow's idea."

Buffy nods, "Ok what's the deal, Will?"

Willow explains - using the map to make her point. "Okay. See here? The balcony? That's where the original teacher was shot back in 1955 and where Ms. Frank died. It's the hot spot where all the bad mojo is coming from. We need to create a Mangus Tripod-" she draws one on the map. "One person chants here, in the hot spot, and the other three people chant in other areas of the school - making a triangle. It's supposed to bind the bad spirit. Stop it from doing more harm."

Buffy nods, "I'll take the hot spot. If there's real trouble, it'll probably be there."

"I'm kinda feeling like this ghost is fixating on you, Buffy. The yearbook, the premonition - you sure you can handle it?" Willow asks

"Oh, I'm hoping he'll show. I truly am." Buffy says.

Prue nods, "Xander, Cordelia you two will patrol the outside of the school. This way no one enters while the spell is going on. Willow, Piper and I will take the three points."

Later Prue, Piper, Willow and Buffy enter the school, each holding a black candle and a flashlight.

"Okay, we all have our places. We light the candle and do the chant at midnight exactly." Buffy says.

"Oh! I almost forgot. I made us all protective scapulas." Willow says. "It's for protection." She digs into her pockets - pulls out four little bags on cords and hands them out. Everybody reacts. They smell.

Piper scrunches her nose, "What did you put in these?"

"Sorry. I didn't have much time so I had to use sulphur. Stinky – but effective." Willow says.

Buffy looks to Prue and Phoebe as if to say humor her. Prue, Piper and Buffy puth the scapulas around their necks. "Okay. Let's do it."

Buffy, Prue, Piper and Willow enter the dark hallway. Look around the quiet school.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! The hallway echoes with the sound of doors slamming and locking.

Buffy looks to them, "Not to worry I will flame us out if we can't get out."

Moment later near the library Willow moves down the hall toward the lounge, clutching her scapula.

BOOM!

Willow's passing the library door when it bangs open, "Arghhhhh!"

"Good lord, Willow! What are you doing here? You're not supposed to be inside." Giles says.

Willow hides her candle behind her back. "Me? What about you?"

"Yes, well. I'm trying to - I think I'm close to contacting Jenny." He sniffs the air, "What's that smell?"

Willow smiles, "It's a scapula,"

"Ahh. Did you use sulphur?" Giles says.

Willow nods, "Yeah."

"Clever. Well, hurry along. There may be some paranormal phenomena if I make contact - you don't want to get in the line of fire." Giles says.

Willow nods, "Okay. Night."

Giles moves back into the library. Through the window - Willow sees him return to his office where a single light burns.

Piper enters the girls bathroom and she sets her flashlight near the mirror.

Buffy is moving down the hall near the music room when she hears music. She sees light coming from the music room and moves toward it.

_On the wall, a flyer invites one and all to the Sadie Hawkins dance - but the flyer is clearly from 1955. Buffy looks through the window in the classroom door._

_A record plays on a turntable and James and Ms. Newman dance, holding on tight. Lost in each other._

_James looks up at Buffy - and she sees that his face is now that of a horrible dessicated corpse._

Prue enters the cafeteria. There are still a few snakes on the floor. She uses her power to clear a path for her.

On the landing near the student lounge Willow sets up her candle and looks at her watch. A decaying blue corpse hand emerges from the floor and grabs Willow. It starts to yank her into the floor as if it were quicksand. Willow cries out.

In the girls bathroom Piper glances at at the mirror and what she sees reflected in it is her… dead. She shakes her head, "You have to do better than that to scare a Charmed One."

Drawn by Willow's cries - Giles emerges from the library and rushes to her. Finds Willow entirely sucked up by the floor.

"Giles!" Willow says.

Giles grabs her by the arm, pulls with all his might. "Hold on!" After a struggle - he manages to extract her. They both tumble back and hit the ground hard. Willow is shaking, terrified. Giles puts an arm around her, tries to comfort.

"Giles..?" Willow says breathless.

"What?" Giles asks.

"Jenny could never be this mean." Willow says.

Giles nods, "I know. I… It's not her, is it?"

Willow shakes her head. "I'm sorry."

Giles takes it in - knows it's true.

Buffy, freaked, arrives in her spot on the balcony where the teachers died. She sets the candle on the ledge of the balcony - but as soon as she touches it - she is overwhelmed by a series of premonitions which hit her in rapid succession.

_James and Ms. Newman fighting in the hallway. _

_The gun going off._

_Ms. Newman falling off the balcony._

_James walking into the music room and putting a record on a turntable._

_James lifting the gun to his head._

Buffy is so startled and blinded by the premonitions that she drops to the ground.

Two wretched hands grab Buffy by her lapels and yank her into a sitting position, revealing the terrible dead face of James, who is leaning into her, furious. Through his blue, cracked lips he hisses, "Get out!" And as quickly as he appeared he is gone. Buffy is full-on terror struck.

On the landing in the student lounge the school clock starts to strike midnight. Willow, taken by surprise, scrambles to light her candle. "Oh, God..." Her hands are trembling so much she can't do it.

Giles takes the lighter - does it for her.

Willow, shaky voiced, starts to incant, "I shall confront and expel all evil"

In the girls bathroom Piper hears the clock chime as she grabs her candle and lights it. "I shall confront and expel all evil"

In the cafeteria Prue is perched on a table - well above snake level - her candle already lit, "out of marrow and bone."

On the balcony Buffy has also lit her candle. Despite her terror, she forces the words, "out of house and home - never to come here again."

The clock stops chiming.

In the student lounge Willow and Giles look around, hoping that it worked.

On the balcony Buffy reacts as a sudden, gale wind kicks up. Blows out her candle. An eerie buzzing sound rises. Buffy frowns and she flames to Willow and Giles and grabs their hands. She flames outside the school drops them off and flames back in grabbing Prue and flames out to drop her off before going back to get Piper. A moment later she flames out Piper as Xander and Cordelia come running up to them.

They look at the entrance to the school as millions of wasps surround the school.

"Check it. I'd say school's out for good." Xander says.

Back at the Manor Prue, Phoebe, Giles, Willow, Xander, and Cordelia are all gathered in the living room.

"Right then... We've definitely established, based on all the parallels and Buffy's premonitions, that it's James' spirit-"

Piper and Buffy enters from the kitchen with a few sodas and a couple glasses of tea.

"So what do we do? About James?" Willow asks.

Phoebe shakes her head, "I've looked in the books and done some research. There is three ways to vanquish a spirit. One of us have to die like Buffy did with Jackson Ward and say a spell on the Astral Plane. But to do that we have to know where James spirit is actually in the school. It could be on the balcony or in the music room."

Buffy nods, "And the others?"

"We destroy the object of its obsession." Phoebe says. "Problem is the object of his obsession is his guilt. We can't destroy his guilt. The last method involves a potion and his bones. Problem there is he was cremated. We have no way of vanquishing him from anything in the books."

Giles nods, "Well - he's obviously reliving the night of the Sadie Hawkins dance, when he killed Miss Newman."

"But why? What does he want?" Xander asks.

Giles nods, "He's trying to resolve the issues that keep him in limbo. What those are, I'm not entirely-"

"He wants forgiveness." Buffy says. "Like Phoebe said his obsession is his guilt. He wants to be forgiven for what he did."

Giles nods, "Yes. I imagine he does. But when James possesses people they act out exactly what happened that night, so instead he's experiencing a form of purgatory. He's doomed to kill his Miss Newman over and over again – and forgiveness is impossible."

Buffy nods, "Anyone want a refill?"

Giles nods, "If you don't mind?"

Buffy smiles, "Be happy too." She takes his glass and walks into the kitchen. She is about to pour some tea when she notice a flyer for the 1955 Sadie Hawkins Dance.

Buffy hears a woman's voice, "... I need you..."

Buffy suddenly flames out.

In the living room… "So what next? Do we go in again?" Willow asks.

Giles shakes his head, "Not now. The spirit is too angry. Too powerful... We need to figure out exactly how, and if, this thing can be defeated..."

Piper looks to Prue, "It's taking a long time for Buffy to come back with Giles' tea."

Prue nods and gets up, "I'll check on her." She goes into the kitchen looking for Buffy. "Buffy are you-" she stops when she sees that Buffy is gone. Only the flyer remains behind. Prue picks it up and looks at it. She walks back into the living room. "She went back."

Moments later Giles, Willow, Prue, Piper, Xander and Cordelia arrive at the school. The place, as before, is entirely surrounded by wasps.

"So - now what? Not even a mega vat of Raid is gonna do the trick here." Xander says.

Cordelia shakes her head, "I don't get it. Is she trying to be like a big loner hero or something?"

"No. I believe she's under the spirit's thrall. He's calling her-" Giles says.

"But why?" Piper asks.

Giles nods, "James needs her to reenact everything that happened the night he killed Ms. Newman. He wants to change things. Make a happy ending."

"But it can't ever happen. It always ends the same. Which means Buffy's going in there to get shot, Giles." Willow says.

Giles nods, "Yes. But remember - the school is deserted. There's no male inside for James to possess. No way for him to play his part."

Prue shakes her head, "I think we have this backwards."

"How so?" Giles asks.

"I don't thinks James wants her to play Ms. Newman. I think he wants her to play him. Think about it. He's been showing her everything that's been happening to him. All of her premonitions have been about him. He wants Buffy to play him."

"Dear Lord," Giles says as he takes off his glasses and cleans them, "I think your right. Which means James needs someone to play Ms. Newman."

Inside the school Buffy walks into the hall and stops where the fight always begins. She's slumped, defeated. It's almost as if she's waiting for this thing to over take her.

Behind her, a dark figure appears. A voice speaks from the shadows. "Fun fact about wasps? They have no taste for the un-dead." He stepsout of the shadows revealing it's Angel. But Buffy doesn't even turn around. "Not that a sting would do me lasting damage. It's just - tonight's special. I wanted to look my best for you."

Finally - still turned away from him - Buffy speaks. But her voice is strange - darker. "You're the only one. The only person I can talk to."

"Gosh, Buff. That's... really pathetic." Angel says.

"You can't make me disappear just because you say it's over." Buffy says as she faces Angel. Her features are contorted with desperation and rage.

"Actually..." Angel says as he moves in, menacing. "I can. In fact-" He stops. His face transforms as he is filled with fear, love and sadness. "I just want you to be able to have some kind of normal life. We can never have that - don't you see?"

"I don't give a damn about a normal life." Buffy says. "I'm going crazy not seeing you. I think about you every minute."

Angel obviously feels the same way. Pushes it down. "I know. But... It's over. It has to be." He turns from Buffy - starts to walk toward the door. This inflames Buffy's ire further.

"Come back here. We're not finished!" Buffy says. She grabs Angel's arm and stops him. "You don't care anymore? Is that it?"

"It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter what I feel-" Angel says.

Buffy burns. Shakes Angel's arm. Hard. "Then tell me you don't love me. Say it!"

Angel starts to cry, "Will that help? Is that what you have to hear? I don't. I don't. Now let me go!"

Buffy is devastated - disbelieving. "No... A person doesn't just wake up one day and stop loving somebody." She raises raises her hand and the gun is in it. Angel's eyes widen with terror. "Love is forever."

Buffy's grip on Angel tightens. "I'm not afraid to use it. I swear. If I can't be with you-"

"Oh my God-" Angel says and manages to shove Buffy back. He bolts for the doors that lead to the balcony.

Buffy takes off after Angel - who is almost out the door. "Don't walk away from me, bitch!"

Angel bursts out of the hall and onto the balcony, with Buffy on his heels.

Buffy points the gun at him with shaking hands. "Stop! I mean it. Don't make me."

Angel turns carefully - terrified. "All right. Just... You know you don't want to do this. Let's both-" Buffy reacts with rage as Ange continues to plead with her. "-just calm down. Give me the gun."

"Don't! Don't do that, damn it!" Buffy says swinging the gun wildly, "Don't talk to me like I'm some dumb-"

An involuntary twitch of the finger and - BOOM! – the gun goes off in Buffy's hand. It's clearly an accident. She jumps with surprise at the blast. She looks at the gun in her hand with horror.

Outside the campus Prue, Piper, Phoebe, Giles, Xander, Willow and Cordelia hear the gunshot.

"Buffy?" Prue, Piper and Phoebe says.

On the balcony Angel has a gunshot wound right through the heart. He looks at Buffy - disbelieving. Then he topples over the balcony, lands in the quad below.

Buffy turns and reenters the school. She walks down the hall, barely containing her grief.

Horrified and distraught over what she's done - Buffy moves to a stack of records from the 50's. She takes a record - "I Only Have Eyes For You" - from the stack.

With the record in had, Buffy walks to the record player. She places the record on the turntable. Drops the needle on. She turns - sees James reflection in the glassed cabinet.

She listens to the music - haunted. Then she starts to lift the gun to her head. Her finger on the trigger...

Then Angel's hand covers hers. Angel, filled with compassion, gently takes the gun away from her. "Don't do this."

"Grace? But I - I killed you." Buffy says.

Angel shakes his head, "It's not your fault. It was an accident."

Buffy can't hear it - protests. "It is my fault! How could I let this -"

Angel nods, "I'm the one who should be sorry, James. You thought I stopped loving you. But I never did. I loved you with my last breath." Buffy takes this in. Starts to cry. Angel tries to comfort her. "Shhh. No more tears." And he kisses her. It's both a final chance for lovers to touch - and a moment of redemption.

Suddenly lights moves from deep within them. Spirits rise and vanish.

Prue, Piper, Phoebe, Giles, Xander, Willow and Cordelia watch with amazement as the swarm suddenly disappears.

"Look... They're leaving." Willow says.

In the music room Buffy blinks, returning to herself. She's still in Angel's arms. The look of tenderness lingers on his face. "Angel...?"

Angel's eyes go cold. He can't believe what just happened. He throws her from his embrace, disgusted. He bolts, leaving Buffy totally spun.

Buffy watches for a moment for a moment she thinks about flaming back to the Manor and decides to walk out instead.

Later in the library Giles is behind the counter, Xander, Willow and Cordelia sit at the table as Prue, Piper and Phoebe enter.

"Everything normal. Not a snake, not a wasp." Phoebe says.

Giles crosses back into the office. Prue starts to follow as Piper holds her back.

Piper shakes her head and Prue nods in understanding as Piper follows Giles.

"Are you feeling better?" Giles asks Buffy.

Buffy sighs, "He picked me. I guess I was the one he... could relate to. He was so sad..."

Piper walks up next to Giles, "Well, now they can both rest."

"Part of me doesn't understand why she would forgive him." Buffy says.

Piper smiles at Buffy, "Love. It all boils down to love."

Buffy looks at Piper and then nods, "Thanks, my sister."

Piper smiles, "Anytime, my sister."


	42. Chapter 42: How to Make a Quilt Out

**Chapter 42: How to Make a Quilt Out Of Americans**

Piper's in the kitchen putting her boots in a paper bag. Buffy walks in.

"Piper, what are you doing? Those are your favourite boots." Buffy says.

Prue and Phoebe walk in.

Piper sighs, "I know. Demon blood from one of our vanquishing and I can't get it out and I can't exactly explain it to the shoe repair guy now can I? It's the third damn pair this month."

"What's the matter, honey?" Phoebe asks.

Piper shakes her head, "Nothing. I've gotta get to the club. Dan's waiting for me."

"Are you really gonna break up with him?" Prue asks.

Piper sighs, "Well, I have to. I mean, I love him but I love Leo more. Not that I'm any closer to figuring out how that's gonna work either. Sometimes being a witch sucks." She leaves out the back door.

"Wicca PMS?" Phoebe asks.

Buffy shakes her head, "I have a feeling when it comes to _my sister, _it's a lot more than that."

Prue looks to Buffy, "You know it's still weird hearing you call Piper that."

Buffy smiles, "It's not to me. It's actually feels right. Like I'm making it up to her. I know Piper is not _Payson_ well not anymore. But for some reason it just I don't know feels right to think of her and I as sisters even if were not. You two don't mind do you? I still consider you both like sisters also. It's just different…"

Prue sighs, "I think I speak for Phoebe and I when I say no we don't mind. If you feel this is something you have to do. Then by all means do it. After everything we've been through this last year and a half we all know that everything happens for a reason. Maybe there is a reason for this as well." The doorbell rings. They walk into the foyer and opens the door. "Aunt Gail."

Gail smiles, "My beautiful girls." Prue and Phoebe hug her.

Gail looks to Buffy, "And let me guess, Patience daughter?"

Buffy smiles and nods, "Yep. I'm Payson. But my friends Buffy."

Gail nods, "Buffy Anne if I remember right."

Buffy looks at Gail as they move into the living room. "How did you know? Except for my friends and Prue, Piper and Phoebe I don't use that name anymore. I go by the name…"

Gail nods, "Your mom chose for you, of course."

Moments later Phoebe finds a photo in a closet and takes it in the living room.

"I knew we had an old picture of you and Grams somewhere," Phoebe says.

Gail smiles, "Oh my God, look how young we were. I remember when this was taken. Right outside our sorority house. We'd just met."

"A couple of hotties." Buffy says.

Gail nods, "That was then. This is now."

"Hey, now looks pretty good." Prue says.

Gail smiles, "Believe me, the golden years are anything but. Mostly it's regret. I miss your Grams. I still can't believe she is gone. How's your mom, Payson?"

Buffy sighs, "She passed last year. She had a brain tumor."

"Oh I'm sorry to hear that," Gail says. "You just never know when it's your time, do you? Anyway, you all sound like you are doing very well. You and Piper and your careers and…" she looks to Phoebe "…you back at school. Good for you." She looks to Buffy, "And you only a year from graduation from high school, congratulations a year early."

"Yeah, we're doing alright." Prue says.

Gail nods, "What about men? Anyone special in your lives?"

Buffy shakes her head, "No I recently went through a bad breakup a couple months ago."

"First loves," Gail says. "Are always the hardest to get over."

Phoebe shakes her head, "Nope."

Prue nods, "Well, I mean, Piper's got someone, sort of."

Phoebe nods, "I think we're just picky. We don't wanna go through all the husbands that Grams went through."

Gail shakes her head, "Don't be too picky. You don't wanna end up like an old spinster like me." She coughs.

"Are you okay?" Buffy asks.

"Here, have some of this." Phoebe says and hands Gail a drink and she takes a sip.

"Oh, thank you. Damn allergies." Gail says.

Prue nods, "So what brings you to San Francisco?"

Gail smiles, "Well, my dears, you do. Do you remember the Bridge clubs your Grams hosted here every other Saturday?"

Prue nods, "Mmm hmm."

"Did you actually see any of us play any cards?" Gail asks.

Phoebe shakes her head, "No. Grams always sent us outside to play."

"Of course you knew mom kept me away. I didn't even know about Piper, Prue or Phoebe till last year." Buffy says.

Gail nods, "Of course Payson." She looks to Phoebe and Prue, "That's because it wasn't a Bridge club. It was her coven. Your Grams was the most skillful witch any of us ever knew."

"Witch?" Phoebe asks.

Gail nods, "I still practice craft myself every now and then. I don't have any real powers, mostly I just play around with it."

"Wow. You and Grams, witches, who knew?" Prue says.

Gail smiles, "You don't have to pretend with me. Your Grams and Patience told me everything. Including what you'd become when she died. The Charmed Ones and the Charmed Slayer."

A couple moments later Buffy is on the phone. "Piper, it's me, pick up. Piper your Aunt Gail's in town and guess what? She knows we're, you know what's."

Piper picks up the phone. "Whoa, I'm not alone here, remember."

"I thought that that would get your attention, my sister." Buffy says.

"Buffy, this is a really bad time." Piper says.

Buffy nods, "Well, I'm sorry but it's important."

"Wait, how does Aunt Gail know that we're... you know what? Never mind, you can tell me later. I have to go, Dan is here." Piper says.

"Look, your Aunt Gail needs our help. She's in trouble." Buffy says.

"What do you mean? What kind of trouble?" Piper asks.

"The kind of trouble you can't talk about with Dan right there, demon trouble." Buffy says.

"Of course, why not. Alright, I'll just put my life on hold one more time and I'll be right there." Piper says.

"I'm sorry, my sister." Buffy says.

"I know, Buffy." Piper says as she hangs up.

Buffy walks back into the living room and sits down next to Prue. "Piper's on her way."

"How come you said my sister, when you were talking to Piper?" Gail asks. "I thought you were their cousin."

Buffy sighs, "Do you believe in past lifes?"

Gail nods, "Yeah, why?"

"What do you know about Grams mother?"

"I know here name was Payson and you were named after her, why?"

"Piper was Payson in a past life. And I was her sister."

"You were Penelope in your past life?" Gail asks. "Grams mentioned her once, saying she had been named for her aunt who had passed away a couple years before she was born."

Prue looks to Buffy, "I didn't know that." She looks at Gail. "For some reason Grams didn't write down her mom or her aunt or her cousins full names. They are only listed by first initial and last name."

Buffy smiles, "I think it's nice Payson named her daughter after her sister. It means she likely forgave her."

Later as Piper walked in the front door Buffy was waiting for her smiling.

"You look happy," Piper says.

"You gave forgave me," Buffy says.

"What?" Piper asks.

"Your past life, _Payson. _She forgave her sister. Grams was named for her sister." Buffy says.

"How do you know?" Piper asks.

"Your Aunt Gail said that Grams mentioned she was named for her aunt. _Payson's_ sister was named Penelope." Buffy says.

Piper smiles.

Moments later in the conservatory…

"Have you contacted the police yet?" Prue asks.

Gail shakes her head, "And tell them what? That I think there's a demon running loose in our streets? They'd think I was crazy."

"Try getting your boots cleaned." Piper says.

"Huh?" Gail asks confused.

Buffy shakes her head, "Don't ask."

Prue nods, "Still, you said that corpses have been found dug up and skinned. I mean, what'd the police think about that?"

"I don't know," Gail says.

"Maybe it's just some sicko grave robber," Phoebe says.

Gail nods, "Well, it's, uh, it's-it's more than that. I may be wrong but I think I remember seeing in your Book Of Shadows that..."

Prue frowns, "Oh. Wait, you know about that too?"

Gail nods, "And when your Grams was showing it to me, I think that I remember seeing something about a skinned demon or something, who made people young again."

"Young again? Why, what's so bad about that?" Piper asks.

Buffy shakes her head, "There's gotta be a catch. There's always a catch. Are you sure the book said it was skinned?"

"I think so, but maybe we better go look," Gail says.

Moments later Prue, Piper, Phoebe and Gail are in the attic looking in the Charmed Book Of Shadows. Buffy is of course looking through her own Book.

"Here's something. Cryto, the demon of vanity." Phoebe says.

Gail nods, "Cryto, that sounds vaguely familiar. What does it say?"

Phoebe squints trying to read the Book.

"In the 16th century, Cryto traveled from dukedom to dukedom, praying on people's vanity, bestowing youth and and beauty in exchange for their souls." Buffy says noticing how Phoebe is having trouble reading the Book.

Prue frowns, "Youth for souls? Why would anybody make that trade?"

"Believe me, I know a lot of people who'd consider it," Gail says. "Age, disease. Uh, that's why I'm so worried. I know so many potential victims in Santa Costa. Friends."

Phoebe squints again.

"Are you squinting?" Piper asks.

Phoebe shakes her head, "No."

Buffy shakes her head, "Cryto was found out and skinned alive by a group of witches who believed it would keep his spirit from ever being resurrected again. You were right."

Prue nods, "Yeah, but those witches obviously weren't right, otherwise there wouldn't be a vanquishing spell in the book."

"So someone is skinning people to give him a new skin?" Piper asks.

Prue nods, "Well, giving their bodies somebody's spirit makes sense."

Phoebe nods, "Well, at least it's an easy vanquishing spell. I mean, if Cryto really does exist, it shouldn't be a problem getting rid of him."

Gail smiles, "Goodness, you must be very powerful witches."

"Ah, rub it in," Piper says.

Gail nods, "Uh, how soon can you come to Santa Costa?"

Piper shrugs, "Buffy, Prue, Phoebe, can I talk to you three for a sec? Out here."

"Take your time," Gail says.

Buffy, Prue, Piper and Phoebe walk out of the room.

"Piper, Gail is like family. You love her, we all do." Phoebe says.

Prue nods, "She was like a second Grams to us."

Phoebe smiles, "Yeah, only a nice one. One that never said no."

Piper sighs, "I know that, but something about her story, it's just, it's not right. I mean, bodies are being dug up all over town and she's the only one who's noticing?"

Buffy nods, "I have to agree with Piper. Something doesn't add up."

Phoebe sighs, "I admit, it's funky but what are we supposed to do? Tell her that we're not gonna help her?"

"No, of course not. It's just, it's never ending. I mean, we have no lives. I don't even have time to break up with Dan properly." Piper says.

Prue nods, "Look, honey, Santa Costa's right over the bridge. Alright, we'll leave early, go check things out, be back by tomorrow night." Gail comes down the stairs. "Hi. So, we'll be there at 9:00 tomorrow morning, okay?"

Gail nods.

"Would you like to stay here? We have plenty of room." Phoebe says.

"Yeah you can have my room I can sleep with Piper." Buffy says.

Gail shakes her head, "Oh, no, thank you. I have to get home. Cats to feed, you know. Thank you. You'll never know how much this means to me."

Later that evening Buffy walks into Phoebe's room closing the door behind her. "Phoebe when are you going to tell them the truth?"

"What are you talking about?" Phoebe asks.

"You were squinting earlier. Don't say you weren't because I saw it and you know being the Slayer I have pretty good eye sight." Buffy says.

Phoebe sighs and pulls out the glasses, "Don't tell them. I will do it when I'm ready."

Buffy nods, "I wouldn't of anyways. It's not my secret to tell."

The next day Prue, Piper, Buffy and Phoebe drive in to the gas station. They get out of the car. Phoebe's holding a map.

"Nice work, Pheebs, only a couple of hours late." Piper says.

Buffy gives Phoebe a knowing glance.

"Yeah, next time I'll navigate," Prue says.

Phoebe shakes her head, "It's this map. It's messed up. There is no connector road at highway twenty-eight."

"No? What is that?" Prue ask as she points to it on the map.

"That little squiggle?" Phoebe asks.

Prue nods, "Yeah."

Phoebe shakes her head, "I didn't see that." She looks to Buffy. "And don't tell me I need glasses, okay, because anybody could've missed that."

Buffy sighs.

"Phoebe, there is absolutely nothing wrong with wearing glasses. I mean, I wear them." Prue says.

Phoebe nods, "I know, but you're older." Piper laughs. "Well you are."

Prue nods, "Right, well, you know, I really hope that demon of vanity is after you because your soul would be toast."

"I'm just gonna ignore that comment and go ask for directions." Phoebe says.

Prue nods, "Okay."

Phoebe walks away.

Piper notices two elderly people walk past them holding hands. "Cute, huh? Still holding hands."

Buffy smiles, "That could be you, my sister, and Leo in like fifty years."

Piper shakes her head, "Me maybe but not Leo. Whitelighters don't age, remember? Of course they're not supposed to date witches either so maybe I don't have to worry about that."

"Piper," Prue says.

Piper sighs, "I know, I'm sorry, I've been a drag lately but I've just been confused and frustrated. I mean, nothing's changed really since Leo and I met except that I'm two years older and still have no idea what we're doing. Sometimes I worry we're all gonna end up like Aunt Gail."

Two elderly men are giving Phoebe directions and she's writing them down.

Elderly man #1 nods, "Then you take Hotsmen to the lights, you turn right past the fire station to Sycamore."

"Yeah-yeah, then straight up the hill and there's a big Victorian on the left. Well, you can't miss it, it's not far." Elderly man #2 says.

Phoebe smiles, "Okay, straight up the hill, great, thanks."

"Pheebs, come on," Buffy says.

"Okay, okay." Phoebe says as she puts the pen and paper in her bag and her glasses fall out.

Elderly man #1 picks up Phoebe's glasses, "Oh, excuse me, honey. Are these your glasses?"

Phoebe looks at the glasses, "Uh..." She sees Prue and Piper staring at her. Buffy sighs. "No, no, those aren't mine." She walks to the car. "We are all set. All words, no squigglies." She gets in.

Buffy leans in and whispers to Phoebe, "Why are you hiding this from them?"

Phoebe doesn't answer as they drive off.

Later at Gail's house Buffy, Prue, Piper and Phoebe are sitting on the couch.

"More tea, girls?" Amanda asks.

Buffy shakes her head, "No, thanks." Amanda pours the tea anyway. "I'd love some, thank you."

Amanda smiles, "How about you?"

Piper shakes her head.

"It's better to humour her, Piper. She won't take no for an answer." Gail says.

Piper sighs, "Well, then, by all means, fill her up."

Amanda fills Piper and then Phoebe's glasses.

"So, Aunt Gail, who else knows about Cryto than us?" Prue asks.

Amanda goes to pour more tea in Prue's cup but Prue quickly covers it with her hand.

Gail nods, "Well, I hope you won't be too upset, I had to tell Amanda and Helen. Actually, they were the first to tell me about the dug up corpses."

"Really?" Buffy asks skeptically.

Helen nods, "Don't worry. We won't tell a soul about you being witches and all. Our little secret."

"That's good to know." Prue says.

Piper pulls a face and looks in her cup.

"Is something the matter?" Amanda asks.

Piper nods, "Uh, it's just... what kind of tea is this? It's... different."

Gail smiles, "It's a special blend. Uh, listen, maybe you had better get going to start to look for whoever might be trying to summon Cryto."

"Gail..." Amanda says.

Gail nods, "Two of the corpses were found in that old furniture warehouse at route ten, weren't they Helen?"

"Yes, I think so." Helen says.

Buffy shakes her head, "That's not really a lot to go on."

Gail nods, "Well, you have to start somewhere. Uh, you just go out route ten and then turn up Willow and it will be right there."

They start leaving towards the door.

"Okay, so, um, I guess we'll be back later." Prue says.

Gail nods, "Yeah, we'll, we'll be here."

They leave.

Later at the warehouse. Buffy, Prue, Piper and Phoebe arrive. They get out of the car.

"Do you guys see anything?" Prue asks.

Buffy shakes her head, "No. And my spidey senses aren't tingling either."

"Are you sure this is the right place?" Piper asks.

Phoebe shakes her head, "Don't look at me, I didn't navigate this time."

Prue nods, "Are you guy's thinking what I am thinking?"

Buffy nods, "Wild goose chase?"

Piper frowns, "Why would Aunt Gail send us out here for no reason?"

"I don't know but she seemed in an awful hurry to get us outta th... Whoa." Prue says.

Buffy reaches out to steady Prue, "Are you okay?"

Prue shakes her head, "No, I'm kind of feeling light headed all of a sudden."

Phoebe nods, "I'm not feeling so hot myself."

Piper and Buffy look at each and they can see it in each other's faces that neither of them feel very at the moment either.

At Gail's house Gail, Amanda and Helen are chanting the spell. They are standing in a circle with Cryto in the middle. "Powers of the witches rise, course unseen across the skies, come to us who call you near, come to us and settle here."

"It's not working." Cryto says.

"It will," Gail says.

"Powers of the witches rise, course unseen across the skies, come to us who call you near, come to us and settle here." Gail, Helen and Amanda chant.

At the warehouse the powers rise out of Buffy, Prue, Piper and Phoebe's bodies and float over to the house.

Later back at Gail's house Buffy, Prue, Piper and Phoebe pull up in the car. They get out and go inside.

"Aunt Gail?" Prue asks.

"Anybody home?" Piper says.

Phoebe shakes her head, "I don't understand what the hell is going on."

"Piper and I told you something wasn't right." Buffy says.

Prue nods, "Yeah, well, what's not right is I have the feeling it's Gail and her friends who summoned this demon."

Phoebe sighs, "Yeah, but if that were true, then why would Aunt Gail want us to come to Santa Costa?"

They walk in the kitchen.

"It stinks." Prue says.

Piper nods, "This is what I'm saying."

Buffy shakes her head, "No she's talking about the smell. I think it's coming from here."

They walk down into the basement.

"What is that smell?" Piper asks.

They see the clothes on the floor.

"Wait a minute, what are those?" Phoebe asks.

Prue nods, "Oh, I would say by the looks of things, that's Amanda and that would be Helen."

"Oh my Goddess!" Buffy says.

"I hope that didn't happen from drinking the tea." Phoebe says.

Prue shakes her head, "Yeah, that must of happened when they tried to summon Cryto. Although, I don't see Aunt Gail here. That's a good sign I hope."

A rat runs past them. Piper gets a fright and when she tries to freeze it, nothing happens.

"What's the matter?" Phoebe asks.

"I don't know but I can't freeze that rat thing." Piper says.

"What?" Prue and Buffy said.

"You try move it." Piper says to Prue.

Prue tries to move it but it doesn't work. She looks to Buffy who tries to power up a fireball, but nothing happens. "Okay, what the hell is going on with our powers?"

"Maybe we oughta ask Aunt Gail." Phoebe says.

Moments later Piper's looking at a photo, Buffy and Prue's looking at pieces of paper.

Phoebe walks in holding a hemlock root. "Well, they were definitely making a potion. Hemlock root."

"No wonder the tea tasted funny. How did we let her do this to us?" Piper says.

Prue sighs, "Because we trusted her."

"I just followed your guys lead since you all knew her." Buffy says.

Phoebe nods, "Yeah, well, she just got crossed off my Christmas list."

"Aunt Gail was Grams' best friend. She used to bake us cookies." Piper says.

Buffy nods, "And now she's spiking our tea."

"But why?" Piper asks, "Just to be young again? I mean, she had to know she'd be giving up her soul in exchange."

"Maybe it wasn't just for youth. Maybe it was for health. These are all doctor bills. Recent ones. Radiation treatment, chemo therapy. I don't think she has very long to live." Prue says.

Phoebe shakes her head, "That still doesn't excuse what she did. What she did to us. I mean, you can't use magic to save yourself."

"No, not without consequences and there's no bigger one than giving up your soul." Buffy says.

"I just don't understand. Why steal our powers?" Phoebe asks.

"Cryto must of wanted more out of the bargain. Aunt Gail was desperate enough to give it to him." Prue says.

"We shouldn't of left her alone in the attic." Piper says.

Phoebe nods, "Okay, well, we have the potion, if we can find the spell then we should be able to transfer our powers back."

"Are you kidding? We won't be able to get near him." Piper says.

"Well, he has our powers but that doesn't necessarily mean he knows how to use them. Besides, do you have a better idea?" Buffy says.

Piper nods, "Go home and call it a day?"

"Funny. Come on." Prue says.

Moments later they're in the car and they stop at a stop sign. The elderly men, that are now young, pull up beside them.

"Hiya, toots," Man #1 says before they drive off.

Phoebe frowns, "Wait a minute."

"Tell me those aren't the same guys you asked for directions." Buffy says.

Prue nods, "Uh, okay, Cryto's close. Let's drive."

They pull up at the gas station a moment later.

Gail sees them and runs outside. "Prue, run, hurry!"

They get out of the car.

"Aunt Gail?" Prue asks.

Cryto makes a crow bar fly towards them, they duck and it hits the window of Piper's car.

"So much for him not knowing how to use our powers." Piper says.

"At least he's not learned to use mine yet."

Cryto pushes Gail on the ground.

"I've got one power he doesn't have." Phoebe says.

Cryto makes Phoebe fly through the air.

"Phoebe." Piper and Buffy says.

"Well two can play at that game," Buffy says.

Prue pulls Buffy Piper behind a petrol bowser. "No, no, okay, wait. It's just way too dangerous."

"I'm still a Slayer, Prue." Buffy says.

"No." Prue says.

"Nobody's sending me back." Cryto says.

"But we can't just sit here," Piper says.

Prue shakes her head, "No, we have to think. Alright, what do we know about our powers that he doesn't?"

Gail runs behind a car where Phoebe is. "Oh, thank God."

"Stay away from me." Phoebe says as she looks above the car over at Prue, Buffy and Piper, she puts her hands up and nods.

"Alright, Phoebe's thinking what we're thinking." Prue says.

"Great, what are we thinking?" Piper says.

Buffy smiles.

"You can't hide from me." Cryto says.

"I didn't want to die. It was wrong. Here, you'll need this." Gail says as she gives Phoebe the spell.

"The spell." Phoebe says.

"Just follow my lead." Prue says, "You two ready?"

Buffy nods, "Ready."

"Uh huh." Piper says.

They come out from behind the petrol bowser.

"Alright, we give up." Prue says.

Buffy raises her hands, "Yeah we give up."

Piper frowns, "Excuse me?"

Phoebe sneaks up behind Cryto.

"No, no, no, Phoebe, wait, he'll freeze us." Prue says.

Cryto turns around and freezes Phoebe. Or so he thinks. "That's a marvellous power." He turns back around and Phoebe kicks him.

"Good witches don't freeze." Phoebe says.

They run away and around behind a different building.

"Okay, what do we do about Gail?" Phoebe asks.

"Well, without our powers there's nothing much that we can do. Buffy is the only one with any kind of power at the moment."

Buffy sighs, "And you didn't want me going after Cryto at the gas station."

Prue sighs, "Because there was no tactical advantage, Buffy. It would have been suicide."

"Okay, so we have to get back our powers and then find Cryto before he finds us." Phoebe says.

"Agreed. Alright, let's go." Prue says.

Buffy, Prue and Phoebe start to leave but Piper just stands there.

"Piper, come on." Buffy says.

Piper shakes her head.

"Piper, what's the matter?" Prue asks.

"I've had it." Piper says.

Phoebe frowns, "What do you mean you've had it? Had it with what?"

"With being a witch." Piper says.

Moments later they are walking towards Gail's house.

"We can't just leave your car." Phoebe says.

"We'll call a cab." Piper says.

Buffy shakes her head, "That'll cost a hundred bucks."

Piper shakes her head, "I'm not going back to town. I'm through with demon hunting."

"Piper, come on." Prue says.

"There's really nothing more to say." Piper says.

"Well, if it's getting back our powers that you're worried about, I can do that, I have a spell that can do that." Phoebe says.

Piper shakes her head, "I don't want my powers back."

"You don't mean that." Phoebe says.

Piper sighs, "Don't I? I think it may be my solution to all of my problems."

Prue frowns, "Piper, wait a second. I know exactly what you're going through. Remember when Andy died? I didn't want to be a witch anymore either."

Piper shakes her head, "That's different."

"How?" Prue asks.

"Because not wanting to be a witch isn't a symptom of something else like it is for you, Prue. For me it's the problem. It's the cause, it's the problem of everything. I just, I want a life that hasn't got a lot of death in it. I don't think that's too much to ask." Piper says.

"You can't do this." Phoebe says.

Piper shakes her head, "Phoebe, we're all gonna do it sooner or later. I'm just doing it first."

Inside the Gail's House Piper goes to the phone and starts dialing a number. Buffy hangs it up.

"What are you doing?" Piper asks.

Buffy sighs, "Piper, you can't do this. It effects all of us."

Piper sighs, "Buffy, I love you, you are my favorite cousin…"

"I'm your only cousin," Buffy says.

"…but I don't wanna give up having a life." Piper says.

Buffy shakes her head, "We're not asking you to."

Piper nods, "Yes you are. Just by asking me to be a witch."

Buffy shakes her head, "Piper, you were born a witch. It's not a choice, it's a fact."

"Says who?" Piper asks. "Up until two years ago I didn't know I was born a witch. Neither did you guys and we were perfectly happy then with perfectly normal lives. I miss that, don't you?"

Buffy sighs, "First off I haven't had a normal life for three years. And I'm still going to be the Slayer. The only way to change that is for me to die. You know being a witch actually makes my job as the Slayer easier."

Prue nods, "Yeah, well, sometimes. But look, I've accepted the fact that I can't just turn back the clock and pretend that it never happened and neither can you."

Phoebe nods in agreement.

Piper sighs, "I don't wanna end up like Aunt Gail, old and alone and wishing I was young again so I can do all the things I missed out on."

Prue hugs Piper. "We won't let that happen to you."

"No we won't my sister," Buffy says joining in on the hug.

Phoebe joins the hug. "Just help us get our powers back. Please? We can't do it without you."

"We won't do it without you." Prue says.

They go down to the basement.

"How do we know Cryto will even come here?" Piper asks.

Prue shrugs, "If he's gonna look for us, he's gonna start here."

Piper puts the iced-tea on the table.

"Well, we can try summoning like Gail and her friends did." Phoebe says.

Buffy shakes her head, "I think that only works with spirits, Pheebs."

"I still don't understand how we're gonna get him to drink this without having any powers." Piper says.

Prue smiles, "We have to get him to use one of the powers he doesn't know how to use yet."

"Astral projection?" Buffy asks.

Prue nods, "Exactly. If we can distract him long enough to be in two places at the same time..."

"We might be able to trick him into thinking that I'm still looking for the potion." Prue says.

"Alright, I'm only doing this for you guys and if I get killed, I'm gonna haunt the both of you forever." Piper says.

Buffy smiles and hugs Piper, "I don't know about these two. But I would be grateful to have you haunting me."

"Yeah, yeah. Got the spell?" Prue says.

"Yes. I got it," Phoebe says as she hands it to Prue.

"Anybody home? I know you're here and I know where you are." Cryto says from outside. Phoebe and Buffy runs to the stairs.

Cryto walks in and Phoebe and Buffy in tandem kick Cryto and he falls down the stairs. Prue and Piper push some shelves on top of him.

"Buffy, Phoebe, the potion." Prue says.

Buffy and Phoebe head up the stairs out of the basement.

"No!" Cryto says as he crawls out from under the shelves and makes Prue and Piper fly across the room and they land on the ground hard.

"Ow." Piper says.

"Ohh." Prue says.

"We got it!" Buffy calls down.

"Buffy, Pheebs, get the potion." Prue says.

"Start chanting the spell." Phoebe says.

"We need the potion first." Piper says.

"It won't work." Cryto says.

"Just start, we've got a plan." Buffy says.

"Powers of the witches rise, course unseen across the skies, come to us..." Piper and Prue chant.

Cryto astral projects into the other room and his body falls to the ground.

"Get the potion," Prue says.

Upstairs Cryto appears.

Phoebe smiles, "Pretty nifty power, huh?" She and Buffy hits him in the throat and kicks him.

"Do it!" Buffy says.

In the basement Prue opens Cryto's mouth and Piper gets ready to pour in the potion. "Give him all of it."

Piper pours the potion in his mouth.

Cryto astral projects back in his body.

"He's coming back." Phoebe calls down just as she and Buffy come down the stairs.

"Powers of the witches rise, course unseen across the skies, come to us who call you near, come to us and settle here." Prue, Piper, Phoebe and Buffy chants.

Their powers float out of Cryto back into them.

"Wanna see what does freeze?" Piper says as she freezes Cryto.

"Pheebs." Prue says.

Phoebe smiles, "What witches done and them undone, return this spirit and back within, and separate him from his skin." Cryto unfreezes and he gets separated from his skin just before he explodes. "Ouch. That look liked it hurt."

"Yeah, well, I hope so for Aunt Gail's sake." Prue says.

Buffy nods, "And Helen and Amanda's."

The next day back at the Manor Piper opens a box and brand new boots are in there. "Very nice."

Prue smiles, "Well, we thought you might appreciate a pair without demon blood."

"I do, very much. Thank you." Piper says.

Buffy nods, "So my sister, Prue, Phoebe and I were kind of wondering..."

Phoebe nods, "Because we want you to be happy."

Prue smiles, "Very happy."

Buffy nods, "But we were wondering if we should be budgeting for more shoes or not."

"Well, I wish I could tell you getting my powers back made me appreciate what I lost..." Piper says.

"But..." Phoebe says.

Piper sighs, "But I feel like I'm back we're I started. I mean, I understand what you guys are saying and everything but I can't change the way I feel."

Buffy nods, "So you really are quitting?"

"I want to for all the reasons we already talked about but, um, I'm only gonna do that if and when you guys want to also." Piper says.

Phoebe smiles, "Well, I'm always gonna wanna be a witch. That's for sure."

Prue smiles, "She's young."

Phoebe shakes her head, "Oh, give me a break."

Buffy nods, "I will always want to be a witch. But its more because of the fact it makes my being the Slayer easier. I would love to have a normal life but I know for me at least it's not really in the cards. Even if I live to be a whitehaired old Slayer. I will still be a Slayer."

"Alright, I gotta go," Piper says.

Phoebe smiles, "Good luck." Piper leaves. "Oh, poor Dan. So do you think we should worry?"

Prue shakes her head, "No, he'll be alright."

"I mean, about Piper quitting," Phoebe says.

Buffy nods, "Maybe."

Phoebe shows Buffy and Prue her glasses.

"About time," Buffy says.

"You little liar. You did go see the optometrist." Prue says before looking at Buffy, "You knew?"

Buffy nods, "Yeah I knew. I confronted her before we left for Gail's."

"Yeah, well, let's just say I'm not as concerned with my vanity anymore." Phoebe says as she puts on her glasses.


	43. Chapter 43: Astral Monkey

**Chapter 43: Astral Monkey**

Piper's reading some mail as Buffy and Phoebe walks in still in their pyjamas.

"Morning." Phoebe says.

"Morning, my sister," Buffy says.

Piper smiles, "Hey, Pheebs, Buffy."

"Uh, did you get the postcard from Dan?" Phoebe asks.

Piper nods, "Yeah, it sounds like he's having a great time."

"What's the matter? Is something wrong?" Buffy asks.

Phoebe turns and looks in the cupboard.

Piper nods, "We got another letter from Dr. Williamson."

"Williamson?" Phoebe asks. "Isn't he the specialist that treated you and Buffy for Arroyo fever?"

Buffy nods, "That would be him."

Phoebe opens the pantry, "Oh that was months ago. What does he want?"

"He wants us to come in for blood work so he can make sure we're cured." Piper says.

"An angel brought you both back to life," Phoebe says. "Trust me, you're both cured."

Buffy nods, "We know, but we can't exactly tell him that."

Phoebe nods, "So just throw the letter away."

Piper sighs, "We have been. He just keeps sending more."

Phoebe looks in the bin, "Here's my Granola." She pulls out an empty box of Granola. "What's it doing in the trash? I just bought this two days ago. Who eats this besides me?"

"Leo, but I'll replace it, I promise." Piper says.

Phoebe throws the box back in the bin, "Um, Piper, um, I don't want you to think I mind because I don't but if Leo's gonna be living here then I think we should probably set some ground rules, you know."

Piper shakes her head, "Leo doesn't live here."

"He eats breakfast here," Buffy says.

"Uh huh," Piper says.

Phoebe sighs, "A lot."

Piper nods, "Maybe he just likes cereal. You really think he's here that much?"

Phoebe nods, "He's like the big brother I never wanted." Piper gives her a look. "I mean, had."

Buffy nods, "Piper you know I'm happy for you and Leo. But he is here a lot and he does eat our food a lot."

Prue walks in, "Morning. Pheebs, um, Evan Stone, ever hear of him?"

Phoebe smiles, "Hello. Red Death. I've only seen that movie like five times."

Buffy rolls her eyes, "What movie haven't you seen, Pheebs."

"Yes, I know, I'm doing a photo shoot with him today," Prue says.

"How much do I hate you right now?" Phoebe asks. "Unless of course the tabloid rumours are true. In which case I really hate you. He is supposed to be..."

Prue shakes her head, "Shh! I do not want to know anything about him. I just wanna take his picture and leave. And I need to go get ready."

"Uh, Prue, you don't think Leo lives here do you?" Piper asks.

Prue nods, "I mean, yeah, of course he does but, I mean, it's fine as long as you're happy, that's all I really care about, not that I was unhappy when I saw Leo all naked in the shower and just all wet."

Piper nods, "Okay, so you guys just need to make up some ground rules, you know, what's acceptable and not acceptable and..." Phoebe and Prue leave the room. "I'm serious."

Buffy looks to Piper, "I agree with Prue as long as your happy, I'm happy. Though I do have one, well two ground rules. But one really isn't enforceable."

"What?" Piper asks.

"Bathroom. Prue said she walked in on Leo when he was in the shower. We need something setup so that doesn't happen again. So we don't walk in on him and he doesn't walk in on us. Talk about embarrassing." Buffy says.

Piper nods, "That sounds reasonable. What's the other?"

"As I said this one really isn't enforceable, since Leo doesn't make money as a Whitelighter. But it would have been nice if he paid for his share of the food. With the four of us and Prue starting her new job as photographer. Money has been a little tight lately." Buffy says.

Piper nods, "I guess your right. I don't know what we can do about it since like you said isn't paid for his work. I'll think it over."

"Talking about thinking things over." Buffy says as she picks up the letter from Dr. Williamson and puts it in the bin. "The answer is still no."

Piper nods, "Agreed."

At the movie studio Prue pulls up in her car. She gets out holding her camera bag and walks inside. A make-up artist is applying make-up to Evan Stone's face. Prue walks up to him. "Evan Stone?"

Evan nods, "Yes."

Prue smiles, "Hi, uh, we have a date. I'm Prue Halliwell, 415 magazine."

They shake hands.

"Bring security, I think I found another tabloid photographer." Lucy says.

Prue shakes her head, "Me? Uh, no, no, no. I am not with a tabloid." She tips out her purse. "I am with 415." She finds her pass and shows it to her. "I have an appointment."

Lucy nods, "Sorry. We've just had photographers sneaking in here all week. That's why I'm here. I'm Lucy. Evan's publicist."

"Hi," Prue says.

Lucy frowns, "And this is a temporary ID. This could be a problem."

Prue nods, "Yeah, well, that's because I'm a new employee at the magazine. I mean, you can call Gil Corso, I'm sure he'll be happy to confirm it."

"I'll keep an eye on her while you do that. Okay?" Evan says.

Lucy walks away.

"So what happens if Mr. Corso's in a meeting?" Prue asks. "What, you send me flying with nagi kick?"

Evan shakes his head, "I -. You know aikido."

Prue nods, "Yeah, well, it comes in, uh, handy with my line of work."

Evan laughs, "Photography business must be rougher than I thought."

"Only when publicists don't trust temporary ID's," Prue says.

Evan nods, "Lucy's a really cool person. Newly promoted. Just struggling to control her new power, that's all."

"I can certainly relate to that," Prue says.

Later in the kitchen Piper's on the phone. Buffy's on the extension.

"You're calling us at home?" Piper asks.

"Yes, Miss Halliwell. I would like you and yoru cousin to meet me in my lab as soon as possible." Dr. Williamson said.

"We're not going anywhere," Buffy said.

"Look, you both don't understand, this is very important." Dr. Williamson said.

"Goodbye, Doctor," Piper says.

"Look, I need your-" Dr. Williamson says.

Buffy and Piper hangs up the phones.

"Who does he think he is?" Buffy asks.

Piper shrugs.

Leo walks in just then. "Piper? Buffy?"

Piper smiles, "Leo, hi."

"Hey, Leo," Buffy says.

"Everything okay?" Leo asks looking between Piper and Buffy.

Piper shrugs, "I don't know, that was Dr. Williamson. He's been sending us letters, trying to get Buffy and I back to the hospital for follow up tests and we're not going. What are you doing here? Please don't tell me there's a demon running around."

Leo shakes his head, "No, I just figured since it was your day off, maybe you could spend it with me."

Piper smiles, "Oh, did you now." She and Leo hug each other.

Leo nods, "Yes, I did. Are you two sure you're alright?"

Buffy nods, "Yeah, I mean, it's not like he's ever gonna figure out that you were the one who saved us so we're not gonna worry about it because there is nothing to worry about."

Piper nods, "What Buffy said."

At the movie studio Prue's taking pictures of Evan. "Uh, can you just lift your chin a little bit because there's a shadow." Evan lifts his chin slightly. "Thanks." All of a sudden a monkey appears behind Evan. "What a cute monkey."

"Monkey?" Evan asks.

Prue nods, "Yeah, he's right behind you."

The monkey astral projects back in its body.

Evan turns around. "What are you talking about?"

"Okay, thanks." Prue says.

"You're leaving?" Evan asks.

Prue nods, "Uh, yeah, I'm finished."

Evan sighs, "We just got started."

Prue smiles, "Right, and, uh, I got a great shot, it was perfect." She walks outside and Evan follows her.

"Ms. Halliwell." Evan says and Prue stops and turns around. "Your car keys." He holds them up.

"Oh." Prue says and she goes to take them but he drops them. They both bend down. He picks them up, holds her hand and places them in her hand. They stand up and Evan leans close to Prue.

"You can take my picture anytime, Ms. Halliwell." Evan says.

Prue smiles, "Thank you."

Later back at the Manor Prue walks in kitchen from the back door. "Hey, you are never going to believe what happened today."

"Yes I will. I saw Notting Hill." Phoebe says.

Prue frowns, "What are you talking about?" Phoebe points to card in a bunch of flowers that is on the table. Prue picks up the card. "They're from Evan."

Phoebe sighs, "I hope you're happy, you're stealing away my dream man. 'Prue, what really happened? Evan.' Something happened?"

Prue nods, "Yes, but not with Evan Stone. Is Piper and Buffy here?"

Phoebe nods, "Yeah, Piper's in the living room with Leo, again. And Buffy last I checked was upstairs doing her homework."

Prue nods as she calls out, "Buffy. Piper. Leo."

"So are you gonna tell me why he sent you flowers?" Phoebe asks.

Prue shrugs, "You know, I just have no idea."

"And they say the youngest is the most naive." Phoebe says.

Prue leans over to smell the flowers but Phoebe stops her as Buffy, Piper and Leo walk in.

"Prue, you're back early," Piper says.

Prue nods, "Yes, I am, that's because a monkey astral projected to me on the set today."

"A monkey?" Buffy asks.

Piper shakes her head, "Astral projected?"

Prue nods, "Yeah, and, and it waved at me, okay, like it knew me or something. I think it wanted my help."

"I think you're working way too hard." Phoebe says.

Prue shakes her head, "You know, Phoebe, I saw it. Okay, and-and-and it had like an ID bracelet from a hospital on its arm."

"Prue, I don't think monkeys can astral project." Buffy says before she looks to Leo, "Can they?"

Leo shakes his head, "Not without powers. And it would have to have your power too, you know, to find you, magic to magic."

"My power? How can it have my power? I have my powers. Alright, wait, so, so, you're saying that a monkey is sharing my powers?" Prue says.

"Is that even possible?" Phoebe asks.

"After all you've seen and done over the last two years, you tell me what's impossible." Leo replies.

Piper frowns, "You said something about a hospital wristband?"

Prue nods, "Yeah, it had a rose on it."

Buffy gets the letter from Dr. Williamson out of the bin. "Did it look anything like this?" She shows her the rose on the letter.

Prue nods, "Yeah. Exactly like this. Wait, is this the same Dr. Williamson?"

Piper nods, "Yeah, he's been sending me requests for weeks and he called this morning and said he wanted to see me and Buffy."

Prue frowns, "What?"

"Wait, you didn't tell me he called you." Phoebe says.

Piper sighs, "Well, there was nothing to say."

"We hung up on him," Buffy says.

"Do you think he found out about our powers?" Piper asks.

"B.O.S." Prue says.

Phoebe frowns, "B.O.S.? Oh, Book Of Shadows."

Phoebe and Prue leave the kitchen. The Whitelighters call Leo.

"They say it's important," Leo says.

Piper smiles, "Okay, um, come back soon."

Leo nods, "Okay."

They kiss and Leo orbs out.

Buffy sighs, "How much do you think we should worry?"

"I don't know," Piper says.

Later at the hospital, Prue, Buffy, Piper and Phoebe walk in to Dr. Williamsons' lab. The place is a complete wreck.

"Wow, what a mess," Phoebe says.

They see four monkeys.

"Well, too bad we can't ask them where Williamson is," Piper says.

Prue nods, "That's the same monkey."

Buffy nods, "It looks like it knows you."

They monkeys chatter at them.

"Okay, it looks like they know all of us. Come on." Prue says.

They walk over to the cages.

Piper frowns, "He named them after us."

"That's really scary," Phoebe says.

Prue nods, "Alright, we need to, uh, take a look around and make sure there's nothing else here that could expose us."

Buffy nods, "Well, maybe that's why the monkey projected to you, Prue. Maybe she was trying to warn you."

They look through all the files on the table.

"All of these files say Halliwell," Piper says.

Prue nods, "Yeah, well, look at all these tests that he took. Okay, not just on blood that he took from you and Buffy but blood that he took from Phoebe and me."

Buffy frowns, "He has spent months trying to figure out how Piper and I survived the Arroyo fever."

"This grant request says that he is looking for a universal antibody." Prue says.

Phoebe takes their blood out of a fridge, "Maybe he thought it was in your blood."

One of the monkeys uses Prue's power and a banana floats through the air. Another monkey freezes it. A third monkey toasts it.

Prue frowns, "Buffy, Piper. Phoebe. Okay, so, um, I think it's safe to say that Dr. Williamson probably knows about us."

"Do you think he's been injecting our blood into those monkeys?" Phoebe asks.

Prue shakes her head, "I don't know but we need to get them outta here before somebody walks in, sees something flying and everybody finds out about us."

They unlock the cages and Phoebe picks up a monkey. She has a premonition of Dr. Williamson with their powers.

"Okay, not only does Williamson know about our powers, but he's got one of them, telekinesis," Phoebe says.

Piper frowns, "Wait a minute, you remember what he was like when Buffy and I were sick. He had the CDC here, the media. If we don't stop him, the monkeys aren't going to be the only one's in cages."

"Ok first things first. You guys check and see if Dr. Williamson is still around. I'll flame the monkeys to the Manor." Buffy said.

Moments later Piper, Prue and Phoebe walk down a corridor looking for Dr. Williamson as they walk past a nurses station Prue notices she and Evan on the TV. "Wait."

"Who is this mystery woman in Evan Stone's life? Why did he send her flowers? Tune in tonight and find out." A reporter says.

Phoebe frowns, "I thought you said nothing happened."

Prue nods, "Yeah, he was just returning my car keys."

"It was more than a miracle. It was as if he was clairvoyant. He said his brother in-law was going to have a heart attack and ten seconds later he collapsed." A nurse says.

"And he could tell that just by looking at him?" Another nurse asks.

The nurse shakes her head, "No, he touched him first."

Phoebe frowns, "I'd say premonitions for 500, Alex."

Piper walks over to them, "Excuse me. I'm a patient of Dr. Williamson. Do you know where I might find him?"

Nurse nods, "He was heading towards the records room."

Piper smiles, "Okay, thank you." She walks back over to Prue and Phoebe.

Prue frowns, "So he's using our powers in public."

"At least he's not hurting anyone." Phoebe says.

Prue sighs, "Yet."

They walk to the records room. Piper freezes the secretary.

"Dr. Williamson's long gone," Phoebe says.

Prue and Phoebe start to leave.

"Wait, wait, wait. He came in here for a reason." Piper says and they walk over to the computer. "It's a list of names and addresses of people who were admitted in the jail ward in the hospital. Benny Ritter is highlighted." She prints out the page. "Access by Dr. C. Williamson."

Outside Benny Ritter's place Paramedics are taking Benny to the ambulance on a stretcher. Prue, Piper and Phoebe walk up to the police table as Darryl sees them and walks over to them.

"Should I be afraid to ask what you guys are doing in this part of town?" Darryl asks.

"We're not sure. What happened?" Piper asks.

Darryl sighs, "Some low life named Benny Ritter had a kidney removed, not that he could tell us that, he was found sedated."

"Who is he?" Buffy as she comes up behind her cousins. Prue looks to Buffy as if to ask where are they. "Safe."

"A drug dealer. Busted last week out on a technicality." Darryl says.

Piper nods, "Any idea who did it?"

"Med-techs said whoever gutted him, stitched him up, left a note, something about internal sutures secure, morphine for the pain." Darryl said.

"He left a note?" Prue asks.

Darryl nods, "Yeah, we'll definitely be looking for somebody with medical training."

"You can't," Buffy says.

"I had a feeling you were gonna say something like that. Wanna tell me why?" Darryl says.

"Only that it's supernatural," Prue says.

Darryl nods, "I can't really tell them that."

"It's the best we can do for now, Darryl," Phoebe says. "You're the one that said you didn't wanna know what we were into."

Darryl sighs, "But I suppose you want me to keep you posted."

Prue nods, "Yes, but more importantly just be careful."

Darryl turns and walks away.

"So much for not hurting anybody," Buffy says.

Prue nods, "Well, we have to find him before the cops do. Piper?"

Piper sighs, "I keep thinking if Buffy and I'd answered one of his letters..."

They turn and walk back to Piper's car.

"Buffy, where are they?" Prue asks.

"At the Manor in the cages. I flamed the monkey's cage and all." Buffy said.

Back at the Manor Prue is on the phone, "Mr. Corso, you know that I am not Evan Stone's girlfriend. Are you laughing at me?"

Phoebe runs in and grabs a monkey. "Can somebody please help me?"

Buffy and Piper comes in holding both Book Of Shadows.

"Okay, there is nothing in here about mortals or animals having powers, let alone how to get the powers out of them." Piper says.

Phoebe nods, "We'll find something, Piper."

Buffy picks up a monkey, "Okay, um, when? Because Dr. Williamson has already stole somebody's kidney and what's gonna be next?"

"I'll explain everything just not now. Okay, bye." Prue says as she hangs up.

"Except for the magic monkey part, right?" Phoebe asks.

Prue nods, "No, I thought I'd leave that part out."

They hear voices and see camera flashes from outside.

Piper frowns, "What's that?"

Phoebe shakes her head, "Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God. It's photographers." She looks out the window. "They're everywhere on the lawn."

"Okay, close-close the curtain." Prue says.

Phoebe pulls down all the blinds. The doorbell rings several times. "There are more coming. I'll be right there. More are coming."

"Do you think they saw anything?" Buffy asks.

Piper nods, "Yeah, like stolen monkeys."

"Who knows but at least they didn't see any magic." Phoebe says as she picks up a monkey. Leo orbs in. "Never mind."

A monkey jumps in Leo's arms.

"Sorry." Leo says.

Phoebe nods, "Uh huh."

Leo sighs, "I'll ask later. Right now I've got some bad news about Dr. Williamson." He hears the reporters outside.

Piper frowns, "That's the press, they're after Prue."

They all walk in the kitchen. Piper hands Prue a monkey.

"Thanks." Prue says.

Buffy walks in holding a monkey, "So what's the bad news?"

Leo nods, "Well, simply put, Dr. Williamson is cosmically screwed. He's got your powers in his mortal body. It took generations to prepare you for that, you can handle it, he can't."

Piper takes the monkey off of Leo. "So what's going to happen to him?"

"He'll go mad." Leo says.

"Just from our powers?" Prue asks.

Leo nods, "Yes."

"Wait, are you saying that out powers are in our blood and he injected himself with it?" Phoebe asks.

Leo nods, "That blood, yeah. See, the spell that you cast to cure Piper and Buffy changed everything and now it's changing Dr. Williamson. See, your magic is meant for doing good but in the wrong person, somebody not ready for it, that need to do good things..."

"Could go bad?" Buffy asks.

Leo nods, "Real bad. Piper, Buffy, it's nobody's fault. Dr. Williamson chose his own path. This is not the consequence of anybody's actions except his own. Still, you have to find a way to stop him before things get worse."

"If they haven't already." Piper says as she hands the monkey back to Leo.

Phoebe nods, "Okay, I'm gonna make a potion to separate powers from witches."

"They're monkeys," Buffy says.

Phoebe nods, "With witches blood. I don't know what else to do. Maybe if it works on them it will work on Williamson."

Prue nods, "Alright, I-I gotta figure out a way to get rid of these reporters otherwise we can't do anything and figure out a way to go talk to Evan."

"I'm gonna go call Morris. He needs to know what he's up against," Piper says.

Leo nods, "If only to keep yourself from being exposed as witches."

"Yeah, that too." Piper says.

Buffy smiles, "I have a way for you to go talk to Evan Stone, Prue."

Prue sighs, "Flaming me over there could possibly expose…"

Buffy sighs, "I can set us down in a secluded part of the studio and then you can go talk to him. That way we don't have to worry about trying to sneak you out."

Prue nods, "Okay. But lets flame out from upstairs where those reporters on the front lawn don't see us leaving."

Buffy nods, "Good thinking."

At the movie studio Evan is on set with two other guys practicing a scene.

"And cut! Terrific guys, print that." Director yells.

Evan walks over to Buffy and Prue who's waiting near by.

Prue smiles, "Hi."

Evan puts his fists up and playfully pretends to fight Prue. "Who's your friend?"

Buffy smiles, "Actually cousin, Payson Halliwell."

"Okay, I might hurt you. Evan, our front yard is filled with photographers. Okay, they are watching my every move. I had to get Payson to drive me over so they wouldn't follow."

"Oh, come on, it'll blow over. You're a normal red blooded American girl with nothing to hide, right?" Evan says.

Prue nods, "Right, but, uh, I can't really do my job with flash bulbs going off in my face every single second."

Evan nods, "You can't fight back. That's like struggling in quicksand. Don't play. Look, whatever energy they're throwing at you just pass right on by. Because eventually that energy comes back around leads to someone else."

Buffy shakes her head, "Yeah, uh, okay, we really appreciate the whole wax on wax off approach but couldn't your people just issue some kind of statement?"

"What, are you kidding me? You're working the bad boy image." Evan says.

Prue shakes her head, "Evan, please."

"You got a cell phone?" Evan asks.

Prue nods, "Course I do." She hands it to him. "Who are you calling?"

Evan smiles, "Celebrity peep shows. They use tipsters to tell them what's going on, who's doing who. I'm the tipster." He dials a number. "Copnec Julius. Shh." He speaks in a weird voice. "Hello, this is Julius. Evan Stone and his new girlfriend are at the baby sound stage. They're going off to dinner. Hurry down there if you want to catch them." He hangs up and gives the phone back to Prue. "I say you've got about fifteen minutes to get out of here."

"You know you're going to get trampled." Buffy says.

Evan smiles, "I'll handle it. I'll just tell them I dumped her. I'm a bad boy, remember."

"Sure you are. Thanks for the flowers." Prue says.

Evan nods, "You deserve them. Along with that quiet normal life you seem to want so badly."

Prue smiles, "Thanks." She and Buffy turn and leave to find a quiet place to flame out.

Later at Sally Dopler's place. She's fixing up computer parts. "Bobby, been busy while I was gone. You got a buyer for these? 'Cause I've got somebody in county that might be able to move them for ya. Bobby!"

Dr. Williamson walks in holding a cooler. "Was that his name?" He puts down the cooler and gets ready to use Prue's power. Suddenly, he flies across the room and Prue, Piper and Phoene run in.

"Get out of here now." Prue says.

Sally grabs some computer parts and runs outside.

"Dr. Williamson..." Piper says.

"Piper." Dr. Williamson says.

"Listen to us, you're sick," Buffy says. "You're doing terrible things."

Dr. Williamson shakes his head, "I'm saving lives."

Piper she hakes her head, "No, you're hurting people." She and Buffy walks towards Dr. Williamson.

Prue frowns, Buffy, Piper, be careful."

Buffy nods indicating she heard Prue, "We have medicine for you. We think it might help."

"You know, I really have you both to thank for all this. I couldn't do it without you." Dr. Williamson said.

Piper frowns, "Don't say that. Here, take this, it will make you better." She holds the potion out for him and he makes her and Buffy fly across the room.

"Piper." Prue says.

Dr. Williamson does the same to Prue. Phoebe kneels down beside Buffy and Piper. He walks over near Phoebe. Phoebe stands up.

"We wanna help you," Phoebe says.

Dr. Williamson shakes his head, "I don't want your help. I'm doing great things, I'm saving lives. And I got a lot of work to do."

Phoebe frowns, "Okay, uh, well, this is for the monkeys." She punches him in the face. "And this is for my sisters and cousin." She goes to kick him but he makes her fly across the room. She gets knocked unconscious. He steps on the potion and breaks the jar.

Later back at the Manor a map is on the table and Phoebe is holding a crystal above it.

Prue walks in, "Any luck?"

Phoebe shakes her head, "No, and I can't figure out another way to find him. All I have to do is locate him through his powers."

Buffy sighs, "Yeah, but his powers are our powers."

Phoebe nods, "Right, exactly, so the crystal keeps circling our street. And I keep finding us."

"Okay, keep trying," Piper says..

"Guys, we need to talk about what we're gonna do," Prue says.

Buffy frowns, "What do you mean? I thought we already had a plan, I mean, we have the potion."

Phoebe shakes her head, "No, not anymore, he trashed it."

Piper sighs, "So we'll make more."

Phoebe frowns, "With what? I have nothing else to use and the only shop that carries what I need closed four hours ago. And even if I made more elixir, Piper, Buffy, we'd never get it into him. He's much stronger than we are."

"Guys, he was our doctor. He tried to save our life, remember." Buffy says.

Prue sighs, "He could of killed us, Piper, Buffy."

Piper shakes her head, "But he didn't."

"No, but he might be out there right now trying to kill someone else," Prue says. "Look, we need to face the fact that he's one innocent that we might not be able to save."

"But he needs help," Buffy says.

Prue nods, "I know that, honey."

Piper sighs and looks at Buffy before looking back at Prue, "Okay, then, so what are you suggesting?" Prue and Phoebe look at each other. "You guys wanna vanquish him? You can't be serious, he's, he's not a demon, he's a human being."

Prue shakes her head, "Not anymore."

"But, okay, we can't use our powers to punish anyway you know that," Buffy says.

"Buffy, Piper, we're not punishing, alright, we're saving lives. Piper, all you have to do is freeze him." Prue says.

Piper frowns, "And then what? You're gonna move him in the path of an oncoming bus, drop a building on him, kill him?" Leo walks in. "Leo, tell me you found something, anything."

Leo shakes his head, "Sorry. I don't think there's anyway out of this one."

Buffy sighs, "I don't believe this."

The crystal points to a different place on the map.

"I found him." Phoebe says.

Later at an abandoned building. Homeless people are sleeping there. Buffy, Prue, Piper and Phoebe arrive to find Dr. Williamson is there.

"Dr. Williamson, we can help you but you have to stop hurting people." Piper says.

Dr. Williamson shrugs, "If you say so." He goes to throw the scalpel but Prue uses her power and it flies out of his hand. All the homeless people run outside. "You should of stayed away." He uses Prue's power and a circular saw blade flies straight towards them. Piper freezes it.

Phoebe frowns, "Okay, Piper, freeze him, him, him."

Piper freezes him but he fights through it. "It's not working."

Prue nods, "Whatever you do, do not unfreeze that thing."

Dr. Williamson makes another one fly towards them and Prue uses her power to stop it and it continues to spin in one spot. They both use their powers to try and push it back towards each other. "You know, I'm getting pretty good at this."

Prue frowns, "Okay, he's really, really strong."

"I don't know how much longer I can hold this." Piper says.

"Piper, you do not let that go, okay, you do not let that go!" Phoebe says.

"Dr. Williamson please don't make me do it," Buffy says.

"Piper, when I tell you to, just let go." Prue says.

"What?" Buffy and Phoebe asks.

"But..." Piper says.

Prue nods, "We're done playing around. Hit the deck now." She makes the blade fly in a different direction. They all duck and the other blade unfreezes. The blade rebounds off the wall and flies straight towards Dr. Williamson and hits him in the chest. Dr. Williamson pulls the blade out and collapses on the floor.

"No!" Piper and Buffy says as they run over to him.

"Oh, God. Please don't die." Piper says as she starts to cry.

"Come on. Look at us, come on, come on. Please don't die." Buffy says as she too starts to cry.

"Buffy, honey. Piper, honey." Phoebe says

"I'm sorry." Piper and Buffy says.

That evening Phoebe's putting her and Prue's files from Dr. Williamson in the fireplace. "Bye, bye, files."

"Well, at least everything's back to normal..." Prue says asshe looks over at the monkeys who are sitting on the couch eating stuff out of a bowl, "…for us."

Phoebe nods, "At least we're safe."

"Yeah, what about them?" Prue asks.

Phoebe smiles, "Oh, they'll be safe tomorrow when I drop them off at the wild life conservatory. Hey, watch this. You guys, what do you think of evil?"

One monkey covers its eyes, the other puts his fingers in its ears and the other covers its mouth. Prue and Phoebe laugh.

"You're gonna miss them aren't you?" Prue asks.

Phoebe nods, "Yeah."

Piper and Buffy walks in holding their files.

"Hey, we've been wondering where you two have been." Prue says.

"Oh, you know what? I have something for you," Phoebe says as she gets a piece of paper out of her pocket and hands it to Piper.

"What is this?" Piper asks.

Phoebe smiles, "Uh, ground rules for me."

Piper reads the note. "I want a man who hates my brand of cereal so there'll always be some for me. A man who's love will catch me by surprise. What is this?"

Phoebe nods, "It's a wish list. I hope I find someone as great as Leo. You deserve the best and I think you found it."

Buffy nods in agreement, "You can forget the ground rules I mentioned also. While it would be nice to know when Leo is in the shower I'm not going to worry about it. As long as your happy, my sister."

"So you guys don't mind if he's hanging around a lot?" Piper asks.

Prue nods, "We just want you to be happy, honey." Piper and Buffy walks over to the fireplace and puts their files in. "Piper, Buffy."

"Are you two okay?" Phoebe asks.

Piper looks to Buffy and sighs, "His name was Curtis."

"Who's name was Curtis?" Phoebe asks.

"Dr. Williamson. Piper and I read it in his medical bio. His first name was Curtis. He never married because he was working all the time. Saving lives was more important to him than having a life of his own. Now his life is over and Piper and I can't help but feel responsible for that." Buffy says.

Phoebe nods, "We tried to save him."

Piper sighs, "But we didn't."

"Because we couldn't," Prue says.

Buffy shakes her head as she indicates herself and Piper, "We couldn't." They turn and leave the room.

"Should we, uh...?" Phoebe asks.

Prue shakes her head, "No, not this time."

Up in Piper's room, she and Buffy walk in and Piper closes the door. They sit on Piper's bed and they start crying as they hold each other.

Leo orbs in and sits down next to them. He puts his arms around them and pulls both Piper and Buffy into a group embrace as he tries to comfort them both.


	44. Chapter 44: Be Careful What you Witch

**Chapter 44: Be Careful What you Witch For**

Phoebe is groaning while Piper is bandaging up her ankle. "Check my to do list. It says bank, dry cleaners, pedicure. No where on the list does it say kick box a beast. Just walking along, minding my own business and 'wham!' it was like a random attack, a demonic drive-by."

Piper smiles, "Nothing in our lives is random anymore."

Phoebe nods, "You know, we keep saying that but what does it really mean? Is there some kind of cosmic order to all this? Are we on some kind of list? And if so, how many points are we worth?"

Buffy rolls her eyes, "Pheebs…"

"What? We've had a great year, we've wiped out a tonne of nasties. I just wanna know if we've tripped some supernatural alarm or anything. Owie! And are we ever gonna learn what it really means?" Phoebe says.

Leo nods, "Well, not to sound all Whitelightery but everything happens in its own time. You can't rush what's to be."

Buffy sighs as she thinks about Angel, "Wish we could."

Piper nods, "Okay, how about what already is. Dan is back in town."

"So?" Leo asks.

Piper sighs, "So what am I gonna tell him? The last time I saw him he handed me proof that you were killed in 1942. He's gonna expect a reaction from me."

Buffy laughs, "How about "Hey Dan, you're right, I am a necrophiliac."

Piper frowns, "Buffy."

"Ow!" Phoebe says, "Watch what your doing, Piper."

Prue walks in. "Hey."

Piper nods, "Where are you off to?"

"Lunch date with Dick." Prue says.

"Dull Dick?" Phoebe asks. "Prue, you are too hot to have to duty date."

Prue nods, "Yeah, well, all demon hunting and no play has made me a lot less picky. I gotta figure out a way to put some more balance in my life."

Buffy shakes her head, "Yeah, but you don't need Dick." Prue, Piper, Phoebe and Leo smile. "What I mean is you should be excited to see the guy you're dating. You look like you're off to the inquisition."

Prue shakes her head, "This coming from the person who's love life is on hold due to a certain vampire. Seriously it's not that bad."

"Okay, Buffy and I have to go open the club. Are you gonna be alright, Pheebs?" Piper asks as she stands up.

Phoebe nods, "Yes." Leo helps Phoebe up. "Thanks Leo. I'm gonna take a walk and try to loosen up my ankle." They walk into the foyer and open the door. There is a box sitting on the doorstep. Prue picks it up. "What is that?"

"I don't know." Prue says as she opens the lid.

"I seriously hope that's not from my stalker." Buffy says

"Somebody got a secret admirer?" Piper asks as she takes a bottle out of the box.

"Eww, it's so dusty," Phoebe says. "Who would send us something so dusty?" She rubs the bottle, the lid flies off and the genie appears.

"Your wish is my command." The Genie says.

They stand there in awe.

Moments later in the living room…

"I don't get it. You've been stuck in that bottle for 200 years, someone finally sends you to us and you have no idea who licked the stamp? I kinda find that hard to believe." Phoebe says.

"What, and a genie man standing in our living room wearing that offering to each grant a wish isn't?" Prue asks.

"Well, I don't get it. You win the lotto and you're asking for explanations?" Genie says.

Piper sighs, "Actually, we'd just like to know who to send the thank you note to."

"All I know is that you rubbed and now I serve. Oh, look at that. Mmm. Snacks." Genie says as he walks over to the table and picks up a peanut. "What I wouldn't give to taste food just once. Smell it even."

Leo frowns, "I don't trust him. Genie's are tricksters by nature. They can and will do anything just to be freed."

Genie shakes his head, "What are you the butler? Come on, everybody's got wishes. I mean, most people spend their entire lives with their wishes never coming true. Here's your chance."

Buffy shakes her head, "No way is this legit."

"Oh, you don't think so?" Genie asks. "Well, I'll tell you what is. I stay until I grant four wishes. One from each of you, those are the rules. No wishes, permanent house guest. And I snore, I make house calls I can't even pay for, you think I'm gonna be putting the CD's back in the right case? No. Alright, talk amongst yourselves, I'll be over here, alright. I have a hunch that I'm going to be here for a while. It's a nice house." He walks into another room.

"He's enjoying this," Prue says.

"Alright, Leo, what else do you know about Genies?" Piper asks.

Leo sighs, "Well, the good thing is they're not evil by nature, they can't harm you unless you wish for something."

The genie is in the other room throwing a vase up in the air.

"Well, I mean, what is so dangerous about a wish?" Buffy asks.

"Well, with genie's there's always a catch, an unseen consequence," Leo says. "For example, say a man wishes for a car, the next day his dad'll die and he'll inherit a car."

Piper nods, "So as long as we don't wish..."

"You're free and clear," Leo says.

Prue nods, "Clear enough to make a lunch date?"

Phoebe nods, "If what Leo says goes, you three go on ahead. Leave the genie with the cripple, I'm not really in a wishing mood."

Buffy shakes her head, "You think you can handle the club alone?"

Prue kisses Phoebe on the cheek. "Thank you gimp." She leaves.

Piper looks to Buffy, "Yeah, why?" She looks to Phoebe, "You sure?"

Phoebe nods, "Yeah, I'll look through the Book and see if we can UPS him back to wherever he came from."

"I'm going to stay here and help Pheebs keep an eye on our mystery guest."

Piper nods, "Alright."

Leo and Piper leave the room. The genie comes back in. "So, uh, what's it gonna be, master?"

Phoebe's flipping through the Book Of Shadows.

Genie appears. "Hi. How about great fortune? You want that?"

Phoebe shakes her head, "After taxes, not worth it."

"No? Land, power, beauty?" Genie asks.

Phoebe shakes her head, "Nope."

"Okay, who am I kidding?" Genie says.

Phoebe nods, "Why are you not in this book?"

"Because the only way to get rid of me is to make four wishes," Genie says. "Come on, large or small. I do all kinds. Only no world peace, I can't do that."

"The fine print of wishing. Your job has its limitations." Phoebe says.

Genie nods, "Yeah, well, so does yours." He looks at her foot.

"Occupational hazard." Phoebe says.

Genie nods, "Mmm hmm. Doesn't have to be. You could wish to be as powerful as you want."

Phoebe thinks about it for a second. "Nope, nope, I-I am not interested in that."

Genie shakes his head, "Oh, not interested, not interested in absolute power. You're a rocket scientist."

Later in Buffy's room, she's on the phone talking to Willow.

"Yeah this genie could be the answer to my problems. Angelus would no longer be a hassle with one wish." Buffy says.

"I know Buffy, but from what you said you learned from Leo, genies are tricksters. He could subvert the wish." Willow says.

"I know," Buffy says with a sigh, "Still I wish Angel was finally taken care of and that I could move on with my life."

Genie smiles as he peers around the corner of the doorway, "Your wish my command." He whispers as he snaps his fingers and then Buffy vanishes.

"I know Buffy," Willow says. She hears nothing but silence, "Buffy are you there?"

Buffy wakes up to find herself in the Manor but all the lights are out. She gets up to turn on a light and finds there is no power. "Phoebe?" There is no response. She walks out of her room and searches the entire house to find she is alone. "Where is everyone?" She looks out the front window and sees a cab drive by with an advertisement for the 2005 World Series. "I'm in the future again?" Then she sees why there is no power, a sign out front of the Manor lists it 'For Sale'.

In the present Phoebe's sitting in a chair in the attic reading a book. The genie appears right next to Phoebe and scares her.

"Do not do that." Phoebe says.

Genie smiles, "Is that a wish?"

Phoebe shakes her head, "No, it is not a wish."

Genie nods, "So, figure out how to get rid of me yet?"

"Yeah, all I have to do is get you back in the bottle. I have no idea how to do that but I will figure it out." Phoebe says.

Genie nods, "Well, wish and it will be so. Otherwise your only shot is if I volunteered to leave willingly and, uh, news flash," he sits on the footstool where Phoebe's foot is resting and he hits her ankle, "that's not gonna happen."

"Oww!" Phoebe says as she winces in pain.

"I'm sorry. Look, could you stop trying to banish me just long enough for me to try a little something on you. It's-it's-it's wish free." Genie says as he starts massaging her foot.

"Ow, ow, ow. Wow, ooh, oh. How'd you learn how to do that?" Phoebe asks.

Genie smiles, "Little something a Sultan taught me."

Phoebe nods, "Um, just out of curiosity, what would you wish for yourself? I mean, you must of heard them all, right? So what would be your wish?"

Genie smiles, "That's easy. I wish for the little things, you know. Things people take for granted. I mean, the feeling of a sun tan, taste of ice cream, preferably chocolate. Sex. That looks like that could be a little bit of fun. To be human. Yeah, that's what I'd wish for. So what did you do to yourself here?"

"I was demon dueling. One of my kicks was a little off centre." Phoebe says.

Genie nods, "So, uh, did you finish them off with your scary witchy power?"

Phoebe shakes her head, "No, that, that is my power."

Genie frowns, "That's it?"

Phoebe nods, "That and premonitions."

"You're a witch with no real powers? I mean, no, you know, premonitions, those are, those are great but..." Genie says.

Phoebe nods, "I know, I know. I mean, I would love an active power but what can you do?"

The genie stands up. "You just done it." Phoebe throws down the book, stands up and covers her mouth. "And I know exactly where to get one."

"Was that a...?" Phoebe asks.

Genie smiles, "A wish? Yeah, yeah it was." He clicks his fingers and a choker disappears from around his neck. "And that's four and I'm free."

Phoebe frowns, "Four? That wasn't even one."

Genie nods, "That's four. I'm gone." He starts leaving.

"Okay, if you're free then where's my power?" Phoebe asks as Genie leaves. "Hello? Ge..."

In 2005 Manor Buffy walks over to a phone and finds the line is dead. She pulls out her cell phone and dials.

"The number you have reached is no longer in service."

Buffy frowns, "That's weird. Why would P4's number be disconnected. I'll try Piper's cell." She dials.

"Hello?"

"Piper?" Buffy says.

"Yeah, who's this?" Piper says.

"It's Buffy," Buffy says. "Why is there a For Sale sign in front of the Manor?"

"Very funny, Willow. You know Buffy has been missing for 7 years." Piper says.

"Missing? But I'm right here. I'll prove it. Tell me where your at and I'll flame to you." Buffy says.

"Sure Willow. 1630 Revello Drive. You know Willow your getting pretty good at that glamour you even sound like Buffy." Piper says.

Buffy hangs up and flames to the address Piper gave her. She knocks on the door and Piper opens it.

Piper's jaw drops, "Buffy?"

"Yes, my sister." Buffy says.

And right then those two little words told Piper this was really Buffy. Only Buffy called Piper, 'my sister'.

In the present Piper, Leo and Prue walk in to the attic.

"Phoebe?" Leo asks as he looks around.

"I'm up here." Phoebe says from where she is floating up in the air. "I can't get down. I don't know how I got up."

Leo floats up in the air and is helping Phoebe down. "I've got you."

Phoebe smiles, "Thank you, Leo."

Leo nods, "No problem."

They land on the ground.

"That is so totally cool. So do I get that power when I get old too?" Prue asks.

Piper shakes her head, "Alright, let's get something straight. We are not old, we are just older than you are right now for some reason. Where's Buffy?"

Phoebe frowns, "Wait a minute. Exactly how old are you?"

"Seventeen." Prue says.

Piper frowns, "Seventeen? Prue was a nightmare at that age. Why would she wish for that?"

Leo shakes his head, "She probably didn't. She probably only wished for something she could only get by being seventeen. Which explains why she has no memory of being older. Also I can't sense Buffy anywhere."

Phoebe nods, "Yeah, but how is that even possible? I mean, it's so..." She starts floating again and Leo holds her arms.

"Alright, you know what? How about you just keep your arms down until you learn how to work the controls." Leo says.

Phoebe nods, "Got it. Good idea. Why can't you sense Buffy?"

Leo shrugs, "I don't know. It's like she just vanished from the face of the planet."

"Are you sure you don't remember anything about witches? Genies? Dick?" Piper asks Prue.

Prue shakes her head, "No, but it sounds totally bitchin'. This is such a cool book. What is it?" She starts flipping the pages.

Piper shakes her head, "I'll tell you when you're older. Let go of it. Stop it. Stop it."

"You guys have another problem. At seventeen, Prue didn't have her powers yet which makes you guys more vulnerable. And with Buffy missing, she can't augment either. On top of that how long do you think vampires will notice the Slayer is missing?"

Phoebe nods, "Yeah, especially if whoever sent the genie is a demon or something."

They hear the front door fly open from downstairs.

"Where's my power? I want it back."

Phoebe frowns, "Who is that?"

"A demon or something." Piper says before looking to Prue, "You stay here."

Phoebe nods, "You stay."

Leo, Piper and Phoebe walk half way down the stairs. "Remember what I told you about wishes and strings attached? That genie gave you a power but he must of stolen it from him."

"So are we thinking demon or warlock?" Piper asks.

Phoebe shrugs, "I don't know."

Prue comes down the stairs. "Oh my God, who's the hottie?"

Piper frowns, "Oh my God, get her out of here now. Go." Leo takes her back upstairs. The dragon warlock breathes fire at them and Piper freezes it and him. "Okay."

"Okay, okay, alright." Phoebe says as she hops down the stairs with Piper's help.

"Easy." Piper says.

Phoebe nods, "Okay, now what?"

Piper shrugs, "Well, we can't vanquish him if we don't know what he is."

Phoebe nods, "So why don't I just fly him outta here and dump him somewhere."

"I don't know, can you do that?" Piper asks.

Phoebe shrugs, "I have no idea but I can try to do that. I mean, I've always wanted an active power, right?"

Piper nods, "Uh huh."

"So let's see what it can do." Phoebe says.

"Alright." Piper says a little uncertain.

Phoebe smiles, "Alright." She raises her arms and she starts flying. She grabs the dragon warlock, he unfreezes and she flies outside.

"Phoebe?" Piper says.

In Piper's house in 2005 Buffy is sitting on a couch.

Piper walks in from the kitchen and hands her a cup of tea. "Where have you been for the last 7 years?"

Buffy sighs, "Piper for me it hasn't been 7 years. It's been only a few minutes?"

"What?" Piper asks.

Buffy sighs, "Phoebe was in the attic watching the Genie. I was in my room talking to Willow on the phone."

Piper frowns as she remembers the incident. "The day Prue and Phoebe died."

"What?" Buffy asks. "Prue and Phoebe are dead?"

Piper sighs and nods, "Yes. You must have accidentally made a wish in front of the genie that sent you here. Prue and Phoebe were killed by a warlock that day."

Buffy looks down at the floor and then back up at Piper, "I'm so sorry, my sister. You lost all three of us in one shot."

Piper nods, "Yes. I'm okay though. For me it's been seven years, I grieved a long time ago. We have to figure a way to send you back though. If you go back maybe we can prevent this future from happening."

Buffy nods, "Agreed. We have to find a way to send me back. I know I shouldn't know too much about the future and all. But I tried calling you at P4…"

Piper sighs, "After you disappeared and Prue and Phoebe died it just became to much for me. We were partners and with everything it was just too much to handle. It's why the manor is for sale. I haven't set foot in the manor in four years. For awhile I held on to it hoping you would come home. But I finally decided you weren't coming home and I had to move on."

In the present Piper's in the attic looking in the Charmed Book.

Leo walks in, "Your new little sister's in the bedroom checking out the clothes."

"Nice to see some things never change. Uh, I think I found our fire breather." Piper says.

Phoebe flies past the window. "Uh, guys?"

Leo reads from the Charmed book, "Dragon Warlock..." Piper looks behind her but is not sure where the noise is coming from. "Most feared witch killer there is. He can fly, breathe fire," Phoebe flies past another window. Piper looks outside again but sees nothing, "has supernatural strength. You're gonna need the power of three to vanquish him."

Piper nods, "Which we don't have right now. We don't even have the power of two augmented either." She starts walking towards the window. "If I ever find that genie again, I'm gonna wish him into oblivion." Phoebe flies past the window again yelling. "Did you hear that?"

"Hear what?" Leo asks.

Suddenly, Phoebe flies straight towards the window and crashes through it. She slides across the floor. Her hair is all messed up.

"Oh my God, are you alright?" Piper asks.

Phoebe nods, "Uh huh."

Piper helps her up, "Alright."

Phoebe smiles, "I'm great."

Piper sighs, "Okay, alright, oh, oh, alright."

Phoebe smiles, "Flying's awesome, it's the landing part that's a bitch."

Piper nods, "Yeah. Alright, Leo, how do we fix this? How do we get Prue back to her current age and Buffy back from wherever she was sent."

Phoebe smiles, "Oh, I know how to fix it. According to the book we've gotta get the genie back into the bottle. It's the only way to undo the wishes and make everything back to normal."

Leo nods, "Yeah, but first we gotta find him and we don't even known where to start."

"Well, he's really got a thing for food. Maybe he went back to that cafe where he found Prue." Phoebe says.

Leo nods, "It's worth a try."

In the attic of the Manor in 2005 Buffy and Piper flame in.

"So why did you want to do this here?" Buffy asks.

Piper sets the Charmed Book down on the couch, "Because if we manage to send you back. That means you could wind up with being exposed if you arrive in the wrong location. Doing it here makes the odds of that not happening much lower."

Buffy nods, "Okay. Piper can I ask?"

Piper shakes her head, "Leo and I never got married. I never had that child we saw in the future. When I was grieving for you, Prue and Phoebe I pushed him out of my life. Now you will have to say the spell. I can't do it, I bound my powers."

At the Manor the phone's ringing. Phoebe goes to answer it. "Hello?"

"When I first got the call, I naturally dismissed as a crank. But I realised it was Deputy Marrow on the other end." Darryl says.

Phoebe nods, "Okay, Darryl, can you speed this up because I'm kinda busy right now."

"What, flying? Now, see I've learned to interpret those pauses as admission." Darryl says.

Phoebe sighs, "What did he see?"

"Actually it was his wife. She swore she saw a brown hair, young woman fly over the house earlier... without a plane." Darryl says.

Phoebe smiles, "How about a broomstick?"

"Phoebe, this isn't funny. Just the fact that a call like that got brought up to me gives you some idea of the pressure that I'm under here." Darryl says.

Piper calls from the other room, "Phoebe?"

Phoebe nods, "In here… Okay, Darryl, I'm really sorry okay, it won't happen again but I gotta go, bye, bye, bye." Piper and Leo walk in. "You didn't find the genie?"

Piper nods, "We did but then we lost him. Where's Prue?"

"Upstairs, reminding me what a pain she was at seventeen." Phoebe says.

Piper nods, "Now you know why she was lucky to make it to eighteen."

"Why? What do you mean?" Leo asks.

"Well, you remember it better than I do." Piper says.

Piper nods, "It was Prue's rebellious stage. She thought everything bad was good, especially the guy she thought she was in love with."

Phoebe nods, "Until he attacked her."

Leo frowns, "What?"

Piper sighs, "And Grams went crazy when she found out. Come to think of it, that guy disappeared not too long after that. You don't suppose Grams..." the doorbell rings, "I'll get it. You go watch Prue." Phoebe goes upstairs. Piper opens the door and a really old man is standing there. "Can I help you?"

"Piper, why the hell is this happening to me?" The man says.

Phoebe comes back downstairs, "Prue snuck out of her window, we have to go find her."

"Phoebe, that's Dan." Piper says.

In the attic of the Manor in 2005 Buffy stands before Piper who's holding the Charmed Book open to a page.

"Hear these words, Hear the rhyme. Heed the Hope within my mind. Send me back to where I'll find. What I wish in place and time." Buffy says, but nothing happens.

Piper closes the book, "The wish must be what's keeping you here. We've tried that spell several times now with no success."

"So I'm stuck," Buffy says.

"Hopefully not," Piper says. "Hopefully my past self will come up with a way to get the genie back in the bottle."

"But you didn't," Buffy says.

"No I didn't. But I may not be her." Piper says.

"What do you mean?" Buffy asks.

"What if the wish created for you an alternate reality one that is different than how things will turn out. If that is the case it's possible your Piper and I are not the same Piper." Piper says.

Buffy nods understanding, "If they can reverse the magic I should automatically go back."

Piper nods, "Yes. And this world will cease to exist."

Buffy sighs, "In a way that means you would die."

"I guess in a way it does." Piper says. "But it is a sacrifice I am willing to make. To return you home to prevent this world from happening."

Back in the present Piper's trying to call Prue. Phoebe's touching things trying to get a premonition.

"She's not answering." Piper says.

Phoebe nods, "Well, maybe she doesn't know how. Were there even cell phones eight years ago?"

Piper nods, "She knows what a ringing phone sounds like doesn't she?"

"Maybe I should fly around and see if I can spot her car." Phoebe says.

Piper shakes her head, "You'll never be able to find it. You have a hard enough time controlling your power in the day time let alone at night."

"Why can't I get a premonition when I want to? If I had one wish right now, that's what it would be." Phoebe says.

Piper sighs, "At least your wish isn't hurting anyone. Look what mine did."

Phoebe shakes her head, "That's not your fault."

Piper sighs, "How can it not be? Dan is aging because I wished for him to move on with his life. He would be fine if it wasn't for me. It's not fair, he doesn't deserve this. It's bad enough the wishes are biting us in the ass but not him. This shouldn't be happening to him."

Phoebe nods, "We have to find the genie. It's the only way to save Dan... Buffy and Prue."

Some time Later Phoebe's alone in Prue's room. She picks up Prue's purse off the bed and has a premonition of the genie's bottle falling under the chair.

A moment later Phoebe comes down the stairs. "Piper!" Piper and Leo walk out of the living room. "I just had a premonition. I have no idea what it means..."

The phone rings. Piper answers it.

"Hello?" Piper asks.

"Piper, thank God, you have to help me." Prue says.

"Prue?" Piper asks.

"Where is she?" Phoebe asks.

"Piper, he's trying to kill me... dragon... he's trying to kill me and I don't think he's human." Prue says.

Piper nods, "Okay, calm down. Uh, where is he now?"

"I don't know. I think he's, he's following me. You have to come quick." Prue says.

Piper nods, "Okay, Prue, where are you?"

"Golden Gate Park." Prue says.

Piper nods, "Okay, listen to me. Go to the lake where dad used to take us fishing, remember? And hide under the bridge until we get there, okay."

"I think he's coming." Prue says.

"Prue? Prue?" Piper asks as the line goes dead.

"What?" Phoebe asks.

"The dragon's after her." Piper says.

Piper and Phoebe grab their coats.

"It's a trap, you know it's a trap." Leo says.

Phoebe shakes her head, "It doesn't matter, Leo, we have to go anyway."

Leo nods, "Alright, well, at least go with a plan. Try using your new power, fly over head, spot him before he spots you."

Piper smiles, "Alright." She kisses Leo in the cheek. "Uh, stay with Dan. We'll be back."

Leo nods, "You better be."

"We gotta hurry, it's gonna be light soon." Piper says as they leave.

In the Attic of the Manor in 2005 Buffy and Piper are sitting on the couch.

"Piper I want you to promise me something." Buffy says.

"Buffy." Piper says trying to derail her cousin from where she is heading with the conversation.

"Piper, please. Just in case this world doesn't disappear if I should go back." Buffy says. "Promise me you won't sell the Manor and you will reopen P4."

Piper looks down at the Charmed Book in her lap and then back at Buffy, "I don't know if I can, Buffy."

"I do, Piper. This is not you, at least not the you I know." Buffy says.

"You forget I went through a lot, Buffy. Your disappearance, Prue and Phoebe's deaths." Piper says.

Buffy sighs, "Piper I know it was difficult for you loosing all of us. But you need to move on. Besides you really think Prue or Phoebe would want you close the club or sell the manor?"

Piper shakes her head, "No they wouldn't. Alright I'll do it. On one condition."

Buffy smiles, "Sure."

"I'm going to rename the club in your honor." Piper says.

"I'd like that," Buffy says.

Back in the present at Golden Gate Park. It's daylight. Phoebe and Piper pull up in the car.

"Okay, you think you can control the power this time?" Piper asks.

Phoebe nods, "I'll have to, I have no choice. Alright, I'll spot the dragon, you freeze him."

"Then we find Prue and get the hell outta here. Alright, go, fly." Piper says.

Phoebe raises her arms and she flies up into the air.

Prue comes running towards Piper, "Piper! Piper! Piper!"

"Prue!" Piper says as he starts running towards Prue.

"Piper!" Prue says.

Piper shakes her head, "No, Prue, shh. Go back! Go, go!" The genie runs out from behind a tree and grabs Piper. The dragon warlock also runs out from behind a tree and grabs Prue. "What are you doing? Let go of me."

"I'm sorry," Genie says.

"Let her go! Let go of her damn it!" Piper says.

The dragon warlock pulls out a knife.

"Piper." Prue says, scared.

Piper frowns, "No."

The dragon warlock sees Phoebe flying. "Come on. Keep coming. Come and save your little sister."

Phoebe frowns, "No."

Piper shakes her head, "No, no, no, no." The dragon warlock plunges the knife into Prue's back. "Nooo!"

Phoebe flies towards the ground, "Prue!" She lands flat on her stomach on the ground.

Dragon Warlock smiles, "Time to get my power back." He throws Prue on the ground and heads over to Phoebe.

Piper frowns, "Let go." The genie lets go of her, she freezes the dragon warlock and runs over to Prue. "Prue!"

Phoebe gets up and runs towards Prue. Piper kneels down next to Prue.

Phoebe is crying and panicking, "Oh my God, oh my God, what do we do, what do we do?"

Piper nods, "Leo can heal her. I know he can. We just need to get her home. Go get the car, Phoebe, go get the car."

"Oh my God." Phoebe stands and starts running back towards the car. "First Buffy, now Prue."

"Oh my God, what have I done?" Genie asks.

Later back at the manor, Phoebe and Piper are carrying Prue through the back door into the kitchen.

"Leo! Leo!" Phoebe calls out.

Leo comes in. Phoebe and Piper lay Prue on the floor. "What happened?"

Piper shakes her head, "Never mind, just heal her. Quickly, come on." Leo kneels down beside Prue and holds his hands above Prue. His hands glow but doesn't heal Prue. "What's the matter? Why isn't it working?"

"Leo." Phoebe says with concern.

Leo sighs, "I can't heal the dead."

Phoebe and Piper cry harder.

"Yes you can." Piper says.

Some time later Piper and Phoebe are sitting on a chair crying and holding each other. Leo and the genie walk in.

"What the hell is he doing here?" Phoebe asks.

Leo shakes his head, "Wait, wait, just hear him out, he may have an idea."

Genie nods, "Listen, I'm so sorry. All I ever wanted was my freedom, that's it, that's all that I was thinking about. I'm just a genie..."

"Get to the point!" Piper says angrily.

Leo nods, "He's willing to give up his freedom. Go back in the bottle and return everything to the way it was."

"Even Prue and Buffy?" Phoebe asks.

Genie nods, "It should. I mean, technically teenage Prue is the one who got killed, not adult Prue. And Buffy was simply transported through time. The wish is reversed she should return."

Piper nods, "How do we know this isn't just another trick?"

"Well, if it gets Prue and Buffy back you'll have the power of three augmented to vanquish the dragon. What have you got to lose?" Leo says.

Piper and Phoebe look at each other and then Phoebe takes the lid off the genie's bottle.

"After you." Phoebe says.

The genie claps his hands once and rubs them together. He disappears into the bottle.

"Try to fly." Piper says.

Phoebe lifts her arms and nothing happens. Phoebe runs in the kitchen and Leo and Piper run in the living room.

In the kitchen Prue changes back to an adult.

In the living room Dan changes back also.

In the attic Buffy appears. "Am I back?" She runs downstairs, "Prue, Piper, Phoebe?"

In the living room Piper and Leo hear Buffy, they turn towards the stairs as she comes down them.

"Buffy, my sister." Piper says and she hugs Buffy. She turns and tugs Buffy behind her as she and Leo lead Buffy towards the kitchen.

Phoebe has Prue's head resting on her lap. Buffy, Piper and Leo walk in.

"It worked. Buffy and Dan's..." Piper says.

Phoebe looks up at her cousin half joyed to see her and half sad that she has to come back to see that Prue is dead. "No it didn't."

Leo nods, "All it did was turn her back into her adult self, it didn't save her."

Buffy shakes her head, "We thought my going back could prevent this."

"Prevent this?" Piper asks. "What do you mean?"

"You told me, Piper. How Prue and Phoebe died. How the dragon warlock killed both of them. We thought my going back would change that."

Piper nods and thinks about it, "Wait, the genie's back in the bottle, so if we can get him out, then we have four more wishes, right?"

Phoebe nods, "All we need is one."

Buffy smiles, "We can wish Prue back alive again. I'll go get the bottle." She runs into the conservatory heading towards the bottle. The dragon warlock crashes through the window and pushes Buffy on the floor. The bottle gets knocked under a chair like in Phoebe's premonition. Piper, Phoebe and Leo come in.

Dan comes in from the other room. "Piper?"

Phoebe shakes her head, "Dan get down!"

Buffy flames out just as dragon warlock turns around and blows fire at Dan. Buffy flames back in grabbing Dan before flaming out again. She flames in on the second floor, "Dan, stay up here."

Phoebe kicks the dragon warlock in the stomach and he blows fire at her.

Leo pulls her out of the way and they crouch around the corner. "You see where the bottle went?"

Phoebe shakes her head, "No, I have no idea. Wait, yeah, in my premonition. You distract him."

"Right." Leo says.

Buffy flames in, "Okay where's the bottle?"

Leo orbs out.

"I know where it's at." Phoebe says.

"Too bad you don't have my power anymore." The Dragon Warlock says.

Leo orbs in behind the dragon warlock, "Hey, dragon breath, over here."

The dragon warlock turns around. Phoebe runs over to the chair and gets the bottle. The dragon warlock blows fire at Leo and he dives out of the way.

Phoebe rubs the bottle and the genie appears. "I wish Prue were alive." The genie clicks his fingers. "Buffy… Piper, go check on Prue."

Buffy and Piper goes in the kitchen.

Dragon Warlock frowns, "Where the hell did you come from?"

Genie shakes his head, "Oh, no, no, that's where you came from."

Buffy, Piper and Prue walk in. "The power of three will set us free, the power of three will set us free." Phoebe joins them. "The power of three will set us free, the power of three will set us free. The power of three will set us free, the power of three will set us free."

The Dragon Warlock starts flying and heads for the window. He explodes.

Later in the living room…

Genie nods, "They call themselves the Triad and they're scary dudes. Very high up on the evil food chain. It's only gonna be a matter of time before they send somebody looking for you."

Prue nods, "Just means we're doing something right if we got their attention."

"Plus it means that there's some method to this wiccan madness, some greater purpose. It's nice to finally know." Phoebe says.

Leo nods, "Be careful what you wish for."

"Oh, I am a reformed wish-a-holic, believe me. I'm in no hurry to get any new powers." Phoebe says.

Prue nods, "Yeah, besides, the power that you already have is the one that saved the day anyway."

Phoebe smiles, "I know and I love it. I just have to work on controlling it better."

"Yeah, and I'm gonna concentrate on finding Mr. Right, not settling for Dick." Prue says.

Buffy, Prue and Phoebe smile.

"Well, speaking of wishes, you still got three left, you know." Genie says.

Buffy nods, "Yes, we know and we already know what one of them is if you're up to it that is. In fact if we do it last it will negate the others. We want to make you mortal. Keep you off of the councils radar once and for all."

Leo nods, "True freedom. And not just from the bottle although mortality is the consequence."

"And feelings too. Even the painful ones." Phoebe says.

Genie smiles, "That's okay. I think I'm ready, I'm feeling very sensitive these days." Piper walks in. "Let me ask you something. Why would you do that for me? I mean especially after I helped kill you."

"Yeah, well, you also helped bring me back. And besides, once you're human, we don't have to worry about you tricking us again." Prue says.

Piper nods, "But there's one wish you have to grant first. One that I need. I want Dan to have peace of mind, to forget about all the horrible things that have happened in the last couple of days. About who we all really are. I wish that Dan could truly move on with his life without consequences."

Genie smiles, "Your wish is my command." He clicks his fingers and the choker around his neck disappears.

Piper walks outside and sees Dan in his front yard picking up the paper. He looks over at Piper and she waves. He waves back and goes inside. The genie comes outside. "No tricks, right?"

Buffy walks out the door.

Genie shakes his head, "No tricks. I promise. I've got no powers. You know it's a little weird you all had a fourth wish but chose not to use it."

"I know," Buffy says. "But I think for us we got everything we need right here. We don't need that fourth wish. If helps you though just think of your new found mortality as being two wishes."

Genie smiles and nods and he walks down the steps.

Buffy and Piper walks back inside and Leo, Phoebe and Prue are standing in the foyer.

"Well, that was an interesting couple of days." Prue says.

Buffy nods, "Interesting couple of years. Piper can I talk to you alone for a moment." Piper and Buffy head up the stairs and into Buffy's room. Buffy shuts the door behind them. "Piper when I went to the future you were alone. You were selling the manor and had closed P4 because of the grief and memories were too much for you. You never married Leo and never had that beautiful girl. When you were grieving you pushed Leo away. After my deal with my past life I promised you I wouldn't put you through that again and I failed."

"Buffy, you didn't…" Piper says.

Buffy puts a finger to Piper's lips, "I felt like it though, Piper. But in the end I think I made up for it. I convinced you to move on, reopen the club. Not to sell the Manor. You agreed with one condition."

Piper smiles, "What was the condition?"

"You were going to rename the club in my honor." Buffy says. "My point… well I guess I didn't have a point. I just wanted to tell you that, my sister."

Piper nods and hugs Buffy, she and Buffy walks back down stairs and join Leo, Prue and Phoebe in the living room.

The Elders call Leo.

"They're calling me, I've gotta go." Leo says.

Piper shakes her head, "Not so fast. If we're ever gonna make this work I think I deserve to know a little bit more about you, don't you think?" She looks to Buffy who nods.

"What do you mean?" Leo asks.

Piper smiles, "I mean, I'm going with you, Leo. I'd like to meet 'them'."

"Are you sure?" Leo asks.

Piper nods, "Positive." Piper puts her arms around him. "Take me to your leader."

"Uh, Piper? Wh-wh-whatta?" Phoebe asks.

Piper smiles, "Don't worry, I'll be back."

They orb out.

"Worried? I'm not worried, I mean of course they'll be back, right?" Phoebe says.

Prue nods, "Of course, I mean why would we worry?"

Prue and Phoebe look at each other, obviously worried.

Buffy shakes her head, "She'll be back. I know it."


	45. Chapter 45: Becoming Pt 1

**Chapter 45: Becoming Pt. 1**

Buffy is battling two vamps. She throws one as the other comes at her. She spars with the second vamp as the first circles silently around to her back. Buffy is well in control of the situation, very focussed. "Come on. Ooh, nice try." She easily parries another blow. "Now that was just sloppy. If you're not even gonna try, then. . ." She hammers him as she powers up a fireball. Just as the first vamp attacks from the rear she tosses the fireball beind her and the vamp dusts. The second vamp stops, worried. "I want you to give Angel a message for me. Tell him I'm done waiting. I'm taking the fight to him. You got that? Do you want me to write it down?"

Fury crosses the vampire's face - he lunges - and Buffy stakes his sorry ass. He dusts just like the first one.

"All right, I'll tell him myself." Buffy says as she goes over to a spot nearby and helps up a groggy Xander.

"I'm good, don't worry about me. . ." Xander says.

Buffy shakes her head, "You know, you don't have to patrol with me. I could have gotten Prue or Phoebe."

Xander nods, "Hey, I had that guy under control until he resorted to fisticuffs. What is that: five vampires in three nights?"

Buffy nods, "But no Angel."

"You really that anxious to come up against him?" Xander asks.

Buffy sighs, "I just want it over with."

"I hear that," Xander says.

Buffy nods, "We better get back. I haven't even started studying for finals."

Xander nods, "Oh, yeah, finals. Why didn't you let me die?"

Buffy smiles, "Look on the bright side. It'll all be over soon. Want me to flame you home?"

"Sure why not." Xander says as Buffy holds out her hand before they flame out.

The next day in the school cafeteria Xander is recapping last night's fight using fishsticks to demonstrate the story. "You can't sneak up on me! Tell Angel I'm gonna kill him - no - wait - I'm gonna kill you! Die! Die! ARRGGHH! Mother!"

"Is that it?" Cordelia asks.

Xander nods, "That's it. Scene."

Buffy nods, "Yeah, that's just exactly how it happened."

"I thought it was riveting. I was a little unclear about some of the themes." Oz said.

Buffy nods, "The theme is, Angel's too much of a coward to take me on face to face."

Xander nods, "The other theme was "Buy American," but it got kind of buried."

"Are you sure you're ready to fight Angel?" Willow asks.

Buffy sighs, "Can everybody stop asking me that? Yeah I'm ready. Also willing, also able. It's the one test I might actually pass."

"Don't say that. You're gonna pass everything. I'm gonna get you through this semester if I have to sweat blood." Willow says.

"Do you think you're likely to? 'Cause I'd like to be elsewhere." Xander says.

Willow rolls her eyes, "It was only metaphor blood."

"I think you'd sweat cute blood." Oz says.

"Sixth period, after my computer class, we'll rock on Chemistry." Willow says.

Buffy nods, "I'm ready to rock. You're the best, Will. Thanks. Though you'd think chemistry is one I would pass due to all the potions I've made."

"Boy, Willow, you've really gotten the teaching bug. Taking over that computer class, tutoring. . ." Cordelia says.

Willow smiles, "I love it. I really do."

"I think it's great to do that BEFORE you go out and fail in the real world. 'Cause then it's not like falling back on something, it's like falling. . . well, forward." Cordelia says.

"And almost sixty five percent of that was actual compliment." Xander says. "Is that a personal best?"

Cordelia shakes her head, "Gee, Xander, what are you gonna teach when you fail in life? Advanced loser-being?"

"I will teach the language of love." Xander says as he reaches for Cordelia, but she shrinks back.

"Don't touch me! You have fish hands!" Cordelia says.

Xander moves his hands toward her face. "Come, let me caress you. . ."

Cordelia laughs, batting away his hands. "Stop it!"

Principal Snyder appears, looking grim as usual. He clears his throat and everyone stops. "That's enough of that." He looks to Willow. "And you. Are we having a chair shortage?"

"I haven't read anything about - Oh! I get it." Willow says as she jumps off Oz's lap, sits in her own chair.

"These public displays of affection are not acceptable in my school. This isn't an orgy, people. It's a classroom." Snyder says.

"Yeah, where they teach lunch. . ." Buffy says sarcastically.

"Do you have something to say?" Snyder asks.

Buffy nods, "This is a cafeteria. I'm pretty sure."

"Always with the wisecracks. One day you're gonna go too far." Snyder says.

Buffy nods, "Or I could go with the classroom theory. . ."

"Just give me a reason to kick you out, Halliwell. Just give me a reason." Snyder says and he stalks off.

"How about, 'cause you're a tiny impotent Nazi with a bug up his butt the size of an emu?" Cordelia says.

Buffy nods, "Sums it up."

"Don'tcha think?" Cordelia says.

Xander nods, "Now 'lunch' I could actually teach."

"I can see that." Oz says. "Baloney. It's not a toy. Let's put it on the bread - The rye bread! Careful!"

"Do you want to come by tonight, do some cramming?" Willow asks.

Buffy shrugs, "Maybe. . . I do have to patrol."

"Again? Do you really expect Angel to turn up tonight?" Willow asks.

Buffy shakes her head, "No, I don't expect him to. And that's when he usually does."

Later that afternoon in the computer classroom.

"Waaahhh." Buffy cries out as as she taps it on her chem book. She is staring at the book, and at her own notebook. She is tiny and helpless. "This doesn't make sense!"

Willow nods, "Well, sure it does, see..." She looks at Buffy's work. "Oh, no, that doesn't make any sense. How can you make potions and not be able to do chemistry?"

Buffy shrugs, "Who knows. Maybe it boils down different types of things. One's magical the other isn't."

Willow looks over the notebook, "Oh, I see your problem."

"I'm a moron?" Buffy asks.

Willow frowns, "Will you stop that? You're not stupid. You've just had a lot on your mind. You can do all of this real easily but if you're just gonna give up then don't waste my time."

Buffy smiles, "Wow. You really are a good teacher."

Willow smiles back, "Good pep talk?"

Buffy nods, "I got the pep."

Willow nods, "Okay. Look at this. It's a covalent bond - which means these two atoms are linked by this one electron. You know, basic linkage. Hydrogen, Nitrogen, Chlorine. . ."

Buffy places her pencil on her book and it rolls off between the desk and the cabinet beside it. "Oh. Hold it." She reaches in and grabs the pencil - her fingers almost brushing the disk - but just missing it. She pulls the pencil out, straightens up. "Okay. I'm learn girl."

"Well, you see –" Willow says.

Buffy frowns, "Whoah. Deja vu."

"Really? Not like that time you kept repeating the same day I hope?" Willow says.

Buffy shakes her head, "I don't think so. But the thing with the pencil - I have a perfect memory of being exactly like –" She bends down again with the pencil - and this time she sees the disk. "—hey." She reaches in and grabs the disk. Holds it up. "I think you dropped this."

Willow shakes her head, "It's not mine. It might be something of Ms. Calendar's."

They look at each other. Willow pops it in the computer. They wait to see it come up on the screen.

"This feels kind of morbid." Buffy says.

Willow nods, "Well, I've gone through most of her files already."

"Does that make this less morbid or you really morbid?" Buffy asks.

Willow sighs, "I had to - to teach the class."

"Relax. I'm making with the funny. What does that say, "restoration"?" Buffy asks.

"It's one of her spells, I think. You know, she wasn't a practicing witch like you, but she did dabble in –" Willow says.

"Willow." Buffy says as she reads the screen, her eyes getting steadily wider.

Willow concentrates on the screen. "Oh boy. Oh boy." Buffy says nothing. "Oh boy."

Later in the library Prue, Phoebe, Xander, Cordelia and Giles are facing Buffy and Willow. Buffy holds a few sheets of printout in her hand. Everybody is quiet.

"What are you saying?" Giles asks.

"The curse. This is it." Buffy says as she holds up the sheaf of paper.

Giles steps forward, takes it, examines it.

Willow nods, "It looks like Ms. Calendar was trying to replicate the original curse. To restore Angel's soul again."

"She said it couldn't be done." Prue said.

Buffy nods, "Well, she tried anyway. And it looks like it might have worked."

"So he killed her. Before she could tell anyone about it. What a prince." Xander says.

"Well, this is good, right? I mean, we can curse him again." Cordelia says.

Phoebe takes the paper from Giles and looks it over.

Giles shakes his head, "It's not that simple. This points he way, but the ritual itself requires a rather more advanced knowledge of the dark arts than I can claim."

"Well, I. . . I've been going through her files and reading up and. . . I've been sort of checking out the black arts. Just for fun - or, educational fun." Willow says. "I might be able to work this."

Giles shakes his head, "Willow, performing this kind of ritual, channeling such potent majicks through yourself - it will open a door you may not be able to close."

Buffy shakes her head, "Will, I don't want you putting yourself in danger. Prue, Phoebe and I can do this."

Willow nods, "And I don't want danger. "No" to danger. But I might be the best person to do this. You can't do it Buffy because you need to keep Angel distracted. And Prue or Phoebe…"

"One of them will be with me on patrol," Buffy says getting where Willow is going. "The other one can help you though."

"HI! For those of you who have just tuned in, everyone here is a crazy person. This spell might restore Angel's humanity? Well, here's an interesting angle: Who cares?" Xander says.

Buffy frowns, "I care."

"Is that right?" Xander asks.

"Xander, let's not lose perspective here –"

"I'm perspective guy! Angel is a killer." Xander says.

"Xander –" Phoebe says.

"It's not that simple," Buffy says.

"What, come back home, all is forgiven? I can't believe you people!" Xander says.

"Xander has a point –" Cordelia says.

"You know just once I wish you would support me and I realize right now that you were and I'm embarrassed so I'm gonna get back to the point which is that Angel needs to die." Xander says.

Giles nods, "Curing Angel was apparently Jenny's last wish –"

Xander nods, "Yeah, well, Jenny's dead."

Giles moves forward like he might actually strike Xander. "Don't you speak of her in that insolent –"

"Can't you see what I'm saying –" Xander says.

Prue pushes Xander and Giles telekinetically away from each other. "All right, stop it!"

"What do you want to do? And who's going to be with me?" Willow asks.

Prue looks to Phoebe, "I'll patrol with Buffy. You can help Willow with the spell."

"Sounds good," Phoebe says.

"I don't know... What happened to Angel wasn't his fault..." Buffy says.

Xander nods, "What happened to Ms. Calendar is. You can paint this however you want. Way I see it you want to forget all about Ms Calendar's murder so you can have your boyfriend back."

Buffy shakes her head and looks at Prue, "Once he's had some sense knocked into him let me know. I'm going to go get ready." She flames out.

Willow glares at Xander, who returns her gaze firmly.

"Wow. Even I know that was insensitive." Cordelia says.

Xander stares Willow down, "Am I wrong?"

Willow doesn't answer.

Later back at the Manor Buffy is on the phone with Willow. As she talks, she loads her bag with weapons and crosses from her dresser. "Yeah, Prue and I'll do a couple of sweeps, then I'll stop by. Yeah, Xander was pretty much being a. . . Willow. Where'd you learn that word? My god. You kiss your mother with that mouth? I don't know. I don't know what I want." She sees something in the drawer, stops. "Okay. I'll see you in a while."

Buffy hangs up, picks up the claddagh ring Angel gave her. Buffy looks at it, silently.

Several minutes later Prue and Buffy walk down the street. Buffy comes to a row of tall hedges. Stops, turning. Did she hear something? Someone bursts out from between the hedges right behind them. She spins, takes an attack stance. "You know, polite people call before they jump out of the bushes and attack you."

Kendra smiles.

"Would you like to test my face-punching? 'Cause I think you'll find it's improved." Buffy says.

Kendra nods, "I was on my way to your house. Saw you walking. Couldn't help myself. Hello Ms. Halliwell."

Prue nods, "Kendra what did I tell you last time?"

"Hello, Prue." Kendra says.

Buffy nods, "Which begs the question and don't think I'm not glad to see you but why are you here? Wait. Let me guess. Your Watcher has informed you that a very dark power is about to rise in San Francisco."

"That's about it." Kendra says.

Buffy looks to Prue and shakes her head, "Great. Did he give you any idea of what this dark power is?"

Later back at the library Giles emerges from his office, joining Buffy, Prue, Phoebe, Kendra and Willow. Kendra is putting her bag on the table.

"I've just been on the phone with the museum. The artifact in question is missing. And the curator has been murdered. Vampires." Giles says.

Buffy nods, "And we're sure this thing was the Tomb of Alfalfa?"

Prue rolls her eyes.

Giles nods, "Acathla. And yes, the information Kendra's Watcher has provided seems conclusive."

Prue looks to Phoebe, "Do you…?"

Phoebe shakes her head, "No. I can check later to be sure but I don't remember seeing Acathla in the Book."

"Okay, can somebody explain the whole 'he will suck the world into Hell' thing? That's the part I'm not loving." Willow says.

Giles nods, "The demon universe exists in a dimension separate from our own. With one breath Acathla will create a vortex, a kind of whirlpool that will pull everything on Earth into that dimension, where any non-demon life will suffer horrible, eternal torment."

"So that would be the literal kind of sucking into Hell. Neat." Buffy says.

"Buffy." Prue says.

"You think Angelus and the others are responsible for the theft of the tomb?" Kendra asks

Buffy nods, "I'd bet money on it."

Prue nods, "It seems reasonable."

"I can't believe you dated him." Kendra says. "I mean, he's got to be stopped."

"We don't know where they are." Willow says. "They moved after Giles torched their house."

"You did? Good for you." Kendra says.

Giles smiles, "It was nothing, really."

"Willow… Phoebe... I think you two should try to do the curse. Bring Angel back." Buffy says.

"I tend to side with your friend Xander on this one. Angel should be eliminated." Kendra says.

Buffy nods, "I'll fight him. If I have to, I'll kill him. But if I lose, or I don't find him in time... Willow and Phoebe might be our only hope."

"I don't want to be only hope. I crumble under pressure. Let's have another hope." Willow says.

Phoebe smiles, "I'll be there to help you, no worries."

"We have." Kendra says as she pulls a sword from her bag. "Blessed by the knight who first slew the Demon. If all else fails, this might stop it. I think."

Giles nods, Let's hope all else doesn't fail." He looks to Phoebe and Willow, "How close are you to figuring out the ritual for the curse?"

Phoebe nods, "I'd say a day max. And we need an Orb of Thesulah."

Giles nods, "I've got one. I've been using it as a paperweight."

Willow nods, "This means I can't help you study for tomorrow's finals."

"I'll wing it. Of course, if we go to Hell by then I won't have to take them. Or maybe I'll be taking them forever. . ." Buffy says.

Giles nods, "Well, Angel has a ritual of his own to perform before he can remove the sword and awaken Acathla. With any luck, that may take some time as well."

The next morning sunlight brightly rakes the classroom. Buffy is seated, along with Xander, Willow and Cordelia, amidst the other students. They are all taking their final exam, scribbling in their bluebooks. The room is silent.

The teacher sits at his desk, reading.

Buffy is frowning at her test when she hears… "Tonight. Sundown. In the graveyards."

Teacher rises, "Excuse me. . ."

Buffy looks up.

A woman is standing in the classroom, "You will come to him." She pulls off her shawl, revealing her vamp visage, and moves toward Buffy, deliberately stepping into the sunlight. She begins to smoke. Kids start trying to move away. Buffy can't take her eyes off the vampire. "You will come to him or more will die! Tonight!" Flames engulf her as kids scream and get out of there. "His hour is at hand!" She dusts.

That evening just before sunset in the library Willow is deep in a pile of books.

"She said more would die. I have to go." Buffy says.

Kendra nods, "And I should go with you."

Buffy shakes her head, "I need you here. Just in case. Prue will be with me, we'll be all right. As long as Angel's fighting me he's not doing this end of the world ritual and that's good. And with any luck. . . Willow? Phoebe? What do you think?"

"I'm not sure. I just want to cross check –" Willow says.

Buffy nods, "We don't have time. If this is gonna work I need it to work now."

Willow looks to Phoebe who nods. "We need maybe half an hour once we're set up."

Giles nods, "Which means you just have to hold Angel off. Don't let him close on you. If the curse succeeds, you'll know."

"Why don't you just wait here to find out if it worked? See if he phones you?" Cordelia asks.

Prue shakes her head, "We can't risk him killing more people."

"What if he shows up with an army?" Xander asks.

"We run away." Buffy says. "Right now were short one person for a power of three." She looks up at the ceiling. "Dang you Piper where are you when we need you."

"A Slayer never runs aw – Good plan." Kendra says.

Buffy nods, "Prue and I'd better go."

"Please be careful." Xander says.

Prue nods, "We will." She walks over to Buffy.

Kendra runs up to Buffy, hands her a stake. "Here. I know you don't really need it. But just in case the curse does not succeed... This is my lucky stake. I have killed many vampires with it. I call it Mister Pointy."

"You named your stake." Buffy asks.

"Yes." Kendra says embarrassed.

Buffy shakes her head, "Remind me to get you a stuffed animal." She puts the stake in her jacket. "Thanks."

Kendra looks to Prue, "Watch her back."

Prue looks to her cousin, "With my life."

Later Prue and Buffy makes their way along through the cemtary.

"Hello, lover." Angel says and Buffy and Prue turns to face him.

Angel stands some twenty feet away, grinning nonchalantly. He and Buffy begin circling each other, slowly. "I wasn't sure you'd come. Though I did expect you to bring the power of three."

"After your immolation-o-gram? Come on, I had to show. But shouldn't you be destroying the world right about now? Pulling the sword out of Al Franken, or whatever he's called?" Buffy says.

Prue shakes her head, "We don't need the power of three for you."

"There's time enough. I wanted to say goodbye first. You are the one thing in this dimension I will miss." Angel says.

"This is a beautiful moment we're having here. Can we just fight, please?" Buffy says.

"I didn't come here to fight!" Angel says.

Prue frowns, "No?"

Angel shakes his head, "Gosh, I was hoping Buffy and I could get back together! What do you think, do we have a shot?" Buffy and Prue glares at him. "All right, we'll fight." He lunges at Buffy.

At the library Phoebe and Willow sits at the desk, the orb in front of them. Cordelia is waving a burning sage bush, not loving her task. Giles stands on Willow's other side, holding a volume. There are elaborate markings on the table and Willow and Phoebe have painted marks on their foreheads.

Xander stands up on the balcony, watching. Kendra guards the door.

"Quod perditum est, invenietur." Giles says.

"Not dead, nor not of the living. Spirits of the interregnum, I call." Phoebe and Willow says.

In the cemetery Buffy and Angel spar, Buffy still holding back.

Buffy is thrown to the ground. "Come on, Willow… Phoebe." She looks briefly at Prue.

In the library…

"Let him know the pain of humanity, gods - reach your wizened hands to me, give me the soul of –" Phoebe and Willow says.

Two vamps burst in behind Xander and he turns to fight them, "Look out!"

Kendra turns as two more burst in behind her.

Xander whips out a stake, makes for Vamp 1 as Vamp 2 comes down toward the ritual.

Kendra punches Vamp 3, sends him into the wall. Vamp 4 passes her.

As Vamps 2 and 4 converge in the middle, Cordelia and Willow make for the stacks. Phoebe and Giles faces the vamps and they handily knock Giles down and out.

Phoebe looks to Giles and back at the vamps not liking her odds.

Kendra spars with Vamp 3, knocking him out and going for Vamp 4, who stands over Giles.

Vamp 2 leaps onto the table, over the railing and slams into a bookcase, knocking it over on Willow. She falls very hard, instantly unconscious.

Xander falls to his knees, the stake dropping, Cordelia tries to get out behind Vamp 1. He turns to get her and Xander rises, throws him into Vamp 2. "Go!"

Cordelia races out as Xander picks up the stake in his good hand.

Drusilla wafts in, eyes alight.

Phoebe throws Vamp 4 through the window to Giles' office as Vamp 3 hits her from behind.

In the cemetery…

"Is it me, or is your heart not in this?" Angel says as he throws Buffy back. "Maybe I'll just go home. Destroy the world. . . sulk. . ."

Buffy pulls out the stake throwing it to Prue as she powers up a fireball.

Angel hesitates.

"Come on. Let's finish it. You and me." Buffy says.

Angel starts to laugh. "You never learn, do you? Little miss ego. 'You and me.' This wasn't about you. This was never about you. Either of you in fact."

Buffy's expression drains. She turns and grabs Prue.

"And you fall for it every single time!" Angel says.

Buffy flames out with Prue.

In the library Vamp 1 knocks Xander unconscious, looks down at Kendra who is fighting off the other vamps. She's getting tired.

"Enough." Drusilla says.

The vamps back off. Kendra turns to face Dru. Dru drops her shawl, looking dreamily into the heavens.

Kendra lunges and Dru evades, slashes at Kendra with her fingernails. Draws blood.

Kendra and Dru spar, Kendra getting in some good hits, Dru mostly weaving and giggling.

Finally Dru sees an opening and grabs Kendra's throat, pushes her against the wall. Kendra struggles, pulling at the arm. Dru looks at Kendra, hypnotizing her. "Look at me, Dearie. Be in my eyes. Be in me."

Dru steps back, letting go. Kendra stands still, swaying slightly.

Dru pauses - then slashes her fingers across Kendra's throat. Kendra's eyes widen - she grabs her throat and blood wells out between her fingers. Kendra drops to the floor. "Night. Night. Let's get what we came for, dears."

Two of the vamps bend down and lift up Giles - start dragging him out.

A couple minutes later Buffy and Prue flame in.

They see the carnage

Buffy spots Kendra lying on the ground, goes to her, cradles her on her lap - tries to stop the bleeding as Kendra dies right in front of her.

Prue moves to Phoebe and checks on her.

Buffy is still holding Kendra's head in her lap, when a policeman comes up behind her.

"Freeze!" The policeman says.

Buffy whips her head around to see them.


	46. Chapter 46: Becoming Pt 2

**Chapter 46: Becoming Pt. 2**

"Back away from the girl! Put your hands up and back away slowly!" A cop says.

Buffy shakes her head, "But, I didn't –"

"Do it now!" another cop says.

Buffy moves away, as the first cop moves to Kendra, checks her vitals. "This one's dead."

"What about up there?" the other cop asks.

Prue stands up from where she is next to Phoebe, Willow and Xander.

"Halt!" the first cop says.

Prue shakes her head, "This is my sister at my feet. And the young lady you have a gun pointed to is my cousin. I'm her legal guardian. Both my sister Phoebe and the young man who's name is Xander and the other young woman who is Willow Rosenberg are alive."

"You won't mind if we check that out?" The second cop asks.

Prue shakes her head, "No be my guest. Call Inspector Darryl Morris he will vouch for us."

The first cop nods and keys his radio, "Dispatch we need an identification check. Can you have Inspector Darryl Morris come to Gateway High School."

"Standby relaying request."

"For now get them out of here!" the first officer says.

The second officer nods, "Come on."

Prue nods, "Come on Buffy."

"Inspector Morris eta is five minutes."

The second cop takes them out into the hallway were they see Snyder arriving with two other cops.

"Well what do we have here?" Snyder says.

"In there." the second cop says. "You know these two?"

Snyder nods, "Payson Halliwell. If there's trouble, she's behind it. And the other one is her cousin Prue Halliwell."

"You stupid little troll, you have no idea –" Buffy says.

"Attitude problem. Serious." Snyder says.

Darryl walks in, "Officer, what's the situation?"

The second cop looks to Darryl, "Inspector Morris?" Darryl nods. "We were told you know these two."

Darryl nods, "Yes I know the Halliwells. I can vouch that they are who they say they are."

Prue nods, "Can we go back and check on my sister and Buffy's friends?"

Darryl frowns, "Piper or Phoebe?"

"Phoebe," Buffy says.

The second officer shakes his head, "We need to ask a few questions first."

An hour later Prue and Buffy walk down a corridor towards a nurses station.

A hand reaches out and grabs Buffy. She spins to see Xander. "Xander!" She hugs him, tightly. Lets go and looks at him. "I didn't know if you were okay. The cops –"

Xander nods, "Yeah, I heard they took you downtown to question you. I was just coming out of it."

Prue nods, "How are you Xander?"

Xander shows them the cast on his wrist. "Souvenir."

"Well, what about the others? Are they okay? Where's Phoebe?" Buffy asks but Xander doesn't answer. "What is it?"

Moment later in a hospital room Willow lies unconscious in bed, hooked up to machines. Buffy approaches, distraught – Xander and Prue behind her.

"The doctor said it was. . . head trauma. . . she could wake up any time, but the longer it takes. . . the less likely it is." Xander says.

Buffy shakes her head, "I shouldn't have let her or Phoebe try to do the curse. Angel must have known." She runs her hand along Willow's forehead. After a moment she looks around her. "Where are her folks?"

"With relatives, in Phoenix. I called them. They're getting a plane back." Xander says.

Buffy nods, "Does Oz know?"

"Man, I didn't even think. I'll call him." Xander says.

Prue looks to Xander, "Where's Phoebe?"

"Two doors, down." Xander says. "They gave her something for the pain. They didn't say anything to me because I'm not related to her. But I overheard them talking. She had a couple broken ribs and a mild concussion."

Prue looks to Buffy, "I'll be down in her room."

Buffy nods, "Ok."

Prue passes Cordelia on her way out.

"Hey!" Xander says as he crosses to Cordelia with a big relieved hug and kiss.

"You're not hurt?" Buffy asks.

"I ran. I think I made it through three counties before I realized noone was chasing me. Not real brave." Cordelia says.

Buffy nods, "It was the right thing to do."

"Did Giles keep up with you?" Xander asks.

Cordelia looks at the two of them. "I didn't see Giles."

"You mean he's not here?" Buffy asks.

Xander shakes his head, "No."

Later Buffy flames in to Giles apartment, "Giles? Giles!"

Whistler comes in from the bathroom. "I don't think he's here."

Buffy stops, eyeing him suspiciously. "Who are you?"

"Whistler." Whistler says.

Buffy frowns, "What are you doing here?"

"Waiting for you." Whistler says.

"Why?" Buffy asks.

Whistler shakes his head, "'Cause I need a date for the prom. My mother says I may attend, but no fondling."

Buffy pushes him against the wall. Her gesture is casual, but he hits pretty hard. "I have lost friends tonight, and I may lose more. If you have information worth hearing then I am grateful for it. If you want to make jokes then I will pull out your ribcage and wear it as a hat."

"Hello to the imagery. Very nice." Whistler says as he moves away from her, straightening his outfit. "You know, it wasn't supposed to go down like this. Nobody saw you coming. I figured this for Angel's big day, but I thought he was here to stop Acathla, not bring him forth. But you two made with the smootchies and now he's a creep again. Anyways it took Angel off the roster. Which puts you on the spot in a big way. What are you gonna do? What are you prepared to do?"

"Whatever I have to." Buffy says.

Whistler nods, "Or maybe I should ask, what are you prepared to give up?"

Buffy stares at him. "You don't have anything useful to tell me, do you? What are you, some immortal demon sent down to even the score between good and evil?"

"Wow. Good guess." Whistler says.

"So you work for the same people Leo does?" Buffy asks.

Whistler shakes his head, "That's your Whitelighter right? No I'm not with them. Just so you know the sword isn't enough. You gotta be ready."

Buffy walks out of the apartment and out down the street. She wanted time to think.

Buffy crosses a street, moving quickly and keeping to herself. As she rounds a corner Spike steps into her path.

"Hello, love." Spike says.

Buffy lunges at Spike, starts pummelling him.

Spike takes a couple of hits then knocks her back with one. As she gets up again, powering up a fireball, "Will you hold on for a second?" She doesn't look like she's gonna. He backs off a couple of paces, putting up his hands. "Hey! White flag here! I quit!"

"Let me clear this up for you. We're mortal enemies. We don't get "time-outs." Buffy says.

Spike nods, "You wanna go around, pet, I'll have a gay old time of it. You wanna stop Angel, well, then, we gotta play it a bit differently."

"What are you talking about?" Buffy asks.

Spike smiles, "I'm talking about your ex, love. I'm talking about putting him in the bloody ground."

"This has got to be the lamest trick you guys have ever thought up." Buffy says.

Spike nods, "He's got your watcher. Right now he's probably torturing him."

"What do you want?" Buffy asks.

"I told you. I wanna stop Angel." Spike says and he smiles. "I wanna save the world."

"Okay. You do remember that you're a vampire, right?" Buffy asks.

Spike nods, "We like to talk big, vampires do. "I'm gonna destroy the world," – just tough guy talk, strutting around with your friends over a pint of blood. Truth is, I like this world. You got dog racing, Manchester United, "Love Boat," and you got people. Billions of people walking around like Happy Meals with legs. It's all right here. But then someone comes along with a vision. With a real passion for destruction. Angel could pull it off. Goodbye Piccadilly, farewell Leicester bloody Square, you see what I'm saying?"

"Uh, sort of?" Buffy says.

"Why don't you extenquish your little fireball?" Spike says.

"'Cause of the whole 'not believing you' issue. You might not be down with Angel but why would you ever come to me?" Buffy says.

Spike doesn't really want to answer that, but he knows he has to. "I want Dru back. I want it like it was, before he came back. The way she acts around him. . ."

"Oh, you're pathetic!" Buffy says. Instinctively, Spike punches Buffy in the face. She punches him equally hard then continues talking as if neither of them had moved. "I've got friends, family in the hospital - people have died –"

Spike shakes his head, "I wasn't in on that raiding party –"

"— and I may lose more of them, the whole world could be sucked into Hell and you need my help 'cause your girlfriend's a big ho? Let me take this opportunity to not care." Buffy says.

Spike shakes his head, "I can't fight them both alone and neither can you!"

Buffy punches him again. But it seems to be her final outburst. She comes down a bit, glaring at him. "You're a killer."

Spike nods, "And I'm all you got."

Buffy extinguishes her fireball, "All right. Talk."

Moments later they are at the Manor. Buffy is on the phone talking to Willow.

"I'm okay, Buffy, really. I mean, I don't feel good, but I'm awake and I know my name and who's president and how many fingers so they don't think my brain got mushed at all." Willow says.

"Thank God. . . I'm sorry I can't be there." Buffy says.

"I know. I'm sorry Phoebe and I didn't get to cure Angel." Willow says.

"Don't be. I just think it wasn't meant to happen. I know I'm never gonna get Angel back the way he was and, you know, it makes it easier." Buffy says.

"I guess. . . Any luck finding Giles?" Willow asks.

Buffy nods, "Yes. I got a lucky break."

"What?" Willow asks.

Buffy looks into the living room at Spike, "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

Xander takes the phone from Willow. "Hey."

"Xander! Angel and the others are holed up outside town. You know that funky looking mansion you showed me one time?" Buffy says.

"On Crawford street. Sure. That makes sense. What's the drill?" Xander says.

"I'm gonna hit the place come daybreak. I just need to get something first." Buffy says.

"You'll need backup." Xander says.

"No. You stay there. I'm covered. In fact do me a favor and keep Prue there if you can." Buffy says.

"Sure. Do you think Giles is still alive?" Xander asks.

Buffy nods, "I think so. I just wish he was here to tell me what to do. Remember keep Prue there as long as possible." She hangs up the phone and walks in the living room. "Talk to me. What's the deal?"

"Simple. I help you kill Angel, you let me and Dru skip town." Spike says.

"Forget about Drusilla. She doesn't walk." Buffy says.

"There's no deal without Dru!" Spike says.

Buffy shakes her head, "She killed Kendra."

Spike smiles, genuinely proud, "Dru bagged a slayer? She didn't tell me! Good for her! Well, not from your perspective, I suppose. . ."

"I can't believe I invited you in my house." Buffy says.

"Look, this deal works one way only. Full stop. Me and Dru for Angel." Spike says. "I'll take her out of the country. You'll never hear from us again, I bloody well hope."

Buffy nods, "All right. Get back to the mansion. Make sure Giles is all right. Be ready to back me up when I make my move."

Spike nods, "Right."

"If Giles dies, she dies." Buffy says.

Spike glares at Buffy for a moment and then leaves.

In Willow's hospital room a nurse is just leaving, the kids waiting for her to go so they can talk freely.

"So Buffy's going for the big showdown, huh? I wish we could help. You know, without dying. . ." Cordelia says.

"I don't see how." Xander says.

"I want to try again." Willow says.

"Try what?" Oz asks.

Willow nods, "The curse. We never got to finish it. Maybe we can restore Angel's soul."

Xander shakes his head, "I don't like it. You're talking about messing with powerful magic, and you're weak."

Willow nods, "I'm okay. But it would be easier with Prue and Phoebe."

Xander shakes his head, "Buffy said she didn't want them involved."

Willow shakes her head, "There's no use arguing with me. Do you see my resolve face? You've seen it before and you know what it means." She looks to Cordelia. "Just help me and you can give me a complete makeover."

"You're not just saying that?" Cordelia asks.

Willow nods, "We can help Buffy - if we turn Angel back soon enough, we can stop him from ever awakening Acathla."

"I pretty much missed out on some stuff, didn't I? 'Cause this is all making the kind of sense that's not." Oz says.

Willow nods, "Go with Cordelia to the library and get my things. She'll fill you in."

Oz nods, "Sure. I'll drive."

Willow nods, "Xander, go get Prue and Phoebe. Tell them I need to see them. I will explain once their in here. Then you go to Buffy. Tell her what we're doing. Maybe she can stall."

"But –" Xander says.

"Resolve face." Willow says.

"Be careful." Xander says.

Five minutes later Prue wheels in Phoebe. "What's going on. Xander said you needed to see us."

Willow nods, "We're doing the curse. If we can do this before he has a chance to free Acathla, good." Prue turns and is about to head out the door. "Prue I already sent Xander to do help her. I need both of you here. I'm weak still. I could use your help with the ritual."

Prue turns back to Willow and then looks Phoebe. She sighs as she nods.

At the library Buffy pushes away the police tape as she enters the library. She crosses over to Kendra's bag, picking it up off the floor. She puts it on the table, opens it.

"You do know this is a crime scene, don't you?" Snyder asks, he is standing in the doorway, smiling smugly. "But then, you're a criminal, so that pretty much works out."

Buffy shakes her head, "You know I didn't do it. The police even know I didn't do it since Darryl spoke to them on my behalf. And sorry to say their more likely to take word of one of their own over you."

Snyder shrugs, "It doesn't matter anyway. You've proved too much of a liability for this school." He steps up, breathing in the fresh air of a great morning. "These are the moments you want to savor. You wish time would stop so you can live them over and over again. You're expelled."

Buffy lifts the sword out of the bag, looking at it. Snyder stops wanting to live this over and over. She starts toward him. "You never ever got a single date when you were in high school, did you?"

"Your point being. . ." Snyder says.

Buffy passes him without comment and exits the library. As soon as she is out of his sight she flames over to Giles apartment. "What did you mean, "the sword isn't enough"?"

"You know, raiding an Englishman's fridge is like dating a nun. You're never gonna get the good stuff." Whistler says from the kitchen.

"Tell me how to use it." Buffy says.

Whistler pulls out a bottle of Woodpecker cider, opens it. Comes into the living room as he replies. "Angel's the key. His blood will open the door to Hell. Acathla opens his big mouth, creates the vortex, then only Angel's blood'll close it. One blow. Send 'em both back to hell. But I strongly suggest you get there before that happens. The faster you kill Angel, the easier it'll be for you."

"Don't worry about me." Buffy says.

Whistler nods, "It's all on the line here, kid."

"I can deal." Buffy says as she looks at the sword, at him, "I got nothing left to lose." She flames out.

Buffy makes her way down a green and tangled hill. She is stopped by a noise, finds Xander coming from a slightly different direction. "Xander!"

"Calvary's here. Cavalry's a frightened guy with a rock, but it's here." Xander says as he shows her his lame rock. Buffy gives him a stake. "This is better." He loses the rock.

Buffy nods, "You're not here to fight. You get Giles out of there and run like Hell, understood? I can't protect you. I'm gonna be too busy killing." She unwraps the sword for herself, dropping the blanket.

"That's a new look for you." Xander says.

Buffy nods, "It's a present for Angel. This ends it, Xander. I'm ready."

Xander looks down, trying to decide what to do. "Willow. . . she said to tell you. . ."

"Tell me what?" Buffy asks.

Xander waits, decides. ". . . kick his ass."

"I'm gonna do a lot more than that." Buffy says.

They head off for the mansion.

In Willow's hospital room the door is shut. Prue and Phoebe are on each side of Willow. Phoebe has the herbs this time. Prue has the book Giles was reading from.

"Are we ready?" Willow asks.

Prue reads the book, "Quod perditum est, invenietur."

"Not dead, nor not of the living. . ." Willow and Phoebe says.

At the mansion Drusilla steps up to Angel, hands him a knife. Spike sits a bit behind, watching with a cold eye.

Angel smiles at Dru, takes the knife and cuts his palm with it. Dru ripples with a little sensual trill at Angel's pain. "Now, Acathla, you will be free. And so will we all." He takes a step forward - and Buffy bursts in through the doors from the garden.

The vamp nearest her makes a move, and she beheads him so quickly and tastefully the others barely have time to gape.

Buffy look at Angel, sword at the ready. "Hello, lover."

"I don't have time for you." Angel says.

Buffy smiles, "You don't have a lot of time left."

"Coming on kind of strong, don't you think? You're playing some deep odds here - do you really think you can take us all on?" Angel says.

"No, I don't." Buffy says.

Spike rises behind Angel, hoisting a nasty looking iron poker. He slams it into the back of Angel's head. Angel goes flying face first onto the ground as Spike moves forward, hits him again.

Drusilla looks at Spike aghast.

Buffy makes for Angel - and is hit from behind by Vamp Two. Her sword goes flying out of her hand and she stops to spar with the vamp.

Spike continues to wail on Angel, "Painful, isn't it?"

Drusilla tackles Spike from the side and they both go flying.

Xander sneaks in from the garden, moving quietly around the perimeter of the hall towards Giles' room.

Buffy spars with the vamp.

Spike and Drusilla come up facing each other. She's righteously pissed.

"I don't want to hurt you, baby. . ." Spike says. Drusilla grabs his throat and slams him against the wall. Instinctively, he knocks her arm away and decks her as hard as he can. "Doesn't mean I won't. . ."

Xander helps Giles toward the exit. They make it out to the garden and are gone.

Drusilla throws Spike to the ground, hissing with anger.

Angel pulls himself painfully up and stumbles toward Acathla.

Buffy powers up a fireball and throws it at the vamp dusting it.

Buffy turns to look for Angel, she sees Angel reach for the statue.

Buffy dives for her sword, grabs it and heads for Angel.

Angel grabs the sword handle.

Buffy stops in her tracks as Angel is momentarily transported with electric bliss and he pulls the sword free.

Drusilla stops to look, gleeful. "Oooh, here it comes. . ."

Spike rises up behind her and gets her in a chokehold.

Buffy and Angel square off, swords at the ready. Like Dru said: here it comes.

"You almost made it, Buff." Angel says.

"It's not over yet." Buffy says.

Angel nods, "My boy Acathla's about to wake up. You're going to Hell."

Buffy smiles, "Save me a seat." and she comes at him, fast, hard, and it's swordfight time. Their blades are a blur of metal as they work at each other, driving back, forward, circling each other. . .

Angel draws first blood, on Buffy's arm.

In Willow's hospital room.

"Gods, bind him, cast his heart from the demon realm return his..." Willow and Phoebe says.

Willowis breathing heavily, the words coming slowly, with difficulty. Perspiration beads her face. "I call on. . . I. . ."

"Willow?" Oz says with concern.

"Are you okay?" Cordelia says.

Phoebe and Willow's heads snap back, leaving them staring almost straight up, their whole body tensing and their head snaps back down, they start to shake and they begin speaking the rest of the ritual rapidly, powerfully, and in Romanian. "Te implor Doamne, nu ignora accasta rugaminte! Lasa orbita sa fie vasul care-I va transporta sufletul la el!"

Prue looks to her sister and then down at the book and finally back at her sister. "Phoebe?"

"Is this a good thing?" Oz asks.

"Hey! Speak English!" Cordelia says.

"Este scris, aceasta putere este dreptul poporuil meu de a conduce. . ." Willow and Phoebe says as the orb begins to glow.

At the Mansion Buffy comes tumbling out into the garden, Angel behind her. He's definitely winning. He knocks the sword from her grasp, kicks her into a corner.

Angel approaches Buffy, sword in hand.

Buffy tries to move from the corner, but he moves with her. She's boxed in.

Angel plays the sword near her face, loving this. "That's everything, huh? No weapons, no friends, no family. No hope. Take all that away and what's left?"

Buffy looks past him to the sword and smiles, "There is me." She flames out. She flames back in inside the Mansion as she grabs her sword. She pounds Angel, driving him back until they are right in front of Acathla. She knocks his sword out of his hand - cutting him on the hand. He stands before her, spent, beaten.

In Willow's hospital room Willow and Phoebe are still rapt, calling out, "Asa sa fie! Acum!"

The orb glows and disappears.

At the mansion Angel drops to his knees. Buffy swings her sword back, ready to cut off his head.

Suddenly Angel cries out in pain, and Buffy sees his eyes glow for a moment. He collapses on the floor. Buffy hesitates. "Oh. . ." He looks up. "Buffy?" He pulls himself up. She takes a step back, uncertain. "Buffy, what's going on? I don't remember. . . where are we?"

Buffy's voice is very little when she speaks. "Angel?"

Angel see the cuts, "You're hurt!" He goes to her, takes her arm. Her swordarm hangs at her side, limp. He folds her into his arms. "God, I feel like I haven't seen you in months. . . Buffy, everything's so muddled. . ." He holds her. At first afraid, confused, but at the warmth of his touch, the overwhelming rush of his return, her eyes close and with her free arm she grips him to her. "Oh, Buffy. . ."

Buffy opens her eyes, longing and hope in them. Then she sees Acathla open his mouth. Wide. A vortex begins to emanate from his mouth. She grips Angel tighter, despair gutting her.

"What's happening, Buffy?" Angel asks.

Buffy shakes her head, "Shhhhh. . . it doesn't matter." She pulls away to look at him. Kisses him passionately. "I love you."

"I love you. . ." Angel says.

"Close your eyes." Buffy says. Serenely compliant, he closes them. She kisses him softly. She steps back and thrusts the sword through his chest, directly into the chest of the demon. There is an unearthly roar.

Angel's eyes open wide - he looks down at himself impaled, at Buffy uncomprehendingly.

Buffy can't speak - she tries not to cry as she takes another step back.

Angel reaches out to her - and the vortex closes over him, sucks him into Hell. And is gone.

The next morning at the Manor Prue enters Buffy's room, "Buffy?"

The window is open, the curtains blowing in the breeze. Some of the drawers have been left open, clothes hanging out.

There is a note on the bed.

Prue goes to it, picks it up and reads it.

_Dear Prue, Piper and Phoebe_

_I can't say how sorry I am. This is something I have to do for me all knew that each of us would want to quit at one time or another. We always thought it would be one of you more than it would be me. But it turns out that we were wrong. Prue you wanted to quit when Andy died. Piper you wanted to quit when your Aunt Gail died. Well it's my turn now, if it hadn't been for me Phoebe, Willow and Xander wouldn't have been hurt, Giles wouldn't have been kidnapped and tortured and Kendra and Angel wouldn't be dead. Please don't look for me, I love you all. Goodbye._

_Buffy_

In the front of the school Giles and Xander greet Oz, Cordelia and Willow. Oz pushes Willow in a wheelchair.

Giles doesn't exactly look his best, either. "Are you sure you should be out of bed?"

"Look who's talking. . ." Willow says.

"Any word?" Cordelia asks.

"You guys didn't see her either." Xander says.

Willow shakes her head, "No."

"But we know the world didn't end. 'Cause, check it out." Oz said.

Giles nods, "We went back to the mansion. It's empty, and Acathla is dormant."

"I think the spell worked. I felt something go through me, it was powerful. Kind of scary." Willow says.

Cordelia nods, "Plus the orb did that cool glow thing."

"Maybe it wasn't in time. If he did pull the sword out, and she had to kill him, maybe he was already dead when it happened." Xander said.

"Then she'd want to be alone, I guess." Oz says.

Willow nods, "Or maybe Angel was saved and they just want to be alone together."

Giles sighs, "Perhaps."

"Well, she's bound to show up sooner or later. We still have school." Cordelia says.

Willow smiles, "Yeah. She'll be here in a while."

Buffy is watching them from the far end of the big lawn triangle. She is dressed very plainly, for hard travelling. Has a bag over her shoulder as she sees them head inside, she starts walking in the other direction. She makes her way to where she can't be seen and flames out.

* * *

**Author's Notes - **On to season 3**  
**


	47. Chapter 47: Anne

**Chapter 47: Anne**

_The waves crash gloriously onto the bright and silent beach. _

_Buffy walks slowly, in a light sundress, bare feet digging into the sand. It's a warm and calming tableau and Buffy is soaking it up. She stops, looking off in the distance._

_She shuts her eyes, letting the sun warm her face. Angel wraps his arms around her from behind as he buries his face in her neck. She reaches up behind her to caress his face. "How did you find me here?"_

_"If I was blind, I would see you," Angel says intimately._

_"Stay with me," Buffy says._

_Angel smiles, "Forever. That's the whole point. I'll never leave." He lowers his voice to a whisper, "Not even if you kill me."_

Buffy awakens suddenly as she hears a screech and a siren outside. She gets wearily out of bed and walks slowly forward to the window. As she reaches it, she leans out and looks down at the street below.

The next day Buffy drops plates off at one table and proceeds to another. A few Roughnecks sit at it, finishing their meal. "Anything else?"

"That'll do us, peaches." A roughneck says as he looks at her nametag which says: Anne.

Buffy rips off a bill and puts it on the table, avoiding eye contact with the men. "Pay at the counter."

The roughneck leers at Buffy, "Sure you don't want me to work it off?"

Buffy turns away without comment and the man actually slaps her ass.

Buffy turns slightly - slayeresque intent in her eyes. After a moment, it flickers and fades. She moves on to the next table

There is a couple at the table, neither of them past twenty, both a bit strung out. But clearly into each other, and very friendly. They are giggling, examining their forearms for some reason.

"Are you guys ready?" Buffy asks.

Rickie nods, "Yeah, I think we're good, um..." He cranes to see the name tag. "...Anne.

"What'll you have?" Buffy asks.

"Well, okay..." Rickie says as he dumps a bunch of change onto the table, amounting to a couple of dollars at most. "What can we get with this?"

"Well..." Buffy says.

"Can we get cake?" Lily asks.

"Don't be stupid! We gotta eat healthy. Can't have cake." Rickie says before turning back to Buffy, "Can we get pie?"

"That's better. That's got fruit." Lily says.

Buffy nods, "We got peach pie. I can't guarantee there's a peach in it..."

"We shouldn't have blown all our money," Lily says.

Rickie smiles, "It was worth it." He looks to Buffy, "Check this out." He and Lily hold their forearms out and together. They've gotten two halves of a heart, his with "Lily" in it and hers with "Rickie". Put 'em together and they make a whole. The work is a little primitive, which makes it all the more endearing.

"It's nice." Buffy says. "I've got one myself."

Buffy got the triquetra tattooed to the inside of her wrist as a reminder of the family she had left behind."

Rickie smiles, "Then you understand the point of it all."

Buffy nods, "Yeah."

"Hey... do I know you?" Lily asks.

"I don't think so." Buffy says.

"Really?" Lily asks, curious. "Where're you from?"

"I'll get your pie." Buffy says and takes off as Lily watches her with a quizzical expression. After a moment Lily shrugs.

Buffy moves to the the swinging doors to the kitchen. She stops by another waitress. "Can you cover my station for a while? I'm not feeling great."

The waitress nods. Buffy looks briefly back at the couple, who are smooching. Buffy turns and leaves the diner.

Back at her apartment Buffy sits on the bed, a half opened can of spaghetti-o's with a can opener in her hand. Buffy never moves as she stares down at the triquetra on her wrist.

Later Buffy walks along in her waitress uniform, a coat over it. Heading for work. She silently takes in the urban tableaux around her. A clean cut young man, Ken, is handing a leaflet to a young runaway. A crazy old woman is huddled in the corner, swaying and mumbling.

As Buffy passes her, the old woman looks at her and says, "I'm no one... I'm no one..."

Buffy keeps walking and enters the diner.

In Giles' Office at Gateway High School Giles is on the phone in his office. "Yes, thank you." He hangs up and comes out into the library where Xander and Willow are looking over their new books. "I have a lead. A friend in Oakland has a sketchy report of a girl fending off a group of vampires a week ago. There's a flight out in an hour."

"And what makes this different from the last nine leads?" Xander asks.

"Well, I believe there is a meal on this flight." Giles says, they can hear a bit of defeat in his voice.

"I don't mean to poop the party, it's just, you get hopes all up and then it's a big fat raspberry and I feel bad." Xander says.

Willow nods, "It's still good that you're looking, though. You shouldn't give up."

"Oh, yeah. Definitely." Xander says.

Giles nods, "Well, one must try. In the meantime, you might want to take a slight vacation from your slaying."

"Hey, we're doing okay." Willow says, "Except that last guy totally threw off our stats..."

Giles nods, "I just don't want you getting into trouble while I'm away. You'll let Prue know about this latest lead?"

Willow nods, "Yeah I'll call now if you like."

"Please," Giles says. " I should go." He takes off. The kids watch him go.

"You don't think maybe he'll find her?" Willow asks.

"I think he will find her when she wants to be found." Xander says.

Willow nods as she gets up and walks into Giles office and dial the phone, "Prue, it's Willow."

In Los Angeles Buffy walks quietly by herself, a coat over her waitress outfit. Returning from work.

Lily appears behind her, catches up, calling to her. "Anne? Anne?" Buffy doesn't notice. "Payson?" Buffy stops and turns. "Don't be mad. I won't turn you in or nothing. I guess you don't recognize me."

"Lily?" Buffy asks.

Lily nods, "I mean from before. I was calling myself Chantarelle then. I used to... I was in that cult that worshipped vampires." She rolls her eyes. "So lame, I know..."

Buffy nods as she remembers, "Oh, yeah..."

Lily smiled, "You kind of saved us. I never thanked you or anything."

"Did you tell anyone who I was?" Buffy asks.

Lily shakes her head, "Oh, no! Not even Ricky. I was so surprised to see you here, Waiting tables . . . but I wouldn't tell. I know how it is when you gotta get lost." She points to the triquetra on Buffy's wrist, "But that might be a giveaway."

Buffy looks at her wrist and nods, "Your probably right there. But I needed something to remind me…" They fall into step together. "So, you live nearby?"

"There's a couple of places, they're abandoned and a lot of people stay there. Ricky knows all those places, he can always find somewhere to crash. He's pretty smart. So how come you came up with Anne?" Lily asks.

Buffy nods, "Not to many people know it but my birth name was Buffy Anne. When I moved in with my cousins I changed my name in honor of my mom, their aunt."

"That's nice… Lily's from a song. Ricky picked it. I'm always changing anyway. Chantarelle was part of my exotic phase." Lily says.

"It's nice. It's a mushroom." Buffy says.

"It is? That's really embarrassing." Lily says.

"It's an exotic mushroom, if that's any comfort." Buffy says.

Lily nods, "Well, before that I was following this loser Preacher and calling myself Sister Sunshine. There's nothing worse than that."

Buffy shakes her head, "Nothing springs to mind, it's true... What about at home, what'd they call you?" Lily doesn't answer - home not a welcome concept, and Buffy realizes it. "Well, I like Lily."

"It's cool for now. Hey, do you have any money?" Lily asks. Buffy stops, not sure what to say. "I don't mean that like... Well, I just mean, I know a guy, he's having like a rave kind of thing, in this basement, it's three dollars to get in and you have to know someone. We could go, I could show you if you had... 'cause I'm broke.

Buffy shakes her head, "I don't think so. I kind of want to be alone."

"Well, I didn't mean to bug you..." Lily says, hurt.

Buffy sighs, "No, I just mean a lot of people would be too much." She digs into her pocket. "Here, why don't you go with Rickie, and I'll see you some time -"

"No, that's okay, forget about it," Lily says.

"No, really, I -" Buffy says as an old man ploughs through them. "Whoah!"

"That's not very polite." Lily says.

The old man turns and looks at the two girls. Horror fills his eyes.

"Are you okay?" Buffy asks.

He just stares, finally emitting a cracked whisper, "I'm no one..."

"What?" Buffy asks.

The old man looks at them a moment more, then steps into the street - right in front of an oncoming pick-up.

Without hesitation, Buffy bolts, running right into the street and pushing the old man out of the way.

The truck slams into her. She flies back and hits the ground just as hard.

Lily rushes over to Buffy, who gets up. The driver of the truck also gets out, comes up to her. "Are you okay?"

"Jeez, I didn't see you!" the driver says.

"Maybe you shouldn't move . . ." Lily says.

But Buffy is standing, albeit a bit unsteadily.

"Yeah, you should lie down. Somebody call an ambulance!" the driver says.

Buffy shakes her head, "It's okay..." But more poeple are starting to crowd around. Buffy looks about her, unease rising. "I have to go..." And she takes off, running down the street and disappearing around the corner.

"You sure you don't want to sue?" the driver asks.

Buffy rounds the corner and runs right into Ken.

Ken's leaflets fly everywhere. "Whoah! Where are you running to?"

Buffy starts picking up leaflets. "I'm sorry..."

Ken shakes his head, "Maybe I should ask, where are you running from." Buffy hesitates, then continues picking up leaflets. Ken squats, helps. "You're pretty new around here. You've got the look, though."

"The look." Buffy says.

Ken nods, "Like you had to grow up way too fast. What's your name?"

Buffy hands him the flyers. "Anne."

Ken nods, "I'm Ken. Go ahead and keep one of these." He hands her back a flyer. "Don't be shy about stopping by. I guess you're not starving, but we're not just interested in feeding the body. You might find something you're missing."

"I'm all right." Buffy says.

Ken shakes his head, "Then why are you here?" She doesn't answer. He looks over at a couple of kids hanging out. "This isn't a good place for a kid to be. You get old fast here. The thing that does it, that drains the life out of them: despair. Kids come here, they got nothing to go home to and this is the last stop for a lot of them. Shouldn't have to be that way."

Buffy looks at the kids as well…

The next day Buffy is in the middle of her shift as Lily enters, a bit distraught.

"Pays - uh, Anne? Can I talk to you?" Lily asks.

Buffy leads her over to one side. "We got kind of a rush here, is there another time—"

"Rickie's gone," Lily says with concern. "I mean, I haven't seen him for more than a day, he's never left for that long, I think something's happened. Maybe something's happened."

"Well, did you talk to the police?" Buffy asks.

Lily shakes her head, "Rickie's skipped on his parole, they'd just..."

"Well, you could... I don't know, ask around and –" Buffy says.

"Can you help me?" Lily asks.

Buffy looks at her a moment. "I can't."

"But, but, that's who you are and stuff, right? I mean, you help people... and, you know..." Lily says.

Buffy sighs, "I can't get into this now, I'm sorry..."

"You know how to do stuff..." Lily says.

Buffy shakes her head, "I can't; not anymore..."

Lily is near tears, "But... I don't know what to do..."

Buffy doesn't answer for a moment. There is no relish in her voice as she offers, "I'm off at four."

At the Manor Prue sits in the living room, doing bills. The doorbell rings and her head snaps up. She moves quickly to the door, opening it to reveal Giles. She lets the tide of disappointment settle as she greets him. "Hey Giles."

"Hello. May I –" Giles says.

Prue nods, "Of course." She moves aside as she doesn't offer him a verbal invite. It had long been one of Buffy's rules she had been adamant about."

They head back to the living room.

"I've just come from Oakland." Giles says.

Prue nods, "Willow called and said a friend of yours had a lead. Stories about someone fighting vampires."

Giles nods, "It didn't pan out, I'm afraid."

Prue sighs, "No Buffy."

Giles shakes his head, "No vampires. Bunch of school kids in heavy mascara listening to extremely silly music."

Prue nods, "Well, thank you for going. Phoebe and I have been taking turns staying at the house. Hoping that she'll call, that she'll... need help..."

Giles nods, "Buffy is the most capable child I have ever known. She may Be confused, unhappy, but I honestly believe she's in no danger."

Prue nods, "I don't either. But it still doesn't keep us from worrying either."

That evening in Los Angeles Buffy and Lily walk into a bloodbank, looking about.

"We gave blood a lot of times 'cause you get a few bucks and they have cookies." Lily says.

Buffy nods, "You're a fan of the sugar rush, aren't you."

Lily smiles, "It's nice."

Joan, one of the nurses, crosses over to them, "Hi. Are you here to donate blood?"

"Oh, no. I mean, I can't. Needles. They make me woozy. Which is weird, 'cause I don't have a problem with battle axes, but needles... We're looking for a friend." Buffy says.

Lily nods, "Rickie T? We come in sometimes..."

Joan nods, "Rickie, sure. He's not here..."

"Has he been in, do you know? In the last day or so?" Buffy asks.

Joan nods, "Let me check the sheet." She walks over to a desk.

"This'll probably go faster if we split up." Buffy says.

"Can I come with you?" Lily asks.

Buffy sighs, "Okay, when did I lose you on the whole splitting up thing?"

"Sorry," Lily says.

Buffy nods, "We can both check out some of your hangouts and meet later. At my place."

"Okay," Lily says.

Joan walks back over shaking her head, "Sorry, guys. He hasn't been here."

"Thanks," Buffy says.

Joan nods, "I'll tell him you were looking..."

The girls go, Buffy hands Lily her spare key. "This is for the downstairs..."

Joan watches them, the smile draining from her face.

Later Buffy enters an abandoned building slowly, looking around. She makes her way from one room to the next - stepping over a few sleeping people, looking to make sure none is Rickie.

A figure suddenly moves at here - an old wino, who glares at Buffy before she moves on. She makes her way through a hole in the wall. Moves forward, then stops.

The Old Man who walked in front of the pick up lies very dead in the corner. An open bottle of drain cleaner beside him.

"Oh, goddess..." Buffy says as she moves to his side, grabbing his wrist to take his pulse. None. She stops, his wrist still in her hands. Stares down at his arm which bears a tattoo. Half a heart, with the name LILY in the middle. "Rickie..."

Back at Buffy's apartment Lily is sitting on the bed, she rises as Buffy walks in through the door. "Did you find Rickie?" Buffy takes off her coat. "I thought of, he likes to go to this movie house, you can get in the back -"

Buffy sighs, "Lily, I think . . . that he's dead."

Lily takes this in, eyes brimming. "But... he takes care of me..."

"I'm sorry..." Buffy says.

Lily nods, "We're gonna get a place, his cousin could get him a job at the car wash..."

"Lily." Buffy says, "Something's happening. The person I found was old, he looked about eighty –"

Lily shakes her head, "Well, that's not Rickie –"

"I'm sure it was. Lily, something drained the life out of him. Made him old. I don't know how, but... there could be something out there."

"Do you mean, like a vampire?" Lily asks.

Buffy thinks it through and then shakes her head, "They wouldn't accelerate the aging process, but maybe... maybe something in his blood... When was the last time you guys gave blood together?"

"I don't understand... maybe it's not Rickie, okay?" Lily says.

Buffy sighs, "Lily. You have to deal with this."

"But he didn't do anything wrong, why would –" Lily says.

Buffy shrugs, "That's not the point. These things happen, you can't close your eyes and hope they'll go away."

"Is it 'cause of you?" Lily asks.

"What?" Buffy asks confused.

Lily nods, "You know about... monsters and stuff, you could have brought this with you..."

"I didn't bring anything with me!" Buffy snaps at Lily, "And I didn't ask for you to come to me with your problems. I just wanted to be left alone. If you can't deal with what's happening, don't lay it off on me –" Lily rises, she really can't deal,as she heads out the door. "Lily –"

Buffy makes no move to stop Lily. She stands in the middle of the room, fuming. After a moment her anger deflates. She looks to the door - what should she do?

That evening Buffy forces the door to the bloodbank. She walks in and begins snooping about, looking over the chairs. She moves to behind the counter, looking through files by the light of a lighter. She riffles through several, and finds Rickie's file. "Candidate for what?"

The lights go on and Joan steps out from the back of the office. She eyes Buffy warily. Buffy looks at her. "What are you doing?"

Buffy doesn't look up from Rickie's file, "Breaking into your office and looking through your private files. Candidate for what?"

"I'm calling the police." Joan says as she moves forward - Buffy doesn't even look as she pulls the phone jack out of the wall.

Buffy looks over several files. "You've got a whole bunch of candidates here. I wonder if any of these kids are missing like Rickie. Gosh I'll bet they are."

"You're gonna get yourself in a lot of trouble." Joan says.

Buffy puts the files down, faces Joan. "I don't want any trouble. I just want to be alone and quiet, you know, with a chair, and a fireplace, and a tea cozy. I'm not even sure what a tea cozy is, but I want one. Instead, I get trouble. Which I am willing to share. What are you doing to these kids?"

"Nothing! I just . . . give him names." Joan says. "He likes to know who . . . I give him the names of the healthy ones."

"Give them to who?" Buffy says, steely eyed. "Or, wait - give them to whom? Or maybe it's who..."

Half an hour later Buffy is talking her way in, to a FAMILY HOME MEMBER. He is as large and thuggish as the one next to him, or she probably wouldn't be talking at all. "You know, I just looked in the mirror and thought, hey! What's with all the sin? I need to change. I'm dirty, I'm bad . . . with the sex, and the . . . envy, and that loud music we kids listen to nowadays . . ."

Buffy sighs, "I just suck at undercover. Where's Ken?"

One of them starts to close the door - and Buffy shoves it wide open, sending him tumbling.

Inside the cleansing chamber Lily reaches into the water, her hands gliding in, disappearing up to the elbow.

Buffy throws the door open. Ken moves between her and Lily. "This is a private moment, if you could just –"

Buffy shakes her head, "How do you make 'em old, Ken? You feed on youth, what's the deal?"

Ken drops his facade as easily as Buffy dropped hers. "Do you really want to know?"

"What's going on?" Lily asks.

Buffy frowns, "Lily?"

Lily's hand still trails in the water - and she is suddenly yanked in - screaming as she disappears below the surface.

Buffy runs to her, but Ken blocks the way. Buffy tries to throw him, but he is strong, locking her arms in his grip. After a moment of struggle, Buffy just throws all her weight into him and they both fall, wrapped like lovers, into the liquid as well.

Buffy and Ken come out the other side. That is, they fall out of an identical pool that happens to be on the ceiling of this small stone chamber. They hit the ground hard - but dry -, roll and separate.

Buffy looks around. "Lily?"

Lily is on the ground nearby, groggy. She groans and stirs. Buffy looks up at the pool above her.

"My face... Ow, my face..." Ken says as he clutches his head. Fury mounts in his voice, "Do you have any idea how hard it is to glue that thing on?" He spins around, revealing his human face hanging limply in his hands. The demon face beneath is glistening and scarred. He is seething with anger, staring at Buffy hatefully. "Guards!"

Several figures start running toward them from the shadows - blocking access to the portal. A cursory glance reveals their faces to be about as attractive as Ken's.

Still not completely on top of what's going on, Buffy nonetheless takes action. She scrambles toward Lily, helping her up – "Lily! Come on!"

Buffy heads Lily down a corridor.

Ken grabs a nasty looking cudgel off one of the guards, heads after the girls, but more slowly.

Buffy drags Lily along the corridor. "We got to find another exit, there's gotta be..." She stops talking, as the corridor ends at a sheer ledge. She looks down into an enormous room.

And it's Hell. Part factory, part prison camp, with more than a little Spanish Inquisition thrown in. HUMAN PRISONERS work at hauling enormous stones, doing metal work, any and all demeaning and backbreaking labor. Along the tops of the huge concrete pillars, people have been hung up to die for crimes of one kind or another. Molten metal runs along gutters into metal vats. Everything is covered with a layer of grime.

The people all wear the same kind of nondescript outfit that Lily has been put into, only dirtier. They are practically zombies, submissive and silent. Guards - demons all - patrol around, occasionally stopping to beat a prisoner.

Searchlights at either end constantly sweep the place.

Buffy stops, taking it all in.

Ken steps up behind Buffy, in control, since she has nowhere to run. "Welcome to my world. I hope you like it." Buffy turns, confusion and horror on her face. "You're never leaving." He smashes the cudgel across her face and she drops to the ground unconscious.

Later Buffy wakens in a cell. She sees Lily sitting with her back to the wall, terror on her face.

The Cell is dark, with a stone floor and a latticed iron grill at one wall. The girls share the cell with two others.

"Lily...?" Buffy asks. Just the effort of speaking makes Buffy's head hurt even more. She tries to sit up, takes it slow.

"I always knew I would come here..." Lily says "…sooner or later... I knew I belonged here..."

"Where?" Buffy asks.

Lily looks at Buffy for the first time since she woke up, "Hell."

Buffy shakes her head, "This... isn't Hell..."

"Isn't it?" Ken asks as he paces just behind the bars, grinning at the girls as he speaks. "What is Hell, but the total absence of Hope? The substance, the tactile proof of despair? You're right, Lily. This is where you've been heading all your life. You come from nothing, to become nothing."

Buffy shakes her head, "Don't listen to him..."

But Lily is rapt, and Buffy is too weak and bewildered to present much of a counter argument.

Ken nods, "Just like Rickie."

"Rickie..." Lily says.

Ken nods, "He forgot you. It took a long time - he remembered your name years after he'd forgotten his own. But in the end..."

Lily looks at Ken, confused, "Years? But..."

Ken smiles, "Time here moves more quickly than in your dimension. A hundred long years will pass here - on Earth, just a day."

"So you work us till we're too old, then spit us back out." Buffy says.

Ken nods, "Very good." He looks to Lily, "You see, Lily, you'll die of old age before anyone wonders where you went. Not that anyone will. That's why we chose you."

"You didn't choose me," Buffy says.

Ken shakes his head, "No, but I know you, "Anne". So afraid, so pathetically determined to run away from whatever you used to be. To disappear. Congratulations. You got your wish."

Buffy glares at him, hating him, hating the truth of his words.

Later Buffy is thrown to the ground by a couple of demon guards as a third addresses a cluster of seven prisoners, including Lily and Buffy.

Buffy stands, still shaky.

"You work, and you live. That is all. You do not complain, or laugh, or do anything besides work. Whatever you thought, whatever you were, does not matter. You are no one now, you mean nothing."

The demon guard approaches the first prisoner, a boy of eighteen. "Who are you?"

"Aaron . . ." the first prisoner says.

The guard swings his club with deadly speed and smashes the boy to the ground.

Buffy shakes off the last of her grogginess.

The guard moves to the second prisoner. Lily. "Who are you?"

"No one." Lily says.

The demon guard smiles, moves on. "Who are you?"

"No one."

"Who are you?"

"No one."

"Who are you?"

Buffy smiles, "I'm Payson Patricia Halliwell. But you can call me Buffy. I'm the Charmed Slayer. And you are...?"

The Demon guard swings his club. Buffy steps in, grabs his arm, breaks it at the elbow, grabs the club and continues its arc to hit the demon right in the chin. He flies back, unconscious.

The other two guards rush her. The first she bludgeons without looking at him as the second gets a heel to the face followed by knuckles to the throat.

It's all over in a matter of seconds. Everyone looks at her, stunned.

Buffy turns to the others. "Anyone who's not having fun here, follow me." She heads out of the area, club in hand. A moment, and the others follow.

Buffy and the others arrive at the lower corner, they stick to the shadows. She looks up to see across the chamber and all the way up is the ledge they'd been standing on before. Two guards stand at it, looking down.

Buffy nods, "There's no way we can get there without meeting new people. Okay, Lily, when those guards leave, and they will, you take these guys and get up there. Fast and quiet. Anybody else wants to come along, fine, but you don't stop for anything. Clear?"

"You're leaving me? But . . ." Lily says.

Buffy smiles, "Lily. You can handle this. 'Cause I say so." They hear voices, see the shadows of guards approaching at a run down the corridor. "Ooh, we've gone public. Get them out. Go!"

Lily starts out, then comes back. "I'm sorry I said this was your fault before."

Buffy nods, "This can wait!"

"Well – in case we die –"

"GO!" Buffy says with a tone of authority.

Lily takes off with the group.

The guards appear and Buffy runs into the main chamber with them on her heels. "Not yet, not yet..." She reaches the middle of the chamber, "Here's good."

Never slowing, she grabs a standing pole and swings around it to plant her feet in the first guard's face. She drops and takes out the other one just as quickly.

Buffy smiles, "Didn't I say I was Charmed!" She powers up a fireball.

Guards turn as siren sounds. They look about them to see what the trouble is.

Searchlights sweep across Buffy's face. She's waiting for the fun.

Four Demon Guards rush her. The first gets a fireball in the face vanquishing it. She spins and hurls another fireball into the chest of the second, vanquishing it also. She rains blows on the other two till they are lying unconscious at her feet.

Ken looks out at the fight, rage filling him. "Humans don't fight back. Humans don't fight back! THAT'S HOW THIS WORKS!"

Buffy is proving him wrong.

Ken looks to the guard next to him, "Get down there!"

The guard dispatches himself Buffyward. Ken watches her a moment, then stops, thinking. Takes off in another direction.

Buffy moves to a new place, a couple of guards following, a couple peeling off as they see prisoners leaving.

Buffy spars. She looks up as a demon dives at her from above, arms out, roaring with anger.

Buffy takes one step backward and the demon flies right by her, landing with a resolute thud. "Demons: not that bright."

Buffy is getting worn down a bit when she hears Ken. "One of you fights . . . and you all die!"

Buffy and the guards look up to see that Ken holds a blade to Lily.

Buffy stops. A couple of guards grab her. And then she smiles. "Bye boys." She flames out and up to the ledge. "Heya Ken."

Ken frowns and shoves Lily roughly aside. He points the knife at Buffy, furious but calm. "That . . . was not permitted."

"Yeah, but it was fun . . ." Buffy says.

Ken smiles, "You've got guts. I think I'd like to split you open and play with them. Let everyone know, this is the price of rebell –" Lily meekly shoves him off the ledge. "—llioOOAAAHHHHGHSCHRRGH!" He falls a long way and splats.

Buffy laughs. She turns and leads Lily down the hall towards the portal chamber.

There is a portcullis cutting off access to the mystical upside-down lap pool of freedom. About six people are gathered in front of it. Buffy and Lily join them.

"They'll be coming." Lily says.

Buffy nods, "Everyone grab hold. I've never tried doing seven before." Everyone looks at Buffy as if she's crazy but they do as told as they grab a hold of each other and her. Buffy flames out and back in on the otherside of the portcullis.

Ken runs up to the portcullis frowning as everyone helps each other up through the portal.

Buffy approaches him smiling, "Never ever mess with a Charmed Slayer." She powers up a fireball.

"You... ruined..." Ken says just as Buffy throws her fireball and he is vanquished.

Buffy turns back to Lily who is the last to go through. She hoists Lily up and then climbs up through the portal herself.

Lily helps Buffy out of the portal. Most of the others have left or are leaving. Lily looks back at the pool. "What do we do about –"

The pool flashes and the liquid disappears, replaced by solid stone.

Buffy kneels by it, touches it. "It's closed. It's gone."

Later back at her apartment Buffy is showing Lily around the place. "Let me give you the tour." They turn to the right. "This concludes our tour."

Lily laughs, "It's really nice."

Buffy nods, "The bathroom works a good part of the time. Don't bother to flip the mattress 'cause it doesn't get any better."

"I never had a place, you know, that I wasn't sharing." Lily says.

Buffy nods, "Well, it's paid up through the next three weeks." She pulls her waitress outfit out of the closet, throws it on the bed. "I talked to Mitch at the diner and he said you could start on Thursday. He's kind of, well, repulsive . . . but he won't give you a hard time. I'll be checking up on you, see how you're doing."

Lily sits on the bed, picks up the outfit. Pensive, a little worried. "I'm not great at taking care of myself."

"It gets easier. Takes practice." Buffy says.

Lily's eyes light up a bit. "Hey . . ." She hold's up Buffy's name tag . . . "Can I be Anne?"

Buffy smiles at her. "Sure why not."

Lily looks at the dress. "I don't think I'll fit in this."

"You could wear it as a hat . . ." Buffy says.

The next day Prue is in the kitchen, putting away some freshly washed pots in a low drawer. Phoebe is upstairs. The doorbell rings.

Prue pops up, anxious, then catches herself. Shakes her head. She walks toward the door, wiping her hands with a dishtowel. Something makes her pause, some instinct. She tosses the towel on the table, moves more slowly to the foyer. To the door.

Prue slowly opens the door to find Buffy standing there. She folds her cousin into her arms, and neither of them moves. "Phoebe!"

Phoebe come down the stairs. "What?" Then she sees who was at the door. She runs over and she too embraces Buffy, happy that she is finally home.


	48. Chapter 48: Dead Man's Party

**Author's Note - **For those of you in the U.S. have a happy and safe Independence Day.

* * *

**Chapter 48: Dead Man's Party**

Buffy, looking a little worn from her return journey home, finishes unpacking her duffle. She puts the last of her clothes away, then stops for a long beat as she contemplates her room - in some ways so familiar, yet so strange after two months away. Finally, she grabs her coat - heads out.

Buffy enters Prue's room - unseen by Prue, who is hanging some exotic African art from the gallery in her bedroom. Prue taps a nail into her wall with a hammer-

"Prue-" Buffy says.

Prue looks back at her cousin, "Buffy, what do you think?" She motions towards the mask she just hung up. "Do you like it?"

Buffy shrugs, "It's, um, really... It's okay I guess not really my thing."

Prue nods, "It's from Nigeria. I got it at this new gallery that opened up. I think it kind of cheers up the room.

Buffy shakes her head, "It's angry at the room. It wants the room to suffer."

Prue notices that Buffy is holding her coat. "Oh. You're... going out?"

Buffy nods, "If... if it's okay. I want to find Willow and Xander."

Prue nods, "Alright. But you know we do need to talk."

Buffy nods, "I know."

Prue smiles, "You go - have a good time."

Buffy nods and heads out. Then Buffy pokes her head in again. "Thanks."

Prue looks back and simply nods.

Buffy walks along a quiet street, alert. Things don't feel quite right. Then a loud noise - like someone knocking over a trash can - comes from a nearby alley. Buffy immediately kicks into full slayer mode. Follows the trail into the alley where a menacing figure moves stealthily in the darkness. Buffy approaches. Then she kicks a soda can by accident - sending it skittering noisily across the alley floor.

The figure spins, startled. Buffy sees that it's Xander and he has a stake headed right for Buffy's heart.

Buffy manages to stop it with her hands, just before it plunges into her chest. She smiles at Xander, unable to contain how glad she is to see him. "Didn't anyone tell you about playing with pointy sticks? It's all fun and games until someone loses an eye."

A stunned Xander takes in what just happened. And who it just happened with. "You... shouldn't sneak up on people like that."

Buffy rolls her eyes, "I could have really give you a heart attack and flamed in."

Xander loses the cool, shakes his head. "Jeez, Buff-" He opens his arms and they move to hug each other. Suddenly a pissed off vampire tackles Xander.

Xander wrestles with the vamp, almost has the upper hand... Then Buffy blindsides the vamp and knocks him off Xander.

While the vamp tries to recover, Buffy powers up a fireball. Xander leaps to his feet - also with stake drawn.

The vamp growls, starts to get up. Both Xander and Buffy move to take him. They glance at each other.

"Oh. Go ahead." Buffy says.

Xander shakes his head, "No, you go."

"No, it's-" Buffy says.

Now they are interrupted by a shrill electronic squawk followed by Cordelia's voice, "Come in, Nighthawk. Everything okay?"

Buffy looks down and sees a Fisher Price style walkie talkie affixed to Xander's belt. She glances back at him - dubious. "Nighthawk?"

Embarrassed, Xander fumbles for the walkie. The Vamp takes advantage of their distraction and rushes them- this time plowing into Buffy.

Buffy and the Vamp struggle - as footsteps sound the arrival of three more people. The Vamp is yanked off her.

Willow and Cordelia each have the Vamp by an arm as they slam him into an alley wall. The vamp thrashes madly.

"Hello? This would be dust time!" Cordelia says as she stuggles with the Vamp.

"Let go," Buffy says. Willow and Cordelia look to Buffy and then smile as they do as she says. Buffy throws a fireball at the vamp and he dusts.

Buffy turns - faces Willow, Oz, Cordelia and Xander. "Hey."

Later outside Giles' apartment everyone gathers around Giles' door. Buffy, looking anxious, moves to knock - but stops. "Are you sure it's not too late? Maybe we should come back tomorrow." Everyone just looks at her - not buying it. Buffy goes to knock again. Stops again. "What if he's mad? I already have an appointment with a lecture from Prue."

Xander shakes his head, "Mad? 'Cause you ran away and abandoned your post and your friends and your cousins and made him lie awake every night worrying about you? Maybe we should wait out here."

Buffy gives Xander a look - takes a big breath - and finally raps on the door.

Giles opens the door and sees Buffy. He's clearly taken aback. Nobody says anything. Xander can't stand it.

"Check it out. The watcher is back on the clock. And just when you were thinking career change. Maybe becoming a "Looker" or a "Seer" -" Xander says.

Giles cuts Xander off. "Thank you, Xander." He turns to Buffy - his expression closed, impossible to read. Finally, his features soften and he addresses her - trying hard to keep his composure. "Welcome home, Buffy." He lets everyone in and they make themselves comfortable in the living room.

"Yeah, I just got in a few hours ago. Went to see Prue and Phoebe first..." Buffy says.

Giles nods, "Of course. And how did you find them?

Buffy shakes her head, "I pretty much remembered the address."

"I mean, was everything all right between you –" Giles says just as he hears the kettle boiling. "Ah. Excuse me." He walks into the kitchen and proceeds to finish making a pot of tea.

"So where were you? Did you go to Belgium?" Xander asks.

Buffy shakes her head, "Why would I go to Belgium?"

"I think the relevant question is "why wouldn't you?" Belgium!" Xander says.

Giles moves to get the sugar - stops when he hears Buffy's laughter ring above the other voices.

"I'm glad to see you haven't changed, Xander..." Buffy says.

Giles is hidden from the others by a cabinet. He fights tears, his relief is palpable. But... he pulls it together. Puts his WASP face back on as he moves back into the living room. "Right, then. Tea's on."

Cordelia grabs a cookie from the tray. Turns to Buffy. "Okay - were you, like, living in a box or what?"

"It's a long story." Buffy says as she pours herself a cup of tea.

"So leave out the heartwarming stuff about kindly old people and saving the farm and get right to the dirt –" Xander says.

Giles shakes his head, "Perhaps Buffy could use a little time to adjust before we grill her on her summer activities."

"What he said." Buffy says.

Xander nods, "Fair enough. In fact - you can leave the slaying to us while you settle in - we got you covered."

Buffy laughs, "I noticed. You guys seemed down with the slayage. All tricked out with the walkies and everything –"

"Yeah, but our outfits suck. That Rambo thing is so over. I'm thinking sporty. Hilfiger, maybe." Cordelia says.

"Still - we're getting good. I mean, we dust, like, 9 out of 10!" Willow says enthusiastically.

"6 out of 10." Oz says.

"6 out of 10!" Willow says with enthusiasm.

Xander nods, "Whatever. We've been kicking a little undead booty."

"Thanks for the offer, but I kind of want to get back to my routine. You know - slaying, school, kid stuff... You guys up for hanging tomorrow? I'm jonesing for some brainless fun." Buffy says.

"I would - but I'm tied up." Xander says as he puts a hand on Cordelia.

Cordelia smiles, "You wish."

"What about you, Will?" Buffy asks.

"Tomorrow? I..." Willow says.

Buffy sighs, "Come on. Friends don't let friends browse alone."

Will glances at Oz - hesitates, "Okay. I had some school stuff, but... I guess I can change my plans."

"As for school, Buffy, you know you'll have to talk with Principal Snyder before…" Giles says.

Buffy nods, "On it. Prue's making an appointment with his ugliness."

"It may be tough going. He's quite emphatic about a Buffy-free Gateway High." Giles says.

"No problem. I'm bringing The Intimidator. One look at Prue and I know he'll break." Buffy says.

The next day in Principal Snyer's Office…

"Absolutely not. Under no circumstances." Snyder says.

Snyder sits behind his desk - completely delighted with himself. Buffy sits next to Prue looking unhappy, but not shocked by Snyder's attitude.

"But... you can't keep her out of school. You don't have the right." Prue says.

Snyder smiles, "I have not only the right but also a nearly physical sensation of pleasure at the thought of keeping her out of school. I'd describe myself as tingly."

"Buffy was never charged." Prue says.

"Yes, and while she may live up to the not-a-murderer requirement for enrollment, she is a troublemaker, destructive to school property and the occasional student and her grade point average alone is..." Snyder says as he smiles, forgetting himself. "I'm sorry. Another tingle moment."

Prue shakes her head, "I don't see how you can be so cavalier about a young girl's entire future."

"I'm quite sure a girl with talents and abilities such as Payson's will land on her feet." Snyder says. "In fact, I noticed on the way in this morning that Hot Dog On A Stick is hiring. You'll look so cute in that hat."

Buffy stands. Grabs her bag. "Let's go, Prue."

"This isn't over. If I have to, I'll go all the way to the mayor." Prue says.

"Wouldn't that be interesting." Snyder says smiling, he opens the door - showing them out.

Prue follows Buffy out into the hall.

Giles, who's been lingering but trying non to look like he's been lingering, approaches. "Well. How did it go?"

"Have you ever noticed his teeth? They're like tiny, little rodent teeth –" Prue says, furious.

Giles frowns, "Oh, dear..."

Prue nods, "Horrible gnashing little teeth. You just want to pull them out with pliers."

"Perhaps there's some way he can be over-ruled..." Giles says.

Prue and Giles move away from Buffy, talking intently about her "situation." The BELL RINGS and the hall is suddenly flooded with students - all moving with purpose from one class to the next.

The kids pass, not seeming to notice Buffy. She looks, and feels, lost - displaced.

Moments later in Prue's car she pulls up to the curb with Buffy in the passenger seat. Both look discouraged, but Prue tries to sound cheery. "Don't worry about school, Buffy. If we can't get you back into Gateway, we may be able to swing private school."

"Like with the jackets and kilts? You want me to get field-hockey-knees?" Buffy says.

Prue shakes her head, "It's not that bad."

Buffy sighs, "How about home schooling? It's not just for scary religious people anymore."

Prue nods, "We'll work something out." Buffy just nods. "Tell Willow I said hi."

Later Buffy waits for Willow outside of a coffee house. It's clear that she's been waiting for a while. She checks her watch... She sits on a bench - decides to give it a few more minutes.

Later Buffy comes up the walk as the front door opens and an unfamiliar woman in her 40's steps out - PAT. She's of the chatty, nervous variety.

"Oh my word, you must be Buffy! Look at you - aren't you a picture?" Pat says.

Buffy smiles, "Thanks..."

Pat shakes Buffy's hand enthusiastically, "I'm Pat – Phoebe and I have a class together. I'm sure she mentioned me."

Buffy shakes her head, "Actually-"

Pat starts heading for the street. "Well, I'm off. We're making empanadas in my Spanish class tonight. You go be with your cousins. You all need to re-bond.

Pat hustles away - leaving Buffy a little dazed.

Prue and Phoebe are in the kitchen. Prue is looking through a cook book when Buffy enters, looking irritated.

"Pat wishes us quality time." Buffy says.

Phoebe nods, "Oh - I met her in-"

Buffy nods, "She said one of your classes, got it."

Prue looks up from the cookbook, "Before I forget - Willow just called."

"Where was she?" Buffy asks.

"She got held up. But she said she tried to call." Prue says.

Buffy nods, "Was there a message?"

Prue shakes her head, "No... But I had a thought - what if I invited Willow, Xander and Giles for dinner tomorrow night. Don't you think that would be nice?" Buffy's clearly not sure - but... "Since I sort of already did, I'm hoping for a yes."

Buffy nods, "It'll be fun.

"Why don't you run downstairs and get the company plates." Prue says wondering why Piper kept the good dishes in the basement.

"Prue. Willow and everybody aren't company plate people. They're normal plate people." Buffy says.

Prue shakes her head, "Humor me, Buffy."

Buffy nods - goes into the basement, unsure why Piper always kept the good plates there. She gets the china from a shelf and notices a stack of framed photos nearby. She turns one over.

It's a picture of Buffy, Willow and Xander from a year or so back. They are arm in arm, laughing.

Buffy regards it for a long beat - feeling like she's looking at a picture from someone else's life. She moves to put it back on the shelf, but in doing so dislodges an object which nearly falls on her head.

When it lands on the floor she sees that it's a dead cat. Buffy shrieks with surprise, jumps.

Later Buffy digs a hole in a flower bed. She puts her spade aside and Prue drops the cat (now in a plastic hefty bag) into the hole.

"Next time? I get to pick the bonding activity..." Buffy says.

Prue nods, "At least it wasn't, Kit."

Buffy nods in agreement, "Your right."

Buffy starts to shovel the dirt back into the grave.

That night Buffy gets into bed and turns out the light - but she just lies there with her eyes open. She looks toward the window and the night shadows playing on the wall.

The next morning Prue is pouring herself some coffee as Buffy looks in the fridge.

"I've been on the phone with the superintendent of schools. He seems more reasonable than that nasty little horrid bigoted rodent man." Prue says.

Buffy laughs, "Prue."

Prue nods, "Anyway, I'm going in to speak with him this afternoon. As for private schools-" she pushes some papers toward Buffy. "Miss Porter's accepts late admissions. I wrote down the information for you-"

Buffy sighs, "A girl's school? Okay - so now it's jackets, kilts and no boys? Care to throw in a little foot binding?"

"Buffy. You made some bad choices. You may just have to live with some consequences." Prue says harshly. She relents though, "Nothing's settled yet. I'm sorry really, Buffy. I know what you went through was difficult. It's just running away like you did…"

"I know, Prue." Buffy says.

Prue carries some trash to the kitchen door, opens it. The dead cat zips through the open door and into the house.

Later a grim looking Buffy opens the door for Giles, who carries a small animal cage. "Welcome to the Hellmouth petting zoo."

In Prue's bedroom the dead cat screeches horribly as Giles catches it. He holds the creature far away from his body as he deposits it in the cage, reacting visibly to its bad smell. "My lord - what a stench."

Buffy nods, "I told Prue, get the Forest Pine or the April Fresh - but she wanted dead cat."

Giles looks to Prue, who stands nearby. "I'll take it back to the library and we'll try to determine its exact origin." As he's leaving, Giles notices the mask on Prue's wall. "This is striking. Nigerian?"

Prue nods, "Yes, I bought it at this new gallery that opened up."

They'd go on but Buffy jumps in, eager for some distraction.

"You know I love art talk as much as the next very dull person - but Giles, shouldn't we go? We're in research mode." Buffy says. She starts for the door, but Giles hesitates.

"You ought to stay here with Prue, Buffy. I'm sure you have lots of-"

Buffy sighs, "So besides not being allowed back in school. I'm also not allowed on school property."

Giles, "Yes."

Buffy sighs, "This marks a first. I want to go to school - but school doesn't want me."

Giles nods, "I'm sorry. I'll call as soon as I know something."

Prue nods, "And we'll see you tonight. Dinner?"

"Ah - of course. Tonight, then." Giles says.

Later Buffy is setting the table when the doorbell rings. She goes to the door, expecting her buddies - but instead is confronted by her Phoebe's friend Pat.

"There you are. Not thinking about any more flights of fancy, I hope?" Pat says. "Phoebe said there was room for one more - so I said "forget facial night - let's party!" I bet you like empanadas." She thrusts a tupperware container into Buffy's hands.

"You want to see Phoebe?" Buffy asks.

Pat nods, "Please."

"PHOEBE!" Buffy yells.

Phoebe comes down the stairs, just finishing dressing - sees Pat. "Oh, Pat. Good. Buffy, I hope you don't mind-"

The doorbell rings again. Buffy answers it and is more than a little surprised to see Devan from Oz's band and a bunch of groupie types.

"Hey, Buffy." Devon says.

"Uh, hey." Buffy says.

"So - where do you want the band to set up?" Devon asks.

"The band?" Buffy asks.

Later that evening Dingoes Ate My Baby jam in the living room. There are too many people - most of whom Buffy doesn't even know - crammed into the room.

Buffy wanders, not knowing what to do with herself. She spots Willow across the room watching Oz play. Buffy moves to her and they yell over the band. "Hey!"

"Hey!" Willow says.

"This is... large!" Buffy says.

Willow nods, "You like?"

Buffy sighs, "It's great. It's just - I was thinking more, just us. The gang?"

Willow shakes her head. Can't hear Buffy over the music. "Sorry - what!?"

"This is amazing. But I still want to hang with just-" Buffy says.

Willow smiles - but mouths the words "I Can't Hear You." Turns back to the band.

Buffy starts to move away - but changes her mind and pulls Willow aside, where they can hear one another. "Is everything okay? You seem to be... I don't know - avoiding me. In the one-on-one sense."

Willow smiles - but she's clearly uncomfortable. "What? This isn't avoiding. See? Here you are. Here I am."

"So - we're cool?" Buffy asks.

"Way. That's why - with the party. 'Cause we're all glad you're back." Willow says.

Buffy nods. "Okay."

"Okay. Good." Willow says and moves back toward the band.

The party is verging on WILD. People dance. The ubiquitous JONATHAN chats up a cute girl, who looks like she'd rather be anywhere else. "...I think you'll be impressed. It's the Cadillac of mopeds..."

The girl walks away. Jonathan plays it off like it's all good. No problemo...

Buffy moves among the guests. She nods her head to the music - trying to look cool, passes two stoner types who stand surveying the crowd.

"This party? I heard it's for some chick who just got out of rehab."

The other stoner just nods.

Buffy overhears this - decides to make herself scarce. Exits the living room and runs right into Xander and Cordelia, who are in heavy-petting mode. She does an about-face, but Xander sees her.

Xander continues to hold and caress Cordelia while he addresses Buffy. "Hey, Buff. What you doing?"

Buffy turns back - caught. "Don't mind me. I was just – taking a break from all that wacky fun."

"Some party, huh? Guess a lot of people are glad you're back." Xander says.

Buffy nods, "Yeah. Seems like people I don't even know missed me. Did Giles say if he was going to be late?"

"He was library man last time I saw him. But he'll be here. He wants to celebrate your homecoming. We all do. I mean, it's great having the Buffster back." Xander says. "Isn't it?"

Cordelia nods, "Totally. Except - you were kinda turning me on with that whole "boy slayer" look."

"Was I now?" Xander asks.

Cordelia nods, "You bet – 'Nighthawk...'" She giggles. And that's it - they're lost in touch town again.

"Okay. So. I'll just..." Buffy says but she's totally forgotten by the couple.

Buffy makes her way upstairs to her room. She grabs her duffle from her closet. Starts packing.

Willow comes up the stairs, heads toward the bathroom. She notices that the door to Buffy's room is open a crack - and sees Buffy moving around inside.

Willow stops - feeling remorseful about her earlier snub - and moves to the door. Reacts when she sees that Buffy is packing her stuff. "You're leaving again? What, you just stopped by to pick up your lint brush and now you're ready to go?"

Buffy sighs, "It's not like anyone'll mind."

"Oh, no, go ahead. Have a great time, don't forget to not write." Willow says.

Buffy frowns, "Why are you attacking me? I'm trying –"

"Wow, and it looks so much like giving up!" Willow says.

"I'm just trying to make things easier." Buffy says.

"For who?" Willow asks.

"You guys seemed to be doing fine without me." Buffy says. "Even my own cousins seemed to be doing fine without me."

"We did the best we could! We didn't have much choice in the matter." Willow says.

"Look, I'm sorry I had to leave, okay? You don't know what I was going through." Buffy says.

Willow sighs, "Well, I'd like to."

"You wouldn't understand." Buffy says.

Willow nods, "Maybe I don't need to understand. Maybe I just need you to talk to me."

"While you're avoiding me like a virulent ebola strain?" Buffy asks.

Willow shakes her head, "This isn't easy, Buffy. I know you're going through stuff but so am I."

"Willow, I know you were worried, but –" Buffy says.

"I don't just mean that. I mean my life. I have all sorts of - I'm dating, I'm having serious dating... with a werewolf, and I've been studying witchcraft and killing vampires, and you were my best friend, I didn't have anyone to talk to about all this scary life stuff. Then you come back and you didn't even ask about me. You just worried about whether I was mad at you." Willow says.

Buffy is stunned and shamed by Willow's words.

Prue and Phoebe comes up the stairs looking for Buffy.

"...how much I missed you, and everyone! I wanted to call every day-" Buffy says.

"It doesn't matter, Buffy! It still doesn't make it okay that you-" Willow says.

Prue and Phoebe move into Buffy's room. They see the half-packed bag and clothes littered around.

"This is a joke - right?" Phoebe asks.

"Phoebe - can you just - Willow and I are talking-" Buffy says.

Prue shakes her head, "No - we can't "just!" What is this, Buffy?"

"She was running away again." Willow says.

Buffy's getting overwhelmed. "I wasn't. I mean, I'm not sure what-"

"Well you better get sure and explain…" Prue starts.

Phoebe holds up her hand, "Buffy talk to us."

Buffy shakes her head, "Ok let's start with Pat."

Phoebe sighs, "I'm sorry. She heard me talking on the phone to Giles about the party. What was I going to do tell her no?"

Buffy sighs, "I guess, not."

Prue nods, "What else is bothering you Buffy."

"I know I put everyone through the worst two months of their lives. But I had hoped I guess that everyone would I don't know be okay." Buffy says.

Prue nods, "Buffy we've all been through the rollercoaster with you being gone. Phoebe and I didn't know if you were alive or dead, especially with Piper still with Leo."

Buffy's eyes go wide, "Oh!" She had forgotten about Piper had left with Leo. She sits on her bed as tears begin to fall.

Phoebe looks to Prue and they sit next to Buffy. "Buffy, we don't know what happened that night. Why you felt you needed to run. And I will be the first to admit it was handled badly on both sides."

Prue nods, "Phoebe's right. I think we've all been hard on each other. Maybe having a get together this early after you got back was bad idea for all of us. Willow why don't you go downstairs and let everyone know the party is over."

"Sure." Willow says.

"We'll have you all over for dinner later this week." Prue says. "No party though this time."

Willow smiles, "I think that's a good idea."

Downstairs they hear something crashing through a living room window.

"What now?" Prue asks as they rush down stairs.

Outside a zombie army pounds at the door and windows, also trying to get inside.

Party guests scream and scatter, a few making it out the front door.

In the kitchen zombies noisily smash through the windows and door.

Everyone reacts to the sound in the kitchen. Without even thinking – Prue, Phoebe, Willow, Xander, Buffy, Oz and Cordelia respond to the crisis by coming together. Buffy grabs a fireplace poker - tosses it to Xander. "Xander! Prue! The kitchen!

With cool precision, Xander snatches the poker from the air. "Got your back." He, Prue and Cordelia head for the kitchen.

Buffy fights a zombie with all her might - but no matter how hard she hits it - it just keeps coming.

Willow runs and grabs a piece of broken window frame, breaks off a makeshift stake. She calls to Buffy, "Buffy! Heads up!" She throws the stake to Buffy.

Buffy grabs catches the stake and slames it into the Zombie's heart. Nothing happens. "Not vampires."

Pat, terrified, inches for the front door. She doesn't see the Zombie emerging from the dining room until it's too late. He grabs her - silencing her with a rotting hand over her mouth.

Prue, Xander and Cordelia battle a zombie who has made it all the way into the kitchen. Xander conks it repeatedly with a bottle while Cordelia grabs a barbecue fork and skewers. Prue is using her telekinetic power to try and keep other zombies outside. All to no avail.

"Man, this sucker wobbles but he won't fall down!" Xander says.

More zombies try to get inside the house - but Buffy and the others keep beating them back.

Jonathan grabs one of the band's guitars to beat zombies with.

"Not my guitar! Use the bass." Devon says.

Buffy, Willow and Phoebe still battle the zombie that Buffy staked earlier.

"He just keeps coming!" Willow says.

"I know. Try to get him back outside-" Buffy says.

Willow and Phoebe wrestle the nasty looking dude toward the front door. Oz grabs the door handle.

"On three!" Phoebe says. "One... Two... THREE!"

Oz swings the door open and beats the zombies who try to enter back with a heavy brass candle stick. Phoebe and Willow herd the zombie out the door. Then they all lean on the door until it closes.

Buffy marshals Devon, Jonathan and some terrified party guests. "Help me barricade. Come on!"

The guests starts piling furniture, etc., against the broken windows.

Prue Xander and Cordelia have pinned Mr. Zombie on the floor and are tying his hands and legs together with phone cord.

"I got it - go help Buffy!" Xander says and Prue takes off heading back in to the living room.

Prue enters as the others finish with the barricade. Their fortress seems to be holding and everyone breathes a sigh of relief.

"Great. Good job every-"

SMASH! The barricade comes tumbling down and it's zombie-rama again. Everyone freaks, scatters.

Buffy sees Xander and Cordelia returning from the kitchen. She grabs Xander as she calls to the others. "Upstairs!"

Oz, Phoebe, Prue and Cordy head for the stairs - and end up running right into a zombie who comes crashing through the front door, forcing them to change directions.

"This way!" Oz says.

Buffy, Prue, Phoebe and Willow encounter Pat's unconscious body on the stairs as they race for safety. She moans, barely alive. They collect her and run into Prue's bedroom.

Where they barricade themselves anew, shoving the dresser, the bed - anything they can get their hands on - in front of the door. Phoebe and Willow move to a corner with Pat.

Willow checks Pat's pulse. She looks at Phoebe - alarmed. "She's..."

"Oh my God." Phoebe says.

But they have no time to deal because they see that Buffy and Xander are struggling with a zombie who has weakened the barricade. Xander gets thrown back and into the opposite wall - knocking the ceremonial mask to the floor.

Willow and Phoebe reluctantly leave Pat and go once more into the fray.

They are all so zombie-occupied that they don't notice Pat as her eyes snap open.

Buffy, Prue, Phoebe, Willow and Xander fend off a zombie who has now broken through the barricade.

Pat rises - slowly. Deliberately.

Phoebe frowns as she sees Pat. "Willow I thought…"

"She was," Willow says.

Pat picks up the mask and raises it to her face and her eyes instantly flash red. The mask now melds into Pat's face and becomes her demonic visage.

The other zombie in the room hits the floor, cowering and bowing to Pat.

"Generally speaking? When the scary things get scared? Not good." Xander says.

Pat stands - surging with newfound power. She speaks in a creepy, garbled tone. "I live. You die."

Pat's eyes begin to glow. Buffy starts toward her - but Pat immediately turns her gaze on her and her eyes flash an even brighter red. This has a paralyzing effect, stopping a perplexed Buffy in her tracks.

BOOM! Pat brutally backhands a defenseless Buffy - who goes sprawling. Now Pat turns toward a cowering Willow.

Buffy recovers, "Don't look, Willow!"

But it's too late. Pat looks at Willow, eyes flashing again, and Willow is caught like a deer in Pat's headlights. Pat snatches Willow from her hiding place - moves to snap her neck.

"No!" Buffy says and lowers her head, turns her eyes away - and powers into Pat. Willow falls to the floor as Buffy plows Pat through one of the windows.

Buffy and Pat roll off the roof and land in the yard with a horrible thud.

Buffy and Pat recover from their plunge. Pat's eyes flash, trying to hit Buffy again with her paralyzing power, but Buffy scrambles away from her - covering her eyes with her arm. "Not looking. Not looking..."

Buffy's regained her footing when Pat tackles her, sending her back to the ground. Still, even with her eyes squeezed shut, Buffy gets her feet under Pat and heaves Pat off of her.

Pat is coming back from the blow Buffy dealt her, as Buffy crawls across the ground searching wildly for something. Buffy seizes a digging spade.

Buffy looks up - and right into the flashing eyes of Pat, who now stands over her. Buffy is stuck, and motionless...

Oz comes out the back door, "Buffy!

Pat spins at the sound of Oz's voice.

Buffy jumps to her feet. "Hey - Pat!" Pat turns back to Buffy. Buffy looks away as she drives the spaded into Pat's eyes. "Made you look."

Buffy's action causes an intense white flash that vaporizes Pat.

Pat is gone. It's over. No zombies. Nothing.

"Never mind." Oz says.

Oz and Buffy come back into the house. Buffy is shaken and looking a little worse for the wear.

Prue, Phoebe, Willow, Giles, Xander and Cordelia move to them, concerned.

"Buffy - Are you alright?" Prue asks.

Buffy reaches for Prue. "Prue-" She hugs Prue.

Xander moves to Buffy - his tone conciliatory. "Nice moves."

Buffy smiles, "You too."

They slap hands, low and casual, sealing an unspoken truce. Now Willow, Cordelia and Oz also crowd around for more hugs and words of encouragement.

Giles stands slightly apart from the others. Watching the group come together and enfold Buffy. He's clearly moved, but something else crosses his features - resolve.

The next day Giles knocks on Principal Snyder's office door - looks in.

Snyder looks up from his desk - annoyed. "Did we have an appointment?"

Giles closes the door. Steps inside. "I'd like to have a word with you."

Snyder moves from behind his desk - grabs a folder. "If that word is "Payson" - then I have two words for you. Good riddance. Now. If you don't mind. I have an appointment with the mayor..."

Giles smiles, "You can't keep her out of this school."

Snyder smirks, "I think you'll find I can."

"You had no grounds for expelling her." Giles says.

Snyder nods, "I have grounds, I have precedent, and this tingly kind of –"

Giles shakes his head, "It won't hold. Payson Halliwell is a minor and entitled to a public education. Your personal distaste for the girl does not legally enable you –"

Snyder shakes his head, "Why don't you take it up with the city council?" He starts out of the office, stopping right between Giles and the wall.

"I thought I'd start with the State supreme court. You may be powerful in local circles, but I believe I can make life very uncomfortable for you. Professionally speaking. And Payson Halliwell will be allowed back in." Giles says.

Snyder regains an appearance of superiority. "Sorry. I'm not convinced."

Giles puts his hand to Snyder's chest and slams him against the wall with one violent, swift motion. He looks coldly down at the man, all Ripper. "Do you want me to convince you?"

Snyder is stunned, about to backtrack massively...

At the coffee house Buffy and Willow sit at a table, scraping up the last of a shared dessert. Totally oblivious to the world around them.

"I mean I'm not like a full fledged witch, that takes years." Willow says.

Buffy shakes her head, "It doesn't take years."

Willow shakes her head, "You were born with it Buffy. I wasn't. It will take me longer."

"No it won't." Buffy says. "You want to know why?" Willow nods. "Because I'm going to teach you."

"You will?" Willow asks.

Buffy smiles and nods, "Yes, Willow I will. You will have it easier that Prue, Piper, Phoebe and I did. We had no one to teach us when we came into our powers."

Willow nods, "That's good, because I tried to communicate with the spirit world and I so wasn't ready for that. It was like being pulled apart inside. Plus I blew the power for our whole block. Big scare."

Buffy nods, "Oh, I wish I coulda been there with you."

Willow nods, "Me too. I really freaked out."

Buffy sighs, "I'm sorry..."

Willow shakes her head, "It's okay. Really, I understand you having to bail and I can forgive that. I have to make allowances for what you're going through and just be a grown up about it."

Buffy shakes her head, "You're loving this moral superiority thing."

Willow nods, "It's like a drug."

"Fine. I'm the bad, I can take my lumps. For a while." Buffy says.

Willow smiles, "All right, I'll stop giving you a hard time. Runaway."

"Will..." Buffy says.

"I'm sorry." Willow says, "Quitter."

"Whiner." Buffy says.

"Bailer." Willow says.

Buffy laughs, "Harpy."

Willow laughs, "Delinquent."

"Tramp." Buffy says.

"Bad seed." Willow says.

"Witch." Buffy says.

Willow smiles, "Well that is a given but so are you."

"That is true," Buffy says. "I'm Charmed whether I like it or not."


	49. Chapter 49: The Honeymoon's Over

**Chapter 49: The Honeymoon's Over**

"Then why hasn't she contacted us? I mean, she has to know that we're worried about her. She also has to know that she's left us one sister short in the power of three." Phoebe says.

Buffy walks out of her room, "it's two in the morning guys."

"So, while she is up romping around the clouds with Leo, we've got our wiccan butts flapping around in the wind here. I mean, we are very lucky, Prue, that we haven't been attacked since…" Phoebe says as she looks at Buffy.

Buffy sighs, "Since I killed Angel. You can say it Phoebe."

"No. It has absolutely nothing to do with luck. The triad is up to something. We just don't know what it is yet." Prue says. She looks at Buffy, "We still need to talk about what went on that night."

Buffy nods, "And we will. Just give me some time, okay."

"That's exactly my point. Piper knows this. So where the hell is she?" Phoebe says.

Prue nods, "Well, that's why I've been studying the book."

Buffy shakes her head, "Prue, studying the book is not going to do it. We're screwed without Piper and you know this. Why aren't you worried? You were worried where I was."

Prue sighs, "I am worried. Alright? I am scared that you're right, that we're never going to see her again, and not because she doesn't want to come back, but because they won't let her. Because she broke one too many rules."

The phone rings.

"Who's calling us at 2 in the morning?" Phoebe asks.

Prue goes to answer it as Phoebe and Buffy follows.

"Probably Darryl." Prue says as she answer the phone, "Hello?"

"We really need to get a phone that can be put on speaker for stuff." Buffy says.

"Did you get the fax I sent?" Darryl says.

Prue nods, "Yeah. I was just about to check it." They head for the conservatory. "Hold on."

"What's going on?" Phoebe asks.

"Darryl's tracking a murder suspect who he thinks is in league with a demon." Prue says.

"Based on what?" Buffy asks.

"Based on the fact that the killer carves a demonic symbol into its victim's forehead." Prue says and she gives Phoebe a piece of paper with a photograph of a victim. "An inverted triangle. That and the fact that he magically seems to be invading arrest." She begins looking through the book.

"Looks like a rune to me." Phoebe says.

Prue nods, "Yeah. I saw it in here somewhere. Darryl, is he still at the pier street rave?"

"Yeah, but I think he's on the move. I don't think he spotted me yet. He's heading out the back." Darryl says.

Prue turns a page and sees the same symbol on the forehead of the demon drawn in the book. They're Guardians. She points to him. "There."

Buffy reads from the book, "An opening by which demons known as the guardians steal an innocent soul."

Prue looks at them. "Stay away from him Darryl."

"And let him kill somebody else?" Darryl says. "I don't think so."

Prue frowns, "No. Listen to me. These guardians protect they're mortal killers in exchange for their victim's souls. You cannot stop him."

"Listen Prue. I can take care of myself. I gotta call you back. I'm not sure where this guy is." Darryl says.

"Darryl?" Prue asks. "Darryl?"

Prue hangs up and walks in the kitchen with Phoebe following. "Alright. Buffy you up for a little flame?"

Buffy nods, "Just call me your flame express. Where to?"

"What do we do once we get there?" Phoebe asks.

"How about save Darryl's life?" Prue says.

Phoebe shakes her head, "No. I mean about the guardian. We don't even know how to vanquish it."

Prue nods, "Well, the book says you kill it just like you would a vampire, with a stake."

Phoebe frowns, "Oh. Okay. Piper, where are you?"

Buffy grabs Prue and Phoebe's hands and flames out.

Inside a club, Prue, Buffy, and Phoebe are walking through the crowd. They walk to a back door and walk outside and see a woman dead. They then turn around to see Emilio trying to do the same thing to Darryl.

"Darryl. Prue!" Phoebe says and Prue uses her power to send Emilio flying on top of a dumpster. They run to check Darryl. The guardian arises from Emilio. "He's alive."

Buffy whips out a stake. "Uh, I think I've found the guardian."

Phoebe and Prue stand up.

"Okay. Get rid of it." Phoebe says.

Buffy tosses her stake and with perfect aim it sails through the Guardian's heart.

"Wait. Didn't the book say they were just like vampires?" Phoebe asks.

Prue nods, "I might have mis-read that part."

"I'm sorry?" Buffy says and she pulls out a second stake as the guardian picks up the knife." Okay. Let's try the rune." She tosses the stake and it goes flying into the guardian's triangle on his forehead. He gets electrocuted and disappears.

"Okay, if Piper ever comes back, I am going to kill her." Phoebe says.

Later the police put the woman in a body bag. Phoebe, Buffy and Prue are with Darryl, who's awake and being checked by a Paramedic.

"Poor girl." Phoebe says.

"Do you feel dizzy at all? Nauseous?" Paramedic asks Darryl

Darryl shakes his head, "No."

"Trouble focusing? Headache?" The Paramedic asked.

Darryl shook his head again, "I'm telling you I'm fine. Only thing wounded is my pride."

Prue nods, "Is he fine?"

The Paramedic nods, "Yeah. Thanks to you guys."

Buffy frowns, "What do you mean thanks to us?"

The Paramedic smiles, "Well, you fought off the attacker didn't you?" Emilio walks towards the police car, staring at Buffy, Prue and Phoebe with an evil grin on his face. "Isn't that what happened?"

"Uh, yeah, you know, it wasn't really that big of a deal." Prue says.

"Well, you saved his life. I think that's a pretty big deal. You're a lucky man, Inspector. Take care." The Paramedic says.

Darryl nods, "Thanks."

The Paramedic grabs his bag and walks away.

"Okay, can we go now?" Phoebe asks.

Darryl shakes his head, "No. You have to give witness statements."

Prue frowns, "Uh, Darryl..."

Darryl sighs, "Prue, you're witnesses to a crime. In this case the only witnesses."

Buffy shakes her head, "No, Darryl, we can't be witnesses. We used our powers to stop the killer, what are we supposed to say?"

"And he saw us use them too." Prue says.

Darryl shakes his head, "Nobody's gonna believe anything that sleaze ball has to say. All you have to do is get your story straight."

"You mean get our lies straight." Phoebe says.

Darryl nods, "Phoebe, listen to me, without your testimony, Emilio walks."

Buffy looks over at Emilio and he is still grinning at them. "What is he smiling at anyway? It's not like he has his guardian demon to protect him anymore."

Phoebe shrugs, "Yeah, and unfortunately our guardian angel is no where to be found." She looks up. "We sure could use some cosmic help right now. What are we supposed to do? We've never been in this situation before."

"You better decide fast. Here comes the ADA." Darry says.

ADA approaches them, "Ladies. My name is Cole Turner and I'm the Assistant District Attorney assigned to this case. I was wondering if either of you saw what happened here."

Phoebe raises her hand. "I did!"

Buffy rolls her eyes.

Later in a court room Prue, Buffy and Phoebe are sitting on one the benches.

Cole is standing in front of them. "I think we're in good shape except for the, what'd you call the murder weapon? A-a athamee?"

Phoebe nods, "Athame. It's a ceremonial knife used by…" Buffy and Prue looks at her. "Um, lots of different crazy people."

"And are you sure you didn't see who took it?" Cole asks.

Buffy shakes her head, "No, we were there to check up on Darryl and..."

Prue nods, "Probably just some lunatic from the rave. Will it hurt the case?"

"The P.D. will try to focus on it but this is just an arraignment, unless there's something I don't know about, we should have more than enough for the judge to hold him over for trial. Don't worry, I'm good at what I do." Cole says.

The judge enters the room.

"All rise. Court is now in session. The Honorable Judge William Hamilton now presiding. Please be seated." Bailiff calls out.

"I'm nervous." Phoebe says.

Prue nods, "Oh, you know. Witches and trials. It's that whole Salem thing."

Phoebe shakes her head, "No. I mean about lying. It just doesn't feel right, Prue."

Buffy shakes her head, "If anyone should be worried it would be me. The whole almost arrested for murder deal. Could blow my credibility."

Prue sighs, "Would it feel more right to just let him go?"

"Case number B684400. The state of California versus Emilio Smith. One count of murder in the first degree, one count attempted murder." County Clerk says.

Cole stands up, "Assistant District Attorney Cole Turner for the state."

The P.D. stands up, "Public Defender Alan Sloan for the defense."

"How does the defendant plead?" Judge asks.

Alan nods, "Not guilty, your Honor."

"So noted. Mr. Turner, I have read your brief, do you have anything to add?" Judge says.

Cole shakes his head, "No, your Honor. The state stands by the arrest report and the eye witness testimonies."

"Mr. Sloan?" Judge asks.

Alan smiles, "Well, uh, it seems to me, your honor, you can't very well hold for a murder trial without a murder weapon."

Cole nods, "The State has already stipulated that the alleged murder weapon is still outstanding. We have three eyewitnesses who—"

Alan frowns, "Saw what, exactly? My client bent over the Inspector? That's how they justify the attack? How do they know he didn't just happen to cross the scene, and was trying to revive the inspector."

"Oh, please!" Phoebe says.

The judge bangs his mallet. "Order!"

Cole looks at Phoebe and she mouths 'sorry'.

"And why, if they were able to so easily able to subdue him, don't they know exactly what happened to the alleged weapon? I mean, what? Did it just poof! magically disappear?" Alan says.

"Objection!" Cole says.

Phoebe frowns, "Oh God, he knows."

Buffy shakes her head, "How could he Pheebs."

"Your honor, the witnesses aren't on trial here." Cole says.

"Why? Isn't perjury illegal?" Alan asks.

"Objection, your honor!" Cole says.

Judge nods, "Mr. Turner, unless you have something else or can produce the alleged murder weapon, I'm inclined to agree with Mr. Sloan."

Cole frowns, "You're what?"

"Do you or don't you have any additional evidence?" Judge asks.

Cole shakes his head, "You mean aside the fact that he's the prime suspect in three other murders but no less then five people saw him leave the rave just before the attacks and that everything other than the missing murder weapon makes this in any other courtroom a slam dunk?"

"The charges are dropped, the defendant is released." Judge says. He bangs his mallet.

Cole shakes his head, "I don't believe this."

"Clerk, next case." Bailiff says.

Emilio and Alan stand up. Emilio grins at Buffy, Prue and Phoebe as they walk past them.

"Yeah, you keep smiling, punk." Cole says and grabs his jacket. "I'm not giving up until I see you fry."

"Come on, Turner, this isn't gonna solve anything." Darryl says.

"Let's go. Let's go." Alan says to Emilio and they leave the room.

"I'm so sorry, I wish that there was more that we could do." Phoebe says.

Cole nods, "If there's something you're not telling me, anything, if you're afraid of him we can protect you. I can refile."

Prue shakes her head, "Um, we have to go. Sorry."

Buffy, Prue and Phoebe walk away.

Later back at the Manor Prue's looking in the Book Of Shadows.

"We shouldn't have lied." Phoebe says.

"Phoebe..." Buffy and Prue says.

Phoebe sighs, "We shouldn't have. We should've told the truth. We should've done whatever we had to do to keep that jerk from walking."

Buffy shakes her head, "Like what? Say what really happened to that knife? Tell the court that we're witches? I'm the Slayer?"

Phoebe sighs, "Why not, Buffy? Prue? Isn't it more important to keep a killer off the streets then to protect our secret?"

Prue sighs, "Phoebe, the Judge would've thought that we were nuts and you know it."

"Not if you proved it to them and showed them your power." Phoebe says.

Buffy shakes her head, "No, that wouldn't have put Emilio away, that would've put us away, and then we would never have the chance of catching him again."

Phoebe nods, "And would that be before or after he kills somebody else? I'm sorry, you know I'm just really frustrated about all this. What about that public defender? I mean, if Emilio really did tell that P.D. about us, then why didn't he spill the magic beans?"

"Same reason as us, credibility. What I'm curious about is, is he mortal or is he demon?" Prue says.

"All I know is Cole is an angel. He was awesome in that court room yesterday." Phoebe says.

Buffy smiles, "See something you like, Pheebs?"

Phoebe shrugs, "Maybe, or maybe it's just nice to run into someone that's not a college boy. More years, less hormones."

Prue nods, "Yeah, not a bad butt either."

Piper and Leo orb in.

"We've been through this, Leo. I don't care if they are. It's not right and it's not fair." Piper says.

"I know that, but it's their rules." Leo says.

Piper shakes her head, "Screw their rules. They're wrong."

"Piper…" Prue says.

Piper raises a hand to silence Prue, "Just a second. Leo, you better do something about this because this is not acceptable."

"Piper, come on." Leo says.

Piper sighs, "Oh." She freezes him. "I'm gonna go to the club. Do not tell him." She leaves.

Prue sighs, "Hi, welcome home!"

Buffy shakes her head, "Okay, what was that all about?"

Phoebe nods, "I didn't even get to bitch at her."

"Yeah, neither did I." Prue says.

Leo unfreezes. "We have to talk about it."

"Leo, she left." Prue says.

Phoebe nods, "Yeah, so now I get to bitch at you. Listen, the next time you take my sister someplace, please, call and let us know that you got their safely, okay. I don't care if it's up there—"

Prue nods, "Okay, oh, shh. Leo, uh, can you do me a favor and just go find out everything you can on guardians. They are demons. Okay, thank you, bye."

Leo orbs out.

Phoebe sighs, "Excuse me, but I have issues."

Prue nods, "Yes, I know, so do I, but Leo looked pretty beaten up already."

Phoebe nods, "Yeah, you're right, which is why I'm now gonna go kick Piper's ass." She grabs the car keys and heads towards the door.

"Oh, oh!" Prue says and she closes the front door using her powers.

"Okay, we have had this conversation. You are not allowed to use your active power on me until I have an active power to use on you, remember?" Phoebe says.

Prue nods, "I know, and I'm sorry, alright. But if anybody's gonna talk to Piper it should be me, okay…"

"Actually," Buffy says. "It should be me." She flames out.

Prue and Phoebe look at each other and they nod.

At P4 Buffy flames in, "Piper?"

Piper walks in holding a notebook. "This is really weird. My supplies are, like, gone. There's no booze, there's no mineral water and we're even out of pretzels. Plus the books are all messed up. How did this happen in one lousy day?"

Buffy frowns, "One day? You're kidding, right? Piper, you have been gone for two months. You were actually gone longer than I was."

"What are you talking about?" Piper asks.

Buffy sighs, "Here." She picks up a newspaper off of the bench. "Check the date."

Piper looks at the newspaper, " September? It's September? How is this possible? I guess time moves a little bit differently up there."

Buffy nods, "Yeah, well, it doesn't keep your head from being bitten off down here."

"Are you talking about demons?" Piper asks.

Buffy shakes her head, "Oh, no, something so much worse than demons. Sisters. Prue and Phoebe to be exact. They thought that you had abandoned them."

Piper frowns, "That's ridiculous. I would never abandon them or you. If I had known I was gone this long I would've called or orbed or somehow let you know I was okay."

"Okay, why didn't Leo let us know?" Buffy asks.

Piper sighs, "Leo was battling demons of his own. Wait a minute, what's today? There's a band. The-the-the Barenaked Ladies are playing here tomorrow. Didn't anybody bother to call them?"

"I don't really think that Phoebe knew." Buffy says as Piper picks up the phone but Buffy puts it back on its cradle. "Hey, you know what? Piper, can we just talk about what happened up there first?"

Piper nods, "Sure, uh, unfortunately the longer I'm back, the fuzzier it all seems to get. I think they do that on purpose, they're very big on mystery."

"Okay, do you remember anything?" Buffy asks.

Piper shakes her head, "Just feelings mostly. Good ones. Peaceful and whole and then it all went to crap when they said Leo and I had to stop seeing each other or else."

"Or else what?" Buffy asks.

Piper sighs, "Or else they'd reassign him and we'd never see each other again. Just because it didn't work out with mom and her Whitelighter, I don't understand why I'm being punished."

Buffy shakes her head, "I'm sure that you guys will figure out a way around this. Come here." They hug. "Leo would never let you go without a fight, you know that."

Piper sighs, "But what if he doesn't have a choice?"

Buffy sighs, "You will figure something out."

Piper nods, "By the way what did you mean I was gone a little longer than you were?"

Buffy sighs, "Shortly after you left. We found out that Ms. Calendar had found the curse to restore Angel's soul. Thing is he somehow got ahold of this demon Acathla. There was this thing if he pulled the sword out of Acathla that the demon would wake and would swallow the world whole." She paused looking at her cousin and sighed again. "Willow and Phoebe were going to try and restore Angel's soul. Problem was it didn't work the first time. Angel sent some of his goons to kidnap Giles to help him release Acathla. I found out and went after Angel. Meanwhile Willow, Prue, and Phoebe tried to curse Angel again. This time it worked but not before Angel had woken Acathla. The only way to put Acathla back to sleep was to kill Angel. When the curse hit Angel I could see it was him again. He didn't remember anything at all about what happened the last few months. But it was too late the portal was opening, and the only way to close it was to kill Angel. I told him I loved him, we kissed. I told him to close his eyes and then I killed him."

Piper pulls Buffy into an embrace just as Prue walks in.

Buffy sighs, "It's the first time since becoming a witch I wanted to quit. I ran Piper, I quit for two months. But even then I couldn't get away from it."

Piper sighs and hug's Buffy, "I'm so sorry, Buffy."

Prue looked to Piper as to ask what did she say. Piper shook her head indicating she would tell her later.

Later Phoebe is running down the stairs. "I have got to get a cellphone. Prue, I had a premonition of Emilio carving that rune into Cole's forehead."

"Did you see where it happens?" Prue asks.

"No, just some parking lot somewhere." Phoebe says.

Piper shakes her head, "Who's Cole? Wh-what did you do to your hair?"

"Assistant District Attorney that Phoebe has the hots for." Buffy said.

Piper smiled, "Wow, Pheebs."

Prue shakes her head, "Now is not the time. Are you sure, Phoebe?"

Phoebe nods, "Yeah, positive. Although, now that I think about it, it does seem weird because we vanquished the guardian."

"Yeah, well, maybe he got another one." Buffy said.

Piper opens her mouth ready to speak.

"What's a guardian you ask? Well, if you'd been around at all then you'd probably know, huh?" Phoebe says.

Prue rolls her eyes, "Alright, Buffy will fill you in and Leo's checking on them so you should get together with him and find out everything."

Phoebe nods, "And no orbing."

Prue and Phoebe leave the club.

Buffy sighs, "Told you they had issues."

Piper nods, "But truth be told so do you."

Later back at the Manor Buffy and Piper is walking down the hallway. They hear Leo talking to himself in the bathroom. They stand next to the door and listens.

"I look at you and I think how lucky I am. I mean, I can't stop looking at you. You're my dream come true. You're my raison d'être." Leo says. "Every time I see you, I love you even more. You're so beautiful. You're so special. I can't imagine my life without you." Piper opens the door and walks in, Buffy stands in the doorway. "Piper! Buffy!"

"Leo, who are you talking to?" Buffy asks.

Leo shakes his head, "Me? Uh, nobody, just myself, you know."

Piper shakes her head, "Yourself? You were telling yourself how much you love you?"

"No, of course not. Uh, I mean, it's, it's not like that at all. Um, let's go downstairs and I'll explain." Leo says.

Piper shakes her head, "Actually, no, we don't have time. Uh, did you find out anything about the guardians?"

"Uh, no, I forgot." Leo says.

"You forgot?" Buffy asks shocked.

"Leo, what's the matter? Why are you acting so weird?" Piper asks.

"Can we go downstairs please?" Leo asks.

Piper shakes her head, "No, why?"

Leo nods, "Okay, fine, um, here's good. Um, I've been thinking a lot actually about our situation."

"Leo, get to the chase." Buffy says.

Leo nods, "Um, I think I've come up with a solution, a way for us to be together no matter what they say." Leo gets down on one knee and Piper's eyes widen. Piper looks over her shoulder at Buffy and then back at Leo. He takes Piper's hand. "Will you marry me?"

Piper moves past Buffy and runs down the stairs. Buffy shakes her head and follows Piper with Leo on their heels.

"Piper!" Leo says.

Piper shakes her head, "This is so not happening."

"Listen to me, Piper, I told you, I thought this whole thing through." Leo says.

Buffy shakes her head, "Is that why you asked her to marry you in a toilet?"

Leo sighs, "I tried to get her downstairs."

Piper nods, "Well, I'm downstairs now and I still don't believe you're serious."

Leo nods, "I am serious, Piper, dead serious."

"Right. Dead is exactly what we're gonna be if they ever find out." Piper says as she walks in the living room. Leo and Buffy follows.

"Piper, would you... would you stop running away from me for just one minute and let me explain." Leo says as she stops and faces him. "If we got married..." she sighs, "…look, will you just hear me out please? If we got married, it would be a holy union, something I don't even think my bosses could break apart."

"I think I speak for Piper and myself when I say we don't understand." Buffy says.

Leo nods, "It's really hard to explain. I-I don't really understand how it all works myself, but I know that there are different levels up there, a hierarchy. What I'm trying to say is that I think a holy union goes above their heads. It'd be like running an end run to my bosses bosses."

"And end run?" Piper asks.

"Yeah. The only catch is that we would have to get married in secret because I think they only way they could hurt us if they found out before, so we just have to keep it quiet." Leo says.

"Elope?" Piper asks.

Leo nods, "Right."

"So that they don't find out." Piper says.

Leo nods, "Exactly. You hate the idea."

Piper sighs, "Well, it's not exactly Cinderella, is it? Leo, look, how do we know they don't know already? How do we know they're not listening right now?"

Buffy nods, "She has a point."

"They're not, believe me, they don't do that." Leo says.

"So then why does it have to be a secret?" Piper asks.

"Because if they ever did find out..." Leo says.

Piper shakes her head, "Leo, this isn't supposed to be this way. Marriage shouldn't be a solution to a problem or a band aid, it's supposed to be about love and about two people who love each other so much they want to spend the rest of their lives together."

Leo nods, "That's what I want."

"But that's not where this is coming from. It's a fix-it, I guess, but it's not about us or love or whether or not we're even ready to be married." Piper says.

"I came up with this whole idea because we love each other. It's all about our love. You know, we're meant to be together, Piper, you know that. You went to the future and you saw that we were married in it. That means that somehow they didn't stop us, somehow we found a way to be together and I think this is the way." Leo says.

Buffy shakes her head, "A future you two were divorced in."

Piper sighs, "I don't know. Leo, I love you and I know I never wanna be without you, but... this just doesn't feel right. I mean, getting married in secret... It doesn't feel like a holy union to me. I'm sorry."

Prue and Phoebe come home.

"Buffy, Piper, Leo?" Prue says as they walk in the living room. "Oh, hey, Leo, good. Uh, did you find out anything about the guardian?"

Leo shakes his head, "Not yet."

"Not yet? What do you mean not yet?" Phoebe asks as Piper leaves the room. "Piper."

Leo sighs, "I'll go see what I can find out." He orbs out.

Buffy sighs, "I'll take care of Piper." She follows Piper out of the room.

Piper is laying on her bed when Buffy walks in.

"Hey." Buffy says as she sits on the bed. "Do you want to be alone?"

Piper turns and looks at Buffy. She sees Prue and Phoebe in the doorway. "No. But it looks like I'm gonna be. Leo asked me to marry him."

"That's great!" Prue says.

Buffy glares at Prue over her shoulder.

"Yeah, except that I can't do it." Piper says.

"Oh, what do you mean you can't do it, Piper? You love him." Phoebe says.

Piper sighs, "Of course I do, with all my heart but why's it got to be so complicated? Why can't I just be a normal person in love with a normal guy?"

"Problem Piper is facing is Leo thinks that getting married is the only way around them." Buffy says.

Piper nods, "But he's not even sure it's gonna work."

"Yeah, but it might work. Piper, you and Leo are destined to be together. You guys have the kind of love that girls dream about. I know I dream about it, how about you?" Phoebe asks.

Buffy shakes her head, "Not lately."

Prue nods, "All the time."

"And it understand the risks but if you don't go for it, isn't it an even bigger risk?" Phoebe asks.

Leo orbs in.

"That was fast." Prue says.

Phoebe nods, "A little too fast."

"Sorry, but they were very interested when I told them about the guardians. Apparently guardians help mortal criminals spread evil." Leo says.

Prue frowns, "Yeah, we already know that. Skip ahead."

"Well, they think that you've stumbled across some evil conspiracy in that court room. One where an upper level demon somehow assigns guardians to the criminals who are set free." Leo says.

Buffy nods, "That makes sense. It explains why Emilio has two."

Prue nods, "Yeah, the question is, who's the demon?"

"Didn't you say the public defender seems suspicious?" Piper asks.

Prue nods, "Yeah, but he's not exactly in his best position to be setting criminals free."

Phoebe nods, "Yeah, but Free Willy is."

"Who?" Piper asks.

Buffy smiles, "The judge. That would explain why he's got the highest release rate of anyone on the bench."

"Still, you can't very well go vanquishing the judge without knowing for sure he's demonic." Leo says.

Phoebe nods, "Well, we better come up with a plan because Emilio gets arraigned in night court in, oh, an hour."

Prue smiles, "I've got an idea."

Later, Buffy Prue, Piper, Phoebe and Leo are walking down a corridor in the courhouse.

"Can't we just come up with a spell or something?" Piper asks.

Prue shakes her head, "No, a spell could backfire on us."

"So could this." Buffy says.

Prue shakes her head, "No, the worst that could happen is that it just doesn't work, but we have to flush the demon out somehow."

Phoebe nods, "And since you can selectively freeze things, why not just the innocents?"

"Oh, maybe because I've never done it before." Piper says.

Phoebe smiles, "Yeah, well, I've never levitated before."

"You never what?" Buffy and Piper asks.

Prue shakes her head, "Look, Piper, just focus all of your energy on freezing the innocents, okay?"

Piper nods, "Okay. So why did you do that to your hair?"

Phoebe smiles, "Because I wanted to change my luck."

"Oh." Piper says.

Buffy rolls her eyes.

"Scoot." Phoebe says.

They walk in to the court room.

"How many times is the prosecution gonna keep harassing my client, you honor? I mean, as far as I'm concerned, this has turned into nothing but a witch hunt." Alan says.

Cole nods, "If I may please court, have a minute to confer with the witnesses?"

Buffy, Prue, Piper, Phoebe and Leo sit down next to Darryl.

"It's late, Mr. Turner. Either you have a case or you don't." The judge says.

Cole nods, "Very well. Uh, why would the defendant attack me if he was innocent of the prior charges?"

"There's no proof he's the one responsible for the attack." Alan says.

"Now, Piper." Prue whispers.

"Then what was he doing in the police parking lot? And why did myself and two eye witnesses..." Cole says.

"You mean, the same two of the three eye witnesses that were here before?" Alan asks.

"Piper..." Phoebe says.

"Don't worry about the pressure your under just concentrate." Buffy says.

"And what were they doing there?" Alan says as Piper tries to freeze the room but nothing happens. "I mean, how is it that they just magically be at every crime scene?"

Prue is about to say something when Buffy places her hand on Prue's arm and shakes her head.

"You can do it, my sister." Buffy whispers.

"Objection, your hon—" Cole says.

Piper freezes the room and only Cole, Leo and Darryl freeze.

"It worked." Phoebe says excitedly.

"Overruled." Judge says.

Prue nods, "It's the judge."

"You honor, I move for this case to be dismissed." Alan says.

Buffy frowns, "And the Public Defender."

They look around and Emilio and the security guards haven't freezed.

"It's everybody." Piper says.

"Oh!" Prue says.

The judge smiles, "Kill them."

"Oh!" Prue says again.

"What do we do?" Phoebe asks.

Buffy looks to Leo, Cole and Darryl, "We run."

They run into another room. The judge turns into a demon. Buffy locks the door behind them.

"Okay, does anybody have any brilliant ideas?" Phoebe asks.

Prue nods, "Ah, can't you just freeze them?"

Piper shakes her head, "No, once they're immune to it they stay that way. That's why it's called immunity."

"The question is how many are guardians and how many are actually demons." Buffy says. "If I knew that I could flame in there and start throwing fireballs. But the ones with guardians are humans. And we don't kill humans."

Phoebe sighs, "Great." Everyone outside tries to bang down the door. "Okay, this was all your idea, you know."

"Okay, well, so sue me." Prue says. "So, any mass vanquishing spells?"

Phoebe shakes her head, "You're the one that's been studying the book."

"Why are you picking on me?" Prue asks.

Phoebe sighs, "Because I'm scared and we're outnumbered."

"Okay, but we can't stay in this room for the rest of our lives." Buffy says.

The judge throws another fireball.

"Oh!" Prue says as everyone outside continues to bang on the door. "Alright, the best defence is a good offence. Are you ready?"

Piper shakes her head, "No."

Prue smiles, "Yeah, you're ready."

Piper shakes her head, "No, no."

Prue nods, "On three. One, two," she looks to Phoebe, "don't hold my hand. One, two, three."

Buffy powers up a fireball.

Prue uses her power and the door flies open knocking everyone behind it out of the way.

Alan points a gun at Prue and she uses her power on him.

A security guard grabs Prue from behind. Phoebe does some of her karate moves on some woman.

Emilio heads straight for Piper holding a knife and she continually tries to freeze him. She picks up a baton off of the floor and blocks his attack.

Prue breaks away from the guards grip and kicks one in the stomach.

The judge throws a fireball straight at Prue. Buffy throws her fireball and the two collide exploding in midair.

They continue fighting everyone until everyone except the Judge are all unconscious.

"Okay, nicely done." Prue says.

"You too." Phoebe says.

Buffy powers up a fireball, "Come on judgie."

"Wait a minute, if they're demons where are they're powers?" Piper asks.

"Come to me," the Judge says.

The guardians rise out of the people and follow the judge into the chambers.

Buffy frowns, "Guardians. They're not demons, they're just protected by them. Come on."

They run towards the Judge's chambers.

Buffy, Prue, Piper and Phoebe walk into the chambers. The judge burns and disappears.

"Okay, how did that happen?" Piper asks.

Prue shrugs, "Good question, but we're not alone."

"We better get back before Cole unfreezes." Phoebe says.

They walk back outside.

"How are we gonna explain all this to him?" Buffy asks.

Phoebe thinks for a moment, "Uhh..." Phoebe picks up a baton and stands behind Cole. "I am so sorry." She hits him over the head and he falls down. Piper unfreezes Leo and Darryl. "Oh, Cole, Cole." He sits up. "Are you okay?"

"Uh, yeah, I think so." Cole says as he rubs his head. "What happened?"

Phoebe smiles, "Aren't you getting tired of asking me that?" He stares at her. "Um, well, Emilio went nuts and he tried to escape and then all the court room people tried to help him..."

Prue nods, "Yeah, thank God for Darryl."

Piper smiles, "Yep, saved the day."

Cole looks at them confused, "What?"

Phoebe nods, "Something good happened. Can't you just accept that?"

"It's not in my nature." Cole says.

Later back at the Manor Piper is talking to Prue and Phoebe about Buffy.

"And she told him she loved him, kissed him, told him to close his eyes and then she killed him." Piper says.

Prue sighs, "So the curse worked after all just a little too late. No wonder she ran. Mind you it doesn't excuse what happened."

Phoebe nods, "But it is understandable. Both of you at one time thought of quitting. It just happened to be her turn. Unlike the previous times with us. She didn't have anyone to talk to."

Piper nods, "I've been thinking. With your guys permission I want to give Buffy 100 percent control of the club when she turns 21. I think she deserves it and more."

"Is this because of what she told you about the future the genie sent her to?" Prue asks.

Piper sighs, "Partly. But also in part because of Angel. And partly because she has literally died three times. Out of all of us she is the one who has sacrificed the most. I think she deserves something normal."

Prue nods, "In the end it's really up to you. Phoebe and I are more silent partners. But I think your right she deserves something normal."

Phoebe nods in agreement, "I'm with Prue on this."

Piper smiles, "Okay."

That evening at P4 The Barenaked Ladies are playing. Piper's at the bar serving drinks. Buffy, Prue and Phoebe walk up.

Phoebe smiles, "You've been gone for two days and you get the Barenaked Ladies? How?"

"Oh, actually, I just made a couple of phone calls." Piper says.

Phoebe nods, "And I can't even get Barry Manilow on the phone. I'm sorry I screwed up your club."

Piper smiles, they had decided to wait till tonight to tell Buffy about the change, "Oh, Phoebe, don't. I owe you guys an apology and thanks for covering my butt."

Phoebe nods, "Ah, not a problem. I didn't even really notice that you were gone actually."

Prue shakes her head, "Liar."

"Yeah, I've been doing a lot of that lately. Unfortunately, especially to Cole. But hopefully I won't have to lie to him anymore." Phoebe says.

Buffy nods, "Yeah, well, something tells me he's not going anywhere anytime soon."

Phoebe smiles, "No complaints here."

"Uh, one over here. Hottie that he is, he is an Assistant D.A., which makes him somewhat a threat to us." Piper says.

Phoebe nods, "Yeah, but at least he's one of the good guys. I think it's time Piper don't you."

Piper nods and comes around the bar, "Come with me Buffy." She leads Buffy up to the stage as The Barenaked Ladies finish a song. Piper walks up to the microphone, "Evening everyone. I'm sure a lot of you have noticed the sign has been covered up. Well it's time for a little unveiling." She looks to Buffy, "If you please."

"Piper?" Buffy says. "What are you doing?"

Piper smiles and motions towards the sign.

Buffy sighs and walks over pulling the sheet of the sign which now reads: PAYSON'S.

Piper smiles at the look on Buffy's face. "In honor of my cousin who has sacrificed so much for her family. I am renaming the club in her honor." She turns and walks over to Buffy, "There is one other thing, Buffy. I've talked to Prue and Phoebe and they agree. When you turn 21 you will become the sole owner."

"But, Piper…" Buffy says.

Piper shakes her head, "No but's Buffy. You've earned this. You deserve something in your life that is normal. Besides who knows by the time you turn 21, I may have enough money to open my own restaurant. You know that's what I really wanted to do."

Buffy nods, "I know. Thank you, Piper." Leo walks in. "Look who's here. So what are you going to tell him?"

Piper smiles, "I think I will tell him, yes." She turns and walks over to Leo, "Hi."

Leo smiles, "Hi. Piper, maybe it was a mistake..."

Piper shakes her head, "Wait, Leo, me first. I've been thinking a lot about our situation and you asking me and I didn't want to just dismiss it without thinking it through. Um, last night in the court room, I was actually scared. For a minute there I thought I wasn't gonna make it, that was it, and that's when I realised that I don't wanna die without ever having being married to you. The answer is yes, Leo, I would love to marry you."

Leo smiles, "Yeah?"

Piper nods, "Yeah."

"Yeah?" Leo asks.

They laugh.

Piper nods, "Yeah."

They hug and kiss.


	50. Chapter 50: Magic Hour

**Chapter 50: Magic Hour**

Phoebe is standing next to the table making 3D glasses. Prue and Buffy are watching.

"She's gonna choose you." Prue says.

Buffy shakes her head, "Is not."

"Out of the three of us you're the closer to her, Buffy. Ever since that deal with yours and Phoebe's past lives you two have been almost inseparable." Prue says.

Buffy sighs, "And you and Phoebe have known her longer. I mean, there was that whole bonding time before I even moved in."

Prue sighs, she concludes Buffy has a point. Phoebe puts on the 3D glasses. "What are those?"

Phoebe smiles, "They're glasses so we can watch the eclipse."

"They're very cool." Prue says.

"I made you a pair too." Phoebe says.

Prue smiles, "Yay, thank you."

Buffy rolls her eyes.

Piper walks in.

Phoebe smiles, "Oh, good, you're home."

Prue nods, "Hey, so, um, we were sorta hoping that you could settle something for us."

"Sure, anything to get my mind off weddings." Piper says. Buffy, Prue and Phoebe look at each other. "What?"

Prue shakes her head, "Nothing."

"No, come on. What?" Piper says.

Prue sighs, "Okay, uh, well, we were kind of wondering who you were going to have as your maid of honor."

"Oh, well, let me think about it. I'm not allowed to invite anybody or have a cake or a band or flowers, so what makes you think I'll be able to have a maid of honor?" Piper says.

Buffy shakes her head, "It's not that bad."

They walk into the living room and sit down on the couch.

"It's not like I'm some girly-girl and wants like a fairytale wedding, but I just thought there would be some things that would be givens." Piper says.

Phoebe nods, "Like fighting with the caterer and agonizing over who makes the final cut on the guest list?"

Piper sighs, "Even those. I just, just wanna be able to celebrate a little."

Prue nods, "Alright, maybe you're not getting your dream wedding but you are getting your dream guy."

Piper sighs. Leo orbs in.

"Leo!" Buffy says.

"Shh!" Leo says.

"Leo." Phoebe whispers.

"I hate to be the bearer of bad news." Leo says.

Piper shakes her head, "Can't you possibly be the bearer of a big hug?"

"Not after what I just found out." Leo says as he sits on the coffee table in front of Piper. "They want an answer, Piper, about us. Either there isn't any us or you guys get a new Whitelighter. We have till tomorrow night to decide."

"Tomorrow night? That's insane." Piper says.

Leo nods, "Look, there is door number three. We can try and pull this off tomorrow night, if we do, it's binding. They can't even break that apart."

Piper nods, "Yeah, but if they find out they can break us apart into a thousand little pieces."

"Excuse me?" Phoebe and Buffy says.

Piper sighs, "I believe the term he used was "unspeakable wrath, the likes of which you can't even imagine.""

Leo nods, "Look, I'm not gonna lie to you, we would be taking a huge risk and until they get an answer they are going to be listening very closely, so any talk of 'it' any use of the W word..."

"I hate to be the detail police but how are we gonna hide it from them when we're on their supernatural redial? They're always gonna be tuning in. Phoebe, did you find anything in the Book Of Shadows about how to hide this?" Prue says.

Phoebe shakes her head, "No, nothing. I'm sorry, I'm still on the unspeakable wrath part. I mean, is that just the bride and groom or does it also include bridesmaids?"

"Phoebe..." Buffy says.

Phoebe sighs, "What? I mean, there must be some real reason that this merging is so forbidden, their hardcore against it."

Prue nods, "Yeah, well, rules are meant to be broken."

Phoebe shakes her head, "Bodies weren't."

Piper nods, "And neither were hearts. Leo, are you sure there's a way we can do this without getting caught?"

Leo nods, "If there is we'll find it. Just be extra careful. Speak in code and especially avoid using words like, you know."

"Hmm." Piper says.

Leo nods, "Dum, dum, da-dum."

Piper nods, "Mmm hmm. Alright, you should go." They stand up and stand close to each other. "The less time you spend here is probably better." They move in to kiss but stop. "And we probably shouldn't do that either."

Leo nods, "Soon."

Piper smiles, "Yeah."

Leo orbs out.

Buffy gets up and hugs Piper. "Why are they so hell-bent on seeing each one of us so very very alone." Kit growls from outside. "Kit?"

Out on the porch an owl is there and Kit has her claw up ready to attack it.

Buffy opens the door. "Kit, leave that alone."

"Bad kitty!" Phoebe says.

The owl suddenly turns into a naked man.

"Good kitty." Prue says.

Moments later Everyone is in the living room.

Chris, the former owl, has wrapped a towel around his waist. "Are you afraid of me?"

Prue shakes her head, "No, are you planning on sprouting horns, growing fangs and eating us?"

"If you work for him he'll do worse than that." Chris says.

Buffy shakes her head, "Which him are you referring to?"

"Okay, hi, not that I don't enjoy the verbal ping pong here but we do have that other thing we need to figure out kind of quickly, so let's cut to the chase. Are we helping or fighting?" Piper says.

"What you saw happen to me didn't scare you?" Chris asks.

Phoebe rolls her eyes, "If I had a dollar for every time an owl turned into a hot guy on our porch, I'd be rrr—"

Piper covers Phoebe's mouth. "We've seen worse."

Prue nods, "If you're not here to kill us, apparently we're supposed to help you."

"The only help you can give me is to allow me to leave." Chris says.

"I think it's pretty obvious, don't you, that uh, pretty familiar with the world of magic. We're sort of on the same team here." Buffy says.

Chris shakes his head, "But the last thing I need in my life right now is more magic."

"I don't think you understand." Piper says.

Chris sighs, "No, you're right, I don't understand, because I stopped understanding when he cursed me and took my life away from me. The only thing I do understand is loss. The only thing I want is revenge."

"Who did this to you?" Phoebe asks. "Was it a magician, a sorcerer?"

"It was my boss." Chris says.

"Just give us some time, I'm sure we can figure out—" Prue says.

Chris shakes his head, "I've lost enough time already when your cat dragged me here. Look, I only have twelve hours and at sunrise tomorrow I am airborne again. I won't, no, I can't last another day repeating the same cycle. Tonight, this thing ends. His life and I hope the curse that goes along with it."

Buffy sighs, "Just give us 30 seconds, please."

Chris nods, "Starts now."

"Okay, uh, there are some of my boyfriend's clothes over there. Why don't you dress while we huddle." Piper says.

Chris walks over to the pile of clothes.

"Well, he definitely has that whole tortured innocent thing going on." Phoebe says.

"Yeah, but we're kind of busy and he doesn't seem to want our help." Piper says.

"Been there, saved that, it wouldn't be the first time. Alright, you get ready just incase he decides to bolt. Alright, here's what we're gonna..." Prue says as they notice Chris has snuck out.

"Oh, well, he's gone. That's too bad." Piper says.

Phoebe shakes her head, "Uh, Piper, we can't just ignore this. He was brought to us for a reason."

Piper nods, "Yes, but we have to find a way to hide the www... rutabaga before they catch on."

"The rutabaga?" Buffy asks confused.

Piper nods, "It's a code word for the thing we're not supposed to talk about." She hums the wedding song.

Buffy nods, "Oh, the rutabaga."

Piper nods, "Yes, so let's do the divide and conquer thing, okay?" Kit is playing with the owl feather. "Great."

Prue nods, "I'll look in the Book Of Shadows and try to scry what this owl feather is." She picks up the feather. "You guys see what you can come up with for Piper's rutabaga."

Piper walks in the foyer.

"Uh, maybe I should stay here and help you." Phoebe says.

Prue shakes her head, "Phoebe, Piper needs your help just as much as the innocent does, maybe more."

"Prue I can help Piper. It don't take fifty of us tag teaming each other." Buffy says.

Prue shakes her head, "Buffy I know you can. But I need you here okay. That way if I find Chris you can flame me to him."

Buffy sighs and nods.

Later in the attic Buffy and Prue are looking through both Book Of Shadows. Piper and Phoebe walk in having just returned from the bookstore.

"Hey, I hope you guys had better luck than I did." Prue says.

Piper walks over to the BOS and starts flipping the pages. "Not really. I ended up with the wrong books and, uh, well, Phoebe almost got lucky right there in the store."

"Ha ha. So you two didn't find anything?" Phoebe says.

Buffy nods, "Yeah, it's just the pieces don't really seem to fit, you know, I mean, I-I can understand cursing someone to be an animal but why for only half of the day?"

"And we don't know where he went, right?" Phoebe asks.

Prue shakes her head, "No, we both tried scrying with the owl feather but it must not work while he's human."

"I found something." Piper says.

"On the curse?" Buffy asks.

Piper shakes her head, "Um, no, about the, um, rutabaga. It's a ritual that's like a rutabaga but it's called a, um..." she writes down "Handfasting" on a small blackboard.

Phoebe nods, "Oh, yeah, hand..."

"Shh shh shh." Prue, Piper and Buffy says.

Piper nods, "The reason we write the bad words is so that we don't say the bad words. Wait a minute, I thought you said you looked in the book and couldn't find anything to help me."

"Uh, yeah, well, it said that we needed a high priestess and since we don't have one of those I just sort of figured why even mention it. Besides, I couldn't find anything in there about how to hide it from them and thinks that's the really most important part so that we don't have to feel the, um..." she writes "unspeakable wrath" on the blackboard and shows it to them.

Piper sighs "I think you can say those words."

Phoebe nods, "Uh, I was hoping writing them down would help us remember them. Um, I'm just worried that if you go through with it, it's going to be too dangerous and that maybe, um, this is really hard for me to say, but maybe you're being a little selfish."

Piper sighs, "Selfish?"

Phoebe nods, "Yeah, because what if your rutabaga keeps us from doing our job, keeps us from saving innocent people? What happens then?"

"Uh, yeah, but what about me?" Piper asks. "I mean, maybe you're right, maybe I'm being selfish but what's wrong with that? I mean, when do we get to do something for ourselves? Haven't you ever wondered that, or wanted that?"

"Yeah, absolutely, but not at the expense of hurting other people or each other." Phoebe says.

Piper sighs, "Is that what you're afraid of? Getting hurt?"

Phoebe shakes her head, "No, Piper, I'm afraid that you're not afraid of getting hurt."

"I've been through more pain in the past two years that you can imagine and this is the only way to stop that. Now, I'd like to do the right thing but I also want to be with him." Piper says as she closes the Charmed Book Of Shadows and the owl feather falls on the floor.

Buffy picks it up and has a premonition of Chris being attacked by a wolf. "I so wish I didn't have that stupid power. Why can't Phoebe be the only one who gets Premonitions."

"What is it?" Prue asks.

Buffy sighs, "Our innocent and I think he was being attacked by a coyote or a wolf."

Later in the forest Buffy, Prue, Piper and Phoebe are there looking for Chris.

"Alright, wait a minute, I think that this looks like the place... sorta." Buffy says.

Piper sighs, "That's funny, I remember it looking like the right place sorta three hours ago."

Phoebe shakes her head, "Okay, look, if you wanted a supernatural LoJack, Buffy and I are not it."

"Oh, wait, look, that is where Christopher was standing in my premonition." Buffy says.

A wolf is lurking in the bushes.

"Shh, shh, what was that?" Piper says.

They see Chris.

"There he is." Prue says.

"Hey!" Phoebe says.

The wolf runs out and barks at the girls.

"No!" Chris says.

The wolf runs over to Chris.

"Okay, Piper, you have to freeze him." Phoebe says.

Buffy shakes her head, "Wait. I don't think it was an attack after all."

Chris looks to the wolf, "We don't have much time, my love, someone's coming."

Prue nods, "Buffy's right he's not attacking."

Chris and the wolf run into an old house and face each other. Buffy, Prue, Piper and Phoebe watch from outside. As the sun rises the wolf turns into a naked woman and Chris turns into an owl.

Moments later the woman (Brooke) is dressed. She runs out of the house as Buffy, Prue, Piper and Phoebe follow.

"Wait. Christopher wanted us to talk to you." Prue says.

"He does?" Phoebe asks.

"I'm vamping." Prue says as Buffy rolls her eyes. "It's the only was to get her to stop. Look, we met him last night, right before he went after the sorcerer. We tried to stop him but without your help he'll do it again and we both know what will happen if he does."

Brooke nods, "He'll die. How do I know that you're not working for him?"

Buffy smiles, "You don't. You guys can't do it alone so you're just gonna have to trust us."

Brooke nods, "Trust is earned."

Phoebe nods, "Okay, I hate to break up the whole getting to know you portion of the program but what did Christopher mean when he said someone was coming?"

"If Christopher went after him, then he must've sent someone after us." Brooke says.

Piper frowns, "Why?"

Brooke sighs, "Because he fell in love with me. This, this curse is my punishment for not returning that love."

"So woman by day and wolf by night?" Piper asks.

The owl flies past them.

"He's warning me, we have to go." Brooke says.

"Huh? Oh, alright." Piper says.

"Ok take my hands." Buffy says.

"What?" Brooke asks.

"Just…" Buffy says as the sorcerer's assistant appears with a crossbow and shoots arrows at them.

"Where is he?" the Assistant asks.

Prue shakes her head, "That's the least of your problems."

Prue uses her power and he goes flying. He runs away.

Phoebe nods, "Have we earned your trust yet? Come on."

Buffy nods, "Ok, Brooke grab a hold Phoebe's hand. You have to either be touching me or someone who is touching me."

"Why?" Brooke says.

"You'll see. Just do as I ask please." Buffy says and they flame back to the manor.

"I swear to God I've seen this in a movie somewhere." Phoebe says.

"Uh, Pheebs?" Prue asks.

Phoebe nods, "Upstairs, Book Of Shadows, curse search, way ahead of ya."

"Uh, okay, you and I are gonna go to the kitchen.

"I'm fine, really, let me help." Brooke says.

Prue shakes her head, "Look, you are tired and hungry, please, just let me help."

They walk in the kitchen.

"Wanna take a wiccan time out and do the crossword puzzle?" Phoebe says as Piper gives her a look. "Piper, uh, about what I said before, I didn't mean..."

Piper sighs, "Yes, you did. You never say anything you don't mean."

Phoebe nods, "You keep saying that it isn't like what you'd have imagined and I do understand your side of it, I mean, I have never seen anyone look at you the way Leo does and that is beautiful and you deserve that but I still, I, um, I can't say that it's right. And I wish that I were wrong and it's important that you know that."

Piper nods, "The problem is you're not. There's truth to do what you said, I can't deny that. So unless you, Buffy and Prue approve it I won't go through with it.."

Phoebe heads upstairs.

Buffy smiles, "I approve I just would have liked it to be celebrated is all instead of basically being an E word."

Piper looks at Buffy and sighs, "I know you do, Buffy. But in the end this kind of affects all of us."

"Okay." Buffy says.

Buffy and Piper walks in the kitchen

Brooke is reading a note left on the fridge. "We used to leave each other notes. When this, when this first happened I'd find them at sunrise and I'd know, I'd remember all the reasons why I loved him. And then..."

Buffy sighs, "The letters stopped." Out of all of them she was the one who knew how Brooke felt. Dating a vampire was not the easiest of relationships. When she was sleeping Angel was awake and when Angel was asleep she was awake.

"There's a limit, you know, to how much any person can take." Brooke says as she looks out the window. "You keep wondering..." The owl lands on the back of a chair outside. "You keep asking yourself..."

"Shouldn't love conquer all?" Piper says.

Prue nods, "You know this isn't fair. I mean, it's hard enough to find somebody that you can spend the rest of your life with but when you constantly have magic medalling, I am so sick of it. I mean, I've been through it, Buffy went through it, you're going through it, Piper, and now Brooke? What love can't conquer we will."

"For everybody but ourselves." Piper says.

Buffy shakes her head, "My sister, the day's not over yet."

"We're gonna need your help if you want this to end happily ever after. I know I could use a happy ending." Piper says.

They walk out into the backyard and Brooke walks over to the owl.

"I took a job. It was an established firm with the reputation for promoting from within." Brooke says as she picks up the owl. "My boss was this odd man. I'd worked for nightmares before but nothing like this. He made moves, I made things clear, he made me this."

"To keep you away from Christopher?" Buffy asks.

Brooke nods, "He said if he couldn't have me, no one would. Until there was a night within a day or until I give in. I never thought... magic was for kids parties, it wasn't real. I didn't know."

"We're still kind of getting used to it ourselves." Piper says.

Brooke sighs, "But this, this is my fault."

"No, you said yes to a job, not to a man." Prue says.

Brooke nods, "But Christopher is being punished because of me. I did this to him."

Buffy shakes her head, "That's not what he said. He doesn't blame you for anything and he said..."

"How strong you are." Piper says.

Brooke smiles, "He said that?"

Piper nods.

"He said that it's your strength that he first fell in love with. And he just needs to know that you're not gonna give that up." Prue says.

Later Assistant #2 is chasing them around the house with a crossbow.

"Phoebe?" Prue calls out.

"Coming." Phoebe replies.

Piper gets stuck against the wall with two arrows stuck on her sleeves. Phoebe walks downstairs and he shoots an arrow near her. Buffy is working on one of the arrows trapping Piper. Phoebe gasps. Prue uses her power and he crashes into a cupboard.

"Pheebs, a little help here please." Piper says as Phoebe and Buffy pull out the arrows. "Okay, he could've killed me."

"Us." Phoebe says.

"The question is, why didn't he?" Buffy asks.

"Because I don't want you. I want the bird, where is he hiding?" Assistant #2 says.

Brooke walks into the room and the assistant points the crossbow at her. The owl flies in front of her and he shoots getting the owl. "No!"

Buffy powers up a fireball throwing it at the assistant and he disappears in a puff of smoke. She, Prue, Piper and Phoebe run over to Brooke. Brooke is crying as she picks up the owl.

Moments later Everyone's sitting on the couch. Brooke is holding the owl.

"He'll be alright." Prue says.

"I know that's the right thing for you to say but you don't know that. Now all I can do is watch him die." Brook says.

Buffy shakes her head, "No, we can do a lot more than that."

Piper sighs, "You know I can't, not now, not while they're watching."

Buffy shakes her head, "My sister, this has absolutely nothing to do with us and everything to do with an innocent." Piper closes her eyes and Leo orbs in. "Leo, we, uh..."

Leo nods, "I know, they told me about the bad guys. The vanquishing talk caught their ears not the other thing."

"Leo's a healer." Prue says.

Leo walks over to Brooke and the owl. "I can't heal animals."

"Well, we can't take him to the vet." Phoebe says.

Piper sighs, "He's not exactly an animal."

Leo tries to heal the owl.

"He is until sunset." Prue says.

"So you're saying we have to wait?" Phoebe asks.

Leo nods, "I'm sorry."

The doorbell rings. Phoebe goes to answers it. A moment later Leo walks into the foyer.

"Did you ever think, did you ever consider that maybe it wasn't meant to be?" Piper asks as Phoebe and Leo walk back in. "Things happen for a reason, right? Maybe it's not worth the risk to be together."

"If you don't take the risk for love, then what do you take it for?" Brooke asks.

Buffy nods, "Brooke has a point."

Phoebe clears her throat. Leo walks outside.

"Leo, wait." Piper says. She goes after him.

Buffy looks between Phoebe and Brooke. "Excuse me." She gets up and goes to follow Piper outside.

Leo is walking down the stairs. Piper follows. Buffy stays far enough back to not intrude but close enough incase Piper needs support.

"Leo, wait, you can't do that. You can not come into the end a conversation and assume that you know everything." Piper says.

Leo sighs, "Alright, let's pretend that I don't know anything. Then explain it to me."

"I wasn't questioning you, I was questioning our decision." Piper says.

Leo nods, "Then ask me your questions."

"Don't you think I would like to?" Piper asks.

Leo shakes his head, "Honestly, I don't know what you're thinking."

"Well, what I'm thinking is maybe Phoebe is right. Maybe we're being selfish, our decision affects other people, other people that I happen to love." Piper says.

Leo nods as he motions towards Buffy, "I love them too, Piper."

Piper looks over at her cousin and nods, "I know, I know that. Look, you are the last person I wanna be fighting with right now."

"Then let's stop." Leo says.

"Leo, if we get... if you and... Okay, let me try that again. Brooke and Christopher love each other very much but in the end that didn't matter." Piper says.

Leo nods, "We haven't reached the end yet. Have a little faith. Don't you think this scares me too? Don't you think that I have my doubts?"

"Do you?" Piper asks.

Leo nods, "Of course I do. What I'm trying to say is I know what Christopher must feel. You know, always worried about the timing, about how he has to live his life, knowing what his true feelings are but unable to share those with the one person that he has them for."

Buffy walks over, "How the timing is never just right."

Leo nods in agreement. Of all of them Buffy understood the best about what was happening between him and Piper.

"She knows but it doesn't fix everything." Piper says.

Phoebe walks up next to Buffy, "You've gotta give it a chance." She holds up a small blackboard. "Logic and reason go out the window when love gets involved."

They see that Phoebe has written on the blackboard: You have my blessing.

"You have mine as well, you know that. My sister." Buffy says.

"Wait a minute, I thought you said that..." Piper says.

Phoebe smiles, "Yeah, well, I got a long distance call with some really good advice."

"But we still haven't figured out how to pull it off." Piper says.

Phoebe nods, "When the time's right, you'll know."

Buffy smiles, "Pheebs is right there."

Phoebe looks up at the sky.

"That's quite a turnaround for you, sis. Who's your new confidante?" Piper says.

"Huh?" Phoebe says distracted.

Buffy looks up and then sees what Phoebe has already recognized.

"I think she means your advice giver." Leo says.

Phoebe blocks her face with the blackboard.

"Nice try, Pheebs, but the distraction technique stopped working in third grade." Piper says.

Buffy shakes her head, "It's the eclipse. A night within a day."

"I'm sorry, please repeat." Piper says.

Phoebe looks to Buffy and smiles, "The curse, the eclipse. Until a night within a day. Isn't that what Brooke said? That's what gonna break the curse." She runs inside. "Prue, it's happening."

The owl turns back into Chris as everyone walks in.

"Leo, it just happened. Please help him." Prue says.

"This proves the theory. It's the eclipse." Buffy says.

Chris tries to sit up.

"Whoa, whoa, you're not going anywhere." Leo says.

"Brooke." Chris says.

Prue nods, "Just rest, okay, we'll tell her."

Chris shakes his head, "You can't, she's gone."

Buffy frowns, "What do you mean she's gone?"

"She was in the kitchen when I left." Phoebe says.

Prue frowns, "She's gone to him hasn't she? Alright, we'll handle it while Leo works on you."

Leo walks over to Chris. He pulls out the arrow and heals him.

"Thank you." Chris says.

Piper shakes her head, "I don't understand. Why would Brooke go to him?"

Buffy sighs, "She didn't trust that we would be able to save him. Am I right?"

Chris nods, "Yes. She knows that she can thought.

"How?" Phoebe asks.

Chris nods, "The curse. If at anytime she agrees to be with him, seals the pledge with a kiss..."

"She'll be forever bound." Piper says.

Phoebe nods, "But the eclipse changes that."

"Yeah, but she doesn't know that." Buffy says. "Who's up for a flame express?"

In an office building Buffy, Prue, Piper, Phoebe and Chris flame in.

"T minus and counting." Phoebe says.

Piper nods, "Then we get to break into Attica." She stops. "Ugh. I don't feel so..."

"What is it?" Buffy asks concerned.

"I don't know, I don't have a good feeling about this. Wait a minute, I take that back. I do have a good feeling about it, about something. I feel all warm and fuzzy." Piper says.

"Is it your stomach?" Prue asks.

"No, it's here." Piper says as she pats her chest.

"When the time is right you'll know. Oh my God, the time is right." Phoebe says.

"The time for what?" Prue asks.

Buffy smiles, "The, uh, the wed... the rutabaga. It's gotta be the eclipse. If we can't look up, that must mean that they can't look down."

Prue gets all excited. "Oh! Oh! Oh! Ooh, this is it, this is it. Okay, all we have to do is get home and..."

Phoebe nods, "And do the ritual and let Leo know and call the florist and we gotta d-d..." Piper stops her. "What's, what?"

"We've gotta get to Brooke." Piper says.

Phoebe nods, "Right, we've gotta get to Brooke and then we gotta get home."

Piper sighs, "No, we only got time for one. So we either save Brooke..."

Chris shakes his head, "Piper, go home. Of all people I understand this, alright, and so would Brooke. I can handle this on my own."

"No. Alright, we'll go in the front." Piper says as Prue uses her power and the door flies open.

Sorcerer and Brooke are leaning in ready to kiss. "Oh, look, it's the girl scouts. Set your thin mints down on the table and leave before you get yourselves hurt."

"Let her go." Buffy says.

"I have no fear of witches." Sorcerer says.

Prue smiles, "Maybe not but how do you feel about true love?"

Brooke sees Chris and they smile.

"That's not possible." The Sorcerer says as Chris and Brooke walk over to each other. "If I can't have her, no one will."

A crossbow appears in the sorcerer's hand.

"Whoa." Piper says as she freezes them.

"Anyone got a vanquish in their pocket?" Phoebe asks.

Prue shakes her head, "Oh, let's not get rid of him just yet. I want him to watch this for a little bit." She uses her power and the crossbow flies out of his hand. "Okay, go ahead."

Piper unfreezes them and Chris and Brooke kiss. The sorcerer starts to burn and disappears. Chris and Brooke hug.

"I don't know what to say." Brooke says.

Chris nods, "How can we thank you?"

"You already have." Buffy says.

"Oh, Piper, I think I have a solution to the whole maid of honor thing." Piper says.

"Oh, me too." Prue says.

"What about our distinct lack of a high priestess?" Piper asks.

"Would you please just let me worry about that." Phoebe says.

Back at the Manor Grams and Leo are standing in the living room. Leo is dressed in a suit.

Grams smiles, "Girls, your high priestess is waiting, unfortunately the eclipse is not. Now let's move it." She uses her power and wedding music plays in the CD player. "That would be your cue, bridesmaids."

Prue and Phoebe walk down the stairs. The stand at the bottom of the stairs. Then Buffy escorts Piper down the stairs, she and Piper are the only ones holding bouquets. It had been decided that Buffy would be the maid of honor and Prue and Phoebe would be Piper's bridesmaids. Leo smiles as Buffy and Piper stops at the bottom of the stairs.

Prue nods, "You look beautiful. I know it's not exactly how you wanted it."

Piper nods, "But it's exactly what I wanted." She looks over at Leo and they smile. Buffy, Prue, Piper and Phoebe walk into the living room. Prue and Phoebe stand to the side. Piper stands in front of Leo as Buffy stands beside Piper. Leo and Piper smile at each other again. All of a sudden Leo starts jerking. He yells, is surrounded by light and orbs out. "Grams, how can this happen? What did we do?" She starts to panic.

"Listen to me, darling, it's going to be okay. We will fix this." Grams says.

Piper starts crying. "We, we have to." Buffy holds Piper in her arms. "This, this is all my fault." She kneels on the floor and so does Buffy. Prue and Phoebe kneel down next to Piper and Buffy. "He didn't deserve to be... I don't, I don't think I can do this."

Piper cries harder and Buffy, Prue and Phoebe comfort her.


	51. Chapter 51: Faith, Hope and Trick

**Chapter 51: Faith, Hope and Trick**

At a park across from Gateway High, Buffy is setting up a picnic lunch as Willow, Xander, Cordelia and Oz approach.

"Buffy, banned from campus but not from our hearts, how are you and what's for lunch?" Xander asks.

Buffy smiles, "I just threw together a few things..." She pulls paper towels off a couple of platters revealing a stunning array of cold cuts, sliced fruit, breads, etc.

"When did you become Martha Stewart?" Cordelia asks.

"First of all, Martha Stewart knows jack about hand-cut prosciutto." Buffy says.

"I don't believe she slays, either." Xander says.

"I hear she can, but she doesn't like to." Oz says.

Buffy laughs, "Second of all... way too much time on my hands since I got kicked out of school."

"I know they'll let you back in." Willow says.

Xander nods, "Don't you and Prue have another meeting with Principal Snyder?"

Buffy nods, "We're seeing Snyde-man tomorrow. Maybe I should bring a wheel of my extra runny brie..."

Willow sees Scott Hope, nice guy Senior, heading their way. "Scott Hope at eleven o'clock." Buffy follows Willow's gaze. "He likes you, he wanted to ask you out last year, you weren't ready then but I think you're ready now - or at least in a state of pre-readiness that would allow you to make conversation or do that thing with your mouth chat boys like - I don't mean a bad thing with your mouth, I mean that sort of half smile that you do and…" She looks to Oz. "You're s'posed to stop me when I do that."

Oz smiles, "I like it when you do that."

"Hi Buffy." Scott says as he passes by.

Buffy smiles, "Hi."

And he's gone.

"Oh, I think that went very well." Willow says. "Don't you think that went very well?"

Cordelia nods, "He didn't try to slit our throats or anything, it's progress."

"Did you do the half smile?" Willow asks.

Buffy shakes her head, "I'm not trying to snare Scott Hope, Will. I just want to get my life back, okay? Do normal stuff."

"Like date..." Willow says.

"Well..." Buffy says.

"Oh, you wanna date. I saw that half-smile, you slut." Xander says.

Laughing, Buffy punches Xander in the arm.

Xander laughs as well til he realizes how much that hurt, "Ow."

Buffy nods, "All right, yes. Date. Shop. Go to school, hang out, save the world from unspeakable demons - I wanna do all that girl stuff."

The next morning Buffy bolts up in bed. She takes a moment to get her bearings. Something catches her eye: on the bed post, hung with the scarves and other things, a long silver chain - on it the ring Angel gave her. She reaches out to touch the ring.

"Morning, Sunshine..." Piper says from the doorway.

"Ready to face the beast?" Piper asks.

Later in Principal Snyder's Office, Snyder - the aforementioned beast - faces Buffy and Piper. "Here are the terms of your re-entry, Missy, take 'em or leave 'em."

Buffy flips a silver letter opener off the edge of Snyder's desk, toying with it.

"One: you pass a make-up test for each class you skipped out on last year; two: you provide, in writing, one glowing recommendation from any member of our faculty who is not an English librarian; three: you complete an interview with the school psychologist who must conclude that your violent tendencies..." Snyder says as he quickly but cautiously removes the letter opener from Buffy's grasp. "...are under control."

Piper shakes her head, "I'm not sure I like your attitude, Mr. Snyder. Prue and I spoke to the School Board and according to them –"

Snyder nods, "— I'm required to educate every juvenile who's not in jail where she belongs. Welcome back." He opens the door for them to leave.

Buffy smiles, "So, I'm really back because the School Board overruled you... wow, that's like having your whole ability to do this job called into question when you think about it."

Snyder stares sullenly at the girl.

"I think what my cousin's trying to say is: nyah nyah nyah nyah. Now about those hoops… Forget it." Piper says. "The school board overruled you, you have no say on any such conditions for enrollment."

Piper and Buffy turn and leave.

Later Willow and Buffy enter the library.

"It's so great you're a school girl again." Willow says.

"What did Giles want, was he mad?" Buffy asks.

Willow looks around, "I don't think so, he just needed to see you. Have you ever noticed when he is mad but he's too English to say anything he makes that weird "cluck cluck" sound with his tongue –"

Giles rises from the counter, a pestle and mortar in hand.

"Hi Giles." Buffy says.

Willow turns around, "Oh, hi. Been there long?"

Giles sets the pestle and mortar down next to some herbs on the counter, busying himself with them, "Buffy, good timing, I can use your help. I trust you remember the demon Acathla –"

Buffy nods, "Giles, please, contain yourself. Yes, I'm finally back in school but you know how it embarrasses me when you gush so. Why don't we just skip all that and get right to work."

"Oh, ahhh. Sorry. Of course it's wonderful that you're back. That goes without saying. But you... enjoy making me say it, don't you?" Giles says.

Buffy smiles, "That and chocolate, what else have I got? So, Acathla, what ya' doin'... making him some demon pizza?"

Giles shakes his head, "We need to make sure he remains dormant, and the dimensional vortex stays well shut. So I'm working on a binding spell."

"Ooo, a spell, can I help?" Willow asks.

Giles nods, "Possibly with the research. It's a very sensitive –"

Willow nods, "Who's more sensitive than me?"

Giles sighs, "— and difficult spell."

Buffy shakes her head, "Will is coming along nicely Giles. She could probably handle the spell."

Giles nods, "Anyways it involves creating a protective circle around... I don't want to bore you, but there's a litany that one recites in Aramaic. It's very specific, and I need to know a few things about your experience in defeating Acathla and Angel."

"Sure, fire away." Buffy says.

"I've put the time at around 6:17, about half an hour after Xander rescued me..." Giles says.

Buffy shakes her head, "Less. More like ten minutes."

Giles nods, "And was the vortex already open?"

"Just barely." Buffy says.

Giles nods, "I see. And Angel...?"

"Big fight, Angel got the pointy end of the sword, Acathla sucked him into hell instead of the world. That's about the end of it." Buffy says.

A school bell rings.

"Yes. Well that should be helpful." Giles says.

"Oh and guys." Buffy says.

"Yes?" Giles asks.

"The curse worked. He was my Angel again. But it was too late. I told him I loved him, I kissed him, asked him to close his eyes and then I killed him." Buffy says.

"Oh." Giles says as Buffy turns and walks out of the room.

"I can really help you with the spell." Willow says. "Buffy isn't the only one who thinks I'm doing good. Prue, Piper and Phoebe think I'm making real progress."

"There is no spell." Giles says.

That evening at the Bronze the band is playing something sexy. A wild girl is dancing with an older guy. Xander and Cordelia dance nearby.

Willow and Oz at a table. They are smooching - they break it up as Buffy approaches with drinks.

"Don't let me interrupt..." Buffy says.

Willow nods, "Are you... is she all a glow-y?"

"I suspect happiness." Oz says.

Buffy smiles, "I'm out with my friends, hello my life, how I've missed you."

Willow sees Scott approaching, "Hi, Scott, what are you doing here?"

Scott, looking good, walks up. "You told me if I came after eight I could run into Buffy. I'm a bad liar, it's not good for the soul - or the skin: it makes me blotch."

Buffy smiles, "Hi, Scott."

"Hi. Don't you love this song?" Scott says.

Buffy nods, "Actually... I do."

"Would you like to...?" Scott asks as he motions towards the dance floor.

"Dance? I, uh... I don't know, I mean... I don't know. Thanks for asking but..." Buffy says.

Scott nods, "I'm just going to go stand by the dance floor. If you change your mind you can mosey on over. If not, you don't mosey. No harm, no foul." Scott says as he smiles. He walks towards the dance floor.

Buffy watches him go.

"Come on, Buffy, the guy is charm, and normal which is that thing you want to get back to." Willow says.

Oz nods, "Plus, bonus points for the use of the word "mosey.""

Buffy sighs, "You know after Cupid I was ready to love. Then I was finally feeling ready to date again and well I had to kill Angel after your curse worked. Now I'm kinda back to not being ready."

Willow sighs, "Angel wouldn't want you to mope around Buffy."

"I know." Buffy says.

Cordelia and Xander return from the dance floor. "Check out the Slut-o-rama and her Disco Dave..." Buffy looks at the wild girl dancing with the older guy. "...what was the last thing that guy danced to, K.C. and the Sunshine Band?"

Buffy studies the guy as the wild girl drapes an arm around his shoulder. They head for the exit. "I don't think that guy thrives on sunshine..." She moves off after them.

Scott sees Buffy approaching. His face lights up. "Hi."

"Oh. I didn't come to... I have to..." Buffy says as she nods toward exit.

"Sorry. My bad." Scott says.

Buffy shakes her head, "No. It's mine, it's mine. I really gotta..." She hurries towards the exit.

Outside Buffy looks around for the Wild Girl. Cordelia, Xander, Willow and Oz come out behind her.

"Where is she...?" Buffy asks.

"I bet it's nothing, they're probably just making out –" Cordelia says.

Sounds of a violent confrontation come from around the corner.

"— that's not what making out sounds like - unless I'm doing it wrong..." Willow says.

Buffy is already charging ahead, as the others follow. She powers up a fireball. She arrives in time to see the wild girl up against a wall, her head down in shadow and the guy - he's a vamp all right - moving towards her.

Wild girl brings her head up, into the light: it's not a face full of fear, it's a face full of glee - ready to kick ass.

As Buffy is about to throw her fireball at the Vamp, Faith leaps in the air, spin kicks over Buffy's head and connects with the vamp's face, sending him reeling back and down.

Wild girl turns to Buffy. "S'okay, I got it. You're Buffy, right?" The vamp rises behind her. "I'm Faith."

Without turning around, Faith back-head butts the vamp, smashing him back.

"I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say we've got a new slayer in town." Oz says.

Faith delivers several impressive kicks and punches to the Vamp as the others watch, then turns back to Buffy. "You mind?" She motions towards the fireball still in Buffy's hand.

Buffy looks down as Faith ducks and she throws the fireball dusting the vamp.

"Thanks, B. Couldn't a done it without ya'." Faith says as she grins. She walks by Buffy.

Later back inside the Bronze Faith devours a huge muffin, in the middle of a story; Xander, Oz and Willow are charmed and amused by Faith - Buffy feels a little left out.

"- it was about a hundred and eighteen degrees, I'm sleepin' without a stitch on, suddenly I hear all this screamin'. I go tearin' outside - stark nude - this church bus has broke down and three vamps are feasting on half the Baptists in South Boston. So I waste the vamps and the preacher is hugging me like there's no tomorrow when the cops pull up. They arrested us both." Faith says.

"They should film that story and show it every Christmas." Xander says.

Faith grabs another muffin. "God, I could eat a horse! Isn't it crazy? Slayin' always makes you just hungry and horny."

The others look at Buffy, frankly curious. "Well... sometimes I crave a non-fat yogurt afterwards..."

Cordelia nods, "I get it. Not the horny thing - yuck – the two slayer thing: there was only one, but then Buffy died for like two minutes so Kendra was called, then Kendra died so Faith was called."

Buffy rolls her eyes.

"But why were you called here?" Willow asks.

Faith shakes her head, "I wasn't. My watcher went to some retreat thing in England, so I skipped out. I thought, this is my big chance to meet the infamous Buff and compare notes - So B, did you really use a rocket launcher one time?"

"Well, it's actually funny –" Buffy says.

"What was that about the alligator? You said something before –" Xander says interrupting Buffy.

Faith smiels, "Oh, this big daddy vampire out of Missouri kept 'em as pets. He's got me rasslin' one of 'em, must have been twelve feet long –"

"Now, was this also naked?" Xander asks.

Faith smiles, "Well, the alligator was..."

"Xander, find a new theme." Cordelia says.

"Did the alligator get hurt?" Willow asks.

Faith shrugs, "Only a little. Then it was dead."

"Oh. No..." Willow says.

Faith nods, "I never had more trouble than that damn vamp." She looks to Buffy. "What about you? What was your toughest kill?"

Buffy shrugs, "There have been just so many between being Charmed and a Slayer. Oh, but, do you guys remember the Three? Or, you never met the Three... But anyway –"

Oz nods, "Something occurring: you both kill the vamps and who could argue with that, but – I'm wondering about your position on werewolves."

"Oz is a werewolf." Willow says proudly.

"Long story." Buffy says.

"Got bit." Oz says.

Buffy sighs, "Apparently not that long."

Faith nods, "Hey, long as you don't go scratchin' at me or humpin' my leg, we're five by five."

"Fair enough." Oz says.

Faith smiles, "Now the vamps, they better get their asses to defcon one, the two of us around. We're gonna have some fun you and me, watcher-less and fancy free."

Buffy frowns, "Watcher-less?"

"Didn't yours go to England, too?" Faith asks.

The next day in the library…

"There is a watcher retreat every year in the Cotswalds..." Giles says. "...lovely spot, very serene. They have horseback riding, river rafting, lectures and discussions. Quite an honor to be invited; they're very stimulating events. So I'm told..."

Faith smiles, "Ah, it's boring. Way too stuffy for a guy like you."

"Um, maybe I should introduce you again. Faith, this is Giles." Buffy says.

Faith nods, "I seen him. If I'd a known they came this young and cute I'd've requested a transfer."

"Okay, raise your hand if "ew."" Buffy says.

Giles tries not to be flustered, "Well, leaving for the moment the question of my youth and beauty, I would say it's fortuitous that Faith arrived when she did."

"Ah-hah!" Willow says. "Sorry, I just meant – ah-hah! There's a big evil brewing - you'll never be bored here, Faith, 'cause this is San Francisco, home of the big brewing evil."

"I don't know how big an evil it is at this point but two people have disappeared in the Sunset Ridge district." Giles says.

"Ah hah!" Xander says. "Fun."

Giles shoots Xander a look, "One of them, a fast food worker, was pulled right out of his order window."

"I'm good to patrol. Late-ish, though; I promised Piper I'd be home for dinner." Buffy says. "To which you're invited, of course. Dinner. With us."

"Dying to meet the fam. I'm in." Faith says.

"Great. Then we'll patrol. Also together. Try to get a bead on these new vamps." Buffy says.

"We'll hunt 'em down and kill 'em where they stand. Come to momma, unh!" Faith says as she mimes punching a head.

"She doesn't make it sound like work at all." Xander says.

"Don't you have a health science make-up?" Willow asks.

Buffy sighs and nods. Piper and Prue had said she didn't have to jump through Snyder's hoops. But Buffy had said it would be better to take the make-ups anyways so she could be sure to be caught up. "Yeah, I could use a little coaching."

"You can hang with us while she's testing. You wanta?" Willow says to Faith.

"Say yes and bring your stories." Xander says.

Buffy nods, "Yeah, you guys run along, I'll be fine, really, I'll just sit here..."

"Okay, have fun." Faith says. "Later on. We'll talk weapons."

The three take off, leaving Buffy with Giles.

"This new girl has rather a lot of zest." Giles says.

"So how's your spell?" Buffy asks.

Giles shakes his head, "There wasn't a spell Buffy. I thought you might have been repressing what actually happened."

Buffy nods, "Thanks for caring. I had actually talked to Piper a couple days ago. Before that I was repressing, it was why I ran. I had him back for oh a few moments and then I had to kill him. Took me two months and talking to Piper to finally put it behind me."

"Ok." Giles says.

Later Willow, Xander and Faith head down the hall past the cafeteria towards the lounge. They're having a good time.

"And here we have the cafeteria, where we were mauled by snakes..." Willow says.

"This is the spot where Angel tried to kill Willow." Xander says.

"Over there in the lounge is where Spike and his gang nearly massacred us all on parent-teacher night. Oh, and up those stairs, I was sucked into a muddy grave..." Willow says.

"They say young people don't learn anything in high school nowadays but, I've learned to be afraid." Xander says.

"You guys are a hoot 'n a half. If I'd had friends like you in high school, I'd've still dropped out but I mighta been sad about it." Faith says. "What's up with B? She seems wound kinda tight - needs to find the fun a little, like you two. Water." She heads for a fountain.

"Then the alligator story!" Xander says.

Xander and Willow watch Faith as Cordelia moves up behind Xander.

"She's got something, doesn't she?" Xander asks.

"What is it with you and slayers?" Cordelia asks startling Xander. "Maybe I should dress up like one and hold a stake to your throat."

Xander regards her hungrily for a moment, "Please, God, don't let that be sarcasm."

Faith straightens up from the water fountain, almost bumps into Scott.

"Excuse me." Scott says.

Faith smiles, "Sorry. Hey, I seen you before."

"At the Bronze? You're friends with Buffy, right?" Scott asks.

Faith nods, "Yeah. I'm Faith."

"Scott, nice to meet you." Scott says.

Buffy moves up besides Willow, Cordelia and Xander.

"I'm two for two with the make-up tests. Proud, yes, but also humble in this time of – What are we looking at?" Buffy says.

"Does anyone believe that's her actual hair color?" Cordelia asks.

Buffy follows Cordelia's gaze to Faith and Scott at the water fountain, Scott is laughing.

"Boy I haven't seen him laugh like that... maybe Faith and Scott could hit it off. I mean, if you're done with him - not that you used him or anything." Willow says.

"I hadn't definitely, one hundred per cent said no to him for all time... it's just, you don't enter into these things lightly, there's repercussions to consider and..." Buffy says.

Willow and Xander exchange a knowing look.

"Why am I seeing a look?" Buffy asks.

"You really do need to find the fun a little, "B"... uffy." Willow says.

Buffy moves to Scott.

"Buffy, Faith is telling me tall tales." Scott says spotting Buffy.

Buffy nods, "She's funny. And leaving. We have to go."

"Oh." Scott says. "Nice talking to you."

"Likewise." Faith says as she and Buffy move away from Scott. "Cute guy. He seeing anybody?"

That evening at the manor Faith is over for dinner.

Prue smiles at Faith, "So you're a slayer, too."

Piper is piling Faith's plate with food. Buffy sits nearby, her own plate empty.

"Isn't that interesting. Do you like it?" Phoebe asks.

Faith smiles, "I love it."

Buffy gestures with her own empty plate, "Piper..."

"Just a sec, Buffy." Piper says. "So, why do you love it? Just out of curiosity."

"When I'm fighting, the whole world goes away and I only know one thing: I'm gonna win and they're gonna lose. I like that feeling." Faith says.

Buffy finally starts dishing up her own supper, "Well sure, it's better than that dead feeling you get when they win and you lose."

"I don't let that kind of negative thinking in." Faith says.

Prue nods, "Right, that could get you hurt."

Piper smiles, "Faith, can I get you another soft drink?"

"You bet, thanks." Faith says.

Piper heads for the kitchen.

"You guys are cool." Faith says.

"Best cousins ever. Excuse me." Buffy says before she heads for the kitchen followed by Prue and Phoebe.

Piper re-fills Faith's soda. "I like this girl, Buffy."

"Yeah, she's personable. Gets along with my friends, my watcher, my cousins - look! Now she's getting along with my fries!" Buffy says looking back in the dining room as Faith is in fact reaching over and snagging some of Buffy's fries.

"Now, Buffy –" Prue says.

"Plus, in school today, she was making eyes at MY not-boyfriend. It's creepy." Buffy says.

"Does anybody else think Faith is creepy?" Prue asks.

Buffy shakes her head, "No, but I'm the one getting Single White Femaled here."

"It's probably good you were an only child." Phoebe says.

"Hey, I... I'm just getting my life back. I'm not looking to go halfsies on it." Buffy says.

"Buffy it would be good to have another Slayer you know. Were all stretched thin here. While we do love helping out. It would just be easier…" Prue says.

"Yeah, I guess..." Buffy says.

Phoebe nods, "You heard her, she loves slaying. You know we don't want you to die, Buffy. Three times was really enough."

Buffy hugs Prue, Piper and Phoebe. "It's okay, I'm not going to die. I know how to do this job. Besides, I guess your right one extra person helping with patrols isn't a bad thing."

Later Buffy and Faith are out on patrol.

"Didn't we already do this street?" Faith asks.

Buffy smiles, "Weird thing about vampires, they'll hit a place even after you've been there. It's like they have no manners."

Faith shrugs, "You're the one who's been doing this the longest."

Buffy nods, "I have."

"...maybe too long..." Faith says.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Buffy asks.

"Nothing." Faith says.

"You got a problem?" Buffy asks.

Faith shakes her head, "I'm five by five, B. Living entirely large and wondering 'bout your problem."

Buffy frowns, "I may not sleep in the nude and wrestle alligators –"

"Well maybe it's time you started. Something in your bottle needs uncorking. Is it this Angel thing?" Faith says.

Buffy frowns, "What do you know about Angel?"

"What your friends tell me: big love, big loss, you oughta deal and move on but you're not." Faith says.

Buffy stops, gets in Faith's face. "First off I'm over Angel. Okay. I moved on sometime ago. Yes it was hard when he came back and I had to kill him. But you know what that is my business. I don't ask you about your personal business, I would appreciate it if you didn't ask me about mine."

"What are you getting so strung out for, B?" Faith asks.

"Why are your lips still moving, "F"?" Buffy says sarcastically.

"Did I just hear a threat?" Faith asks.

Buffy powers up a fireball, "Would you like to?"

Faith looks at the fireball and smiles, "Wow. Think you can take me?"

"Yeah –" Buffy says before seeing some vamps behind Faith. "I just hope they can't." She shoves Faith hard out of the way as she throws the fireball at one of the vamps dusting it.

Vamps 2, 3, & 4 attack!

Buffy punches 2, sidesteps an onslaught from 3 and spin kicks 4 - who blocks the kick and smashes her in the face. Buffy stumbles back, momentarily stunned.

Faith gets her wits, barrels at 4. She hits him hard in the mid-section and they crash back into the wall.

Buffy punches and kicks 3 as 2 grabs a two by four from the building site and wallops her with it. Buffy goes down.

Faith and 4 trade punches. "Come on! My dead mother hits harder than that!"

Buffy looks up from the ground, rolls as the two by four misses her face by inches, sweeps 3's legs out from under him, wrenches the two by four out of 2's hands and gut punches 2 with it. She glances over at:

Faith - crazed, knocks 4 to the ground, leaps on him, punching the shit out of him. "YEAH, THIS IS ME, YOU UNDEAD BASTARD!"

"Faith! You want to stake him already and give me a hand?" Buffy says.

But Faith is in her own rage-filled world, as 3 leaps on Buffy from behind and 2 punches her in the side of the head. Buffy falls to the ground, 2 and 3 on her, each pinning a shoulder to the ground.

3 bends down to bite her neck. "For Kakistos we live... for Kakistos, you die."

"FAITH!" Buffy says as she flames out.

Faith, oblivious to Buffy and everything else, hitting the vamp over and over...

Buffy flames back in behind 2 and powers up a fireball. She throws it dusting 2. Buffy grabs her stake out of it's holster and back-stakes 3 without even looking. She marches to Faith.

Faith is still punching away at 4, angry and incoherent. "You... can't... touch... me...!"

Buffy yanks Faith off the unconscious vamp with one hand, stakes the vamp with her other. Then she turns to Faith who is breathing hard, high on adrenaline, rubbing her fists. "What is wrong with you?"

"What are you talking about?" Faith asks.

"I'm talking about you living large on the great undead here." Buffy says.

"Gee, if doing violence to vampires upsets you, I'm pretty sure you're in the wrong line a work..." Faith says.

"Or maybe you like it just a little too much." Buffy says.

"I was getting the job done." Faith says.

Buffy shakes her head, "The job is to slay demons. Not mash them into sloppy joes while their friends are cornering me."

Faith shakes her head, "I thought you could handle yourself. You are after all supposed to be this superpowerful witch on top of being the Slayer.

The next day Buffy walks with Giles down the halls of the school.

"Well, Buffy, you have to realize you and Faith have very different temperaments..." Giles says.

Buffy sighs, "I know, mine would be the sane one. Giles, she's not playing with a full deck. She has almost no deck. She has a three."

Giles nods, "You said yourself she killed one of them, she's a plucky fighter who got a little carried away. Which is natural, she's focussed on Slaying, she doesn't have a whole other life here like you –"

"— she doesn't need a whole other life here, she's got mine." Buffy says.

"I think you're being a little..." Giles says.

"No, I'm being a lot. I know that. But I'm telling you, she nearly got us both killed, she needs help." Buffy says.

"I'll see if I can get word to her watcher at the retreat..." Giles says as he checks his watch. "Eight hours later, they're probably enjoying a nightcap... I wonder if they still kayak. I was an excellent kayaker in my day, do they even consider that...? Sorry. Now these vampires that attacked you, did you notice any details that might help me trace their lineage: modern or ancient dress, amulets, cultish tattoos...?"

"No tats, crappy dressers, oh, the one who nearly bit me said something about... kissing toast, he lived for kissing toast." Buffy says.

"You mean Kakistos?" Giles says alarmed.

Buffy thinks about it, "Or, it could have been taquitos, maybe he lived for taquitos... what'd you say?"

"Kakistos." Giles says as he heads into the library with purpose.

Buffy follows right behind him, "Is that bad?"

"Kakistos is Greek, it means the worst of the worst. It's also the name of a vampire, so old his hands and feet are cloven. He must be here for some reason." Giles says.

Buffy nods, "This guy shows up when, two days ago? Right around the time my bestest new little sister makes the scene."

"You think Faith is connected to Kakistos somehow?" Giles asks.

Buffy nods, "There's two things I do not believe in. Coincidence and leprechauns. Everything happens for a reason. If being a witch has taught me anything it's that."

"Buffy, it's entirely possible they happened by chance to arrive simultaneously." Giles says.

Buffy nods, "Okay, but I'm right about leprechauns, right?"

Giles nods, "As far as I know."

"Good. Get England on the phone. I'm gonna talk to Faith. See if Kakistos rings a bell. Or an alarm." Buffy says before she heads out of the library. She heads for her normal flame out spot when she runs into Scott.

"Hi." Scott says.

"Scott ..." Buffy says.

Scott smiles, "How are you?"

Buffy nods, "Okay. I've gotta..."

"I know, be somewhere else. Think of this as my last ditch effort, I realize one more will qualify as stalking." Scott says. "I've given a lot of thought, some might say too much thought, to how I might be a part of your life. It begins with conversation, we all know this. Maybe over a cup of coffee, maybe at the Buster Keaton festival - playing on State Street all this weekend..."

Buffy nods, "Looking back now I see I haven't really been fair to... Buster Keaton. I like what I've seen of him so far, I think it's time to see a little more."

"Keaton is key." Scott says. Giles, looking concerned, hurries down the hall towards Buffy. "Scott pulls out a small white box. "I got you a little present, guy in a retro shop said it represents friendship - that's something I'd very much like to have with you."

Buffy smiles, he's charmed and relaxed her. Scott hands her the box. She looks in, her smile fades. In the box is a Claddagh ring, just like the one Angel gave her.

"You like?" Scott asks.

Buffy steps back towards Giles, dropping the box. The ring clatters to the floor.

Scott picks up the ring.

Buffy shakes her head, "I can't accept it. I'm sorry. It's just it's a reminder of my last boyfriend. He passed away a couple months ago. He gave me a ring like that one and explained what it represents."

"Oh I'm sorry." Scott says. "I didn't know."

Buffy smiles, "Thanks though."

Scott nods, "No problem, maybe another time then." He turns and leaves.

Buffy sighs, "I didn't mean it like that."

"Are you all right?" Giles asks.

Buffy nods, "Yeah. I'm fine. He wanted to give me a claddagh ring and after Angel… Did you reach the retreat?"

Giles nods, "I did."

"What'd her watcher say?" Buffy asks.

"Her watcher is dead." Giles says.

Later at a motel the door to the hall is open. Faith faces the hefty Manager.

"Room's eighteen dollars a day, that's every day." Manager says.

Faith nods, "I know. I'll get it to you tomorrow, I swear."

"It's not like I own the place." Manager says.

"Bet you will some day." Faith says sexy.

"Not if I listen to broads like you." Manager says and he turns to go. Buffy is standing in the doorway. "Roommates are extra."

Buffy shakes her head, "Just visiting." Manager gives her a look, goes. She shuts the door.

"What brings you to the po' side of town?" Faith asks.

"Cloven guy, goes by the name of Kakistos." Buffy says.

Faith goes very cold and hard. "...what do you know about Kakistos?"

"That he's here." Buffy says.

Faith just stares.

"So we're not happy to see old friends. What'd he do to you?" Buffy asks.

Faith shakes her head, "It's what I did to him..." She grabs a bag, starts throwing her few belongings in.

"What would that be?" Buffy asks. "You came here for a reason, Faith, I can help—"

Faith shakes her head, "You can mind your own business. I'm the one can handle this."

Buffy nods, "Yeah, you're a real badass when it comes to packing. What'd you say about my problem, gotta deal and move on...?" Faith picks up her bag, turns to face Buffy. "Here we have the moving on part, I get that - and dealing, that's something you just gonna dump on my doorstep?"

Faith sighs, "You don't know me, you don't know what I've been through. I'll take care of it." She heads for the door.

"Like he took care or your watcher?" Buffy asks as Faith stops. "He killed her, didn't he."

Faith looks back at Buffy, dropping the tough girl act, "They don't have a word for what he did to her." She reaches for the door - someone KNOCKS, scaring the hell out of her. She looks through the peephole at the Manager. "What now..."

"Faith, you run, he runs after." Buffy says.

Faith nods, "Yeah, that's where the head start comes in so handy." She opens the door. The manager teeters there, just as dead as a man can be. Kakistos stands behind him, holding his neck.

Faith goes stone cold with fear. Mr. Trick and a Vamp flank Kakistos who lets go of the manager's neck. The manager falls to the floor.

"Faith..." Kakistos says.

Kakistos reaches out and grabs Faith. Buffy runs at the door, hits it with her shoulder, slamming it on Kakistos' arm, ramming it against the door jam. His hand holds fast to Faith's neck. Buffy whips out a stake, stabs Kakistos' forearm. Kakistos howl in pain, he lets go of Faith's neck.

Buffy stabs it some more, driving it back - she slams and locks the door.

Faith is just crazy with fear. "No... no..."

Buffy nods, "It's okay, I just bought us a little –" Kakistos' fist comes smashing through the door, nearly taking Faith's head off. "— time."

Faith starts screaming.

Buffy slaps her hard across the face. "Scream later, escape now. Take my hand."

Faith looks at Buffy for a moment and then does as she is told. They flame out.

They flame in a block away from the motel.

Buffy frowns, "Weird they must have had a spell on the motel. I should have been able to flame us straight to the Manor. Run."

Faith doesn't need no urging as she and Buffy takes off. Down the street they see two vamps rounding a corner.

Buffy and Faith turn and run the other way as they see Trick and another vamp coming from that direction.

Buffy and Faith tear down an alley, turn a corner. A few feet from the corner, they turn into an abandoned firehouse.

"We're okay." Buffy says looking around.

Faith glances out the window herself, badly shaken.

"What happened?" Buffy asks.

"I..." Faith says as she starts to cry.

"It's okay." Buffy says.

Faith sighs, "I was there when he killed my watcher. I saw what he did to her, what he was going to do to me... I tried to stop him, but I couldn't... I ran..."

"Faith, listen to me. First rule of slaying: don't die. You did the right thing, you didn't die. Now do the math: one of him, two of us..." Buffy says.

"No..." Faith says.

"Yes." Buffy says.

"No..." Faith says terror-stricken. Buffy follows her gaze. In the corner, a gruesome pile of bodies. "This is his place."

"That's why I couldn't flame back to the manor, it was a trap. They expected me to flame out and set it up to redirect me where they wanted us." Buffy says as she spins around.

Trick and Vamp 1 come through a back entrance, Kakistos comes through the side, Vamps 2 & 3 behind him.

Buffy kicks Vamp 2 in the face, punches 3.

Faith can't take her eyes off Kakistos; she backs away in terror.

Buffy sees this, grabs a metal bar. "Don't die." She hurls the metal bar into Faith's arms.

Buffy powers up a fireball and whips out a stake in the other hand. She dives for Kakistos who catches her with one hand - and hurls her against a wall.

Faith looks at the bar in her hands, up at Kakistos. She is not doing well here. She tries to swing it - Kakistos stops it and punches her right through a support beam.

Buffy is on her back on the floor; Vamp 2 dives for her. She throws the fireball and Vamp 2 dusts.

Buffy pops up to her feet out of it, stake in hand; she spins to see Faith crawling painfully away from where she landed, Kakistos moving towards her.

Buffy is about to go for Kakistos when Mr. Trick grabs her from behind.

"I believe this dance is mine." Mr. Trick says.

Buffy slams him back against the wall, bends forward and flips him over onto his back, whips out her stake as she powers up another fireball. "The music stopped." She drives the stake down - but he rolls away, comes back up to face her.

"But the beat goes on. Gimmie whatcha got." Mr. Trick says.

Buffy comes at him, and they punches so we know they're a good match. Vamp 3 comes up behind Buffy and she throws the fireball and Vamp 3 dusts.

Kakistos towers over Faith. Grabs her hair, drags her to her feet. She looks at him beyond terror now...

Buffy and Trick are Going at it. Trick comes for her, she rears back, kicks him in the face, Buffy sees Kakistos hit Faith really hard knocking her unconscious.

Buffy runs like hell, diving, hitting Kakistos in the mid-section, she starts raining kicks and blows upon him.

Mr. Trick gets up, watching this as Vamp 2 gets up next to him.

"Spirited girl. We don't do something, she just might kill him." Mr. Trick says. Vamp 2 moves to help - Trick stops him. "I don't think I have a problem with that. Incense, candles, missing the Bulls games 'cause he's too cheap to pop for cable - who's had enough here?"

Vamp 2 tentatively raises his hand.

Mr. Trick and Vamp 2 slip out the door as Buffy comes up with a stake, ducks a giant swing from Kakistos and sinks the stake deep and true into his chest.

Nothing happens.

Buffy pounds on the stake, trying to sink it deeper. Still nothing - and now Kakistos starts laughing.

"Guess you need a bigger stake, slayer." Kakistos says.

Kakistos is still laughing as Faith rises from the ashes, the broken support beam in hand. He just has time to register this as she rams it through his chest. Oh yeah, he's dust now.

Buffy and Faith stand there, breathing hard, looking around: the others are gone, it's over. They look at each other.

"You hungry?" Buffy asks.

Faith nods, "Starved."

The next day in the library Buffy is with Giles and Willow.

"The Council approved our request, Faith can stay here indefinitely, I'm to look after you both until they assign a new watcher." Giles says.

Buffy nods, "Good. She came through, you know. She had a lot to deal with, but she did it. Got it behind her."

"That's good to hear." Giles says.

Later Between classes. Scott exits a class. Rounds a corner, finds Buffy waiting.

"Hi." Buffy says.

"Hello." Scott says.

Buffy smiles, "So I was just... waiting here for you to get out of your class."

"Why?" Scott asks.

Buffy sighs, "Look here's the deal. The ring as I told you was given to me by someone else. It's a reminder of him. It was in no way a reflection on you. I liked what you said about friendship, I liked it a lot. Also, Buster Keaton, big fun. And I'm capable of the big fun even though there's no earthly way you could possibly know that about me lately. Wow, if I'd known I was going to go on this long I'd have brought water. So, if you were still up for the film festival - and I'd understand if you weren't - I'd pretty much love to go with you."

"I don't know, Buffy, I'm really gonna have to think this over." Scott says as he turns, walks away. She barely has time to deflate before he turns and comes right back. "Okay, thought it over. I'm in. When do you want to go?"

Buffy smiles, "I have one thing I have to do tonight, after that I'm good."

Scott smiles, "Good."

That evening at Angel's mansion Buffy and Piper enters, moves through the darkened rooms.

"You don't have to do this, Buffy." Piper says.

Buffy nods, "If I don't, Piper. I will be reminded of him everyday. This ring is a reminder. As is this…" She holds up her wrist and shows Piper the triquetra tattoo. "But at least the tattoo reminds me of you guys. The ring reminds me of Angel and what I lost. To truly move on I need to let go of everything that reminds me of him."

"Okay." Piper says.

Buffy walks to where she stabbed Angel. She closes her hand around the ring, kneels down, where Angel was cast into hell. Holding the ring tightly. "Goodbye."

Buffy opens her hand, lets go of the ring. It slips to the ground. She stays there very still, as if in prayer. She rises and walks back over to Piper, "Want me to flame you back to the Manor before I go meet Scott?"

Piper nods, "That be good, Buffy."

Buffy nods and takes Piper's hand and they flame out.

The ring starts to glow and then there's a low rumbling tremor which builds to a frightening crescendo culminating in a blinding flash of light.

Something dark and large hurtles out of the lights and lands on the cold stone floor. Naked and shivering, virtually mad, something huddles there - something fresh out of hell - his own hand inches away from the ring: Angel.


	52. Chapter 52: Once Upon A Time

**Chapter 52: Once Upon A Time**

Since Piper's almost wedding Buffy had been sleeping with Piper trying to comfort her.

Buffy shakes Piper trying to wake her up from the nightmare she is having.

Piper sits up and looks to Buffy, "Leo's not coming back."

"My sister, it was just a bad dream." Buffy says.

Piper starts crying. "No, it wasn't, it was real. I don't understand why they are doing this to us? It's like destroying lives is how they amuse themselves."

Buffy sighs knowing how Piper feels. Both of them had lost men they had fallen in love with. "It'll be alright, Piper." She pulls her cousin into an embrace and hugs Piper till they fall back asleep.

The next day Buffy is on the phone, "Pheebs, it's me."

"Buffy tell Prue I will have her car home momentarily." Phoebe says.

Buffy shakes her head, "Phoebe, I am not calling about the car, I'm calling about Piper. Look, um, she had this dream about Leo and maybe I'm overreacting but I've never seen her like this. Me sure, Piper never. It-it's like she's completely given up."

"What kind of dream about Leoooo!" Phoebe says. "I'm fine, car's fine. I'll see you later. Bye."

Later in the kitchen Phoebe and the girl she almost ran over (Kate) are there. Kate's sitting at the table still holding the box. Phoebe places a cup hot chocolate and a plate of cookies on the table.

Phoebe smiles, "Okay, you just have to be very careful because it's hot, so blow on it, okay?"

Buffy, Prue and Piper stand at the doorway.

"Hey, did you find out anything more from her?" Prue asks.

"Name, rank and serial number." Phoebe says.

"Uh, her parents are on their way, they live up the street." Piper says. "They were very worried about you."

Phoebe nods, "I gotta go to the car and get her jacket." She walks over to the key hook. "Uh, keys?"

"What?" Prue asks.

"You know, silver shiny things that go jingle jingle." Phoebe says.

"I don't have them." Prue says.

Phoebe sighs, "That's so weird. I put them up here."

Kate nods, "The fairies probably hid them."

"What was that?" Buffy asks.

"Sorry, I'm not supposed to talk about fairies." Kate says.

Phoebe smiles, "Um, you know what? In this house you can talk about anything you want. Sometimes we talk about weird things too."

Kate nods, "Well, that's what fairies do. Hide your keys and things. They're tricky like that."

Buffy nods, "Um, is that what's in that box? Is it a fairy? Is that who you're protecting?"

The doorbell rings. Buffy goes to answer it.

"That's probably your mom and your dad." Piper says.

Kate shakes her head, "He's not my dad. He's just my mom's new husband."

In the foyer Buffy opens the door.

"Hi, we're Kate's parents." Kate's mom says.

"Is she alright?" Kate's step-dad asks.

Buffy nods, "Yeah, she's fine. I mean, she scraped her arm a little bit but mostly she's just scared."

Prue, Piper, Phoebe and Kate walk in the foyer.

"Kate." Kate's step-dad says.

Kate frowns, "Get out of the doorway."

"Kate..." Kate's mom says.

"It's an in-between, get out of the in-between." Kate says.

Buffy frowns, "What's an in-between?"

"It's where the trolls are." Kate says.

"Honey, we've had this conversation before. You're a big girl and it's time to stop believing in things like that. She's had some problems since her father and I divorced. Regressed sort of back to the imaginary friend stage." Kate's mom said.

Kate's step-dad nods, "Look, uh, we should go, it's late. Thank you again for everything."

Kate shakes her head, "They'll get us."

Kate's step-dad smiles, "I won't let them. It's okay." He picks up Kate and she sees a troll hanging onto the door frame.

"Look, there it is." Kate says as her step dad carries her outside.

"Thank you." Kate's mom said.

Prue nods, "You're welcome."

Later Buffy, Prue, Piper and Phoebe are in the kitchen.

Piper's making some coffee. "Come on, Phoebe, trolls and fairies? You don't believe that stuff."

Phoebe shrugs, "Sure, why not?"

"Did someone tell her about Santa?" Buffy asks.

Phoebe sighs, "All I know is something was definitely after her."

"But you didn't see anything?" Piper asks.

Phoebe shakes her head, "No, but how else did she get hurt?"

"How about she fell down and scratched herself." Buffy says.

Phoebe shakes her head, "No, Buffy, they weren't scratches, they were claw marks."

Piper sighs, "If they were, you would've seen what had clawed her. Why are you being so stubborn about this?"

"Because I'm a Scorpio. What's yours and Buffy's excuses?" Piper says.

Prue shakes her head, "Okay, so it's kind of late and, um, we're all a bit tired so how about we finish up tomorrow?"

Phoebe sighs, "Now look what you two did. You went and turned Prue into the middle child."

Buffy shakes her head, "Okay, Phoebe, even if fairies and trolls do exist, you heard what her mom said, the problems started when her father left. That's psychology not magic."

Phoebe sighs, "I know. But you know what? I'm gonna check the Book Of Shadows just incase. 'Cause I don't wanna be out stubborned by a Capricorn or a Gemini."

The next day the phone rings Buffy goes to answer it, "Hello?"

"Hey Payson, right? It's Cole Turner. Is Phoebe there?" Cole says.

"Sure just a second." Buffy says and puts her hand over the phone, "PHOEBE, PHONE!" Phoebe runs downstairs holding onto the drawings. "It's your little lawyer boyfriend."

Phoebe hands her the drawings and Buffy hands her the phone. "So there. And he is not my boyfriend."

Buffy looks at the drawings as she walks into the living room where Piper is sitting. She hands the drawings to Piper. "Seems you guys had quite the imagination."

Prue comes down the stairs.

Piper and Buffy come out of the living room.

"Uh, really, uh, well..." Phoebe says into the phone. Buffy and Piper puts on their coats. Prue motions Phoebe to hurry. "Um, actually tonight's not good because Piper's going through something but I will call you and maybe we can meet at the club." Prue snatches the phone off of Phoebe. "Sorry, bye." Piper grabs her keys and Prue and Phoebe stand in front of her. "Did you not look at those drawings?"

Piper nods, "They're cute, yes."

Buffy nods, "Yeah it is cute. Even I used to draw when I was little. But all that proves is you drew the same thing."

Phoebe sighs, "Cute? Cute? We all had the same invisible fairy friend, Piper. That is proof that fairies exist."

Buffy and Piper tries to walk around them but Prue and Phoebe don't let them.

"Buffy's right all it proves is that one of us had a really fertile imagination and the other two were really big copycats." Piper says.

Prue shakes her head, "Okay, Piper, Buffy, just listen to me, okay. Um, we think that Kate is in trouble, our kind of trouble."

Buffy shakes her head, "Okay, well, we don't."

Piper nods, "And after what they did to Leo, I'm not really all that motivated to go dig up demons for them."

"Trolls." Phoebe says.

Buffy sighs, "Whatever."

Piper nods, "Look, you guys can do whatever you want but I've had it and I'm done. If Buffy wants to help I won't stop her either."

Buffy looks to Piper, right now she knows her place is helping Piper.

"What does that mean?" Prue asks.

Piper nods, "It means that the "powers that be" haven't done anything but ruin my life so therefore I'm not gonna do anything for them anymore, okay. I'm going now, excuse me, I'm going now." She pushes past them and leaves.

"Wait up, Piper." Buffy says as she looks to Prue and Phoebe. "Right now Piper needs me more than Kate. This deal with Leo is hitting to close to home for her. And out of all of us I think I understand what she's going through better than you two. So I'm going to go help her." She turns and walks out the door.

Later at PAYSON'S the place is nearly empty. People are leaving. Prue and Phoebe, acting like children, are on stage singing songs. Buffy and Piper walks down the stairs and is shocked by what they see.

"Oh my Goddess." Buffy says.

"If you're happy and you know it clap your hands. If you're happy and you know it pat your knee." Prue and Phoebe sings as they pat their knee. "If you're happy and you know it pat your knee."

"You guys have got to do it." Phoebe says.

Prue and Phoebe continue singing.

Buffy and Piper walks up to Abby.

"What the hell is going on?" Piper asks.

Abby shakes her head, "You think this is bad? You should've been here for Frere Jacques. They've been acting like kids since they got here. I didn't serve them, I swear."

Buffy nods, "Alright, put on some music, any music and kill that microphone." She and Piper walks over to Prue and Phoebe.

Phoebe smiles, "Hi."

"Hi. Lost your minds?" Piper asks.

Prue smiles, "Buffy, Piper, we have been waiting and waiting and waiting..."

Phoebe nods, "Yeah, and you know what we did? We saw a fairy and she was very cute and she was sparkly and she was really, really pretty."

Piper freezes everyone. "Okay, what ass-backward spell did you guys cast?"

Prue shakes her head, "We-we-we didn't cast a spell."

Phoebe nods, "No, it is true, we did not cast a spell but we did use fairy dust."

Buffy rolls her eyes, "Fairy dust?"

"Yep." Phoebe says.

"Okay, great, so you can go home now and reverse it, Tinkerbell." Piper says.

Phoebe shakes her head, "No, no, no. No, I am not a fairy. She thought I was a... We have to show them. Okay."

Phoebe pulls a small pouch out of her pocket and they get a pinch of fairy dust out of it.

"Ready? Okay, go." Prue says.

Phoebe smiles, "One, two, three."

They throw the fairy dust in Piper and Buffy's faces and they sneeze.

"What the hell did you do that for?" Piper asks.

"Yeah what did you do that for?" Buffy asks.

Phoebe frowns, "Dat did not work."

Piper shakes her head, "No. Work, that's a very good idea. I'm gonna get back to work now." She unfreezes everyone and she and Buffy walks away. Prue and Phoebe follow them.

"Oh, you know what? You are being a big, big, big, extra, extra, extra, double big jerk right now." Phoebe says as a strand of hair is on Prue's face and she tries to grab it with her tongue. "Because now I have the key," she shows the key hanging around her neck, "so Thistle is safe and we have to be back with Kate at midnight so when the trolls attack..."

Piper shakes her head, "No. You guys are going home and you're not driving either 'cause someone will think you're drunk or something. So go outside and wait there and I will call a cab."

Buffy nods in agreement, "Yeah you two really need to reverse that spell."

"Oh..." Prue says.

Piper frowns, "Shh shh, no."

Phoebe plays with the zipper on her jacket.

Prue starts whining. "Why are you two being so meeeaan?"

"Because I don't want you to..." Piper says as Phoebe hugs her. "Stop it." Phoebe kisses her on the cheek. "You're trying to trick me into ending my strike." Prue hugs her as well.

Buffy shakes her head, "Guys."

Piper sighs, "And it's not gonna work. You guys go home. Scoot. Go home. Scoot. And you go home and you reverse this ridiculous behavior."

Prue and Phoebe let go of Piper and walk towards the door. They turn around and stick their tongues out at Piper and Buffy. They walk through the doorway.

Buffy sits at the bar, "Abby can I get a coke."

"Sure, Payson." Abby says.

Piper walks around the bar to the cash register and find Leo's Valentines Day card under the cash register. She looks at it and then puts it back under the register.

Buffy sighs as Abby hands her a coke, "It'll be alright, Piper."

Piper nods and grabs a tray. She starts picking up wine glasses. Buffy grabs another tray and starts helping Piper to clean up.

Suddenly Piper trips and drops the tray. She bends down and picks up the glass and cuts her finger on the glass. "Ow!"

Buffy sets her tray down on the bar and walks over to Piper, "You okay?"

Piper nods, "Just cut my finger."

Abby walks up to Buffy and Piper holding the phone. "Hey, Piper, your sister's..." she sees the mess, "on the phone."

Piper nods, "Perfect." She takes the phone. Abby and Buffy helps clean up the mess. "It's okay, I'll get it, I'll get it, it's alright." Piper walks up to the bar and wraps a napkin around her finger. "You need a diaper change?"

"Very funny. Look, we need you and Buffy to come home right away by midnight or else..." Phoebe says.

Piper shakes her head, "The tooth fairy's gonna come and harass us all for not flossing?"

"Alright, I know you don't believe in fairy's and I'm not asking you to..." Phoebe says.

Piper sighs, "Then what are you asking?"

Buffy gets up and walks over to Piper, "What's up?"

Piper moves the phone so Buffy can hear.

"We were trying to distract you before, we were trying to take your mind off of Leo, okay. And it was wrong and I'm sorry for that but it's not about that anymore, Piper. We are up against something that we can not fight without you or Buffy."

"Trolls." Piper says.

"Trolls?" Buffy asks looking at Piper. "Tell me you aren't buying this."

Phoebe sighs, "Believe it or don't but they are sneaky and mean and they are trying to hurt a seven year old girl." Piper looks around the club. "Hello?"

"Any chance they may have been here?" Piper asks.

"Yeah, one attacked me there earlier. Why?" Phoebe asks.

Piper shakes her head, "Nothing."

"Alright, look, they know that we're witches and they will do anything to stop us from helping Kate." Phoebe says.

Piper sighs, "Alright, we're on our way."

"Okay, well, don't forget to stay out of the..." Phoebe says as Piper hangs up.

Piper grabs her purse and looks for her keys. "Buffy, Abby, have either of you seen my keys?"

Buffy shakes her head, "Not since we arrived."

Abby shakes her head, "Aren't they on the hook?"

"No, if they were on the hook I wouldn't be asking." Piper says.

Piper swings around and knocks over some bottles.

Buffy frowns, "Watch it."

"I got it, I got it." Abby says.

Piper sighs, "Oh, damn it." She continues looking for the keys. "Spare key, spare key. Register." She opens the cash register and suddenly it closes on her fingers. "Son of a..."

Buffy's eyes go wide upon seeing the cash register close on Piper's fingers. "You okay?"

Piper looks to Abby, "Uh, could you just do me a favor and close up for me?"

Abby nods, "Oh, yeah, sure."

Piper smiles, "Thank you." She looks to Buffy, "Come on Buffy."

Piper and Buffy walk to the door and suddenly they are pushed outside.

"Care to tell me what's going on?" Buffy asks.

"I think trolls maybe real. You saw what happened with the cash register. I think a troll tripped me inside and of course we were both shoved from behind as we came outside." Piper says.

They walk towards Piper's car and suddenly they are both tripped. They fall on the ground and all of Piper's stuff falls out of her purse.

Piper shakes her head, "You better run while you can, you little rodents."

Buffy nods, "I think your right."

Piper stands up and looks up at the sky. "I bet you guys think this is real funny don't ya? Haven't you taken enough from me? You have to send trolls to kick me while I'm down." Buffy picks up Piper's stuff and puts them back in her purse. "I had a nice normal life once and you took that from me. You took my boyfriend, you took my life, the least you could do is leave me..." a couple walk past, "my freakin' car keys. I am a good person, I am a good witch and damn it I would've made a great wife. And how dare you take that from me. I deserve... no, you know what? I demand that you send him back to me. You hear me? Right now. I am going to stand in this very spot until you send Leo back to me."

Nothing happens.

Buffy sighs and stands up with Piper's purse. "I wish it were that simple. Come on we'll come back for your car later."

At the Manor it is 11:54pm. Prue and Phoebe are waiting for Piper and Buffy.

Prue frowns, "She said that they was coming, right?

"What'd you think I just made that part up?" Phoebe asks.

Prue shakes her head, "No, but it's almost 12:00 and we still have to go over to Kate's. Without Buffy it will be hard to get there in time."

Phoebe nods, "Well, maybe we should do it with out them. Do the best we can."

"No, I used the power of three spell, it won't work without Piper." Prue says.

"We can rewrite it." Phoebe says.

Prue shakes her head, "In six minutes."

Phoebe sighs, "Do you have a better idea?"

Buffy and Piper flames in.

"Sorry we're late." Buffy says. "First Piper's car keys went missing. Then trolls attacked on our way to her car. Finally we just flamed here."

"Hey, are you okay?" Phoebe asks.

Piper sighs, "I thought this wasn't about me."

Prue nods, "Well, it just... you don't really seem like you're very open."

"I'm as open as I'm gonna get in the next five minutes so let's just do the damn spell." Piper says.

"In this tween time this darkest hour, we call upon the sacred power. Four together stand alone, command the unseen to be shown. In innocence we search the skies, enchanted are our new found eyes." Piper, Phoebe, Prue and Buffy chant.

"You've really gotta lay off the rhyming, Prue." Phoebe says.

"Alright one flame express coming up. Piper once were there you freeze Kate's parents so they don't come looking to see what's going on in Kate's room. Okay?" Buffy says.

"Fine, whatever." Piper says.

Buffy sighs, "I'll talk to her later."

They flame to Kate's house. Piper moves to the entrance of the living room and freezes Kate's parents.

"Okay, why can't we see them?" Phoebe asks.

"Obviously the spell didn't work." Prue says and uses her power and opens the door. The trolls drag Kate under the bed.

"Help me!" Kate says.

The trolls knock down a shelf of toys.

Buffy, Prue, Piper and Phoebe look under the bed.

"Where'd she go?" Buffy asks.

Prue shakes her head, "There's nothing here."

Piper nods, "Well, she's gotta be here somewhere, she couldn't have just disappeared."

"Unless the trolls turned her into a fairy." Phoebe says.

Prue frowns, "A fairy? Why would they do that?"

Phoebe shrugs, "I have no idea. Maybe to punish her for taking Thistle." She picks up the box. "But we have to find Kate. Okay, come on, give me a premonition."

"Hold it between us, Pheebs." Buffy says as Phoebe holds the box between herself and Buffy. "Ok let's see who can get a premonition first."

"I don't understand. I mean, why couldn't we see the trolls? We've had spells backfire on us before but never the power of three." Prue says. "Especially one that was augmented."

Piper sighs, "It didn't backfire. The spell didn't work because of me."

"Piper..." Prue says.

Piper shakes her head, "No, it's-it's true. This is all my fault. I just, I wanted to save Kate and never meant to hurt her, I never meant for this..."

"Don't blame yourself, okay? You have every right to be angry." Prue says.

Piper nods, "But not at the expense of a little girl. I just don't understand how I'm supposed to believe in anything anymore. I just want him back, Prue."

Buffy sighs and moves over to Piper, "We know, my sister. But right now we have to get Kate back, okay, and we're gonna need your help to do that."

"Damn it, damn it, damn it. I don't understand. What good is this power if I can't use it when I need it? You didn't see anything, Buffy?"

Buffy shakes her head, "Nothing."

"Phoebe, you have to focus." Prue says.

Buffy walks over to Phoebe and places her hands on the box. Augmenting not only Phoebe's but her own premonition power also.

"Prue, I am focusing, believe me." Phoebe says.

Prue nods, "You're too upset, so take a deep breath... Buffy are you augmenting?"

Buffy nods, "Both hers and mine."

"Guys..." Piper says.

Phoebe sighs, "I can't levitate when I want to, I can't premonition when I want to..."

"Guys!" Piper says.

"What?" Buffy asks.

Piper nods, "I think the spell is working." She points to a fairy flying near the window. "Do you see it?"

"What's it doing?" Phoebe asks.

Prue nods, "I think it wants us to follow it."

Moments later outside in a garden Buffy, Prue, Piper and Phoebe are following the fairy. They approach a cave and it flies away.

"I think he got scared away." Buffy says.

Phoebe nods, "Yeah, and I can see why. This looks like the cave from Kate's drawing."

"The first troll I see is in really big trouble. Let's go." Piper says.

Buffy nods in agreement, "I hope they like to be roasted."

They walk into the cave and hide behind a rock. Kate and Thistle are locked in a cage.

"Troll central." Phoebe says.

The troll's place a branch underneath the cage. One troll is banging two rocks together trying to make a fire.

"What are they doing?" Piper asks.

"It looks like they're trying to start a fire, although I don't really think that it's for roasting marshmallows." Prue says.

"Kate and Thistle." Phoebe says motioning towards the cage.

The trolls get the fire started.

"Alright, Piper, do you think that you can freeze them from here?" Buffy asks.

"I can try." Piper says.

Some trolls attack them and they walk further into the cave.

"Piper, freeze them." Prue says.

"They're too fast." Piper says.

Buffy nods, "They are fast. I can barely keep track of them even with my Slayer eyesight.

One heads straight for Piper and she freezes it.

Prue moves it into the fire and it burns. "One down."

Phoebe nods, "Okay..." Phoebe jumps up and levitates. "Prue, a little help here."

Prue uses her power and Phoebe flies over to the cage. She unhooks it and lands back on the ground.

"Piper, Buffy, run." Prue says.

Piper frowns, "Run? Run where?"

Buffy tries to flame out but nothing happens, "They got some kind of ward protecting this cave. I can't flame."

"Just run, Buffy, Piper, run!" Prue says.

Prue drags Buffy and Piper towards the fire.

"Are you out of your mind?" Piper asks.

Buffy nods, "Freeze the flames!" Piper freezes the fire and they jump through it. The trolls head towards them. "Unfreeze, now." Piper unfreezes the fire and burns all of the trolls.

"Now that is just the way I like my trolls, medium-well." Prue says.

Buffy and Phoebe laughs.

Phoebe lets Kate and Thistle of the cage. "Here you guys go. It's okay, there you go." They start to fly away. "Um, hey, hey, hey, you guys, wait up."

Kate and Thistle stop.

"Thistle, don't you know how to turn Kate back into a person?" Prue asks.

Kate looks at Thistle and shakes her head.

Buffy sighs, "Kate, you know, you can't stay a fairy because if you do, your mom will be very sad. Believe I know what it's like to lose someone you love. My mom passed away awhile ago. I was very sad."

Piper nods, "Um, you know what? I think I kinda know how you're feeling also. When someone you love goes away it doesn't make any sense and it feels like the whole world is out to get you. But you know what? Your mom and dad didn't split up to hurt you. Things just happen. Things that you may never understand. But you just have to believe that it's for the best. Even if it doesn't always seem that way. You remember how sad you were when your daddy left?" Kate nods. "Well, that's how sad everybody's gonna be if you don't come home."

Kate looks at Thistle and nods. Thistle turns her back into a human.

Phoebe goes over and hugs Kate.

Prue looks to Buffy and Piper, "Nicely done."

Later back at the Manor Buffy, Prue, Piper and Phoebe flame in.

"Ow." Phoebe says.

Piper nods, "Yep."

"Ice?" Prue asks.

Buffy smiles, "Too bad I can't spread my Slayer healing around."

Phoebe shakes her head, "Bed." The doorbell rings. Prue opens the door and there are flowers on the porch. "Who delivers at this hour?"

Prue bends down and picks up her keys. "Hmm, I think this is somebody's way of saying thank you. Here." She hands them the flowers.

"Well, you're welcome." Piper and Buffy says.

They carry the flowers inside.

"Oh, they're so pretty." Phoebe says.

Piper puts on a wreath of flowers on her head. Buffy, Prue and Phoebe look at her.

"Piper, um, we..." Prue says.

Piper takes the wreath back off.

"We, um, we just..." Phoebe says.

Piper sighs, "I know, it's okay. I'm actually beginning to understand why they don't want witches and Whitelighters to be together." They walk into the living room and sit down. "Marriage is, um, hard enough, you know. But marriage to a Whitelighter... He's gotta orb out at all times of the night and sometimes he's gone for weeks at a time. But honestly if I'm gonna have a meltdown every time I have no idea where he is, then none of us are gonna be able to do our jobs." Tears fill her eyes. "And if we had lost that little girl tonight..."

Buffy shakes her head, "But we didn't."

Piper nods, "But we could've. And I don't think I could live with that. If that means that I have to give up Leo, then I guess that's a sacrifice I'm willing to make." She walks out of the room, and Buffy follows her. Leo orbs in on the stairs, and scares Piper. "Am I dreaming?"

"If you are so am I." Buffy says. "Leo?"

Leo shakes his head, "No, neither of you are."

Piper and Leo hug.

"I had a dream that you weren't coming back. That wasn't a dream either, was it?" Piper says.

Leo shakes his head, "No, it wasn't. They had forbidden me from ever seeing you again." Phoebe and Prue walk in. "But now, I don't know what you said or did but they said you showed great courage and great faith, enough to make them reconsider."

Buffy smiles, "Does that mean you guys can get married now?"

"Ugh..." Prue says.

Phoebe frowns, "What? I wanna know, too."

Leo shakes his head, "Not yet. It means they're giving us a chance to prove we can make it work."

Buffy shakes her head, "What do you mean?"

"Like probation?" Phoebe asks.

Piper gives Phoebe a look.

Leo nods, "If we can show them that our relationship won't get in the way of our work..."

Piper smiles, "Then we can stay together?"

Leo nods, "But if anything goes wrong, if we're distracted by each other to the detriment of a single innocent..."

Piper shakes her head, "We won't be."

Piper and Leo go upstairs.

"Are either of you worried?" Phoebe asks.

Prue nods, "When are you going to learn? I am always worried. I'm relieved that he's back though, not only for Piper but..."

Buffy shakes her head, "No, not anymore. At least not about Piper. I guess I will be moving back into my room tonight."

Phoebe nods, "I know. Unknown, unattractive demon on the loose."

"Yeah, let's not tell them until tomorrow. I think that the least that they deserve is one night worry-free romance don't you?" Prue says.

Buffy smiles, "Yeah they do."

Phoebe nods, "Mmm, romance, uhh."

Buffy heads upstairs and knocks Piper's door, "I'll get my stuff later, Piper. Have fun you two." She turns and enters her room.


	53. Chapter 53: Beauty and the Beasts

**Chapter 53: Beauty and the Beasts**

Buffy and Faith are patrolling together. The park is quiet, and they enjoy a rare moment of bonding.

"You ever catch kids doing the horizontal two-step out here?" Faith asks.

Buffy shakes her head, "Naw. There's a smooch spot near the woods. That's where folks go."

"Yeah? Bet you and Scott been out there kicking the old gearshift." Faith says.

Buffy shakes her head, "Hardly. We've only been out a few times."

"But you like him, right? When you think about him you get that good, down low tickle?" Faith asks.

Buffy blushes, "Well, yeah. I - How low?"

Faith grins, "You tell me."

Buffy shakes her head, "How 'bout - not? But he is funny and nice and -"

Faith nods, "-quite a muffin."

Buffy smiles, "Blueberry. With that munchable, crumbly top. But my most favorite thing? So far, he doesn't seem to be some sort of hell beast."

"All men are beasts, Buffy." Faith says.

"Geez. I was sort of hoping not to sound that cynical until at least forty." Buffy says.

Faith shakes her head, "Not cynical. Realistic. Every guy – from "Manimal" right on down to "Mr. I Loved the English Patient" – has a beast in him. And I don't care how sensitive they act - they're still just in it for the chase…"

The next day in the quad Buffy, Willow and Oz walk toward school,.

"I don't think that's true. That every guy is in it for the chase." Willow says worried.

Buffy nods, "I know, it's awfully-"

"Buffy! Wait up!" Scott says as he runs to catch up with her, leaving his buddy, Pete, and Pete's girlfriend, Debbie, behind. "Hey. That's what I stopped you for, basically. Hey."

"Okay. Hey." Buffy says pleased.

Pete and Debbie also come over - but at a less infatuated pace.

Oz nods to Debbie - he knows her. "Howdy Debbie."

"Hi, Oz. Hey, you're not doing Jazz band this year?" Debbie asks.

Oz shakes his head, "Can't take the pressure. It's not the music that's hard, it's the marching."

"We have a marching Jazz band?" Buffy asks.

Oz nods, "Yeah. But - you know - good jazz is improvisational. So we'd be marching off in all directions. Running into floats and stuff. Scary."

"He's just being Oz." Willow says.

Oz nods, "Pretty much full time."

Buffy notices that Debbie is holding a small bouquet of wild flowers. "Those are pretty."

Debbie beams happily. "Thanks. Pete brought them for me."

"It's… well, you know. I'm sure Scott does that kind of stuff for you too, Buffy." Pete says embarrassed.

"Oh. We're not up to flowers." Scott says anxious, "Are we? Up to flowers? Did I miss flowers?"

Buffy shakes her head, "No. We're pre-posie. Definitely." She looks at her watch. "I'd better go. Lucky me, I get to see Mr. Platt today."

Debbie makes a face. Yuck. "Platt? The school counselor?"

Buffy sighs, "Yeah - I need to convince him I'm "Little Miss Stable" so I can stay in school. Not that I actually have to. Snyder can't do much but still it's better to make him happy than give him an excuse to kick me out."

Scott nods, "Stable. Okay. Topics to avoid. The little men that live in your teeth…. Your compulsion to paint circus clowns…."

"But if Goddess keeps telling me to kill – it just seems snotty not to, you know?" Buffy asks.

Scott frowns, "Goddess?"

Buffy smiles, "Alternative religion."

Scott nods, "Ah. Anyways you'll do great."

"Platt creeps me out. I would totally quit going, but I'm flunking senior bio and my teacher says I have "success issues."" Debbie says.

Oz nods, "Senior bio? I sort of aced that final."

"And how did you do that? Oh, right - you showed up." Willow says teasing.

"You want my notes - they're yours." Oz says.

Debbie smiles, "Thanks. That'd be great."

"See you." Buffy says as she gives Scott a quick kiss on the lips before parting.

"Yeah. Good." Scott says.

Buffy, Willow and Oz enter the school and move down the hall.

"Okay. You. Scott. School kiss." Willow says.

Buffy shakes her head, "Not a deal. We've kissed before."

"But in the dark. Alone. A school kiss is a whole 'nother deal. It's statement-y. it says - hey, peers - we're smooching!" Willow says.

"Do you think it was too much?" Buffy says anxious.

Oz shakes his head, "I thought it was right. It said "nice seeing you" - not - "take me now." Not that I have anything against a "take me now" kiss, mind you. But it's not very school."

Willow nods, "Totally. That kind of kiss in school is all about showing off. The "haves" rubbing it in the faces of the "have-nots.""

Willow stops at her locker. Oz lingers with her as Buffy, preoccupied, moves on down the hall.

"So I'm good. Yeah. I think….." Buffy says as she moves on to the counselor's office leaving her friends behind.

Buffy enters the counselor's office. The office sports standard school shrink décor - "Your Brain on Drugs" posters, etc. But there are also a few surprising touches of whimsy.

Mr. Platt, faces away from Buffy in a high back chair. "The two o'clock. Payson Halliwell or do you prefer Buffy."

Buffy smiles, "Buffy is more a nickname nowadays. My legal guardians signed the paperwork last year to allow me to change my name to Payson. But if you want you can call me Buffy I don't mind. My friends and family still call me Buffy. I know this is really more just a formality to keep Principal Snyder happy. School Board overruled him saying he couldn't keep me out. But I'll cooperate, look at ink blots, but I don't want to talk about my childhood or my life or…anything, actually. And I really don't want to be friends."

Mr. Platt turns slowly around. As he talks, he takes a last drag, stubs out the cigratte, hides the ashtray in a drawer from which he pulls a can of air freshener and sprays, puts it back and shuts the drawer. "You already have friends - I hope. A friend is a good thing. Likes you, agrees with you, tells you what you want to hear. What you do need is a trained, not-too-crazy professional who will always give you his honest opinion. Which I offer you. Have a seat."

Buffy nods and sits down. "Not too crazy. Those are your credentials?"

Mr. Platt points to certificates on the wall, "Those are my credentials. Look, Buffy. Any person - grown up, shrink, pope, any person who claims to be totally sane is either lying or not very bright. Everybody has problems. Everyone has demons. Right?"

Buffy can't help herself. She's starting to like this guy. "Gotta say I'm with you on that one."

"Excellent. So, the hope I bring you is that demons can be fought. People can change. You can change. It's all about finding your strength. Believing in yourself. Now. Your turn. Let's start with why you ran away." Mr. Platt says.

Buffy sighs, "It's a long story."

"Bore me." Mr. Platt says.

"I'm telling you - I'm so over it. I feel good. I'm moving on. I'm even dating someone new." Buffy says.

Mr. Platt nods, "All nice things. But still - you're bringing me in at the end of the movie."

Buffy sighs. She's not getting out of this. "I was seeing this guy. It ended badly. I kind of flipped."

Mr. Platt nods, "Tell me more about this guy. The bad-ending guy."

"He was the first person- I loved him. But then…" Buffy says.

Mr. Platt nods, "He changed."

"Yes." Buffy says.

"He got mean." Mr. Platt says.

Buffy nods, "Yes."

"But you didn't stop loving him." Mr. Platt says. "You know - lots of people lose themselves in love. It's no shame. They write songs about it. The hitch is - you can't stay lost. Sooner or later, you have to get back to yourself."

Buffy nods, "I'd like to think I have. But for the sake of argument if you can't?"

"If you can't - love becomes your master. And you're just it's dog." Mr. Platt says.

Later Buffy enters the library. She stops when she sees the grave expressions of Giles, Xander, Cordelia, Willow and Oz.

"I'm afraid to ask." Buffy says.

Cordelia nods, "Oz ate someone last night."

"He did not!" Willow says.

"Oz does not eat people. It's more, werewolf play. You know - I bat you around a little bit. Like a cat toy. I have harmless wolf fun. Is it Oz' fault that, you know, side effect, people get cut to ribbons and maybe then he takes a little nibble and I'm not helping am I?" Xander says.

"Oz may have gotten out of his cage last night –" Giles says.

Oz cuts him off - his tone grim. "Or there just happened to be another werewolf roaming the woods."

Giles nods, "Perhaps. Or perhaps it was something else entirely. Let's not overreact-"

"Good in theory. Not very helpful for the potential nibbler." Oz says.

Giles nods, "That's why we all have to work to find out what happened."

"I'll patrol the woods." Buffy says. "You guys try to get into the morgue."

Willow nods, "Right, we can see if it's a werewolf kill or not. But what about Oz?"

Giles nods, "Why don't we have Faith or Piper come watch over him?"

"You're having a Slayer or a Charmed One watch me? Good thing we're not over-reacting." Oz says freaking out. He heads for the library doors.

Willow gets up to follow, "Oz."

Oz stops. He turns back. "Okay. You know that thing where you bail in the middle of an upsetting conversation? I need to do that. Kind of dramatic. But sometimes it's a necessary guy thing."

He starts out again - but Willow moves to stop him again. "And I want you to. Do the guy thing - but…" She looks at the clock. It's half past five.

Oz follows her gaze - gets it. Has to fight all his instincts to bolt. Supremely frustrated - he walks to the cage, closes the door.

Willow moves to him - feeling for him. "Oz…."

Oz can't even look at her. "Get away from the cage."

"What?" Willow asks.

"It's going to happen soon. Get away from me." Oz says.

Willow, devastated, backs off.

Later in the woods Buffy and Prue walk along.

"So Oz may have gotten out?" Prue asks.

Buffy nods, "Possibly. It's why Faith isn't with me tonight. She's watching him. And why Piper is there for backup. She can freeze Oz if he gets past Faith."

Something crashes through the bushes near them.

Buffy sprints in the direction of the noise, Prue is following behind her. She stops, trying to get her bearings.

Whoosh! Silhouetted against the full moon, the man/beast creature races by Buffy and knocks her to the ground. She leaps back up - stake raised - ready for battle.

And she stops - frozen - at what she sees.

Prue runs up to Buffy her eyes go wide as she sees what Buffy has spotted… Angel.

Angel is feral. His mouth stained with dried blood. Eyes full of animal rage.

"How? You killed him." Prue says.

"I know." Buffy says.

Angel barrels into Buffy, knocking her down. Hard.

Buffy fights to get back on her feet. "Prue where is he?"

"I don't see him," Prue says.

The sound of Angel's snarling approach through the bushes seems to surround them. He comes at Buffy again. But this time she's ready - meets his oncoming velocity with a head butt.

Buffy gets in a few good licks but Angel is still brutally strong - she's having trouble making any real gains.

Finally, Buffy manages to get to her feet. She races ahead - disappearing into the dark shadows of the forest, followed closely by Prue.

Angel stops dead. His instincts working overtime.

WHOOSH!

Buffy swings from a tree branch and drives right into Angel - knocking the wind out of him as he slams to the ground. Now she straddles him and clocks him with a brutal uppercut. He's out.

Prue comes back and looks around. She and Buffy see a number of small eviscerated animal carcasses littering the ground near by.

Buffy looks at Prue, "Help me get him back to the mansion."

Prue frowns, "Buffy."

"Please." Buffy says. "Just till we figure out why he's back."

Prue sighs and nods, "I guess that means you don't want me to telling anyone he's back."

Buffy shakes her head, "No, Prue. Please?"

"I'll do it, but only because I'm curious to know why he's back also." Prue says.

Later at the mansion Buffy, working in a panicked rush, dumps over a trunk spilling a bunch of Drusilla's dolls and other personal items spill. At the bottom of the trunk are some long lengths of chain and some wrist shackles.

Prue is telekinetically holding Angel in place. "He's struggling Buffy. I'm not sure how long I can hold him."

Buffy threads a length of chain through one of the ornamental wall mounts bolted to the wall in the main room of the mansion. She then slaps a shackle closed around Angel's wrist. She then binds his other wrist.

Buffy stares at Angel.

Angel tugs at his restraints, gives no sign that he's aware of Buffy or Prue. Much less aware of who they are.

Buffy starts to get up - notices the black scorch marks on the floor. "Prue what do you make of this." She moves to them - runs a finger through the dark soot, puzzled…

Prue walks over to Buffy and looks at the scorch marks. "They make an outline of a human being. This could be where he returned. This is the same spot isn't it where…"

Buffy nods, "Where I killed him. The exact spot."

Later Buffy flames into the library after having dropped Prue off at the manor.

Faith is listening to music on a Walkman. She dances in front of Oz' cage.

Buffy looks to Piper, "Been quiet?"

Piper nods, "Yeah. Taking over?"

Buffy nods. "Yeah go on home."

Piper nods and heads out.

Buffy glances at Oz, who is locked up - in wolf mode. Post Angel, Buffy finds the sight of him heavily unsettling.

Buffy moves to Faith - who is bopping away from her. Buffy gently taps her shoulder. Faith spins and smashes Buffy in the face. Hard.

Buffy stumbles back. "Oww -!"

Faith sees what she's done. Rips the headphones off. "Buffy! Are you okay!? What are you doing here?" She notices Piper is gone. "Where's your cousin?"

"Bleeding internally. But I'll live." Buffy says. "I sent Piper on home."

"God, I'm sorry… I didn't hear you." Faith says.

"I figured. Ow - again." Buffy says. "I came to give you the rest of the night off also."

"Get out of jail free, huh? How come?" Faith asks.

Buffy shrugs, "Can't sleep. Figured I'd cram for my French test."

Faith grabs her stuff. Tosses Buffy the key to Oz' cage. "Cool. I was going nuts in here. I bet I can still get in a few good stakings before sunrise."

"Knock yourself out. But not literally." Buffy says.

"Later." Faith says and then she's gone.

Buffy watches after her for a moment - then turns and goes to the library card file. She pulls a file drawer out and carries it back to the table…

The next morning Giles enters the library and moves to the cage - sees Oz, back to his human self, safe and sound and curled in a little nekkid ball. Giles unlocks the cage.

Giles turns and is surprised to find Buffy asleep at the table. She's surrounded by books on stuff like reincarnation and alternate dimensions. Giles picks up one of the books - examines it more closely.

Sensing him, Buffy wakes. "Hey…." She realizes that it's Giles. She stands abruptly - starts to close the books. "Hey! Can you believe Faith and these nutty books?"

Giles is not buying it. Reads a few book titles aloud. "Exploring Demon Dimensions. The Mystery of Acathala…"

"I know! And she still listens to heavy metal. Freaky deaky." Buffy says.

Giles shakes his head, "Buffy."

Buffy drops the act as she sits back down. She knows she's busted. "What if I told you…. I had a dream about Angel. And it brought up some questions."

Giles nods, "I'd say it was to be expected. But it must have been quite a dream. I didn't think you knew what these cards were for."

"Yeah. I dreamt that he came back." Buffy says.

Giles sits down next to her, "Of course. After Jenny was killed - I had dreams that she was still alive. That I saved her."

"But this dream was vivid. Really vivid. I mean, three-dimensional, surround sound, the hills are alive-" Buffy says. Giles' face registers concern. "You get my point."

Giles nods, "Do you believe it was a prophecy?"

"No. I don't know. It just made me wonder. I mean - is there a chance, even? Could it happen?" Buffy says.

Giles considers. Just the prospect makes him uncomfortable. "There's no record of someone returning from a demon dimension once the "gate" has closed. I can't imagine how it would happen or why."

"Okay. But let's pretend - wacky world - he somehow ended up here in San Francisco again. I mean, what would he be like?" Buffy asks.

Giles shakes his head, "I can't really say. What little is known about the dimension accessed via Acathala suggest a world of brutal torment. And time in demon worlds moves quite different that here -"

Buffy nods, "Yeah. I remember… So, - Angel would have been there for, like, close to a hundred years?"

Giles nods, "Yes."

Buffy sighs, "Of torture."

Giles nods, "Only a person with tremendous will and character could survive that and retain any semblance of self."

Buffy reels from this news. "He'd be a monster. A lost cause."

Giles shrugs, "Maybe… Maybe not. In my experience, there are two kinds of monsters. The first type can be redeemed. And, more importantly, they want to be redeemed…"

"And the second type?" Buffy asks.

Giles nods, "The second - is void of humanity. It can not respond to reason. Or love."

Buffy takes this in, freaked, when Willow enters with a bakery bag in hand. She sees Buffy, who is still tripping from the conversation with Giles.

"I thought Faith and Piper were on duty." Willow says.

Buffy nods, "Change of plans."

Willow opens the bag - holds it out. It's full of donuts. "Glazed or cake? It's fun to watch them make them, you know. They have this spritzy thing that plops the batter right-"

"You couldn't sleep either?" Buffy asks.

Willow nods, "I've been sitting in Mr. Donut since the TV did that snowy thing. But, how come you're wakey-girl? I mean, this time it's not your boyfriend who may be a cold-blooded-"

Willow's startled by Oz, who steps from the cage, buttoning his shirt. "-jelly donut." She holds the bag out to Oz. Smiles too big.

"Everything okay?" Oz asks.

Buffy nods, "Yeah - what happened with the inspection of the body?"

"Anybody? They're yummy delicious." Willow says.

"Come on, Will. Was it a werewolf…" Buffy says. "Was it a vampire?"

"It wasn't conclusive. I-" Willow says.

Buffy interrupts, intense. "How could you not conclude? I mean, what did it look like? Was he bit?"

"Let her finish, Buffy." Giles says cutting Buffy off.

"It's just…. Sorry." Buffy says.

Willow glances at Oz - worried. "I should know more after tonight. I'm doing hair and fiber tests."

"You know how to do those?" Oz asks.

"Not - I…like to sound technical when I'm scared. But I figure - wolf hair, hair found on the body. See if they match. It's a test." Willow says.

"So we're scared now. It's official." Oz says.

"What? Oh - no - I didn't mean it that way-" Willow says.

"No. I'd say scared is pretty much called for. It's cool." Oz says.

Buffy thinks about Angel. Knowing as well as the others that it's not cool. Not at all.

Later Buffy moves through the crowded cafeteria with her lunch tray, trying to find a table. She sees Scott sitting with Debbie and Pete. He waves her over. Buffy pastes on a smile and joins them.

"Can't back you on this lunch. Nutritional demerits." Scott says.

Buffy glances at her tray. She has three different kinds of Jello - and nothing else. "My stomach doesn't want hard food. There's fruit stuff in there."

"Those are marshmallows." Scott says.

"Oh….." Buffy says. "I'm kinda out of it today. Didn't sleep well."

"Just don't tell Mr. Platt you've got insomnia. He'll make you start a "dream journal."" Debbie says.

"What's that - like a Barbie thing? "Dear Dream Journal, why hasn't Ken come around since he got that earring…?"" Pete says.

"I never did it. He's a quack." Debbie says.

"I sort of thought he was cool." Buffy says.

Debbie blinks, "Really? I guess he can be funny and stuff. It's just - I don't like the things he says sometimes."

Buffy nods, "Yeah. He definitely marches to the beat of his own drummer. In fact - I think he makes his own drums."

"My mom says therapy can be completely helpful-" Scott says.

"Your Mom has the wattage of a Zippo lighter, Scott." Pete says.

Debbie tries to stifle a laugh.

Scott takes Pete's barbs in stride. He puts a protective hand on Buffy's leg. "I hope you realize I don't actually know these people. I just thought you'd like me better if I had friends - so I hired them." He moves closer to Buffy - shutting out Pete and Debbie and getting kind of boyfriend-y. Buffy smiles - but it's clear she's uncomfortable. "So - I wanted to tell you that you look great today. But now I want to raise that to amazing because you didn't sleep well." He makes smitten eyes at her.

Buffy knows she should be making them back - but she's too spun. "God. That's incredibly -" She pulls away from him. Starts to get up from the table. "-sweet…. And I wish I didn't have to… But I just remembered… that I do… I'll see you." She smiles sort of wanly at the table and takes off - leaving them all at a loss.

Later at the Mansion Buffy flames in. She finds Angel shaking as if he is freezing and huddled in a corner - his restraints still firmly in place. He turns his gaze on her, watches her intently, silently… She moves a little closer - instinctively, he moves back.

"Angel? Can you - ?" Buffy asks.

Angel just looks at her. She tries again - reaches tentatively out and touches him. And Angel snarls like a wounded dog - as if he's been touched by acid. Shackled hands fly out to defend himself. And his eyes burn into Buffy. Angry - unrecognizing.

Buffy falls away from him. Startled, mortified, she takes off.

Later back at school Buffy moves purposefully down the hallway towards the counselor's office. The door is open a crack. Buffy looks in. Sees that Mr. Platt is there. He's smoking, turned away from her in his chair - the way he was the first time she came to see him.

Buffy starts to pace - anxious. "Two o'clock, Buffy right. Don't turn around and don't say anything. Just listen. That's your thing, right? Something's going on… I mean, the whole entire story will probably convince you I'm like, loony bin material. But I can't tell anybody - not Willow, not Giles, not Piper or Phoebe, nobody… I could tell Prue though since she knows but I don't know how long before… They'd all just freak out on me or maybe do something… And I'm… I need help. I need to talk to someone. I'm so scared. I - this guy, he…"

Buffy stops her confession when she sees that the cigarette in Platt's hand is all ash - burned down to his fingers. "… he's come back…" She comes around the chair to see that Platt has been horribly murdered. Ripped to shreds. The work of a terrible beast.

Later in the library Piper and Phoebe sit with a shaken Buffy. Willow and Faith stand near Buffy as Prue and Giles pace.

"This creature is especially brutal. I think the charming phrase the coroner used when describing Mr. Platt was "pureed." But he did confirm that Platt had been dead just a few hours when Buffy found him." Giles says.

Faith nods, "Which means the guy was killed during the day."

Prue nods, "Which leaves out vampires or Oz.:

Buffy's reaction to this is tempered. She's seen Platt.

Willow can't hide her joy. She punches a fist in the air. "Yes!" Everybody looks at her. She slowly lowers her hand. "Sorry. I got a little… I mean, it's horrible. Horrible."

Buffy nods, "It's okay, Will. We're all glad Oz is off the hook."

"Indeed. But shouldn't he be here by now? The sun sets at half past five." Giles says concerned. "Anyways our task now is to determine what sort of killer we're dealing with-" Oz enters. Unnoticed by the others, he overhears Giles next comment. "Clearly we're looking for a depraved, sadistic animal."

Oz steps forward. Grim. "Present." He glances at Willow. "Hey. I may be a cold blooded jelly donut - but my timing's impeccable."

Willow can't contain herself. Runs to him, excited. "But you're not! It's a "kill in the day" monster! One-hundred percent for sure."

Oz takes this in. Nodding. "Okay."

Prue nods, "We can confirm it Oz. Your in the clear. Mr. Platt the school counselor was found by Buffy mauled to death."

Oz is filled with relief as he and Willow hug.

Giles gives them a moment before getting back on task. "I wish we had time to celebrate properly. Unfortunately, it's imperative that we find out who or what is doing this. Now. We have two victims. Jeff Walken, and now Platt. Perhaps they have something in common-"

"Missing internal organs?" Faith asks.

Piper shakes her head as she looks to Buffy. She and Phoebe are not paying much attention to the conversation as they try and comfort Buffy.

"Besides that." Giles says.

Oz' wheels are turning. "Debbie." All eyes turn to him. "Victim #1. Jeff? He was in Jazz band with us. They used to horse around."

"They were screwing?" Faith asks.

Phoebe rolls her eyes.

"I don't think so. But he hid her music comp book once." Oz says.

Buffy nods, "Good enough. And we know Debbie knew Mr. Platt. She was seeing him and way vocal about not having the love for the guy."

"Add this and stir. I ran into her just now - sporting a nasty black eye." Oz says.

"Okay. Pretend Debbie wanted Platt dead. Maybe he fought back." Willow says.

Buffy shakes her head, "No, he was dead in an instant. Didn't even lose his cigarette." That's it. Buffy stands. "Could be - boyfriend Pete's the one doling out the punishment."

Now everybody mobilizes.

"We have to find them both immediately." Giles says.

Oz nods, "Deb was in the hall a minute ago."

Giles nods, "We should split up."

Prue nods, "Buffy and I will go. Faith you and Piper. Phoebe goes with Willow. "

Giles nods, "I'll go with Faith and Piper."

Oz, stands - chimes in with the same urgency as the others. "I'll - lock myself in the cage."

Moments later Debbie is standing in front of the mirror in the girls bathroom with her make-up bag. She's trying to mask the bright purple bruises around her eye.

Buffy and Prue enter the room and observe Debbie for a moment.

"It's tricky covering a fresh shiner like that. You know what works?" Buffy says.

Debbie, startled, looks up from the mirror. Answers warily. "What?"

"Don't get hit." Buffy says. Debbie's heard enough. Starts to gather her things. But Buffy moves closer - her tone kind but determined. "What's going on, Debbie? I'd bet the farm you know."

Debbie shakes her head, "You're wrong. I don't know anything."

Prue shakes her head, "I think Buffy and I would disagree."

Buffy nods, "I'd say - you want to play "I have a secret" - fine. But people are dying."

Debbie, trapped, stammers, "It's - it's not his fault. I mean, he's not himself when he gets like this…"

Buffy and Prue exchange looks.

"You mean Pete." Buffy says.

Debbie nods, "It's me. I make him crazy. He just does what he does because he loves me too much -"

Prue shakes her head, "So it is him?"

Buffy gets it - fixes Debbie with a hard look. "Pete's… not like other guys, is he Debbie?"

It dawns on Debbie what she just did - that she gave Pete up. She panics, starts for the door. "I - I've got to go."

Buffy blocks her. "You have to talk to us. We can't help you until you do."

"I didn't ask for your help." Debbie says.

Prue nods, "Well, when are you going to? I mean - if Pete kills you - it'll be pretty much too late."

"Debbie. We're running out of time." Buffy says as Debbie is frightened despite herself. "Where can we find him, Debbie?"

"I - I don't know." Debbie says obviously freaking.

Prue shakes her head, "You're lying."

Debbie tries to mask her fear with bravado. "What if I am. What are you going to do about it?"

"Wrong question." Prue says.

Frustrated now, Buffy takes Debbie and turns her toward the mirror. Makes Debbie look at her bruised and swollen face.

"Look at yourself. Why are you protecting him?" Buffy says as Debbie looks away. Doesn't answer. "Anybody who really loved you couldn't do this to you."

"He's going to change. He promised -" Debbie says.

Buffy sighs, "Maybe. At best 50/50. Lame odds when you're betting your life."

Debbie looks at them - confused, wavering. "Would they take him someplace?"

"Probably." Prue says.

"Be away from Pete? I can't -" Debbie says.

Buffy nods, "Of course you can. And we'll both help you. Believe me - we understand. But you have to choose. It's got to be you over him."

That part where Debbie was wavering? It's over. Her eyes go cold. She's shutting down. "I could never do that to him. I'm his everything."

"Great. While you guys enjoy your grim fairy-tale, two people are dead. Who's gonna be next?" Buffy says loosing patience.

Debbie looks at herself in the mirror, hugging herself and rocking, talking to no one in particular. "He does love me. He does love me…"

Buffy shakes her head, "We'd better go - we have to find Pete."

Prue nods, "Your right."

Buffy takes Debbie gently by the arm - starts to lead her to the door.

Debbie continues to mutter, "He does love me. He does love me…"

Buffy sighs, "I think we broke her."

Prue shakes her head, "I think she was broken before this."

Buffy, Prue and Debbie move down the hall when they hear Pete's unearthly cry coming from the library. Faith, Giles, Piper, Willow and Phoebe run in from opposite directions - alarmed at the sound.

"What the hell -?" Faith asks.

"It sounded like it came from the Library," Phoebe says.

Buffy, Willow, Prue, Piper, Phoebe, Faith, Giles and Debbie enter to see werewolf Oz and monster Pete engaged in serious battle.

Oz has a howling Pete by the arm, but now Pete uses the position to flip oz over on his back.

For a brief moment everyone stands and take the spectacle in, agape. Then Buffy spies the TRANQUILIZER GUN on the table. Grabs it. She aims at Pete… Her finger goes to the trigger… She finds her shot…

"Pete! Watch out!" Debbie says.

As Buffy shoots Debbie grabs the gun, yanking it to one side. The shot goes wild and hits Giles.

"Right. Bloody priceless." Giles says.

Phoebe and Piper move to Giles to check on him.

Buffy shoves Debbie away - and she slips out of sight, forgotten by all. Giles falls into a book stand, which topples right near Oz. Startled, Oz blows past them and out the library doors.

Now Buffy slams an off-guard Pete with a couple of serious blows. Pete backs her off by toppling a bookcase in her path - then disappears into the stacks.

Forgotten in all the confusion - Debbie also bails.

"Prue and I'll take Pete." Buffy tosses Faith the tranquilizer gun as she leaves.

Faith snatches it - heads for the hall with Willow and Piper on her heels. "I got the wolf."

Phoebe nods, "I'll watch Giles."

Monster Pete runs through a hall with Buffy and Prue not far behind. With a burst of determination, he sprints a good distance ahead of them - rounds a corner and loses them for a moment -

Buffy and Prue round the corner and come to a stop - surprised. Pete's nowhere to be seen.

Prue notices blood high on the wall by the window. "Outside."

Buffy follows Prue's gaze and nods as she grabs Prue's hand and flames them outside. They look around and see the garden shed. And, behind a grimy window, something seems to be moving inside.

Buffy and Prue enters cautiously. Debbie's body lies lifeless in the corner.

"Oh my Goddess." Buffy says as she rushes to Debbie - takes her pulse. Nothing.

"Buffy behind you!" Prue says.

Pete has moved behind Buffy. He grabs her with vicious force - hurls her into a wall.

Buffy falls hard on the ground. Doesn't have time to recover before Pete is on her again, slamming her with brutal punch after brutal punch.

"All the same! You're all the same!" Pete says.

Prue telekinetically throws Pete. "Stay off my cousin."

Buffy, reeling from another hit, tries to get to her feet - sees a shadow rise against the wall of the shed. She turns - fists up, ready again to fight.

But it's Angel in the doorway - in vampface. He still has the long length of chain strung from one shackled wrist to the other. He powers toward her, yielding the chain like a weapon. Buffy flinches - confused - is he coming for her? But he flashes past her and lashes Pete with the chain, sending him reeling.

Prue makes her way over to Buffy, "Are you okay?"

Buffy simply nods as she watches, stunned, as Pete slashes viciously at Angel with his claws. In response, Angel wails on Pete with the chain - one mighty blow after another - trying to knock the fight out of him.

Finally - Pete manages to get a hand on Angel's face - cutting him and jabbing for his eyes. Angel falls back.

Now Pete lunges, razor claws bared, for an unprepared Buffy. Just as Prue is about to use her power on Pete, Angel throws the chain around Pete's neck and yanks it tight – snapping Pete's neck.

Angel extracts the chains and retreats. Pete falls, limp, to the ground. A beat and his labored breathing stops. Angel returns to Buffy and Prue.

Neither Prue nor Buffy are sure what to do - whether they should be on the defensive or not.

But before they can make up their mind, he morphs back to his human face and speaks his first human word - desperate and hopeful… "Buffy? Prue?"

They lock eyes. It's him. Buffy sees the kindness returned there. The familiarity. She nods.

And with her affirmation - Angel falls to his knees at Buffy's feet. Despite the chains and shackles, he wraps his arms around Buffy's waist. Begins to cry as he feels the first comfort he's know in a hundred years. "Buffy…"

Buffy is overwhelmed. Fighting her own tears. This can't be happening.

Prue sighs, "Once he's better. You will have to tell them. I will keep the secret for now. They will be afraid at first of course. Afraid that he will be evil again."

"I know. Thank you, Prue." Buffy says.

The next dayXander, Cordelia and Buffy are walking toward class. Oz and Willow also walk with the group but are "paired," holding hands and obviously recovering nicely from their wolfy trauma.

"It's all over school. What happened with Debbie and Pete… Except for the "Pete was a monster" part." Willow says.

Oz nods, "Yeah. A freshman told me that Pete had eight iced café mochas and lost it."

"It's better than the estrogen theory. I heard he took all his mother's birth control pills." Buffy says.

"He didn't? Pete was a monster?" Cordelia asks. "Where have I been?"

"In your special place, Cor. And that's why I adore you." Xander says.

"So what's the true story? What happened?" Cordelia asks.

Willow nods, "Well, we found Pete's lab diaries and stuff. Mr. Science was pulling a Jeckel/Hyde deal. He was afraid Debbie would leave him - so he mixed this potion to get super macho."

"Thing was, after a while, he didn't need a potion to turn into the bad guy. He got there on his own." Buffy says.

"So it was like a real killing? He wasn't under the influence of anything?" Cordelia asks.

Buffy shakes her head, "Just himself." Everyone takes this in. Then Buffy spies Scott across the way. "I'd better…" She moves off toward him.

Buffy and Scott sit by the fountain together. Scott's in a shocky place. "I don't even know what to say that won't sound stupid or obvious."

"I've been friends with both of them since before we started school…" Scott says.

Buffy nods, "If there's anything I can do –"

"Thanks. I'll be fine - or…" Scott says. "It's just… You never really know what's going on inside somebody - do you? You think if you care about them - you know. But you never really do."

Later at the mansion Angel is sleeping fitfully on the ground. Haunted by animal dreams. A century of suffering.

Buffy is huddled in the opposite corner, just watching him… "I will find out why you returned. And then we'll see what comes next. I'd like to think we might get back together. I will always love you but I don't know if I'm still in love with you."


	54. Chapter 54: All Halliwell's Eve

**Chapter 54: All Halliwell's Eve**

In the Foyer of the Manor Phoebe is there checking her makeup in a compact mirror. Prue walks in holding a bowl of candy. She places it on the foyer table. Piper and Leo walk down the stairs. They are all dressed up in costumes for Halloween. Phoebe is Elvira, the mistress of the dark, wearing a black dress and a black wig. Prue is wearing a black dress and a long black wig with butterflies pinned to it. And Piper is dressed a Glenda, the good witch from the Wizard of Oz, wearing a blonde wig and a pink fluffy dress. Leo is dressed in his old World War II army uniform.

Buffy comes down the stairs dressed as Xena.

Prue looks at Buffy, "Xena?"

Buffy smiles, "In case we all change into our costumes again. I want to change into someone that can take care of herself. No offense to Lady Elizabeth but she was too prim and proper."

"Lady Elizabeth?" Phoebe asks.

Buffy nods, "That was her name. She wasn't high up but she was nobility. I think a baron or a duke's daughter."

"Alright, people, let's go. I was supposed to be at the club a half an hour ago." Piper says.

"Hey, are you a good witch or a bad witch?" Prue asks Piper.

Piper smiles, "I'm going to be a very good witch from now on."

Prue nods, "And you picked a role model who wears lots and lots of pink?"

Piper nods, "Yes."

Buffy laughs.

"Glinda helped innocents, didn't she?" Leo asks.

"Yes." Piper says.

"You had the answer all along? That's not help, that's mind games." Phoebe says.

Piper shakes her head, "I'm not gonna let you spoil my new attitude, I'm gonna celebrate witch's holiday with enthusiasm."

"The only problem is you never really know what you're celebrating when you celebrate Halloween." Phoebe says.

Buffy smiles, "I can answer that. Did a little research. All Hallows Eve, it's the one night when the dead can return."

"I thought that was Mardi Gras?" Phoebe asks.

Buffy shrugs.

"Where's Darryl?" Piper asks.

"He is in the kitchen on the phone." Prue says.

Piper and Leo head for the kitchen but stop when Phoebe starts talking.

Phoebe holds up a cardboard cutout, "Hook-nosed hags riding broomsticks. That's what we're celebrating. Personally I am offended by the representation of witches in popular culture."

Buffy rolls her eyes, "Right, which is why you're dressed as the mistress of the dark."

"This costume happens to be a protest statement, Xena." Phoebe says.

"Yeah and my protest statement says I don't want to be helpless and defenseless like I was last year. Ever again." Buffy says.

Prue smiles, "I am so impressed that you can make a protest statement and show cleavage all at the same time."

Phoebe smiles, "Thanks."

"Amazing." Prue says.

Piper nods, "Let's go."

In the kitchen Darryl is there talking on the phone. He is wearing his police academy uniform. Everyone walks in.

"Alright, Inspector, put down the phone and nobody gets hurt." Piper says.

"Yeah, sweetie, I gotta go. Give your folks my love, okay? I miss you guys." Darryl says as he hangs up.

"Nice costume." Piper says as she scoops some popcorn into a bowl.

Darryl nods, "Yeah, it's from my rookie days. Still fits."

"Yeah, mine too." Leo says.

Darryl look at Leo. "Isn't that from World War II?" Leo doesn't answer. "Who are you?"

Prue smiles, "Uh, I will explain on the way." She eats some popcorn. "So in the meantime we can just stick together since we are both dateless."

Buffy rolls her eyes. "He's not dateless, he's married, you're dateless 'cause you're picky."

Prue shakes her head, "No, I'm not settling, alright, the perfect guy is out there, a real man, and I will find him, trust me."

Piper nods, "Mmm hmm. And they're gonna love the popcorn and caramel in your teeth too." Prue picks her teeth with her fingernail. "Alright, Darryl, let's go, somebody get something."

They all grab plates of food.

"Um, we can't leave yet we have to wait for Cole." Phoebe says.

"Cole Turner? The ADA? You're dating him?" Darryl asks.

Phoebe shakes her head, "Uh, no, I just sort of invited him to go along with us. It wasn't set in stone or anything but something must've come up."

"She wants to though." Buffy says.

Buffy, Prue, Piper and Phoebe walk into the foyer.

"Ooh-ooh, I wanna picture of all of us first but I have to get my broomstick." Prue says.

Buffy shakes her head, "Cliché!"

Prue goes into the other room. The doorbell rings.

"Come on, guys, hurry up." Piper says.

Phoebe answers the door. The grimlocks are standing there.

"Trick or treat?" Grimlock #1 says.

"Oh my god, that is so weird. They look just like the grim- whoa!" Phoebe says.

Phoebe and Piper run but stop when the grimlocks start to strangle them.

Buffy's eyes go wide and she flames out and back in grabbing Piper and Phoebe.

In the kitchen the Elders call Leo.

"Uh-oh." Leo says.

"Uh-oh, what?" Darryl asks.

"Piper? Buffy?" Leo says as he and Darryl run into the foyer. "Prue? Phoebe?"

Buffy flames out with Piper and Phoebe as Prue runs in.

"Oh!" Prue says as she uses her power and the grimlocks fly into the living room.

Buffy flames back in with Piper and Phoebe next to Prue.

"Didn't we vanquish them already?" Phoebe asks.

"Yeah and I lost my eyesight last time we encountered them, too." Buffy says.

Leo shakes his head, "I don't know, but that's not what I wanted to warn you about."

Prue frowns "What do you mean?" A vortex opens behind them.

"That's what I wanted to warn you about." Leo says.

"Oh." Prue says.

The grimlocks come back into the foyer.

"Oh, look out." Buffy says.

Piper freezes the Grimlocks. "Leo, what the hell is..."

Buffy, Prue, Piper and Phoebe get sucked into the vortex. It closes and their wigs fall to the ground.

The vortex opens in a field in the year 1670. Buffy, Prue, Piper and Phoebe appear out of the vortex near a witch's altar.

"Is everybody okay?" Prue asks.

Phoebe shakes her head, "Too soon to tell."

Buffy nods, "I'm good."

"Did the grimlocks do this?" Piper asks.

"Uh, unless we're dead and this is the hereafter, I don't think so." Prue says.

Phoebe nods, "Eternally Elvira, yecch."

"Alright, uh, so this sorta looks like an altar." Buffy says walking around it.

"A witch's altar. What's going on?" Piper says.

About 10-15 witch hunters on horses and foot run towards them.

"There they are!"

"Kill the witches!"

Phoebe frowns, "Oh, you had to ask."

Piper frowns, "Not good, not good, not good."

Buffy nods, "I don't want to risk exposure by flaming, run."

Piper nods, "Flee! We're not in Kansas anymore."

They run into the bushes.

Buffy, Prue, Piper and Phoebe hide behind a bush and watch the witch hunters search around for them.

"Don't tell me we've time traveled again. I hate time traveling." Piper says.

Phoebe frowns, "You do? I was burnt at the stake last time, remember?"

"Or the last time I did Prue and Phoebe were dead and Piper was still grieving years later." Buffy says.

Prue nods, "Alright, let's try and make sure that doesn't happen again. From what they're wearing it looks to be, what, 16-1700's?"

"Where the life expectancy of the average witch is, what, fifteen minutes?" Phoebe says.

Buffy sighs, "Which likely means we have no powers. Last time we traveled into the past we had no powers."

Someone rustles a bush behind them. They gasp and turn around to see a witch hunter standing there.

"Find anything, Micah?"

Micah stares at Prue. Piper gets ready to freeze him but Prue grabs her wrist. "No, nothing here. Ride on."

"Ride on, men."

Micah puts his index finger to his lips. "Shh..." He runs off.

Piper frowns, "Hi. Why didn't you let me freeze him?"

Prue shakes her head, "I don't know, there was just something... Besides if Buffy's right and we don't have our powers it wouldn't work anyways, right?"

Once the witch hunters have gone, they walk out of the bushes.

"You know what? I don't care why we're here or how we got here, I just wanna get home. I've got a life to live and decorations to hang, so where's the damn vortex?" Piper says.

Prue shakes her head, "I don't know where the..."

Someone puts bags over their heads. They scream.

Buffy, Prue, Piper, Phoebe are led into the cave and the sacks are taken off their heads.

A woman (Eva) curtseys in front of them. "Blessed be."

"Blessed be." Buffy says.

Prue, Piper and Phoebe look confused.

"Our prayers have been answered. We need your help." Eva says.

"Excuse me?" Prue asks.

"Forgive me for the manner in which you were brought here, but we had to make sure you were who we had sent for. This doorway would've told us if you were evil." Eva says as she points to the opening in the cave.

"Huh, where can we get one of those?" Piper asks.

Buffy shakes her head, "Alright, wait, uh, who do you think we are?"

"The most powerful good witches of all time, of course." Eva says.

"Okay, lucky guess." Phoebe says.

"And you are?" Prue asks.

Eva smiles, "I am Eva. A midwife, a witch, and a free citizen of the colony of Virginia. These good women are my coven. Come. Now we don't have much time." The women hand Buffy, Prue, Piper and Phoebe a dress each. "No one can suspect that you've come to us from the future. Witches must not have to hide in your time. What year are you from?"

"Uh, 2000." Piper says.

"What year is it now?" Buffy asks.

"1670." Eva says.

"Oh." Phoebe says.

Prue nods, "Uh, alright, so why do you need our help?"

"To save a magical baby who's prophesied to be born tonight." Eva says.

Piper frowns, "Save it from who?"

Eva nods, "A dark practitioner. She kidnapped the baby's mother in hopes of raising the child evil. If that happens, good magic will never flourish in the new world. You must rescue Charlotte so that you can bring her here and we can deliver her baby with our own protective circle."

"Wait a minute, you have the power to bring us through time but you don't have the power to set her free yourself?" Piper says.

Eva nods, "Well, we cast spells to prepare your way of course, but we know it was the power of All Hallows Eve that brought you here. Not us."

"All Hallows Eve?" Prue asked looking at Buffy.

Buffy simply smiled, "Don't look at me. My research said it was a day when the dead could return."

Eva smiles, "A witch's most sacred day. The day when the source of all magic can be tapped into. How can you not know about All Hallows Eve?"

Buffy nods, "It isn't what it used to be. And even what information of it survives to our time apparently has been misconstrued."

"Wait a minute, uh, you can tap into that power to send us home, right?" Piper asks.

"W-we assumed you could." Eva says.

Piper sighs, "They assumed that we could."

"Um, okay, well, uh, Piper, I have an idea. So what time is it?" Prue says.

Piper looks at her watch. "It's 2:15."

Eva looks at Piper's watch. "Oh, you've made a big clock so small. You must possess great magic."

Piper shakes her head, "Just a good credit card."

"Piper." Buffy says.

"What?" Piper asks.

"We have to be careful about what we say. We can't change history." Buffy says.

Prue nods, "Okay, um, excuse us for a minute. Talk." They walk away. "Alright, I think that I have this figured out. I think that "they" sent us here and that's what Leo was trying to tell us."

"Oh, leave it to them to zap first and give instructions never." Piper says.

Buffy nods, "Agreed."

"Alright, but if I'm right, the only way that they are going to let us go home is if we bring that baby back here by midnight. Alright, uh, Eva, do you have a plan?" Prue says.

Eva nods, "Yes." She holds up a small bottle. "This vial holds a potion which will put the men who guard the house to sleep." She hands it to Piper. "Then you'll use your powers to bring the mother back here."

"Ha, easy for her to say." Piper says and gives the potion to Prue.

Later at the village Buffy, Prue, Piper, Phoebe and Eva walk out of the bush. They are wearing dresses and a cape.

"We must be careful." Eva says.

"It looks like they're having a party." Phoebe says.

Eva nods, "It's the kidnapper, Ruth Cobb. She's doing it, pretending to mock All Hallow's Eve but I know better. She's really doing it to tap into the powers of dark magic."

They see witch hunters near by.

"Looks like our welcoming committee." Buffy says.

Phoebe nods, "Witch hunters."

"Hunters of good witches maybe. If they work for Ruth, they're after us." Eva says.

Prue sees Micah nearby. "Not all of them."

Phoebe looks at Prue. "Hmm."

They walk closer to the village.

"Beware the talismans." Eva says as she points to the talismans hanging on the tree. "They've barred our way each time we try to rescue Charlotte."

"Oh, honey, those don't really pack much of a punch where we come from." Phoebe says.

Prue, Piper and Phoebe walk forward.

Buffy shakes her head.

"No, you don't realize…" Eva says.

A bright light shines out of the talisman and Prue, Piper and Phoebe fly backwards. A bell rings and the village people start yelling and running around.

"Ooh, what the hell was that?" Phoebe asks.

Eva helps them up.

Buffy shakes her head, "Piper I would have thought you would remember talismans do work. They kept Mark out of his mom's house after he died."

Prue shakes her head, "No way talisman's have that much power."

Eva nods, "They never have before. Ruth's using the magic of All Hallow's Eve." Guards gallop towards them on their horses. "Guards!"

"Alright, I've got him. I've got him." Prue says as she uses her power but nothing happens. "Uh…"

Buffy frowns, "Have you forgotten Prue? In the past we don't have powers."

Eva frowns, "What?"

"Run!" Buffy says.

A guard shoots at them again and hits Eva in the arm. She yells in pain. They run into the bushes.

Back at the cave Eva is holding a cloth against her wound.

"Eva, we're sorry, we forgot that our powers…" Prue says.

"Just leave us. Just go back to wherever it is you came from. We asked for the most powerful witches of all time and instead, we get powerless frauds."

Buffy stands up in front of Eva and grabs her using full Slayer strength. "Frauds?"

Eva grimaces, "Ow! You are very strong, how?"

"Not only am I a witch. But I am also a Slayer." Buffy says as she release Eva.

Eva's jaw drops and then nods, "Protecting this baby is my destiny."

Buffy nods, "And we're going to help you. We're still witches. Something about time travel into the past strips us of our active powers. The only reason I'm still a Slayer is because the magic that infuses me is different than that which gives us our powers."

A woman walks over to Eva and hands her a folded piece of paper. "Bite down."

Eva puts the paper between her teeth. Another woman gets a poker out of the fire.

Piper stops her. "Oh, whoa, whoa, whoa. What are you doing?"

"Cauterizing her wound." Woman says.

Piper shakes her head, "No, no, no, no, no. We may not have powers but we do have basics. Just get some hot water and some soap and some clean cloths." Eva nods. "Hurry."

The women walk away.

Buffy smiles, "I'll put pressure on the wound. This might hurt a little." She tightens her hand around Eva's arm. "It'll slow the flow of blood to the wound till we can get it cleaned and bandaged."

Prue nods, "Eva, don't give up on us yet, alright, I know that we can help."

"Yeah. We have been through tougher jams than this before." Phoebe says.

"We have?" Piper asks.

Phoebe nods, "Haven't we?"

"We were born witches. That makes us innately magical. Maybe you can just teach us how to tap into it." Prue says.

Eva shakes her head, "There's not enough time."

Buffy smiles, "We're quick studies. Really quick studies. In our time we have only had our powers for two years. And I've only been a Slayer for 3 years."

Eva nods," Very well."

Later Eva hands Buffy, Prue, Piper and Phoebe some small dolls made out of wheat. "Here."

"Dolls? We tap into our powers with dolls?" Piper asks skeptically.

Eva shakes her head, "It's not just a doll. It's a totem. Reminds us of the wisdom and the power of women."

"Okay, but what does is have to do with..." Phoebe says.

"The witch's journey is a walk of wisdom collected over the years, Phoebe." Eva says as she cuts an apple in half. "Wisdom gives us power. Power frightens the fearful and the ignorant."

"Well, that would certainly explain why in our time witches are made to look silly on Halloween." Buffy says.

"And this magic, this knowledge is forgotten?" Eva nods.

Buffy nods, "Sadly yes. All Hallows eve has been twisted it's true meaning forgotten."

"We could get it back if you teach us." Phoebe says.

"Here." Eva says as she picks up a witch's hat. "The conical hat is a spiritual point." She places it on Phoebe's head. "It helps us to channel our magic. Keeps us centered, focused. The apple holds a pentacle in its heart." She holds up half an apple. "Add a laurel leaf, you will block the path of evil." She places a leaf over the centre of the apple.

"A simple laurel leaf?" Prue asks.

Eva nods, "Simple, but powerful. Remember, there is magic all around you, especially on this night."

"Uh, what's with the masks?" Piper asks.

Eva smiles, "Demons walk freely on All Hallows Eve, so a mask allows you to hide your identity." She hands a mask to Piper. "Walk amongst them."

Buffy nods, "Well that in part explains why children in our time dress up in costumes. It's a twisted version of the real tradition."

Phoebe looks at a woman holding a broom, "Can I see that?" The woman hands her the broom. "Okay, now don't tell me we ride around on this thing."

Eva smiles, "Anything's possible. Here. The broom's traditional purpose is to sweep evil from your path. Sweep east to west." Phoebe sweeps east to west. "Same path as the sun travels. Like anything else in magic, it's how you do it, with knowledge and reverence."

"Wow, do I feel silly." Phoebe says and giggles. She gets a shock from the broom. "Ah!"

"What happened?" Buffy asks.

Phoebe shakes her head, "Nothing. Must have been just a spark."

Eva smiles, "No, you felt the power. Alright, Sally will go with you to Ruth's house. She'll give you the last few things you'll need. I wish I could go with you."

Prue nods, "We'll do great. You've armed us well."

Eva nods, "Remember, connect with the power of this day."

Moment later Buffy, Prue, Piper, Phoebe and Sally are walking to the village.

Sally is giving them some witch tools. "Charlotte should be in the first bedroom at the top of the stairs. Be careful, Ruth's guards are everywhere. If they see you with these tools, they'll know you as witches."

"Don't worry, we won't fail this time." Prue says.

Sally nods, "I know you won't. Which of you will be standing guard for the others?"

"Phoebe and Buffy." Piper says.

Sally nods, "If need be, this will turn away evil spirits." She hands Phoebe and Buffy each a small pumpkin with a star carved out of it. "Perhaps even a demon you think Ruth's summoned."

"Um, you're kidding, right?" Phoebe says and Sally stares at her. "Okay, you're not kidding."

Buffy and Phoebe puts the pumpkins in their cape pockets.

"Blessed be. Good luck." Sally says and walks back the way they came.

Prue nods, "Alright." They put on their masks. "Trick or treat."

Buffy rolls her eyes, "Oh boy."

They walk into the village. Buffy and Phoebe heads in a different direction from Prue and Piper.

"Care to know your future, miladys?" A man asks Phoebe and Buffy.

Buffy shakes her head, "Oh, no thanks, We're both pretty familiar with it already."

"Are you certain? I can show you the first initial of your true love's name." He says.

"Really? You can do that?" Phoebe asks.

The man smiles, "With a simple peel of the apple."

"Prove it." Another man says as he walks up to Phoebe and Buffy.

"And why would you be interested, sir?" Buffy asks.

"And why wouldn't you be?" The other man says.

Phoebe nods, "Okay, how do I do it?"

Buffy rolls her eyes.

The first man smiles, "First," he peels an apple, "you must fill your heart, only thoughts of love. Then close your eyes and blow on the peel." Phoebe does as she is instructed. "Drop the peel into the water and watch." He drops the peel into a bucket of water.

"And how is it that apple knows this big secret?" Buffy asks.

"It's simple, milady. Apples are the fruit of knowledge." The other man says.

The apple forms a C shape.

"It is C. The name of your true love begins with a C." The first man says.

"Cole." Pheobe says.

Buffy frowns.

The other man looks at Phoebe. Someone walks past Phoebe and bumps her. She drops the pumpkin.

Ruth, who is standing near by, sees the pumpkin. She points at Phoebe. "Witch!"

"No." The other man says.

Micah and another man runs over to Buffy and Phoebe and searches their pockets.

Piper frowns, "Uh-oh."

"Phoebe. Buffy." Prue says.

Piper and Prue run over to Phoebe and Buffy.

"Those two as well." Ruth says.

Witch hunters grab Prue and Piper.

"There's your four." Ruth says to a man as Village people yell 'hang the witches'. "Hang them! Hang them all!"

"My pleasure." Micah says as he stares at Prue.

Later in a field Buffy, Prue, Piper and Phoebe are sitting on four horses under a tree with a noose around their necks. The witch hunters are there watching.

"Tell me this isn't happening." Piper says.

"What a way to die, 300 years before I'm born." Buffy says. "Well I always knew being a Slayer meant an early death."

Micah rides up next to Prue. "Hang witch. Hyah!" The horses run out from underneath them and they are hung. "Onward."

The witch hunters quickly ride away.

A few minutes later Buffy, Prue, Piper and Phoebe are still hanging there.

Micah rides back, looks around and cuts the rope with his knife. They fall to the ground and groan in pain. "My apologies." He cuts the ropes around their hands. "A trick I learned from the French. Run the noose line to the waist."

Phoebe nods, "Yeah, well, it's a really good thing the other guards didn't see you do that."

They stand up.

"Wait a minute, I don't understand. How did you know you could trust him?" Buffy asks.

Prue smiles, "By the look in his eyes."

"Oh." Piper says.

Phoebe nods, "Uh huh."

"So that would be," Prue says as she removes his mask, "the second time that you've saved our necks."

Micah nods, "And what beautiful necks they are." He kisses Prue's hand. "I'm Micah."

Prue smiles, "I'm charmed."

Buffy rolls her eyes, "Prue. I hate to bust up the balcony scene, Romeo, but why do you keep saving us and why are you running with the witch hunters?"

Micah smiles, "So I can undo their work whenever possible. I've seen what dark magic can do. If you're fighting that, I'm on your side. And I should get back before anyone gets suspicious."

Prue kisses Micah on the cheek. "Thank you."

Micah nods, "Another time." He rides off.

"Who was that masked man?" Prue asks.

"Okay, you finally found a real man. Too bad he lives in Colonial Virginia, Prue." Phoebe says.

Piper nods, "We need to get out of here. Pay attention."

"Okay, any idea how we're going to save the baby?" Buffy asks.

Piper smiles, "Well, they think we're dead now. They certainly aren't expecting us."

"I mean, besides you guys, we're witches and it's All Hallows Eve, so..." Prue says.

Buffy nods, "Alright, glow elsewhere."

Prue smiles, "Alright."

Later back outside the village Buffy, Piper and Phoebe are near a bush.

Prue walks up to them. "I don't see Ruth or the guards."

Buffy shakes her head, "My spidey senses are going off so much I can't tell what's what."

Prue nods, "What time is it?"

Piper gets her watch out of her pocket. "It's-it's 6:00. And we're running our of time and magic."

"Well, it doesn't change what we have to do." Prue says.

"How are we gonna get past the talismans?" Phoebe asks.

"Do you remember what Eva said?" Buffy asks.

Phoebe nods, "The powerless frauds part?"

Buffy shakes her head, "No, the magic is all around us. Well, it's time we learned how to access that." She picks up a broom and hands it to Phoebe. "Just sweep away evil."

"What? No funny hat?" Phoebe asks.

Piper picks the flowers off a lavender bush. "Lavender. Didn't she say that was a protection herb?"

Prue picks some wheat and starts making a doll. "And the wisdom of the women before us will guide us again. What about you Buffy?"

Buffy smiles, "I got all the magic I can handle even without powers. I'm the Slayer." She looks to Phoebe. "Okay, get sweeping."

"Ugh..." Phoebe says. They walk near the house. "Okay, which way is east?"

"Uh, that way." Piper says and she points to east.

Phoebe sweeps east to west and the broom lets off some sparks. The broomstick glows. "Whoa, did you see that?"

Prue nods, "Yeah, keep going."

Phoebe continues to sweep and the talismans glow and falls off the trees. "It's working."

"Alright, good." Buffy says.

Near by, some witch hunters grab Micah.

"Micah." Prue says as she starts to walk towards him.

"Prue, you can't." Phoebe says.

"They found him out." Prue says.

Buffy nods, "We have to get to Charlotte. What would he want you to do?"

Buffy, Prue and Piper go inside the house. They walk over to Charlotte.

"Hi." Piper says.

Charlotte frowns, "Who are you?"

"Eva sent us. Charlotte, we're here to take you back." Prue says.

"You're lying. I-I don't believe..." Charlotte says before she yells in pain.

"Oh, okay, okay, uh, uh, how does Lamaze breathing go?" Prue says.

Buffy shrugs, "No idea."

Piper shakes her head, "Uh..." She breathes like they do in Lamaze class.

Prue nods, "Oh, that's it."

Charlotte yells in pain.

Piper nods, "Okay, okay, okay, um, try this. We can do this." She presses a spot on Charlotte's back with her fingers.

"How are you making the pain go away?" Charlotte asks.

Piper smiles, "Uh, uh, good magic. Just keep breathing."

Prue frowns, "Good magic?"

"Acupressure." Piper says. "Buffy I think it will be quicker and easier if you carry her."

Buffy nods, "Good idea. Alright, uh, we need to get you out of here. Come on, honey, it's okay. She starts to lift Charlotte when Charlotte yells in pain, her water just broke. "Oh, oh, her water just broke."

"I see that." Piper says.

A few moments later at the witch's altar. Buffy carries Charlotte. Prue and Piper walk beside her.

"The altar." Phoebe says.

"Okay, just a little while longer, we're almost there." Piper says.

Charlotte shakes her head, "I can't."

Buffy smiles, "Yes, you..."

"I'm sorry." Charlotte says.

"You can do this." Prue says.

Charlotte shakes her head, "No!"

"Charlotte." Prue says.

"The baby's coming now!" Charlotte says.

Buffy nods, "This is good enough." She set Charlotte on the ground.

"Oh god." Prue says.

A couple hours later Charlotte's laying on the ground with a blanket over her.

"Um, it's almost 11:00. Do you think they gave up on us?" Piper says.

"Uh..." Phoebe says as she sees the fire from the witch hunter's torches in the distance. "No, I don't think so."

"Alright, what do we have?" Prue says.

Piper frowns, "We've got big problems, a little time and a little magic."

Prue nods, "Alright, didn't Eva say something about, uh, Charlotte giving birth in a protective circle?"

Buffy nods, "Can we make one of those?"

"I don't know, we've got lavender and uh..." Piper says.

"Isn't rosemary supposed to be good for protection?" Phoebe asks.

Prue nods, "Right, and apples and laurel leaves block the path of evil."

"Right." Phoebe says.

"Put it all together, it may just work." Prue says.

Charlotte screams in pain.

"Who's gonna deliver the baby?" Piper asks.

"I will," Buffy says. "Piper why don't you hold her hand try and keep her calm while Prue and Pheebes works on the protection circle."

Buffy and Piper walks over to Charlotte.

"Alright, if ever there was a time that we were going to connect it needs to be now. So, Phoebe, form a circle, I'll work on the apples." Prue says.

Phoebe throws things around them in a large circle.

Buffy smiles, "Okay Charlotte, you're gonna have to try and be kinda quiet. Okay, I know, I'm sorry, okay, um, don't worry everything's under control." She lifts up the blanket. "Oh my god, I see it, I see it."

Piper holds Charlotte's hand. "Easy breaths in and out."

Phoebe runs over to them. "Really?"

"Phoebe, the circle." Prue says.

Phoebe nods, "The circle." She gets back to the circle.

"Okay, um, just, just try not to push. Okay, uh, this baby is coming!" Buffy says.

"Yeah, well, so are they." Prue says.

Piper nods, "Okay, we can do this. Yes, we can do this."

Buffy rolls her eyes, "Your not going to faint on me Piper?"

Phoebe nods, "We have to do this."

Piper simply smiles.

Phoebe goes back over to Prue.

"Alright, here." Prue says as she hands Phoebe an apple. "Knowledge and reverence." They face each other.

"Knowledge and reverence, knowledge and reverence, knowledge and reverence, knowledge and reverence." Phoebe and Prue says.

The witch hunters get closer.

"Here they come." Phoebe says.

"Prue." Buffy says.

Prue nods, "Alright, put it all together, it's gonna work."

They throw the apples in different directions. A protective circle forms around them. One witch hunter hits it like he's hit a wall.

"How cool is that? It actually worked." Phoebe says as the witch hunters fire their guns at them. "Or not!"

Buffy ducks her head, "It doesn't stop bullets."

"We are running out of ammo." Prue says.

"Prue, it's not like an apple's gonna stop them anyway." Phoebe says.

The witch hunters continue shooting.

Buffy smiles, "It's a girl!" She wraps the baby in a blanket.

"Buffy, Piper, get Charlotte and the baby outta here." Prue says.

"Huh?" Piper and Buffy says.

"Okay, I think I have an idea of what might really scare them." Phoebe says as she puts on a witches hat and grabs a broom.

"What are you gonna do?" Piper asks.

Phoebe smiles, "I'm going to embrace the cliché." She sweeps east to west and then sits on the broom. The broom rises up into the air.

"There's something you don't see everyday." Piper says.

Buffy nods, "I think we now know where the scary witch stereotype comes from."

Phoebe flies over the witch hunters and cackles. They quickly run off. Phoebe giggles.

Buffy, Prue and Piper watch Phoebe fly over the moon.

Later in the cave Eva is holding the baby. She walks over to Charlotte and hands her back to her.

"Blessed be." Eva says to Prue, Piper, Phoebe and Buffy.

Buffy smiles, "Blessed be."

Prue nods, "Isn't the future beautiful?"

"It is, thanks to you. You found the power." Eva says.

"You showed us where to look." Phoebe says.

Prue nods, "Like Buffy said, we know where all that flying hag stuff started. You only have yourself to blame, right Pheebs?"

Phoebe smiles, "I know it and I love it. Now if I can just figure out how to take it back with me. Hey, what are "they" waiting for? Why haven't they sent us home yet?"

Prue shrugs, "Maybe we haven't learned everything that we're supposed to yet."

Piper looks at her watch. "Well, it's almost midnight, so if we're gonna learn anything more we'd better hurry."

Charlotte smiles, "I promise my daughter will know of you. Of the four powerful witches who came to bring her into this world. And we'll always be grateful, won't we Melinda?"

"Melinda?" Buffy asks.

Charlotte nods, "Yes, Melinda. Melinda Warren."

"Oh." Buffy says.

"What is it?" Charlotte asks.

"I uh... I think we're related." Buffy says. "Our great great great something other grandmother was named Melinda Warren."

Charlotte nods, "Then the future is indeed beautiful. May I ask your name. Everyone called you Buffy."

Buffy smiles, "I was born Buffy Anne. But I don't go by that name anymore. The only people that still call me Buffy are my friends and family. I changed my name to what my mom wanted to name me… Payson Patricia."

Charlotte nods, "Then for your help in delivering my daughter into this world I name her Melinda Payson Warren."

"Wow, thanks." Buffy says.

Prue nods, "It looks like we know how the family tradition of P names got started. You only have yourself to blame, Buffy."

Buffy smiles, "Guess so and like Phoebe said I love it."

The vortex opens and the girls get sucked into it.

Back in the year 2000 the vortex opens in the Manor. The Grimlocks are waiting.

"I told you they'd come." Grimlock #1 says.

Leo orbs in behind them. "Hey." He splashes the potion on Grimlock #1 and he disappears. Grimlock #2 starts strangling him. He drops the potion.

Buffy, Prue, Piper and Phoebe come out of the vortex.

"Hey, haven't we vanquished you somewhere before?" Prue says and she uses her power and flicks the puddle onto the Grimlock. He disappears.

Piper runs over to Leo.

"Are you guys alright?" Leo asks.

Piper helps him up. "Are we alright? Are you alright?"

Leo smiles, "It's been a long day."

"Yeah, tell us about it." Phoebe says.

Buffy smiles, "Yeah I got to deliver a baby and have it named after me."

Darryl stumbles down the stairs.

"Darryl?" Prue asks.

"Prue?" Darryl asks.

"I got it." Leo says as he walks over to Darryl. "Open your eyes." Darryl opens his eyes and Leo restores his sight. "Happy Halloween."

Later at Payson's Snake River Conspiracy is playing. Buffy, Prue, Piper and Leo are standing at the bar.

Phoebe, holding a pumpkin, walks past a guy holding a broom. "Use that broom with reverence." She walks up to Buffy, Piper, Prue and Leo. "Hey, Halloween is now officially my favourite holiday." She puts the pumpkin on the bar.

Piper smiles, "Who knew?"

"We didn't, but we should have. So much knowledge, so much power that we lost. But we'll get it back." Phoebe says.

Prue nods, "Okay, well, one crash course at a time."

"Yeah, it's too bad Darryl didn't feel up to celebrating with us." Buffy says.

Leo nods, "He saw a lot today. I think he needs some time to sort it all out."

"Yeah, well, so do we. I mean, it's bad enough that the triad wants us dead, but to send someone back to wipe out our whole line. Do your bosses have any clue who it is?" Prue says.

Leo shakes his head, "None that they're sharing."

"I think it was that guy who was hitting on Phoebe at the party." Buffy says.

"Hang on, not every guy I meet wants to kill me. Maybe he just liked me." Phoebe says.

Leo nods, "Well, you saved Melinda. That's all that matters."

Buffy smiles, "And I helped to deliver our great, great, great, great, whatever, great grandmother. She even was named after me."

Leo frowns, "What do you mean?"

Buffy smiles, "Charlotte said she was going to name her Melinda Payson. In honor of me since I helped bring her into the world. You know I feel a little pride, not only am I named after our great grandmother but also after the woman who started our whole family line."

Phoebe nods, "Too bad we couldn't save her from moving from Virginia to Salem. That would've been nice."

"Yeah, well, you can't change history for better or worse." Prue says.

A guy that looks like Micah walks up to Prue. "Excuse me. Hi."

"Micah?" Prue asks.

The guy shakes his head, "Mitch, actually. Forgive my directness but I've been watching you from across the room. Have we met?"

Prue smiles, "You know, that's funny, I was gonna ask you the same thing. Um..." She looks at Phoebe and Buffy and she and Mitch walk away.

Phoebe laughs as Cole walks down the stairs dressed as an angel. "Oh... my turn." She walks over to him.

Buffy smiles as she looks at the sign on the wall: PAYSON'S.


	55. Chapter 55: Band Candy

**Chapter 55: Band Candy**

Buffy kneels, elbows resting on a platform-style headstone, chin propped on her hands.

Giles paces and reads from a large book. ". . . and on that tragic day, an era came to its inevitable end." That's all there is. Are you ready?"

Buffy nods, "Hit me."

"Which of the following best expresses the theme of the passage? A: "violence breeds violence." B: "all things must end."" Giles says.

Buffy picks up a standardized test answer sheet from the headstone. Some filled-in bubbles. Some smudgy erasures.

"C –" Giles says.

"I'm putting "B". There hasn't been a "B" in forever." Buffy says.

Giles shakes his head, "This is the S.A.T.s, Buffy, not "connect-the-dots". Please pay attention. A low score could seriously harm your chances of getting into college."

"Oh, that takes the pressure right off." Buffy says.

"This isn't supposed to be easy, you know. It's a rite of passage." Giles says.

"Is it too late to join a tribe where they just pierce something, or cut something off?" Buffy asks.

Giles frowns, "Buffy, please. Concentrate."

Buffy suddenly jumps up, and flames out.

Giles frowns and looks around as Buffy flames in behind him kicking at a vampire. It staggers back. Buffy dives after it, and using her pencil, she stakes it. The vampire turns dusts.

"I wish you wouldn't do that." Giles says. "I never know where your going."

Buffy smiles, "Sorry. I thought you would prefer my doing that then trying to jump over you."

Giles nods, "Well thank you for the consideration."

Buffy looks at the pencil, "Dang broke my number two pencil. Sorry. We'll have to do this again some—"

Giles hands her a new pencil. "C: "all systems tend toward chaos"."

Buffy trudges to pick up her answer sheet off the ground. "I just know us and the undead are the only people in Sunnydale working at this hour."

The next day Buffy, Willow and Oz walk in the quad.

"And then I was getting chased by an improperly filled-in answer bubble yelling "none of the above"!" Buffy says.

Willow shakes her head, "Wow. I hope that wasn't one of your premonitions. Probably not."

"You know, Willow and I both took it last year. We could help you get ready. There's this whole trick to antonyms but . . ." Oz says before looking around and whispers, "this isn't the place."

"Oz is the highest scoring person ever to fail to graduate." Willow says.

"Isn't she cute when she's proud?" Buffy asks.

Oz nods, "She's always cute."

Xander and Cordelia walk over and fall in step beside them.

"We could work on it tonight." Willow says.

"Work on what tonight?" Xander asks.

"Oh god, are we killing something again?" Cordelia asks.

"Only my carefree spirit." Buffy says.

Oz nods, "Buffy S.A.T.-prep."

"Oz is helping. He's the highest scoring person—" Willow says.

"We know. We did the impressed thing already." Cordelia says.

Xander nods, "I hate they make us take that thing. It's totally fascist, and personally, I think it discriminates against the uninformed."

"Actually, I'm looking forward to it. I do well on standardized tests. What? I can't have layers?" Cordelia says.

They enter near the building near the cafeteria.

"So Buffy, study, tonight?" Willow asks.

Buffy nods, "Um . . . yes on the study, no on tonight. Putting in family-time. Prue's been like, drastic ever since I got back. And Giles is even worse. Between the two of them I'm supervised twenty-four seven. It's like living in the Real World house, only real."

They reach the cafeteria door and run into Principal Snyder, who is handing out cardboard boxes. Startled, they each take one.

Willow looks inside. "Chocolate bars. Lots of 'em!"

Principal Snyder, thank you! You weren't visited by the ghost of Christmas past by any chance?" Xander asks.

Snyder shakes his head, "It's band candy."

"Let's hear it for the band, huh? Very generous." Buffy says.

"You will sell it. To raise money for the marching band. They need new uniforms." Snyder says.

"Those tall fuzzy hats ain't cheap, huh?" Xander asks.

"But they go with everything." Oz says.

Buffy shakes her head, "Um, as much as I'm sure we all love the idea of going all Willy Loman ... we're not in the band."

"And if I had just handed you a trombone, that would be a problem, Halliwell. It's candy. Sell it." Snyder says before he stalkes off. They are left looking at their boxes of chocolate merchandise.

That afternoon at the Manor Piper if fixing dinner. Buffy is sitting at the table.

"You're not in the band." Piper says.

Buffy nods, "And yet."

"Buffy, what would I do with forty chocolate bars?" Piper asks.

"You could give them out at the club. Give them away with drinks. It's a marketing ploy you buy a drink get a cavity." Buffy says.

Piper sighs, "Twenty. And I'm only doing it because you suggested it. I mean it is your club."

"You're good, my sister." Buffy says.

Piper smiles, "I'm the best."

"Oh, I'm pretty sure the best sisters let their sisters drive." Buffy says playfully.

Piper sighs, "I'll talk to Prue again, okay. In the end it's her decision."

Buffy nods, "I took the class. And I watched all the filmstrips with the blood and the death and the corpses - I'm prepped! I don't understand why Prue won't let me…"

"Maybe it's because you failed the written test." Prue says from the doorway. "They wouldn't even let you take the road test."

Buffy nods, "That was a year ago. And I don't test well. She said, two days before the S.A.T.s."

"Tell you what Buffy. Pass your S.A.T.s and we'll see about you taking the written again." Prue says.

Buffy smiles, "Deal"

"Gotta go." Buffy says as she gets up.

"You're going out?" Prue asks.

Buffy nods, "Giles. Slay-study double feature. Could be late."

"Ok. As long as someone is with you." Prue says.

Buffy smiles, "Prue, you know me. I don't go out alone anymore when it comes to Slaying. I don't want to die on you all a fourth time."

Prue nods, "I know but we still worry especially when your not out there with us. And nothing's going to change that."

Buffy nods, "I know. And you know something I'm glad you guys worry. It tells me you care."

Later at the library Giles is tying a blindfold over Buffy's eyes. He accidentally pulls her hair.

"Ow!" Buffy says.

"Sorry." Giles says.

Buffy nods, "Why do I put up with this?"

Giles shakes his head, "Because it is your destiny and because I just bought twenty "cocorific" candy bars." He puts a ball into Buffy's hands.

"Okay, now you're just doing this to take funny pictures of me." Buffy says.

Giles nods, "I'm testing your awareness of an opponent's location during a fight in total darkness. You're to wait five seconds, then throw me the ball."

As Buffy talks, Giles circles around behind her. Buffy continues to talk to where he was. "You ran out of training ideas about a week ago, didn't you? Okay. Five, four, three-two-one." She turns away from Giles, and throws the ball - it clearly will miss Giles by a mile.

"Not so simple, is—" Giles says as the ball richochets and hits him in the head. "Ow. Ah. Well done."

Buffy takes off the blindfold. "Thanks." She heads for the door.

"Wait, you're not going? We have to patrol." Giles says.

"Can't. I told you, Prue's in hyperdrive. She wants me home tonight." Buffy says.

"Oh. But—" Giles says.

Buffy picks up her box of candy and hands it to Giles. "I know. She's out of control. Enjoy the candy!"

Later at the mansion Buffy, holding a grocery bag, lets herself in. She looks around. No Angel. She heads toward the courtyard.

Buffy enters the garden to find Angel shirtless, glistening with perspiration, and doing Tai Chi. She starts to speak, but then just watches. Finally, he turns, gracefully, part of the routine, and sees her.

"Buffy." Angel says.

Buffy smiles, "I didn't know you could do that."

Angel walks toward her. "I'm doing better . . ." He stumbles.

"Angel!" Buffy says as she grabs him and steadies him. She puts her arms around him and helps him back into the mansion. She helps Angel to a chair.

Suddenly, they are both aware of the contact. Ange moves away from Buffy. He looks at everything in the room except her. "It's late. How did you get away?"

"Easy. Started a fire in the prison laundry, rode out in the garbage truck." Buffy says.

"Oh." Angel says.

Buffy smiles, "Joking. No garbage. Smell me."

Now Angel's too close. He looks at her a moment, "How is . . . Scott?"

"Oh, Scott, Boyfriend Scott, actually he's not - He's fine." Buffy says as she hands him the grocery bag. "I brought more . . . for you. From the butcher's."

Angel takes the bag, removes a take-out soup container. Through the lid, the liquid inside is visibly red. "Thank you." He sets it aside awkwardly. Finally, he looks at her, really meeting her eyes. "You're being careful, right?"

"With Scott?" Buffy asks.

Angel shakes his head, "The slaying."

Buffy nods, "Oh, of course. Yeah, sure I am. I'm full of carefulness."

"I worry about you." Angel says.

Buffy nods, "Likewise."

"I'm getting stronger." Angel says.

Buffy nods, "Yeah. Soon you won't need me."

"That'll be better." Angel says.

"Yeah." Buffy says.

Later Buffy comes in through the front door to find Prue is standing in the foyer. Prue is unwrapping a band candy bar. "Hi. Sorry I'm late."

"Hello, Buffy." Giles says.

Buffy frowns and looks at Prue, "Hi. Um . . . you guys want to watch TV? I hear Nightline's very insightful."

"You lied to us, Buffy. And you made us into your alibis. That's playing us against each other and that's not fair." Prue says.

Giles nods, "I called Willow. You lied to her about your whereabouts also. We were all concerned." Prue holds out her candy bar toward Giles, offering. He breaks off a piece. "Thank you."

They both nibble.

"I'm sorry. It's just, I had to go—" Buffy says. She looks to Prue and mouths, 'Angel.'

Prue nods understanding, "Were you at the Bronze? I know you weren't at Payson's because I called Piper. What was happening there that was so important?"

Buffy nods understanding where Prue is going. She knows they will have to talk later. "Oh. Um . . . Bronze things. Things of Bronze."

"You're acting really immature, Buffy." Prue says.

Giles nods, "I know I'm not your parent, but I do have to look after you. Prue's right."

"Okay, so I'm acting like a child. Maybe that's 'cause you're both treating me like a child." Buffy says.

"Buffy!" Prue says.

Buffy shakes her head, "No. Listen. You're both scheduling me twenty-four hours a day, and between the two of you, that's . . . forty-eight hours, and I just want to make some decisions on my own."

"The last time you made a decision on your own you split." Prue says.

"And I took care of myself just fine. I don't need quite this much "active parenting", thank you very much." Buffy says.

"You can't really be trying to use this summer as a reason you should be trusted!" Prue says.

Buffy looks at Prue, she could have sworn they had settled the issues over what happened during the summer, "Prue, you gotta back off some! I don't need to be baby-sat."

"All right, come on. Let's not freak out." Giles says.

"Let's not what?" Buffy asks.

Giles nods, "I think you should go to bed. We're all tired."

"Prue, a moment please." Buffy says and motions upstairs.

Prue nods, "Excuse us."

Prue and Buffy walk upstairs and into Buffy's room as Buffy closes the door.

"Prue, what's going on? I thought we were past the stuff from last summer." Buffy says.

Prue sighs, "Well I did have to make it look good didn't I? You were with Angel?"

Buffy nods, "Yes."

"How is he?" Prue asks.

"Getting better. A few more days a week or two tops he should be able to do things himself." Buffy says.

Prue nods, "Then we tell the others."

Buffy nods, "Yeah. I just wish I could have found out why he was back though."

"I know so do I." Prue says. "But without Giles help we may not find out."

The next day in the science classroom. The students wait for the teacher. Buffy and Cordelia share a table. Xander and Willow have the table behind them.

"I heard there's this secret rule if a teacher is over ten minutes late, everyone can leave." Cordelia says.

"It's Giles' turn to lead study hall. He'll be here. He's allergic to late." Buffy says.

"The man is wrapped a little tight. I had this philosophy book out from the library for like a year and he made me pay the fine even though it was huge. I eventually had to return it, which was sad because it was perfect for starting conversations with college boys. Of course, that was B.X." Cordelia says.

"B.X.?" Buffy asks confused, "Oh, Before Xander. Clever."

Xander, eating a band candy bar, sits next to Willow. "I like chocolate. There's no bad here."

"You still have some left? I went to like four houses and they were gone. It was like trick-or-treating in reverse." Willow says.

"I know, they're selling like hot cakes. Which is ironic, 'cause the hot cakes really aren't moving." Xander says.

"We're raising a lot of money for the band." Willow says.

"Yeah. They're great. They march." Xander says.

"Like an army. With music instead of bullets and usually no one dies." Willow says.

"I can't believe this!" Cordelia says. "Where is Giles already? I'm bored and he's not here to give me credit for it."

Principal Snyder and an older teacher, Ms. Barton, are engaged in a whispered conversation in the classroom doorway.

Snyder is eating a band candy bar. "Look, the big pinhead librarian didn't show up and I don't want to do it. You do it."

"All right. Fine. I'll do it." Ms. Barton says and she moves to the front of the room, and Snyder heads out.

"Everyone expects me to do everything around here 'cause I'm the principal and it's not fair . . ." Snyder says as he leaves.

The students continue to chatter.

"Hey, hey!" Ms. Barton says as the students look up, startled. "Look, we're all stuck here, okay? So let's just sit quietly..." she lowers her voice. "And pretend to read or something until we're sure Commandant Snyder is gone, and then we're all out of here."

The students look at each other, happy and surprised.

"Anyone else want to marry Ms. Barton?" Xander asks.

"Get in line." Cordelia says.

Ms. Barton sets down her purse.

"I guess Giles isn't coming." Willow says.

Buffy nods, concerned, "I guess not."

Later that afternoon Buffy is at Giles' door. It's slightly ajar. Immediately on the alert, she pushes her way in silently and enters, crouching and tense, to find Giles going through a cabinet and Prue on the couch.

"Buffy!" Giles says.

"Oh!" Prue says.

Buffy relaxes. "Sorry. I was worried, Giles. You were a big not-there in study hall and after your lecture on me not ducking out and what is Prue doing here?"

"We had an opportunity for a, you might say, a summit meeting. It took priority over study hall. I called in." Giles says.

"Oh." Buffy says.

Prue nods, "We decided you made a good point last night, Buffy."

Buffy looks at Prue confused, "I did. Yes. And that was...?"

"About us over-scheduling you." Prue says.

"Pulling you in three directions, as it were . . . your home life, being Charmed and your duties as a slayer." Giles says.

Buffy shrugs deciding to go with it, "Oh. That was a good point."

Prue nods, "We're working out a coordinated schedule for you."

"It will be tight, but I think we can fit in all your responsibilities." Giles says.

"Sounds nice 'n' structured." Buffy says.

Prue comes over to Buffy. "We've got more work to do here, Buffy. Why don't you give us a little more time? Take the car. Giles can drive me home."

Sure enough, Prue is holding out her car keys.

"What? Excuse me, I meant: what?" Buffy says. This is so unlike Prue and she knows it.

"Keys. Take them." Prue says.

"Hey, you don't have to tell me twice. Well, you did. But . . . bye." Buffy says as she grabs the keys and heads for the door fast, before Prue can change her mind.

"Bye, Buffy. Drive careful." Prue says.

Buffy waves.

Later Buffy drives happily. Willow's in the passenger seat.

"Tell me again how it happened." Willow says.

"I told her I wanted to be treated more like a grown-up, and voila! Driviness." Buffy says as she takes a curve with enthusiasm and speed.

Willow braces herself with both hands. "Ooh."

"Also, I think Prue might've wanted me, you know, otherwhere. Giles and her are planning my future and I guess it's easier to live my life if I'm not actually there." Buffy says.

Willow nods, "You know you've got the parking brake on?"

"Uh-huh." Buffy says as she releases the parking break.

"Are you sure about Payson's? The S.A.T.s are tomorrow." Willow says.

Buffy nods, "I can study at the club. A little dancing, a little cross-multiplying. Hey, you know what we need?" She starts hitting radio buttons: rock, rap, country...

"Eyes on the road! Eyes on the road!" Willow says terrified.

Later at Payson's the joint is jumping: packed and very loud. Buffy enters as Willow follows, still shaky from the ride.

Dingoes Ate My Baby are playing and looks out at an unusually old audience. Older than the clubs normal audience of a mix of teens and 20 or 30 somethings. Oz waves at Willow and gives a little shrug. Everywhere they look, the patrons are adults: at the bar, on the dance floor. The teenagers in the place are reacting pretty much the same as Buffy and Willow - staring in confusion.

"Not a bad crowd." Buffy says.

A woman pushes past them. Buffy recognizes her as Ms. Barton. "Ms. Barton?"

Ms. Barton blinks owlishly at Buffy, trying to focus. "Buffy? Whoa."

"You okay, Ms. Barton?" Willow asks.

Ms. Barton nods, "I'm cool, Willow. Willow. That's a tree. You're a tree. Do they have nachos here, little tree?" She starts to laugh, a little out of control.

Buffy shakes her head, "I think maybe you need some fresh air."

"Okay." Ms. Barton says as she amiably drifts off toward the door. Buffy and Willow watch her go.

"Okay, this is not normal." Willow says. "Maybe that goes without saying."

"Hey, gang!"

Buffy and Willow turn, probably expecting to see Xander. Instead they see Principal Snyder.

"This place is fun city, huh?" Snyder asks.

Buffy frowns, "Principal Snyder?"

Snyder smiles, "Call me Snyder. Just a last name. Like Barbarino. Whoo! I'm stoked! Did you see Ms. Barton? I think she's wasted. I'm gonna put that on her next performance review because I'm the principal."

The music falters for a second. They turn and look at the stage as a shirtless pudgy adult dives off the stage, hooting and hollering. He is almost caught, but the out-of-shape men beneath him aren't up to it. He ends up on the floor, and gets to his feet slowly. A lot of the men are red-faced, sweaty, panting.

"I don't like this. They could have heart attacks." Willow says.

"Maybe there's a doctor here." Buffy says.

"Actually, that is my doctor. He's usually less . . . topless." Willow says.

"I got a commendation. For being principal. From the mayor. He shook my hand twice." Snyder says.

A clique of three middle-aged women scurry past, laughing and shrieking.

"Ooh. There's some foxy ladies here tonight!" Snyder says.

"Buffy, what's happening?" Willow asks.

Buffy shakes her head, "I don't know, but it's happening to a whole lotta grownups." She then spots Piper, who's dancing on top of the bar. All the guys are whistling and cheering. Piper pours a shot of alcohol in a guy's mouth. "Piper!"

**_(A/N Piper dancing on the bar is taken from the episode Coyote Piper.)_**

Willow looks towards the bar, "They're acting like a bunch of . . ."

"They're acting like a bunch of us." Buffy says. "Especially Piper."

"I don't act like this . . ." Willow says.

Moment later things are even wilder. The band has given up entirely. Oz stands with Buffy and Willow.

"Something's changing them." Buffy says.

"A spell?" Willow asks.

"They're teenagers. Sobering mirror to look into, huh?" Oz says.

"You've got great hair." Snyder says to Oz.

On stage a group of old guys cling to microphones and belt out Louie Louie. On the floor several adult couples are dirty dancing. One couple has given up on the dancing and stands on the dance floor, making out.

"It just gets more upsetting." Willow says.

Buffy nods, "No vampire or demon has ever been that scary. We've gotta go find out what's going on. This has Hellmouth or the Triad's fingerprints all over it. Be right back." She walks over to Piper and pulls her down from the bar, "Piper!"

Piper smiles, "Hey Buffy. Hey everyone it's Buffy."

"Piper close it down." Buffy says. "Send everyone home."

Piper frowns, "No way, Buffy."

Buffy shakes her head, "Piper listen to me. Your under a spell."

Piper smiles, "Really?"

Buffy nods, "Yes, really. So is all the other adults. Is Phoebe?"

Piper nods, "Yeah. Spoil sport didn't want to party."

Buffy looks past Piper, "Abby can I have the phone?"

Abby hands the phone to Buffy, "Sure thing Payson. Wow did you know you have great hair."

Buffy dials the phone, "Piper close the club, now."

Piper pouts and then nods.

"Halliwell Residence, Phoebe speaking." Phoebe says over the phone.

"Phoebe we got a situation. I need you to look in the book and see if there is anything that can make an adult act like their a teenager." Buffy says.

"Why what's going on?" Phoebe asks.

"Not sure but everyone at the club at least is acting like their teenagers. I'm getting Piper to close it down for the night, relunctantly since she is affected also." Buffy says.

"Okay." Phoebe says. "You got your cell?"

Buffy nods, "Yeah. Let me know if you find anything. I'm going to hit the streets and try and find out what's going on."

"Okay," Phoebe says.

Buffy hangs up the phone and walks behind the bar and flickers the lights getting everyone's attention. "The club is closing. Everyone who does not work here please exit the building."

There are several people saying boo but slowly everyone begins to leave.

Buffy looks to Abby, "Can you make sure all the staff gets home?"

Abby nods, "Sure Payson."

Buffy looks to Piper, "As soon as the staff leaves, lock up and go home. I got Phoebe researching this, okay."

"Sure Buffy." Piper says.

Buffy turns and heads for the door. Oz and Willow follow.

Snyder tags along. "Where are we going?"

They ignore him. At the door, Buffy passes an one of the bouncers eating a band candy bar. Buffy takes notice of this as she, Willow and Oz duck out the door.

"You guys aren't trying to ditch me, are you?" Snyder says as he scurries out after them.

Buffy, Willow and Oz get in Prue's car, Willow in the front seat next to Buffy. Buffy closes her door. She hasn't started the car yet.

"We should go find Giles, right? He'll figure out what's going on." Oz says.

Buffy nods, "Sure, except for all we know he's sweet sixteen again." She and Willow share a look - realizing what that could mean.

"He's with Prue at his place." Willow says.

Buffy starts the car. And Snyder opens the door and climbs in next to Oz.

"Hey, I said "wait up"!" Snyder says.

"Um . . . Snyder . . ." Oz says.

Buffy shakes her head, "No time. He's coming with us." She pulls out and the tires squeal.

"Whoa, Halliwell, you drive like a spaz." Snyder says.

Buffy slams on the brakes as two cars pass in front of her. She and the others watch them recede in the distance.

Snyder hoots, enjoying the competition. "This is great! Let's go do doughnuts on the football field."

"It'll be okay when we get to Giles'." Willow says trying to convince herself.

Oz nods, "Of course. I mean, even if he's sixteen, he's still Giles. Probably a pretty together guy."

"Yeah, well." Willow says.

"What?" Oz asks.

"Giles at sixteen. Less "together guy", more "bad magic, hates the world, ticking time-bomb guy"." Buffy says.

"Oh. Well then, I guess your cousin is in a lot of trouble." Oz says.

Buffy heads into an intersection. A speeding car goes right through the red light at the intersection. It's heading right for Buffy.

"Oh my god! Look out!" Willow says spotting the car.

Snyder yelps.

CRASH - The speeding car hits the driver's side of Prue's car, which is rocked by the impact - dented and thrown back.

Slowly, Buffy, Willow, Oz and Snyder get out of the car. The doors on the damaged side of the car shriek in protest when they open them. Oz gingerly flexes a bruised elbow. Buffy has a cut on her forehead. They look at the damaged car.

"Is anyone else all creeped out and trembly?" Willow asks.

Oz puts his arm around Willow protectively.

"Buffy, your cousin's gonna kill you." Snyder says.

Buffy looks around at the street. "Something's weird."

"Something's not?" Oz asks.

A gang of aging greasers loiters at the corner. A woman walks by. They whistle and catcall. She giggles.

"No grown ups. No one's protecting their houses, people out wandering around—" Buffy says.

"Defenseless." Willow says getting it.

An old man strolls by. He strips the candy bar out of Snyder's hand and takes off running.

"Hey! Give it!" Snyder says.

"So where are all the vampires? Soup's on, but no one's grabbing a spoon." Buffy says.

"Something's happening somewhere that's else." Oz says.

Buffy nods, "I'm guessing something pretty big."

"That guy took my candy!" Snyder says.

It's starting to add up. Buffy goes to Snyder. "What's with the candy? A curse?"

"A curse? I've got a curse?" Snyder says, scared.

Willow frowns, "Oh my god. Using candy for evil."

Oz nods, "My parents ate a ton."

"Yeah and it's probably my fault some of the patrons of Payson's are the way they are." Buffy says. "I sold Piper some of the candy to use in the club." She backs Snyder up against the car. She's in his face. "Who's behind the candy?"

Snyder shakes his head, "I don't know. It came to me through the school board, and if you knew that crowd..." He shudders.

"Where is it? Where would you go for more? Do you know?" Buffy asks as Snyder nods miserably. Buffy turns to Willow and Oz. "You two, get Xander and Cordelia, go to the library. Look it up. Keep in contact with Phoebe. She's at the manor looking through the Books."

Oz nods, "Candy, curses . . ."

Willow nods, "Disturbing second childhood. Got it. Is Phoebe?"

Buffy nods, "Phoebe's fine. Piper said she hadn't had any of the candy. Ratboy and I are going to the source." She pushes Snyder toward Prue's dented car. She quickly grabs a paper and pen from the glove compartment and writes down the license plate of the car that hit them.

Later at a warehouse

A man reaches in to a box, grabs a handful of candy bars and throws them to the waiting crowd of adults.

The adults jump and dive for the candy.

Buffy and Snyder get out of Prue's car. Snyder immediately goes over to get more candy. Buffy walks by a couple making out. She stops, looks back at them and sees… "Giles? Prue?!

"Go 'way. We're busy." Giles says as they keep kissing. Buffy grabs them each by an arm and pulls them away from the crowd.

"Hey!" Prue says.

"Prue—" Buffy says and then notices what Prue is wearing. "Where'd you get that coat? Never mind, listen to me—" Giles pulls roughly out of Buffy's grasp. He balls up his fists. "Okay, Giles. Think. You really want to fight me? Or you want to let me talk to Prue?

Giles backs down, but in the coolest possible way. He wanders a few steps away and lights a cigarette as if he were too cool to care.

Buffy looks at Prue searchingly. "Prue, look at me. Do you know who I am?"

Prue nods, "Of course. You're Buffy. They're giving away candy. Want some candy?"

Buffy shakes her head, "No. And you don't need any more either."

"I'm fine. I can have more if I want." Prue says.

Buffy frowns, "You're not fine. Prue your under a spell."

Prue frowns, "A spell?"

Buffy nods, "Yes. A spell. So was Piper. Someone put a spell on the candy."

Giles shakes his head, "For god's sake, leave Prue alone. She's not under no spell. Come on, Prue." He and Prue start to walk away.

Buffy tries one last shot. "Wait. Look for one sec. Your car. The dent the size of New Brunswick? I did that."

Prue looks toward the car. "Oh my god. What was I thinking when I bought the geek machine?"

Giles laughs.

Buffy takes the cigarette from his mouth and throws it on the ground. "Take her home."

"Hey. I'm the watcher. You have to do what I say. So bugger off." Giles says.

Buffy frowns, "Fine if you won't I will. And you know I can Giles."

Giles and Prue ignore Buffy and defiantly head to where the candy is being handed out.

Buffy hesitates, then, her jaw set, she marches behind them . . . She passes them . . . and without slowing down, she marches to the base of the loading platform and looks up at the two men handing out the candy. She reaches up, grabs one by the ankle, and pulls his foor out from under him. He falls over the edge, at Buffy's feet. He crumples and Buffy mounts the steps to the platform. Buffy is now facing the other man.

"Hey, what—" The man says and he drops his box of candy. She grabs him by the back of his coveralls, and tosses him over the edge of the loading platform, where he lands on the first guy, who crumples again. She throws the boxes of candy down on them, hard. Adults dive after the candy windfall.

Buffy spots Prue in the crowd. Buffy leans over, grabs Prue's arm, hauls her up the steps.

"Hey!" Prue says.

"What're you doing with her?" Giles asks.

Giles leaps to follow, Buffy drags Prue to the padlocked door leading into the warehouse. She kicks it open.

Snyder watches from the crowd. "Neat. Hey Brit-face, wait up." He scrambles after Giles.

Buffy pulls Prue into the warehouse, starts to close the door.

"Hold it!" Giles says as he pushes in after them, in the process letting Snyder in.

"It smells all chocolatey." Snyder says.

Buffy barricades the door from the inside with crates, the others look around. The production line is quiet. Open boxes of candy bars lie everywhere.

"Say. This is all right." Giles says.

Buffy steps away from the rest of the group, scans the room.

On the other side of the warehouse Ethan talks on a wall phone, facing the wall. "I've been out there. The town's wide open. You guys are good to go any time . . ." He looks up to see Buffy looking right at him."

"Ethan Rayne." Buffy says.

"You may want to hurry." Ethan says into the phone.

Giles, Prue and Snyder join Buffy . . . look at what she's looking at.

"Ethan?" Giles says.

Ethan has a choice: fight like a man or run like a bunny. He drops the phone and bolts. Buffy takes off after him.

"That's the guy from the costume shop?" Prue asks.

Giles simply nods as he takes off after Ethan also.

Prue takes off after Giles leaving Snyder by himself.

Ethan scampers. He zigzags through piles of boxes and wooden crates and tangles of machinery - they form a sort of high-walled maze. Buffy is right on his tail.

Ethan rounds a corner ahead of her.

Buffy sails around it . . . but he's gone.

After a moment, Giles thuds to a stop next to her, panting. "Where—" He has to stop to breathe.

"That's what smoking'll do to you." Buffy says.

Prue comes running up, "Where?"

"Prue can you try to astral project?" Buffy asks.

Prue nods and closes her eyes.

"Where'd the bastard go?" Giles asks.

Buffy walks slowly forward, between piles of wooden crates.

Prue astral projects in front of Buffy, "Seems the candy doesn't affect my astral form." She motions to the crate beside them.

Buffy nods and tears off the front panel of the crate.

Prue astral projects back into her body.

Ethan is curled inside the crate. He smiles at them sheepishly. "Look, a box full of farm-fresh chicken."

Buffy grabs Ethan by his collar, drags him out of the box, hauls him to his feet. "So, Ethan. What are we playing?" He says nothing. "We're pretty much into a 'talk or bleed' situation. Your call."

"I would like to point out that this wasn't my idea." Ethan says.

"Meaning?" Buffy asks.

"I'm subcontracting. It's Trick you want. I'm just helping him collect a tribute. For a demon." Ethan says.

"He's lying. Hit him!" Giles says.

Buffy shakes her head, "I don't think he is. And shut up."

"You're my slayer. Knock those capped teeth down his throat!" Giles says.

"I'm also Charmed and as much as I hate to say it Giles, Ethan is human." Buffy says as she gets between Giles and Ethan. "What demon?"

Ethan shakes his head, "I don't remember."

Buffy hits Ethan.

"'bout time." Giles says.

"Lurconis. Demon called Lurconis." Ethan says. "They wanted a way they could get the tribute away from people."

"So you're just diversion guy?" Buffy asks.

Ethan nods, "More than a diversion. They said the tribute was big. So big that people would never let them take it. People had to be out of it, and later on, when the candy wears off, they would blame themselves."

"Hence, Land of the Irresponsible. So where's Trick?" Buffy says.

Ethan shakes his head, "I don't know exactly. Delivering the tribute."

"Which brings us to the bonus-round question and believe me when I say a wrong answer will cost you all your points . . . what's the tribute?" Buffy says.

Moments later Buffy's on the phone. "Right. "Lurconis"."

"Lurconis. A demon. What's his deal?" Willow says.

"See if there's anything about a tribute." Buffy says.

"A tribute? Like what?" Willow asks.

"I don't know. My source is tapped out." Buffy says.

Ethan sits propped against a wall - he looks very tapped out.

Snyder grins down at Ethan. "She whupped you good, huh? Pow-ka-pow. I can do that, too. I took Tae Kwon Do at the Y." He does some bad fake Kung-Fu moves, in the course of which he turns away from Ethan.

"No, definitely a demon. A big one." Buffy says as she is turned away from Ethan. No one, in fact, is looking at Ethan.

Ethan notices a large piece of metal, lying on the warehouse floor. He grabs it. He moves past Giles, past Snyder. He raises it overhead, ready to clock Buffy when . . . Giles pulls out a gun he took off a cop and levels it at Ethan.

"I wouldn't." Giles says.

Buffy turns, sees Ethan towering over her. Almost casually, she hits him, knocking him out on her way over to Giles.

"Giles. I need you to give me the gun." Buffy says.

Reluctantly, Giles gives her the gun.

"Willow wants you. Real bad." Prue says before closing her eyes and astral projecting. "I'll be glad when that candy wears off."

Buffy takes the phone. "I know, so will I Prue." She speaks into the phone, "I'm here Willow."

"Oz just found it. The tribute to Lurconis is made every thirty years. It's a ritual feeding and this one's late, so it's probably, you know, a big meal." Willow says as Oz brings a book to Willow, and points grimly at the text. "Oh, and . . . oh . . . Lurconis eats babies."

Buffy drops the phone. "Come on." She herds Prue, Giles and Snyder toward the door when Ethan groans, semi-conscious.

"What about that man?" Prue asks.

Buffy looks around. "Look for something to tie him up.

"Um . . ." Prue says and she shyly pulls a cop's handcuffs out of the pocket of her stolen coat.

Buffy cuffs Ethan. "Never tell me. And I thought Phoebe was bad."

Later in the maternity ward of a hospital Buffy picks up a bracelet. It's not much bigger than her thumb.

Giles is talking to the inattentive nurse, who is now very upset. Prue and Snyder are with Buffy. They're all subdued by the idea of the missing babies.

"Something's going to eat those babies?" Prue says and starts to cry softly.

"I think that's so wrong." Snyder says, shaken.

Giles joins them. "She never even saw who took them. Lazy cow."

"I know who took them." Buffy says.

"So, let's go do something, right? Find the demon, slash and slay." Giles says.

"Is that what happens now?" Snyder asks.

"Yeah, if we knew where to go." Buffy says. She looks at the tiny hospital bracelet she holds.

"Hold on," Prue says and closes her eyes and astral projects back to the manor. "Phoebe?"

Phoebe comes running into the room, "Prue?"

"Demon Lurconis, anything?" Prue asks. "Like location?"

Phoebe leads Prue into the attic and flips through the Book. "How come your not well you know?"

"A teenager?" Prue asks and Phoebe nods, "My astral form is not affected by it. My actual body is."

Phoebe nods, "Ah here we go. Lurconis dwells beneath."

"What?" Prue asks.

Phoebe nods, "Check the sewers, It'll likely be beneath the city."

Prue nods, "There is a lot of sewers, Pheebs."

Phoebe nods, "I'll try scrying for it."

Prue nods, "Buffy has her cell once you have a location call us. I dread going back, I'll be glad when that spell wears off. How's Piper?"

Phoebe sighs, "Buffy was right to have her close the club. Piper would have lost money tonight."

Prue nods, "She was acting like a teenager also. Well I better get back." Prue astral projects back into her body.

"Well?" Buffy asks.

"Sewers, Pheebs said sewers." Prue says.

"Okay. The sewers." Buffy says.

Snyder smiles, "Good. You guys go there and do that thing with the demon. I'll stay here in case the babies, you know, find their way back."

"The babies must be so scared." Prue says she starts crying again.

"You filthy ponce. Afraid of a little demon." Giles says.

"If you want to go splash around in poo, you're the filthy one." Snyder says and gives Giles a shove.

Buffy steps between them. She has had it. "All right, everybody stop it! Listen to me. Prue, I need help. Okay? Giles? I need grown ups. These children are going to die and we have to think clearly and act now if we're gonna save them. There's no room for mistakes. Besides which, you guys are just wigging me out."

"Sorry." Giles says.

"We'll behave." Prue says as she slips her hand into Giles', the two of them resolved to help.

"Good. Snyder, go home." Buffy says.

"I can do that." Snyder says.

"Come on, one flame express coming up." Buffy says and then motions at Giles and Prue's hands. "And don't do that."

They walk into an emoty room and they flame out. Buffy flames in with Giles and Prue in the sewers. "Hi."

Robed guy 1 runs at Buffy. His hood falls back, revealing vamp-face. He grabs hold of her, throws her. She hits the baby-cart, making it roll. The baby baskets shake and teeter.

"Prue, babies!" Buffy says as she powers up a fireball.

Robed guy 2 attacks Giles. Giles knees him in the groin, follows it up with a head but.

Prue grabs for the cart and pulls it back out of the fighting.

Buffy throws the fireball at Robed Guy 1 and he dusts. She then powers up another fireball and throws it at Robed Guy 2, whom Giles has incapacitated. He dusts.

There is just one robed guy and Mr. Trick left. Buffy grabs Robed Guy 3 and throws him. He comes down near the T-junction. A rumbling sound echoes.

"What the hell's that?" Giles asks.

"Something tells me, Lurconis." Buffy says.

It gets louder, and in an instant, almost too fast to be seen, a slick, dark, non-human head, as tall as a man, snapps out of the joining tunnel, and devours robed guy 3. Just as fast, it disappears into the tunnel. The effect is like an eel, darting its head out of a coral cave to swallow something whole.

"Good God." Giles says.

Mr. Trick steps forward. "Ordinarily, I like other people to do my fighting, but I just have to see what you got."

"Just tell me when it hurts." Buffy says as she steps forward to square off with Mr. Trick, but Giles rashly pushes past her.

"Giles, no!" Buffy says.

Mr. Trick grabs Giles. Giles gets in a good solid kick, but Mr. Trick shakes it off. He grabs Giles. Then he throws him. Giles lands right at the T-junction . . . the entrance to the demon's tunnel. As Lurconis senses food on the dinner plate, the rumbling begins again.

"Giles! Get out of there!" Buffy says.

Giles tries, groggily, to stand. He staggers.

The rumbling gets louder gets louder. Buffy looks around, searching for inspiration. She looks up at the exposed gas pipes. She jumps up. Hangs on one. It breaks free, gas out. She powers up a fireball and throws it at the end of the gas pipe and ignites the gas.

Giles dives to one side and she aims the flame into the sewer pipe just as Lurconis' slimy head darts out. The flame catches it full in the face. Lurconis is on fire. It pulls back as it screams.

Victorious, Buffy lets herself drop to the ground. She hears something overhead and looks up to see Mr. Trick, looking down at her through the open manhole cover.

"You and me, girl. There's high times ahead." Mr. Trick says before he heads out the manhole.

"They never just leave. They always gotta say something . . ." Buffy says. She turns around to see Prue and the baby-cart standing to one side, out of danger. Giles heads for Prue's side. Buffy hurries over and stands between them.

"Can we go home now?" Prue asks.

Buffy nods, "Yeah. Let's go home. I've got the S.A.T.s tomorrow."

"Oh, blow them off. I'll write you a note." Prue says.

Buffy looks tempted for a second, "No. That's okay."

A couple days later Buffy walks with Giles in front of the school.

"It was just too much to deal with. It's like nothing made sense anymore. The things I thought I understood were . . . gone. I felt so alone." Buffy says.

"Was that the math or the verbal?" Giles asks.

"Mostly the math." Buffy says.

Giles nods, "Well, if you didn't score well, you can take them again."

"More S.A.T.s. Great. Is there really a point? I could die before I even apply to college." Buffy says.

Giles shakes his head, "If there is one thing that you being Charmed has taught me. You very probably will not."

"Well, let's keep hope alive . . ." Buffy says.

They reach Prue, who stands in front of her car.

"Hello. Dear me, it certainly looks like your car had an adventure, doesn't it?" Giles asks.

Prue nods, "Buffy assures me it happened while in the pursuit of her Slayer duties. She got me the guys license plate number anyways as she said it wasn't her fault that he ran a red light."

Buffy nods, "Besides I offered to pay for it out of my allowance. Just in case the insurance wants to make a big deal out of it."

Prue nods, "True. You were careful though, at least that's what you said. And the only accident was another person's fault. I've been thinking Buffy maybe it's time for you to retake the written test. Get your learners permit and then teach you to drive."

"Really?" Buffy asks.

Prue smiles, "Really."


	56. Chapter 56: Empaths and Telepaths

**Authors Note: **This chapter is actually a combination of two different episodes. Charmed: Primrose Empath and BTVS: Earshot.

Also I'm now working on season 4 which places me about 20 chapters ahead.

* * *

**Chapter 56: Empaths and Telepaths**

Phoebe and Buffy runs, flat out, chased by a horrible, demon with no mouth. Then Buffy stumbles and falls. Phoebe runs on not noticing Buffy has fallen till she is several feet away.

One of the demons steps up to Buffy. She smiles and rolls suddenly and sweeps the demon's feet and draws a knife, towering over the demon, still on the ground. "You demons just can't resist a run-and-stumble, can you?"

Buffy shudders and moves closer to the demon with the knife when... it's kicked out of her hand and caught by the demon on the ground! She whirls and faces the kicker: a second demon, identical to the first. Phoebe starts towards her and Buffy shakes her head, "I got it."

"You sure?" Phoebe asks.

Buffy simply nods as she and demon two circle each other... she's positioning it between herself and the first demon, who now has the knife. Just when the second demon is between her and the first, the first demon throws the knife... right at the back of its partner's head. Incredibly, without looking, the second demon ducks... the knife sails over his head, right at Buffy. She grabs it out of the air in one quick move and faces the second demon. "Say "Uncle". Oops. No mouth."

Buffy lunges forward and stabs it. She has to wrench the knife free, and as she pulls her left hand away, a smear of thick liquid glistens on Buffy's skin. She doesn't notice it, and the liquid starts to glow. Buffy straightens her clothes, brushes off dirt, unaware, as the glowing liquid soaks into her skin, leaves no trace.

"Buffy!" Phoebe says as the other demon runs off.

Buffy turns and frowns, "Great"

The next morning in kitchen of the manor Prue is there trying to move a fork using her power but it's not moving. Buffy and Phoebe comes in.

"Look at me. I am a fashion blunder. A mademoiselle don't. Oh my god, you lost your powers?" Phoebe says.

Prue shakes her head, "Can't lose what you never had."

"Astral?" Buffy asks

Prue nods before she astral projects out of the room.

"I hate when she plays astral games. Marco." Phoebe says.

Buffy nods, "Well it can come in handy, like the other day with Lurconis."

Prue calls down from the attic, "Polo."

Phoebe nods, "Guess so."

They head up to the attic where Prue is sitting in a chair reading a book on telekinesis.

"What were you doing down there?" Phoebe asks.

"Practicing. Trying to use telekinesis in astral mode." Prue says.

Buffy nods, "Thought so."

"Hmm, witch exercises. Since when?" Phoebe asks.

"Since I studied up on Belthazor," Prue says. "The triad couldn't have sent us a worse demon."

Phoebe looks at the picture in the book, "Or one with worse skin. I would hate to find myself alone with this guy."

Buffy looks in the book, "The ones we face last night, Pheebs looked worse than that."

Phoebe thinks about it and nods in agreement. "Yeah they did look worse than him."

"Yeah, well, none of us would last long against him. That's why I'm trying to teach my astral self how to fight." Prue says.

Phoebe flops down into a chair. "I have a date with Cole."

Buffy looks at her watch, "I better get to school."

"You say that like it's a bad thing." Prue says. "See you later, Buffy."

Phoebe nods, "It's a lunch date. Bye Buffy."

Buffy flames out.

"So?" Prue asks.

"So, it's not a good sign. Lunch is a cheap imitation of dinner. That's why it has it's own special menu. And, you know, we kissed last week. We should be onto dinner and candlelight by now." Phoebe says.

"Well, may- ohh!" Prue says as she holds her hand against her jaw.

"I can't believe you haven't taken care of that tooth." Phoebe says.

Prue nods, "Yeah, well, I have a dentist appointment in an hour."

Phoebe smiles, "Good. I hate to see you so miserable."

Prue nods, "Me too."

At Gateway High Buffy and Willow enter the library, where Oz, Xander and Giles are discussing the Ascension.

"Scabby Demon got away?" Willow asks.

"Scabby Demon number two got away. Scabby Demon one, big check in the "Slay" column." Buffy says.

"I don't like this "no mouth" thing. It's disquieting." Willow says. "Unless they have them somewhere else..."

Buffy scratches her hand... where the demon goo got on it.

Elsewhere Prue is driving in her car. She approaches road construction.

Construction Worker calls out, "Stop right there please." Prue stops her car. Cole appears near by. "Come ahead." A bus drives past Prue's car. A "save the innocent" sign is painted on the side of it. An arrow lights up pointing left, but suddenly changes right. "That way."

The construction worker points and Prue drives on to the right.

Prue pulls out her cell phone and dials Phoebe.

"Hello?" Phoebe says.

"Hey, did you cast any give me a sign spells lately?" Prue asks.

"No, why?" Phoebe asks.

"I don't know, it just seems like somebody's dropping signs right in front of me... literally." Prue says.

"Prue, you need to ignore the signs and get yourself into a dentist." Phoebe says.

Prue nods, "Yeah, I know." She approaches a construction worker holding a stop sign.

"Uh, hello, Prue?" Phoebe says.

"Uh, I'll call you back." Prue says as she hangs up. She notices "Final Stop" painted on a building. She gets out walks up to a construction worker. "Excuse me."

"You're with social services, right?" Construction worker asks.

Prue shakes her head, "No, why?"

"The guy won't come out of his loft up there and we're supposed to start demolition today." The Construction worker says.

Prue looks up at the building, "Someone still lives here?"

Construction Worker nods, "Well, if you can call it that. Poor guy says he hasn't stepped outside in four years." He walks away.

Prue goes inside the building. She walks up some stairs and approaches a door. She knocks on it. "Hello?" She opens the door but there is a door chain on it.

"Close the door. G-go away." Vince says.

Prue shakes her head, "I just wanna talk."

"Please, go away." Vince says.

Prue closes the door and uses her power to remove the chain. She opens the door and sees Vince crouched down across the room.

Vince sees Prue and runs to the other side of the room. "No! Don't, don't, don't come any closer."

"Are you hurt?" Prue asks.

Guy nods, "My head, it's exploding. The pain, you're letting it in."

"What pain?" Prue asks.

"Everyone's pain, from the city, the streets. I feel it, I feel all of it." Vince says.

Prue frowns, "I won't hurt you."

"You are hurting me. Your pity. It's like razors inside." Vince says.

"Please..." Prue says as she walks closer and he grabs his jaw. "I can..."

"Ohh, your tooth. I feel your tooth." Vince says, "All your pain. I can't stand it. Why didn't you just go when I asked?:

At Gateway High in Giles office Buffy is studying her irritated hand while Giles looks through his books.

"You touched one of the demons." Giles said.

Buffy nods, "A "good touch," not a "bad touch." Anyway, it's been itching like crazy. No big. Just another problem for the good people at Lubriderm, right?"

"These are the demons in question?" Giles asks as he shows her a drawing of the two demons she fought the night before.

Buffy nods, "In the disgusting flesh."

"Hmm." Giles says.

Buffy frowns, "What?"

"Oh, it says that they can infect a host –" Giles says.

"Infect? Infect?... Infect?" Buffy says.

Giles nods, "Infect a host with "an aspect of the demon." That's all it says. I say, that's rather terse, isn't it?"

"I'm going to get an aspect of them? Like, a part of them?" Buffy asks.

Giles nods, "Of course, there are many other explanations for your hand. A new fabric softener can cause irritation. But just in case, I'd advise you not to try to track the one that got away. Let's minimize your exposure."

Buffy is staring at the picture. These demons have no appealing aspects. "A part of the demon. I hope it's not the outside part."

At the Manor Prue and Cole walk in the living room.

"Hey." Prue says.

"What are you two doing together?" Piper asks.

Prue nods, "Uh, Cole pulled up behind me."

"Good timing." Cole says.

Phoebe walks in. "Hey, look, my lunch date."

Cole nods, "Sorry I'm late but I got held up on a case. You look amazing."

"It's all part of my master plan." Phoebe says.

Prue nods, "Uh, Phoebe, I wanted to talk to you about the signs... uh, the assignment that we were talking about on the phone."

"Where did it lead?" Phoebe asks.

Prue sighs, "To this incredibly tragic guy who's scared to leave his own home, which might be okay if it weren't about to be torn down."

"Was there a social worker there?" Cole asks.

Prue shakes her head, "No, but I was told that a deputy was going over there this afternoon to evict him and he has no place to go."

"Let me, um, make a call, see what I can do." Cole says.

Piper nods, "Kitchen."

"Thank you." Cole says.

Leo nods, "Based on everything you said, Prue, it sounds like your shut-in's a future empath."

"An empath? And me without my dictionary." Prue says.

"They're mortals who can actually feel what other people feel. It's a rare gift. When they die they often return to earth as empaths. Where they blend into society as counselors, elders, teachers. They use their sensitivity to guide mortals, ease their pain, even heal them." Leo says.

Prue shakes her head, "No, I don't think this guy would look at it as a gift. He's one big raw nerve ending. You should've seen how he reacted to my toothache."

"Well, it could be he's rejecting his gift. Fighting the emotions he feels instead of embracing them." Leo says.

"Well, he sure sounds like an innocent to me." Piper says.

Leo nods, "It'd be a shame to lose a future empath and all the good he'll do."

"I care less about his afterlife than his current one. I know what it's like to receive a power that you just do not understand." Prue says.

"What I don't understand is who sent the signs that you followed." Phoebe says.

Leo shrugs, "It's hard to say. Could be them, could be..."

"Cole." Piper says.

Cole walks in. "I got a guy at Housing Authority who will relocate your shut-in, if he leaves voluntarily." He writes a number on a card and hands it to Prue. "Here's my card. Have him page me."

Prue nods, "Thanks. Alright."

"Uh, Prue, do you want us to go with you?" Piper asks.

Prue shakes her head, "No, this guy can barely deal with one person let alone three, but thank you." She leaves.

At Gateway High there is a Pep rally in the quad. The Cheerleaders are doing little routines and chants in honor of each of the players on the team. Buffy, Willow, Xander and Oz look on from the crowd.

"H-O-G-A-N. IT'S HOGAN! GO HOGAN!"

The cheerleaders wave their pompoms around the star player. He waves. The crowd yells and applauds.

Buffy absently runs a hand over her hair. "Is it just me or is this really lame?"

"I don't know. Usually I enjoy lameness, and this is leaving me cold." Oz says.

Willow is idly flipping through the school newspaper, "Well, according to Freddy's latest editorial the pep rally is a place for "pseudo-prostitutes to provoke men into a sexual frenzy, which, when thwarted, results in pointless athletic competition"."

They all watch the cheerleaders bounce.

"GET THE BALL AND STUFF IT! STUFF IT!"

"The downside being..." Xander says.

"The school paper is edging towards depressing lately. Have you guys noticed that?" Willow says.

Oz shakes his head, "I don't know; I always go straight to the obits."

Buffy runs her hand over her hair again. Willow gently nudges her over to the edge of the crowd where they can talk.

"Buffy? What are you doing?" Willow asks.

Buffy shakes her head, "Nothing." She sighs, "Checking for horns."

"Oh, Buffy. You know, I don't even think Giles is right about you becoming like a demon. Between you and me, he's not doing his best work." Willow says.

Buffy nods, "But what if he's right? I'm suddenly gonna grow a demon part and I don't even know which one. It could be scales, or claws, or – what?"

"Was it a boy demon?" Willow asks.

Buffy grimaces with that thought, "I'm just... I'm really scared, Will. There's something in me and I can't stop it, I can't find it, and what if it changes me, not just the way I look, but... I could be something that's not me anymore."

"I understand. I would be frightened too. But—" Willow says.

The rally is breaking up. The opportunity for private talk is over. Xander and Oz join the girls.

"Let's keep it between us for now, okay?" Buffy asks.

Willow nods, "Okay."

Elsewhere back at the building. Prue is there, a deputy won't let her back in.

"I'm sorry, ma'am. I know he's scared but I personally handed him a final eviction notice two weeks ago." Deputy says.

Prue nods, "Officer, please. Cole Turner, assistant district attorney, he knows the case and he wants to help but only if I can keep this guy out of jail."

The Deputy sighs, "You've got three minutes."

Prue smiles, "Thank you." She walks inside. She uses her power and removes the door chain. She walks in. "Hello?" Vince is sitting on a mattress on the floor. "Hey. It's me again, Prue. Took a pain reliever for my tooth. The deputy downstairs told me that your name's Vince. What's your last name?"

"Misery." Vince says.

"Well, in that case would you like some company?" Prue asks.

Vince shakes his head, "That's not funny."

Prue nods, "Yeah, neither is your situation. Vince, you know that deputy's here to arrest you for civil disobedience."

"I'll die. If they put me in jail." Vince says.

"I believe you. That's why I came back, to find you a new home. But you have to leave here with me now." Prue says.

"I can't, I can't go outside." Vince says.

Prue sighs, "Vince, I know what it's like. I know what it's like to have a gift that you can't control, that you never asked for. And living with that is hard, really hard."

Vince shakes his head, "Don't tell me what's hard. You avoided your pain and I feel it."

"Right, then let's talk about the blessings, three words that come with having that gift. I mean, you can't even begin to..." Prue says.

Vince shakes his head, "Words, just empty words. You don't feel them in your heart, I know. You feel fear, panic, 'cause something's coming for you, something you're afraid you can't stop. Are these the blessings you want me to be thankful for?"

"I'm sorry." Prue says.

Vince nods, "Yes, you are. You are sorry. And confused and afraid and it's drowning me alive."

The deputy bangs on the door. "Deputy, time's up, open the door."

"Can't you see this is not a gift. This is a curse, I am cursed. To feel everything all the time from everyone. I can't go outside that door. Not now, not ever." Vince says.

"I'm coming in." The deputy says as Prue holds the door closed with her power. "Hey!"

"How'd you do that?" Vince asks.

Prue shakes her head, "I was sent here to help you and that's what I'm gonna do. "Free the empath release his gift, (he holds her hand) let his pain be cast adrift."" She stops using her power and the door opens.

"What's the hell's the matter with you people?" The deputy asks.

Prue shakes her head, "Sorry, deputy, that door stuck on me too. He's ready now."

"But how?" Vince asks.

Prue smiles, "We'll talk later. Um, this is the DA." She hands him the card. "Page him. He'll find a place for you to go."

Vince nods, "Thank you. You don't know what you just did for me."

Prue leaves.

At Gateway High Buffy walks slowly toward the library. Teachers and other students pass her. She turns a corner and almost runs into Mr. Beach, a teacher.

"Whoa there. You watch where you're going now." Mr. Beach says pleasantly.

Buffy nods, "Sorry, Mr. Beach. I will."

Mr. Beach moves past her, 'Students. If we could just get rid of all the students...'

Buffy stops and stares at his retreating figure. Starts walking again, looking more carefully about her.

A nerdy boy walks by. 'And when I'm a software jillionaire and you're all working at Arby's, who's the loser then?'

A harassed looking girl goes by. 'Maybe I'll take French, I said. How hard can it be? French babies learn it. Idiot.'

'I swear, some day my pants are gonna fall right off.'

Buffy looks over, sees a group of baggy trousers guys lounging by a locker. One of them hitches up his pants uncomfortably. Buffy stifles a laugh.

'God, Buffy's so beautiful.'

Buffy is passing a cute guy, she sees him glancing at her. Pleased, she stops and comes back a step, pretending to dig in her purse.

'She has the sweetest face I ever saw. And that body... Man I'd love to –'

Buffy hurries away not wanting to hear the end of what cute guy was thinking. She hurries, arms crossed protectively over her body, and enters the library.

Moment later Buffy follows Giles around as he selects and pulls books. "Is this the thing? The aspect-thing? Because, I've got to say, it's better than a tail. I mean, it's hard enough getting jeans that fit right anyway..."

"Buffy. Slow down. I'm not even convinced that you're experiencing genuine mind-reading. Most likely, you're projecting..." Giles says.

"When I came in, a minute ago, you thought, "Look at those shoes. If the fashion magazines told her to, she'd wear cats strapped to her feet."" Buffy says.

Giles stares at her, stunned. "I... that..."

"And by the way, cat-shoes? I mean, what is that?" Buffy asks.

"Of course. 'Aspect of the demon'. The demons are telepathic. That's why they don't need mouths. I should have known." Giles thinks.

"Of course. The demons are telepathic." Giles says.

Buffy miles, "I know. You just told me. That's why they don't need mouths. And you should have known."

"I... this is astounding." Giles says.

Buffy nods, "It was happening in the hall. Principal Snyder has "Walk Like an Egyptian" stuck in his head. And the boys in this school are seriously disturbed. It was strange, but, Giles, it's like this whole secret world is open to me. Think what I can do."

Giles nods, "It would be useful. You can anticipate an opponent's moves, turn their plans against them..."

"Oh, way better than that." Buffy says.

Later Buffy is in class, cheating using her newfound telepathy, "Jealousy!"

"Buffy. Right. Very good." Ms. Murray says surprised.

Willow and Xander look at Buffy with surprise.

'I knew that.' Nancy thought. Shefrowns at Buffy. Buffy looks at her innocently.

"Jealousy, clearly, is the tool that Iago used to undo Othello. But what's his motivation? What reason does Iago give for destroying his superior officer?" Ms. Murray says.

'Cassio has my place...Twixt my sheets he's done my office..' Ms. Murray thinks.

"Well, he was passed over for promotion, Cassio was picked instead... and people were saying Othello slept with his wife." Buffy says.

Everyone looks at her.

'Buffy did the reading. Buffy understood the reading.' Willow thinks.

'When did she study? Was I supposed to study? Ms. Murray's kind of hot.' Xander thinks.

'I was going to say Cassio. I hate her.' Nancy thinks.

Buffy looks sweetly at Nancy.

"Any other reason?" Ms. Murray asks.

Nancy jumps in fast, before Buffy can talk, "Race!"

"Uh... good, Nancy. Can't overlook that." Ms. Murray says.

Nancy smirks.

'Look at them, scrambling for the teacher's praise like pigeons for old bread crusts.' Freddy thinks.

Buffy looks around... sees Freddy, dressed in black, slumped in his desk with a dark and brooding look.

Buffy whispers to Willow, "Who's that guy?"

"Freddy Munson. He writes those editorials for the school paper. He's sardonic." Willow says.

'Bread crusts. That's deep. I should write that down.' Freddy thinks.

"Iago makes a lot of references to Othello's color, but he never specifically cites race as a motive. Is there something else at work here?" Ms. Murray says.

Buffy listens intently as she speaks, translating the teacher's thoughts into her words... "Well, he sort of admits himself that his motives are... spurious, he just does things because he enjoys them... sort of... Well it's almost like he's not a person, like he's a force of nature - the dark half of Othello himself, Othello's fear and rage sort of... embodied..."

Everyone stares at Buffy.

Ms. Murray smiles, "Buffy. Really. Very astute. I said something quite like that in my dissertation."

Buffy nods, "I know. I mean, I agree. With that."

"Yes, and doesn't that also explain Othello's readiness to believe Iago? Within seconds he turns on Desdemona, belies that she's unfaithful. And we're all like that; we all have little internal Iagos telling us our husbands or our girlfriends or whatever don't really love us. We can never see what's in their hearts. We doubt. We worry." Ms. Murray says. Buffy's smiles fades, as she's reminded of another part of her life. "Most of us don't go to as extreme measures as Othello, thank goodness..."

At the Dentist Prue is talking to the receptionist. There is a couple standing behind her cuddling and making googly eyes at each other.

"Look, I am really sorry that I missed my appointment this morning, okay, but-but I-I couldn't get out of work. Is there any way that Dr. Timmons can fit me in?" Prue asks.

"We are pretty booked up." Receptionist says.

"Alright, but my tooth kills. I really need to-" Prue says.

The guy pinches the girls butt and Prue feels it. She gasps and turns around.

"Are you okay, Miss Halliwell?" Receptionist asks.

Prue nods, "Yeah, uh, that was my tooth. I'm having a really, really bad day because it hurts a lot."

"Let me see if I can do anything." Receptionist says.

Prue smiles, "Thanks. I mean, I really appreciate it." Prue starts to laugh. "I think that it's abscessed. I'm so sorry, I don't... My tooth has been hurting for a long..." she bursts out laughing. "Who of you guys is laughing?"

Another receptionist opens the door to a room and a woman is in there laughing her head off.

"That's just the nitrous oxide at work, Mrs. Freeman." Dentist says.

"Nitrous oxide, laughing gas? Uhh." Prue says still laughing.

Receptionist nods, "The best I can do is fit you in at 4:15."

Prue shakes her head, "No, no, no, no, that's okay. I have to go." She walks past the guy and pinches his butt. The girl pushes him.

At the mansion Angel, sleepy-eyed and tousled, opens the door. Buffy is there. He flinches at the indirect sunlight and steps back.

"Hi. Sorry about the daytime. I just ducked out of school and that's when they have it." Buffy says as she enters and sits on the sofa. "You look good. I mean, I saw you last night, but sometimes things change real quick. I mean, really quickly. Listen to me, I'm talking like Faith."

Buffy concentrates, trying to hear Angel's thoughts. "Not that she's bad to have around." She listens... nothing.

Angel looks Buffy right in the eyes, "You can't get into my mind."

"How did you-? And why not?" Buffy asks.

"It's like the mirror. The thoughts are there, but they create no reflection in you." Angel says. "You got your "aspect of the demon.""

Buffy nods, "Yeah. Giles doesn't know how long it's going to last, but it's okay. A little headachy, but..."

Angel nods, "Buffy, be careful with this gift. A lot of things that seem good and strong and powerful... they can be painful."

"Like, say, immortality?" Buffy asks.

Angel nods, "Exactly. I'm dying to get rid of that."

Buffy laughs, "Funny."

"I'm a funny guy." Angel says.

At the Manor Cole opens the door and Prue comes in the front door. Cole walks past her and she stops.

"Ohh..." Prue says as she closes the door.

"Are you okay?" Phoebe asks.

Prue nods, "Whoa, I haven't felt anything like that since Andy was alive."

"Anything like what?" Phoebe asks.

Prue smiles, "Spinning into infinity. You know, that headlong spiral that steals your breath and stops your heart."

"Prue, what the hell are you talking about?" Phoebe asks.

"Falling in love." Prue says.

Phoebe frowns, "Falling in love? Prue, I just got dumped, okay, I'm trying to experience a break up here. Who's falling in love?"

"Cole." Prue says.

Phoebe shakes her head, "Okay, you're so off track."

Prue smiles, "Oh! Oh! Wait, I felt that too. Your heart just jumped, and I felt it. You're falling in love too." She grins as she and Phoebe walk into the kitchen where Leo and Piper are.

"We've got a problem. Prue cast a spell to remove Vince's pain." Phoebe says.

"Who's Vince?" Piper asks.

"The shut-in. But I think, and call it a hunch, that it backfired and made Prue an empath." Phoebe says.

"What kind of hunch?" Leo asks.

Phoebe pinches Piper and Prue feels it too.

"Ow!" Prue and Piper says.

Piper pinches Phoebe.

"Ooh!" Prue and Phoebe says.

"Uh-oh." Piper says.

Prue nods, "Oh, okay, I don't really know how it happened. Alright, all I was trying to do was help an innocent. What is that I'm feeling?" She looks to Leo. "You. You're feeling fear. Spill it."

Leo sighs, "I-I'm afraid that you're in danger. You weren't meant to receive this gift, you can't handle it."

Prue shakes her head, "No, okay, you're looking at it all wrong. Okay, I was guided to Vince, remember? Maybe I was meant to have this gift."

"But Prue, you're not an empath, you're just a witch." Piper says.

Prue nods, "Right, a witch who's power comes from her emotions. Alright, look. I-I-I was looking for a power boost to fight Belthazor, maybe this is it. Will you guys please stop being so negative?"

"We didn't say anything." Phoebe says.

Prue nods, "Yeah, but I can feel all of your-"

The TV in the kitchen blows up. Piper screams.

"What was that?" Leo asks.

Prue sighs, "I think I did it. It's just all your doubts are screaming in my head. I-I've gotta get control of this."

"In the Book Of Shadows, maybe there's something about empaths." Pheobe says as she starts to head upstairs.

"Where are you going?" Prue asks.

"To help you." Phoebe says.

Prue nods, "Yeah, but you're dying to see Cole."

"Stop that. I did not say that." Phoebe says.

Prue sighs, "Phoebe, go to him. Alright, tell him what's in your heart. I think you'll find him receptive."

Phoebe shakes her head, "Prue, I can't, I need to stay here with you. Do you really think he'll be receptive?"

Prue smiles, "Yes. Now go get your man. He wants you."

Phoebe hugs Prue and leaves. Prue, Piper and Leo walk out of the kitchen.

"We'll help you out." Leo says.

Prue shakes her head, "No, no, no, I'll hit the book alone. Your guys' couple issues are really starting to hurt my head."

"Wait, we have couple issues?" Piper asks.

Prue points to Leo, "Resentment," she points to Piper, "denial. Be nice." She goes upstairs.

At Gateway High in the library the whole group is there. Trying to absorb new info.

"She can read our mind? Our every impulse and fantasy?" Xander asks.

Buffy nods, "Every one."

'Oh god.' Xander thinks.

'I don't see what this has to do with me.' Cordelia thinks.

"I don't see what this has to do with me." Cordelia says.

Willow nods, "Well, I think it's good. Right? I mean, you enjoy your other Slayer and Charmed powers."

"Yeah! It'll be fun. Did you see Nancy Doyle's face in English class?" Buffy says.

'She's hardly even human any more. How can I be her friend now? She doesn't need me.' Willow thinks.

Buffy shakes her head, "No, I need you! I do."

"Okay, who are you talking to? Because you are just so creepy right now." Cordelia says.

"Well, there must be some precedent for this sort of occurrence. I'll start researching it." Giles says.

'I am my thoughts. If they exist in her, Buffy contains everything that is me and she becomes me. I cease to exist.' Oz thinks.

"Huh." Oz says.

'What am I going to do? I think about sex all the time. Sex. Help. Four times five is thirty. Five times six is thirty-two... Naked girls. Naked women. Naked Buffy. Oh, stop me.' Xander thinks.

Buffy frowns, "Xander, is that all you think about?"

"Actually...? Bye." Xander says as he almost runs out of the room.

Giles nods, "Xander has just illustrated something. Chances are, you're all going to find yourself thinking whatever you least want Buffy to hear. It's a matter, of course, of mental discipline..."

"What's it like, Buffy?" Willow asks.

Buffy shrugs, "Oh, Will, it's... weird. And please, don't think I don't need you, because I really want to share this. It's... like all these doors opening into all these little worlds and I can just walk in."

'She knows so much. She knows what Oz is thinking. I never know that. Before long she'll know him better than I do...' Willow thinks.

Buffy sighs, "Willow... don't think that."

"I can't help it!" Willow says.

'No one else exists either. Buffy is all of us. We think, therefore she is.' Oz thnks.

"I'm sorry, Buffy. I just can't..." Willow says as gets up to go.

Oz rises also, focused on Willow. "If you don't need me, I'm gonna follow the redhead."

Buffy nods, "Okay."

Willow and Oz head out the library door leaving Buffy alone with Giles and Cordelia.

"Well, I guess I won't write that book "Win Friends Through Telepathy."" Buffy says.

'Whatever. I wonder when I can go.' Cordelia thinks.

Cordelia nods, "Whatever. Can I go?"

Buffy sighs, "You know what? You stay. I'll go. I'm getting a headache." She turns and walks out of the library toward the cafeteria. Among others heading to the cafeteria: Mrs. Beach, Freddy, Nancy. The hallway is full of people doing completely ordinary things. Some look happy. Most look blank. It's impossible to pair the thoughts with their owners... it's as if the thoughts are in the air.

'She is so hot.'

'I swear I will scream from boredom.'

'No one's ever going to love me.'

'What if I never get breasts?'

'I can't believe the test is today.'

'Get rid of the students, it's that easy.'

'What if I'm the last virgin in the world?'

Buffy's face reflects the building confusion and pain. She rubs her forehead, and actually stumbles as she walks.

At the Manor Prue is crouched down in the basement holding her head. She can feel everyone's pain. Piper and Leo come down the stairs.

"Prue? What's the matter? What are you doing in the basement?" Piper says.

Prue stands up. She has tears in her eyes. "I'm just trying to escape the emotions, they're-they're-they're everywhere. I can't get away."

Leo frowns, "What do you mean?"

Prue shakes her head, "It's not just you and Piper, I-I-I'm picking up things from other people's houses. They're, this people and they're in my head and they're in my heart and it just hurts." Piper moves towards her and Prue backs into a corner. "No, just stay away, Piper, no contact."

"Okay." Piper says

Prue sits in the corner and cries. "God, it is just so hard to concentrate, to even talk, I just want it to go away. I feel like it's gonna-"

The light breaks and the roof of the basement cracks.

"What was that?" Piper asks.

Leo nods, "Empathic ability. The more she feels, the more powerful she becomes."

Piper frowns, "Alright, this is a gift, we are returning it. It was not meant for you. Come on, we're gonna find this Vince guy. Come on." They help her up. "I know, I know, you're gonna be okay."

At Gateway High Buffy stands a little unsteadily in line as the lunch lady plops unappetizing food onto students' plates.

'I hate my body.'

'He is so cute I can't even look at him.'

'Am I normal?'

'When am I ever going to need to know algebra?'

Buffy stands there. Eventually Jonathan addresses her, "Are you through with the potatoes?"

Startled, Buffy looks at him.

'She doesn't even know I'm here.' Jonathon thinks.

Buffy moves away.

'They're all just like rats in a maze.'

'Look at everyone, they think this matters.'

'If I stand in just the right place I can sort of see into the armhole of her top.'

Buffy moves automatically down the line to get her dessert.

'He has the cutest butt.'

'If I'm not valedictorian I'm going to die.'

'I want her, I can't have her, I hate her.'

Buffy, dazed, walks toward a table. It's impossible to pick out any one thought anymore... it's cacophony. Buffy sways. Then the cacophony fades. All the noise of the room fades away, and one voice sounds alone. It's whispery, harsh and distorted. It could be male or female, and it's definitely crazy.

'This time tomorrow, I kill you all.'

Buffy stands in the middle of the room, holding her tray, looking around. People move and talk. Buffy sways and drops her tray. It lands with a crash and food spatters. Students begin to applaud and hoot. Buffy reaches out, grabs the nearest arm, swings a student around, face-to-face.

"Hey!" Student says. 'She's gone nuts." He thinks.

Buffy lets him go, grabs someone else.

'Wow, she DOES have a violent streak.'

Buffy spins, grabs Jonathon.

'She touched me.' Jonathon thinks.

'I hate being here.'

'I bet she's done it lots of times.'

'He's such a show-off.'

'Everyone's staring at my hair.'

'I hate him.'

'Didn't she wear that skirt yesterday?'

Buffy pushes Jonathan away, but keeps turning in place, searching with her eyes.

Most of the faces are staring back at her, swim in the front of her.

Buffy eyes close and she drops to the floor. She's out cold.

The building where Vince lived, Police are there. Piper and Leo wait outside for Phoebe. A cab pulls up and Phoebe gets out.

"Phoebe, where were you when we called?" Piper asks.

"Cole's." Phoebe says.

Piper nods, "You could've changed. Did you...?"

Phoebe smiles, "Uh-huh."

"Was he...?" Piper asks.

Phoebe smiles, "Uh-huh!"

"Okay, can we talk about this later?" Leo asks.

Phoebe nods, "Yeah, where's Prue?"

Piper sighs, "Waiting in the car."

The paramedics push a stretcher with a body on it past them.

"Oh, this does not look good." Phoebe says.

At Gateway High Giles, Willow, Oz, Xander. Cordelia looking down at Buffy.

'I think she's waking up.'

'She's okay.'

'Thank goodness.'

'Her eyes are opening.'

'I'm cold.'

Buffy sits up with Giles' help. She notices she's outside.

"Are you all right?" Giles asks.

"I told them not to move you. They probably severed your spinal cord." Cordelia says.

Buffy shakes her head, "I'm okay."

Giles nods, "Buffy—"

"Really, I am. Listen. There's a killer in the cafeteria." Buffy says.

Xander nods, "I've been saying for years that the lunch lady's going to do us all in with that mulligan stew. I mean, what the hell is a mulligan?"

"Someone was thinking it. "This time tomorrow, I kill you all." I have to find them." Buffy says.

"You didn't recognize the voice?" Giles asks.

Buffy shakes her head, "No."

Willow nods, "Boy or girl?"

"I don't know. It was so full of... anger and pain, it was hardly human." Buffy says.

Buffy gets up and starts walking toward the school. As she gets closer to the building, the cacophony starts building in her head. She stumbles.

Giles catches her, steers her farther away. The noise fades. "You can't."

"I have to find them." Buffy says.

"Are you sure they meant it?" Oz asks.

Xander nods, "Yeah. I mean, who hasn't just idly thought about taking out the whole place with a semi-automatic? I said idly."

Buffy nods, "I know the difference. He, she, whoever, they meant it. They're going to do it."

'How horrible.'

'Who could it be?'

'She looks so tired.'

'I bet it was Hogan.'

'I'm not getting any warmer.'

"Shut up!" Buffy says as her friends recoil. Buffy holds her head. "I'm sorry. I just mean... stop thinking so loud... or so much..."

Giles nods, "You have to go home, Buffy. I'll take you home."

Buffy nods, "Yeah, okay. But, you guys, you have to do this. Go back in there, make a list, everyone in the cafeteria. We've got to find the killer before lunch tomorrow!"

Willow nods, "We'll do it, Buffy. A list of all the students."

"Nancy was there. She's scary. Teachers too. Mr. Beach thought something about getting rid of us..." Buffy says.

"Come on." Giles says.

Willow leads the others back to the school as Buffy and Giles walk slowly toward his car parked at the edge of the triangle. She leans on his arm slightly.

"I can't shut it out, Giles. I mean, it's like this... invasion of my head - strangers walking around in there. Look at this, I can't even be around people. Not that they're clamoring to be near me now anyway. Even you." Buffy says.

Giles sighs, "I'm sorry, Buffy. It's hard for all of us. But I am looking for a way to help."

Buffy nods, "I'm going to be okay, aren't I? You know, even if you can't get rid of it?"

"You'll be fine. I promise." Giles says.

'If it doesn't go away, she'll go insane.' Giles thinks.

Buffy stops and stares at him.

At the building where Prue found vince Piper, Phoebe and Leo are walking up the stairs.

"Cole said that Vince never called." Phoebe says.

"I'm starting to smell a demon." Piper says.

Leo nods, "If you're right, it would explain why the empathic gift didn't kill him."

Piper nods, "I think we should stop calling this a gift."

"Okay, so how did the demon, formally known as Vince, become empathic anyway?" Phoebe asks.

"Well, I'm guessing he got the power from a true empath. It would act like a curse on the demon, make him feel the pain that he inflicts." Leo says.

They walk in the room and Phoebe has a premonition of Vince killing people.

"Phoebe? Okay, come on." Piper says.

They walk back outside.

"Okay, we're definitely right about the demon theory." Phoebe says.

Piper frowns, "That was a premonition? But you didn't touch anything."

"This room must be dripping with psychic remnants." Leo says.

"Well, what did you see?" Piper asks.

Phoebe nods, "Uh, murders and lots of them. Like a big demon killing spree."

"Just random?" Piper asks.

Phoebe shakes her head, "No, more like a mission."

Leo nods, "Could be he's looking for revenge on the empath who cursed him."

"Well, if we're gonna help Prue, then we gotta get there first. What was the last murder you saw?" Piper says.

"A man at a mental hospital. Crest Hills. But I don't know if it happened already." Phoebe says.

Piper nods, "Well, there's only one way to find out."

At Crest Hills Psychiatric Hospital. Prue, Piper, Phoebe and Leo are there. Phoebe is signing in.

"And who are you here to visit today?" Nurse asks.

Phoebe smiles, "Um, we came to visit our father."

"What's his name?" Nurse asks.

"Dad?" Phoebe says.

Nurse frowns, "This is a psychiatric facility. We can't very well let every-"

Piper nods, "Okay." She freezes the nurse.

"This place is a mine field for you, you should wait here." Leo says to Prue.

Prue shakes her head, "No, if Vince comes in I need to be there to reverse the spell."

They walk into a room where all the patients are.

"That looks like the guy from my premonition." Phoebe says as Leo sits Prue down on a chair. Phoebe and Piper go over to Father Thomas. "Hi, excuse me, um, I know this is probably gonna sound crazy but are you an empath?"

Father Thomas shakes his head, "You people don't have to humour me, you know. I know you don't believe me."

Piper smiles, "No, uh, we're not doctors or patients, we're, we're witches. And we're looking for the empath who cursed a demon."

"I was working as a priest, helping people when it came after me." Father Thomas says.

Piper nods, "You mean Vince?"

Father Thomas nods, "Is that what it calls itself? Vinceres is a demonic assassin. Timeless, unstoppable."

"But you stopped him. How?" Piper says.

"When the demon took my throat to kill me, I laid my hands on him as if to heal him." Father Thomas says.

Phoebe nods, "And you gave him your power."

Father Thomas nods, "Yes, I didn't know if I could but I did. I cursed Vinceres and myself."

"How did you curse yourself?" Piper asks.

"I'm staring at eternity on earth with no gift and no reason to be." Father Thomas says.

Piper nods, "Well, I can't help you with the eternity part but I can give you a reason to be now."

Father Thomas nods, "Yeah, I know, I know, I read the paper. We have to get to that building and safely relocate the demon."

Phoebe shakes her head, "Uh, it's funny you should mention that because when Prue met Vinceres she thought that he was a shut-in and..."

"You didn't cast a spell?" Father Thomas asks.

Piper sighs, "She did but..."

Father Thomas shakes his head, "I gave up everything to prevent that beast from killing again. If it's free you can't stop it." Prue feels his anger and furniture starts to move. "Nobody can."

The whole room starts shaking and the patients run around.

"I can't take it!" A patient says.

"In the walls! Can't you hear it?" Another patient says.

Prue grabs her head in pain.

At the Manor Buffy stands at her bedroom window, looking out. She is hearing what people are thinking from clear across the street now.

"Look at him smiling, like he thinks I don't know about her..."

"She doesn't know a thing. I can't believe I'm getting away with this."

"I should've just quit. No job's worth that crap."

"One more drink. That'll do it. Just one more and I can sleep..."

Buffy shudders. She closes the window and the curtain.

"Twenty years with that company."

"Does he think I can't smell her perfume?"

"It's just a little drink."

"He shouldn't even be the boss."

"The bottle's almost empty anyway..."

Buffy curls up on the bed, pulls the pillow over her head.

"Please make it stop."

Buffy sits up suddenly, "Prue?"

In the basement Prue's crouched down in the corner shaking.

Buffy walks down the steps her head pounding from all of the voices. "Prue?"

"Go away!" Prue says.

"Prue, I know how you feel." Buffy says.

Father Thomas and Leo walk down the stairs.

"Go away!" Prue says again.

Father Thomas nods, "I know how you feel. Your instinct is to pull away. Don't. Try to find an inner calm." He looks to Buffy. "I don't know much about Telepathy but I would say the feeling quite similar."

Buffy simply nods.

Prue shakes her head, "I can't. The pain."

Father Thomas nods, "You both are carrying a cross either of you were never meant to bear. I'm sorry for the both of you."

Prue shakes her head, "Your sorrow, I can't, I can't take it. Please..."

Buffy sits down all the thoughts entering her mind. She closes her eyes and tries to find her inner calm, it's difficult.

"You both have been fighting what you feel and hear, that's natural and it's wrong. To find your strength as an empath, you must embrace your emotion." Father Thomas looks at Buffy. "And as a telepath you likely have to embrace your emotion. Focus on me, the feelings and thoughts are ripping you both apart because you're fighting them like the demon did. A demon can't handle human emotions, you can. Only some demons are even telepathic."

Father Thomas nods, "Prue, Buffy take my hands." Prue and Buffy slowly take his hands. "My power to ease human suffering lay in my hands. That's how I cursed the demon. You must channel the empathic and telepathic gifts into your powers."

"I can't. I can't control my power." Prue says.

"I don't think I can not right now." Buffy says.

Father Thomas nods, "Prue, Buffy, you can do it. You both have a once in a life time opportunity to feel the world's emotions and thoughts. All it means to be human. The good and the bad. Don't be afraid."

Upstairs Vinceres has Phoebe by the throat. "Just tell me where the empath is and I won't kill you."

Buffy, Prue, Leo and Father Thomas walk in.

"You want him? Come and get him." Prue says.

Buffy closes her eyes and concentrates on Prue channeling the telepathic thoughts through her augmentation power.

Prue uses her power and he flies against the wall.

"How'd you do that?" Vinceres asks

Prue smiles, "If you want the empath, you're gonna have to go through us." She looks to Piper and Phoebe, "Stay back. This is our fight. You ready Buffy?"

Buffy nods, "Ready, Prue." She concentrates on Prue.

Prue can feel the power boost from Buffy as she jumps up and kicks Vince. She blocks his punches. She holds onto the stair railing, walks on the wall and jumps over the railing, kicking Vince in the face.

"You can't hurt me, witch. I can handle your powers." Vince says as he grabs Prue around the neck and lifts her off the ground. She forces his hand away from her neck and flips over him. She blocks his punches and pushes him on the floor. "I can handle your powers."

Prue smiles, "What about pain? Human pain. Or thoughts? Human thoughts." She looks to Buffy who nods. She astral projects and astral Prue jumps into him.

Buffy projects all the telepathic thoughts at Prue who uses them to fuel her astral form along with all the empathic feelings she's receiving.

Vinceres starts yelling and then explodes.

Prue looks at astral Prue and astral Prue smiles. She is no longer an empath.

Piper and Phoebe go over to her.

"So you're not an empath anymore." Piper says.

Prue nods, "I'm sorry. I was hoping that we could return your gift."

Father Thomas smiles, "But you did. It appears I have the ability to understand what people are feeling even without a magic assist."

"You two kicked ass." Phoebe says.

Prue smiles as she looks at Buffy, "We did, didn't we?"

Just then Buffy collapses.

The next morning Buffy is curled on the bed, hands clamped over her ears, every muscle tense and tortured. Prue, Phoebe and Giles look in on her from the doorway. Buffy moans.

"I can't stand this. I keep wondering if I'm hurting her, with my thoughts." Prue says.

Giles shakes his head, "You're not. Not anymore. She can't pick one thought out of the... din."

Phoebe nods, "I'd like to know why the telepathy didn't leave her when the empathy left Prue."

Giles sighs, "Because she received the telepathy a different way than Prue received the empathy. She was infected, Prue you were cursed. When you both vanquished the demon you were able to remove the curse. Buffy is still infected. It surprises me she was able to hold out long enough to help you with the demon."

Downstairs Piper runs in through the front door. She holds a vial, the liquid inside glows. "I got it."

A moment later Piper tries to lift Buffy into a sitting position on the bed.

Buffy fights Piper, weakly. "No. No!"

"It's going to help, Buffy." Piper says.

Buffy opens her eyes. "Who?" She doesn't know seem to recognize her cousin.

Piper holds the glowing vial of liquid to Buffy's mouth, forces some into her. Then she settles her in the bed and kisses her lightly on the forehead. But as she stands up, Buffy gasps and convulses. Piper grabs her, holds her, trying to control her flailing limbs. "Prue!"

Sometime later Piper sits beside the motionless Buffy, holding her hand. Prue, Phoebe and Giles stand nearby. Buffy opens her eyes.

"Thank God." Prue, Piper and Phoebe says.

"Buffy?" Prue asks. Buffy looks at Prue. Absolutely blank. Until... "Prue?"

"Are you all right? Do you hear thoughts?" Phoebe asks.

Buffy tries to read their thoughts and then smiles, "No..." She looks to Giles, "Did you find the killer?"

At Gateway High in the school newspaper office Freddy sits at his desk, writing. The door opens. Willow, Xander, Oz and Cordelia enter.

Freddy starts to stand up, then drops back into his chair - caught. "Okay, Oz. You got me. What are your friends going to do? Hold me down?"

"You better believe it, Buster. You can't threaten a big murder without getting us pretty darn ticked." Willow says.

Freddy frowns, "Murder? What murder? You're not here about the review?"

"The review?" Oz asks.

Freddy hands a paper to Oz. "Last Thursday."

"'Dingoes Ate My Baby' play their instruments as if they had plump Polish sausages taped to their fingers..." Oz reads.

"Sorry, man." Freddy says.

Oz shakes his head, "No. It's fair."

"I get a lot of hate mail. I sorta figured you were bringing yours personally." Freddy says as he indicates a box.

Cordelia perches on the edge of the desk and starts idly opening and reading the mail from the in-box.

"Hey, if you happen to find a tasteful announcement about me from Larry –" Xander says.

Willow frowns, "Xander. We have to figure this out."

"Oh, we have no shot. The killer could be anyone. We lose." Cordelia says.

"We still have a few minutes." Buffy says from the doorway.

"Buffy!" Willow says excited.

"You're okay! Can you hear thoughts?" Xander asks.

Buffy shakes her head, "No."

Xander nods, "And just when I wasn't thinking about sex."

"Okay. Here's the new plan. We try to get Snyder to evacuate the school and just hope our bad guy isn't waiting outside with—" Buffy says.

"By this time tomorrow, you'll all know what I've done." Cordelia reads. Slowly, everyone turns and stares at Cordelia. "...I'm sure you understand that I had to do it, and that although death is never easy, it is the only way." She tosses the letter aside. "God, doesn't anyone write in to praise the cheerleaders? We are so unsung."

Willow scrambles for the discarded letter. Looks at the signature. "Jonathan. Ooh. I had him in my grasps, the slippery weasel."

Buffy nods, "Split up. Find him."

Moments later out in the fountain courtyard Buffy pushes her way through the between-class crowd. She looks around frantically. She looks up and sees the glint of sunlight off metal, a gun muzzle in the tower! She runs up the exterior staircase. Buffy reaches the second level and she jumps up, grabs the eaves and, using super-human Slayer strength and dexterity, she flips herself over onto the roof.

Inside the tower Jonathan is putting the rifle together. The muzzle protrudes over the edge of the tower.

Buffy runs on the roof. She reaches the edge of the tower and jumps crashing through into the tower. Buffy lands and rolls right into the line of fire of the rifle.

"Get away from me!" Jonathan says.

Buffy comes up slow, eyes on him. "Okay, Jonathan, you wanna point that somewhere else?"

"You better not try and stop me." Jonathan says.

Buffy shakes her head, "No. No stopping. I'm just here for the view. Hey look, city hall."

"Go away." Jonathan says.

Buffy shakes her head, "Never gonna happen."

"You think I won't use this?" Jonathan asks.

Buffy shrugs, "I don't know, Jonathan, I'm just –"

"Stop doing that!" Jonathan says.

"Doing what?" Buffy asks.

Stop saying my name like we're friends. We're not friends. You all think I'm an idiot. A short idiot." Jonathan says.

Buffy sighs, "I don't." Jonathan's hands tighten on the gun. He's getting angry. "I don't think about you much at all. Most people here don't. Bugs you, doesn't it? You've got all this pain, all these feelings and nobody's paying attention."

"You think I just want attention?" Jonathan says.

Buffy shakes her head, "No, I think you're in the bell tower with a high powered rifle because you want to blend in. Believe it or not, Jonathan, I understand. About the pain."

"Oh, right. 'Cause the burden of being beautiful and athletic, that's a crippler." Jonathan says.

Buffy nods, "I'm sorry, I was wrong. You are an idiot." This stops him. "My life happens very occasionally to suck beyond the telling of it. More than I can stand sometimes. And not just me. Every single person down there is ignoring your pain because they're way too busy with their own. The beautiful ones, the popular ones, the guys that pick on you... everyone."

Buffy comes around to look down at the courtyard. He looks as well, his grip on the gun loosening. "If you could hear what they're feeling - the confusion, the loneliness... It looks quiet down there. It's not. It's deafening." They stand side by side for a moment, looking down. "You know I could have taken the gun by now."

"I know." Jonathan says.

Buffy holds out her hand, "Rather do it this way."

Slowly, Jonathon hands her the gun. Her hand is shaking a little as she takes it and unloads it. "I just wanted it to stop."

Buffy nods, "Well, mass murder is not actually doctor recommended for this kind of pain. And by the way, prison? A lot like high school, only instead of noogies –"

Jonathan frowns, "What are you talking about?"

"Actions having consequences, stuff like that –" Buffy says.

"I wouldn't ever hurt anybody. I came up here to kill myself." Jonathan says.

In the kitchen Xander sneaks in, heads right for the Jell-O. He's just scooping out a big wobbly spoonful when he glances to one side and sees the Lunch Lady, pouring powder from an enormous container marked "RAT POISON" into the mulligan stew. They stand there for a second and stare at each other. Boy with Jell-O. Woman with rat poison. Both caught. Finally it occurs to both of them that the thing she was caught doing was worse than what he was caught doing. She lunges for Xander and he bolts back into the cafeteria.

By now the place is filling with people. Some of them have already loaded their trays with stew.

"Rat poison! Rat poison!" Xander says and everyone stares at him. At one table, diners are already dipping their utensils into the stew. Xander overturns the table. Stew flies! "Drop your spoons! Step away from the spoons!"

The Lunch Lady screams out of the kitchen, holding a huge cleaver and lunging for Xander. He yelps and runs, his feet slipping in the spilled stew. He falls. The Lunch Lady is closing in on him when Buffy steps right in front of her.

"Okay, let's calm down." Buffy says.

"Vermin you're all vermin... you come in and you eat and you eat! Filth!" Lunch Lady says.

Buffy nods, "I don't see this being settled with logic."

The Lunch Lady lunges at her with the cleaver. Buffy knocks it aside with her bare hand, hitting the flat of the blade. The woman strikes again and Buffy kicks-and-punches, knocking the Lunch Lady backwards into tables and chairs and unconsciousness.

That evening at Payson's. Buffy, Prue and Phoebe walk up to the bar.

"Hey." Prue says.

Piper smiles, "Hey."

"You know, I can not wait for this Novocain to wear off." Prue says as she sticks out her tongue. "Can you unfreeze my tongue?"

"You're lucky that dentist even saw you." Piper says.

Phoebe nods, "Okay, there's one thing I don't get. How did you and Buffy vanquish Vinceres?"

Prue smiles, "Well, it was something that Father Thomas said to us. Vinceres was trying to fight off the feelings of an empath because demons can not handle human emotion."

Buffy nods, "And so I channeled all the telepathic thoughts into my augmentation power. And then augmented Prue."

"And so Prue, you astral projected into his body." Phoebe says.

Prue nods, "Yes, carrying the emotional baggage of half of the city as well as all the telepathic thoughts Buffy was receiving. We forced him to feel and hear everything and he couldn't take it."

Leo comes up to them. "Hey."

"Hey." Buffy says.

Leo nods, "I just left Father Thomas. I got the connections at the archdiocese. They're gonna let him return to his church."

Piper smiles, "Thank you. You're an angel."

"Well, not technically." Leo says.

"Eww." Prue and Buffy says.

"So I guess the only other question is who sent the signs that lead Prue to the demon? And who sent the demons after Buffy?" Phoebe asks.

Prue nods, "Well, probably the triad. Or Belthazor, which means we have to be careful the next time we get a sign."

Buffy nods in agreement.

Piper nods, "Yeah, but Prue, Buffy, you two got quite a power boost there. Are you gonna miss it?"

Buffy nods, "A little. Makes me want to work for it though."

Prue nods, "Yeah, but we did get to stop an unstoppable demon. Got a little taste of what my future powers are gonna be like. I'm on the right path. Ooh, speaking of paths... what's up with you and your Cole dependency? Where do you guys stand?"

"Ohh, I have no idea. I think I'm gonna go find out right now. Yeah." Phoebe says.

Two days later Students stream toward the school. Among them, Willow and Buffy, carrying books.

Giles falls into step with them. "Good morning."

"Hi, Giles. Oh, I should get to the yearbook office. I'm going to give them the murderer questionnaires. They really are good reading." Willow says and she heads off.

Buffy and Giles walk on together. "How are you?" Giles asks.

Buffy smiles, "Lovin' the quiet. Nobody in here but me."

"And Jonathan? How is he doing?" Giles asks.

Buffy sighs, "Pretty crappy. His parents are freaking, he's suspended, and toting a piece to school not exactly earning him a place with the 'in' crowd. But I think he's dealing."

Giles nods, "It's good of you to check up on him."

"It's nice to be able to help someone in a non-slaying or Charmed capacity. But he's starting to get that look, like he's gonna ask me to the prom." Buffy says.

Giles nods, "Well, you know, it would probably help his self esteem if –"

"What am I, Saint Buffy? He's like three feet tall." Buffy says.

Giles nods, "Good to see you've emerged from your psychic adventure more or less intact. How's Prue?"

Buffy smiles, "She's doing good."


	57. Chapter 57: Power Outage

**Chapter 57: Power Outage**

Buffy, Prue, Piper and Phoebe are sitting in an alcove at Payson's. Phoebe is looking around for Cole.

"Alright, look, we know that Belthazor is not going to stop until he kills us. Phoebe? Phoebe!" Prue says as Phoebe looks at her. "Hi. I hate to interrupt your whole staring off into space aimlessly thing that you've got going on right now but in case you forgot, evil triad agent."

"Like you would even let me forget, Prue." Phoebe says.

Prue sighs, "Well, if he's as powerful of a demon as Leo says he is, he is probably gonna be immune to our powers. That's why we need to practice our counterattacks so the next time he shows up, we can get some demon flesh."

"White meat or dark meat?" Buffy asks.

Prue sighs, "I don't like the idea of demon fillet either, but it might help us with the vanquishing potion. Hello? Pheebs?"

Phoebe nods, "Cole is forty-five minutes late. You would think he would be on time after he sleeps with a girl, you know."

"Can we fast forward? Because I got Fastball coming in in a couple of days and I need to get some stuff done." Piper says.

Phoebe smiles, "Cole!" She stands up as she sees Cole is walking towards them. "He's here, he's here."

"Alright, we are practicing the, uh..." Prue says.

Cole approaches them. "Sorry I'm late."

Phoebe smiles, "It's okay."

"The earthquake drill tomorrow at 3:00." Prue says.

Buffy rolls her eyes.

"I'm sorry, madam president, but I have a doctors appointment." Piper says.

"And Giles has me doing some stuff." Buffy says.

"Buffy, Piper, you never know when an earthquake is going to strike." Prue says.

Piper sighs, "I guess not. I guess I will reschedule then."

Buffy nods, "I'll talk to Giles see what can be done."

"Phoebe, we, uh, need to talk." Cole says.

Prue nods, "Uh, Phoebe, earthquake drill tomorrow at 3:00."

Phoebe nods, "Okay, but if you need me there by 3:00 you have to lend me your car because I have class right after it."

Prue nods, "That's fine, just try not to leave my gas tank on empty this time."

"I left your gas tank empty once, okay, get over it, let it go." Phoebe says.

Prue shakes her head, "Twice."

"I'm sorry, what-what were you saying?" Phoebe says.

"Actually, if we could, uh..." Cole says.

Prue frowns, "Oh, and Pheebs, I need the car back by 5:00 because I have a photo shoot at Payson's tomorrow."

Piper frowns, "Payson's? Did you forget to inform the manager of Payson's? Or did you talk to the owner?"

Buffy shakes her head, "Didn't talk to me."

Prue shakes her head, "I'm sorry but my location fell out at the last moment and I couldn't find you or Buffy and I thought that you both would say yes."

Piper nods, "Of course you did and did you forget about our home owners meeting that's at our house tomorrow afternoon?"

"I totally spaced. Uh, Pheebs, Buffy, will either of you cover for me?" Prue asks.

Phoebe shakes her head, "No way. In the last one it took them two and a half hours to decide where to put the garden gnomes."

"Um, alright, do you want the car or not?" Prue asks.

Phoebe glares at Prue, "Hate you."

Prue shakes her head, "No you don't you love me."

Buffy sighs, "I could do it, I guess."

Piper nods, "I'd love to get back to work. Okay, you two kids behave."

Buffy, Prue and Piper walk away.

The next morning. Prue is on the phone and Buffy and Piper are sitting at the table.

"No, I'm planning on getting to Payson's early to confirm the stylist. Alright, I'll see you there. Bye." Prue says before she hangs up. "Hey, where's Phoebe?"

Phoebe walks in. "I'm here. Do you guys know if Cole called?"

Piper shakes her head, "Not since the last time you asked."

Phoebe nods, "Okay, I need some sisterly advice. Is he doing the whole blow her off after sex thing and I'm just not reading the signs?"

"Probably not since the signs Prue read as an empath prove that he loves you." Buffy says.

Phoebe sighs, "Okay, well, supernatural guarantees aside, I am getting the feeling that he is avoiding me. I have no idea where we stand."

"Well, maybe it's got something to do with whatever he's hiding from me." Prue says.

Belthazor barges through the door.

"Demon!" Phoebe says as she levitates in the air and kicks him. He falls against the table. Belthazor throws out an electric spark.

"Piper, watch out." Piper freezes it. Prue astral projects onto the table behind Belthazor. "Uh, excuse me." She kicks him in the head. Prue flips off the table. Buffy throws a fireball. "Piper, now."

Piper picks up a knife and slices his neck. Belthazor changes into Leo.

"Ouch, you got skin." Leo says.

Prue astral projects back in her body.

"Hey, Leo, do you think you can make yourself look like Brad Pitt?" Phoebe asks.

Prue shakes her head, "Alright you guys, that was, um, good. Although, Phoebe, I think you need more force on your kick and Piper, a little less hesitating on the slicing and dicing, okay. Should we try it again?"

"No, I'd like to have a boyfriend left when this is over." Piper says.

Phoebe nods, "Okay, where are your keys, Prue?"

"Hey, don't forget to pick up food for the homeowners meeting." Prue says.

Phoebe nods, "Okay, how am I possibly gonna pick up food when I have to get your car back right away?"

"Well, I can't do it, I have to prep for my shoot." Prue says.

"Well don't look at me. It might look a little suspicious if I flame out holding a bag f groceries." Buffy says.

Prue and Phoebe look at Piper.

Piper sighs, "What? Don't look at me. I guess I'll reschedule my doctors appointment again. Buffy I could use your help."

Buffy nods, "Sure, my sister."

Later the home owners meeting is being held in the living room. The neighbours are arguing.

In the kitchen Leo enters as Piper and Buffy starts to carry trays of food out.

"Oh, watch the- uh-" Leo says.

Buffy trips over Prue's tripod, which is lying on the floor under the table. Leo catches her and manages to save the tray of food.

Buffy frowns, "Oh! Ohhh... Prue! Welcome to Prue's world of cluttered photography."

Piper sighs, "I can't believe I got roped into this."

"Me neither," Buffy says.

Leo hands Buffy back the tray as they head back to the table. "How did you get roped into heading the refreshment committee?"

"They didn't have time." Piper says.

"And you two do?" Leo asks.

Piper nods, "Well, my doctor's appointment doesn't count as high priority."

"I had to get Faith to take over patrol tonight." Buffy says.

Leo nods, "Well, couldn't you make something simpler, you know, chips and dip?"

Piper shakes her head, "Leo, I was a chef. I can't make chips and dip."

Buffy shakes her head, "Don't look at me. Piper's still teaching me to cook."

"Maybe you two need to tell your Prue and Phoebe how you feel. Better yet, next time just say no." Leo says.

Piper sighs, "Okay, Leo, you obviously do not have sisters. One minute you're arguing about something and then suddenly you're arguing about who stole who's Malibu Barbie in 1979."

Buffy nods in agreement.

Prue walks in. "Hey, is Phoebe home yet?"

Piper shakes her head, "No, and where-where's all the mineral water?"

"Uh, there's some down in the basement." Prue says.

"I'll get it." Leo says and he goes down in the basement.

"Prue it would be nice if you moved your equipment. If not for Leo I would have dropped this tray of food." Buffy says motions towards the tripod.

Buffy and Piper carries plates of food into the living room.

"It's our property, it's our money and we are building a fence."

Piper smiles, "Goat cheese pizza and onion tartlets for the vegetarians..."

"We want our privacy because we've had enough of your snooping."

"Snooping?"

Buffy nods, "And the chicken satay has peanuts in case anybody's allergic."

Phoebe sneaks in.

"Phoebe, nice of you to show." Piper says.

Phoebe smiles, "Uh, Piper? Buffy? She walks over to Buffy and Phoebe. "I need a huge favour. Can I talk to you upstairs?"

Buffy shakes her head, "Oh, no you don't."

The neighbours start arguing. Phoebe starts to go upstairs.

"Phoebe." Piper says and she freezes the neighbours. "Phoebe, this is not fair."

"I know it's not but the last thing I expected was for Cole to ask me out, okay. So could you please cover for me?" Phoebe says.

Buffy shakes her head, "Piper already rescheduled my doctors appointment twice. And I had to talk Faith into patrolling for me tonight."

"Well, Leo was a doctor before he died." Phoebe says. "Buffy we can give Faith the night off tomorrow while you and I patrol for her then."

Piper shakes her head, "That's really not the point."

Phoebe sighs, "I know, and I would never ask but this is important. He wants to have the talk. You know, are we a couple, are we a one-nighter, are we friends, are we friends that had a one-nighter?"

Buffy sighs, "Okay, we get it."

Leo walks in. "Ever planning on unfreezing the neighbours?"

"Buffy, Piper, just this once. You both know how much I want this relationship to work." Phoebe says.

Piper sighs, "Well, I guess we don't have much of a choice." Phoebe hugs Piper and Buffy and runs upstairs. "You are so helping us run this meeting."

The Elders call Leo.

"They're calling." Leo says.

Buffy frowns, "Uh, no, no, no."

Leo orbs out.

Piper frowns, "Leo." He drops the bottle he was holding and Piper catches it. "Chicken!"

"Big chicken!" Buffy says.

Piper unfreezes the neighbours.

"Your fence will block the sun for my flowers."

"Well, then I suggest you take it up with the sun."

"Oh, great, great idea."

Piper shakes her head, "Okay, uh, why don't you build a shorter fence? Or move your flower bed?"

"No, it is not my azaleas that are the problem."

The neighbours continue arguing. The doorbell rings.

"I got it," Buffy says.

"Okay, everyone please just try and calm down." Piper says.

Buffy walks into the foyer and opens the door to find Cole standing there, "Hey Cole." She turns towards the stairs. "PHOEBE! Cole's here."

Phoebe runs past into the foyer. "Bye, honey."

"Phoebe, Phoebe, Phoebe! Those are my earrings." Piper calls from the living room. Phoebe heads out the front foor. "Hey!"

Andras is standing outside looking in. A ball of light comes out of his hand and hits Piper. Buffy walks back into the living room and she too is hit by a ball of light.

"Okay, everybody shut up!" Piper says as everyone shuts up. "I have had it with your petty problems and your stupid fence and your stupid flower beds. There are bigger problems in the world to worry about. Just get a life and grow up!"

"Ugh, you can't speak to us like that."

Buffy frowns, "Oh yeah?" She throws a plate of food at them. "Everybody get out of our house! Get out of our house before we throw you out."

"With pleasure."

"Perhaps we should build a fence to keep you in."

"Good idea." Piper says.

"I'll speak to Prue about the way you two behave."

Buffy scoffs, "Even better idea! Move it! Move it! Move it!" Everyone leaves. "And stay out!"

In the kitchen Prue is on the phone. "I'm sorry I didn't make it." Buffy and Piper walks in. "No, I didn't forget. I loaned my car to someone and obviously..." Buffy and Piper slams down a plate of food on the table. "They forgot to fill the tank." She looks to Piper and Buffy, "Keep it down will you?" She speaks into the phone. "Alright, one more chance is all that I'm asking for." She looks to Piper and Buffy. "Where's Phoebe?"

"The little witch is not home yet." Piper says.

"No, tomorrow at Payson's will not be a problem. Okay." Prue says.

Buffy shakes her head, "Actually, excuse me." She takes the phone off of Prue. "Hi, actually, you know what? It is a problem. Find someplace else for your shoot." She hangs up.

Prue frowns, "Okay, alright, do you have any idea who that was?"

Buffy shrugs, "I couldn't care less."

"What is your problem?" Prue asks.

Piper frowns, "You are. Get your own damn club and keep your paws off of Buffy's.

Prue frowns, "Okay, whoa, obviously somebody needs a Midol."

Buffy nods, "And I am so sick of all your stuff lying around. If you can't put your equipment away then I will." She throws one of Prue's camera lens on the floor.

Andras is watching from outside. Another ball of light shoots out of his hand and hits Prue.

"Ooh, ooh!" Prue says as she looks around and picks up the blender Buffy gave Piper as a birthday gift. "Who the hell do you think you are?" She throws the blender on the floor.

Buffy, Prue and Piper walk into the living room.

"Sure, you can use Payson's for a photo shoot. Hello? Remember me?" Buffy says.

Phoebe walks in.

"Oh, poor Buffy. Well, you know what? The martyr routine's getting old." Prue says.

Phoebe frowns, "Hey, guys, what's going on?"

"Shut up!" Prue, Piper and Buffy says.

"You know what? I am so sorry that I didn't check with you about your stupid little club, I was too busy being the only witch concerned about the triad." Prue says.

"Oh, right, without the mighty Prue Halliwell we'd all be dead. Get over yourself, Prue." Piper says.

Phoebe frowns, "Guys, what has gotten into you three?"

"By the way, you owe me for a car tow and a tank of gas, you little leech." Prue says.

Phoebe shakes her head, "I'm sorry, is it gang up on Phoebe day and nobody told me?"

"News flash! The world does not revolve around Phoebe." Piper says.

Prue nods, "Yes, so while you get to spend the night screwing the DA, we are stuck picking up your slack."

A ball of light shoots out of Andras and hits Phoebe.

"What's the matter, Prue? Jealous?" Phoebe says. "All work and no play making you even more boring?"

Prue glares, "Oh, yeah, there's a lot to be jealous of. Jealous that I'm still in school, jealous that I'm still unemployed and jealous that I am still living off of my sisters."

"Yeah, Grams said that you'd never amount to anything." Piper says.

"I am so sick of the fact that I've been saddled with the two of you my entire life. I'm sick of having to be saddled with you too, Buffy." Prue says.

"Whatever, I'm leaving." Phoebe says.

"Oh, sure, you're such an immature brat, you leave every time you can't hack something." Piper says.

"Well, there's nothing keeping me here, now is there?" Phoebe says.

"Oh, well, I see that you've inherited your dad's talent of bailing." Buffy says.

"That's because the two of us couldn't deal with living with the two of them." Phoebe says motioning towards Piper and Prue. "Or it seems with you Buffy."

"Well, at least I'm not so stupid I had to do college twice." Piper says.

"Well, at least I actually had the courage to go away to college. What's the matter, Piper? The real world too much for you? I am so sick of the two of you ganging up on me and judging me." Phoebe says.

"I am so sick of saving your asses." Prue says.

"I'm sick of being taken for granted and those are mine." Piper says as she rips off Phoebe's earrings.

Phoebe frowns, "Ouch! Bitch!"

"So am I," Buffy says.

"At least I didn't run away when the going got tough." Prue says.

Phoebe high kicks Piper but Piper ducks. Buffy pushes Phoebe into Prue and Prue pushes her against a chair. Phoebe throws a piece of Prue's camera equipment at Prue and she blocks it with her power. It flies back towards Phoebe, Phoebe levitates and it passes under her legs towards Piper who freezes it. Buffy powers up a fireball and throws it at Prue who deflects it and it hits the wall beside the painting Buffy gave Prue for her camera piece unfreezes, hits a photo frame and it falls off the wall. Phoebe leaves.

Upstairs in the attic the triquetra on both Books Of Shadows splits apart.

Later Prue is cleaning up some broken glass. Buffy and Piper bends down beside her.

"Here." Buffy and Piper says.

Prue shakes her head, "It's alright."

Piper smiles, "I'll get it."

Prue smiles, "Thanks."

Leo orbs in.

"What's wrong?" Buffy asks.

"You tell me." Leo says.

Piper shrugs, "Well, we had a little..."

"Tiff." Prue says.

Leo nods, "Must've been more than little because "they" felt it."

"What do you mean "they felt it"?" Buffy asks.

Leo sighs, "What ever happened severed not only the power of three but the entire family magic."

"Leo, that's impossible." Prue says.

Leo picks up a glass bowl. "Freeze this." He drops it, Piper tries to freeze it and it smashes on the floor.

"Uhh..." Piper says.

Buffy tries to flame out but nothing happens, "Uh grounded."

Prue tries to move the glass. "What happened to our powers?"

Leo nods, "That's what we have to figure out. Let's start with your little tiff."

"Well, that's a bit of an understatement. It was big." Piper says.

"How big?" Leo asks.

"Um, do you remember Pearl Harbor?" Buffy asks.

"Okay, so what triggered it?" Leo asks.

Piper shrugs, "I-I don't know. Just little things I guess. I really didn't wanna do the stupid meeting and..."

"Neither did I." Buffy says.

"My car ran out of gas and because of that I missed my job." Prue says.

"That's it?" Leo asks.

Piper nods, "Yeah, I mean, it's weird. We were angry but we shouldn't have been that angry. It was almost like something..."

Buffy nods, "Something sort of came over us."

"Yeah, something like Belthazor." Prue says.

Leo shakes his head, "That doesn't track because no matter what he does, he doesn't have the power to take away yours. So back to your argument. You yelled and you threw stuff?"

Piper nods, "Well, we did a little more than that."

"We used our powers." Buffy says.

Leo frowns, "What, on each other? Alright, well, then that's what happened. Your powers are rooted in your bond as sisters - as family. Using them against each other must have severed that bond. Alright, you-you-you need to repair the damage of your relationship fast because without your powers, you are extremely vulnerable. So you need to get Phoebe..."

"Phoebe's gone." Prue says.

Leo frowns, "Gone? Gone where?"

"Just gone." Buffy says.

Later in the attic Piper and Prue are scrying for Phoebe. Buffy and Leo is looking through both Book of Shadows.

Piper shakes her head, "Nothing. I-I can't find her. We don't even have basic powers anymore."

"I can not believe this is happening." Prue says.

Buffy nods, "Prue I'm sorry for some of the things I said earlier."

Prue nods, "I'm sorry too Buffy. You know I love you, right?"

Buffy nods, "Yeah and I love you. You like Piper and Phoebe are more then just my cousins your my sisters."

Prue walks over and hugs Buffy.

Piper smiles as she watches Prue and Buffy, "What I don't understand is how could Belthazor make us that angry? That's not his power."

Leo shakes his head, "No, it's not, but it is his." Prue, Buffy and Piper look at the Charmed Book.

"Andras, the spirit of rage. Uses anger as a portal to enrage his victims until they commit a grievous act of violence." Piper reads.

Prue nods, "Yeah, but that doesn't really explain everything. I mean, even if our fight was supernaturally amped, Andras magnifies anger into rage, he doesn't just create it out of thin air."

Buffy sighs, "So we gave him the opening."

Leo nods, "And he took full advantage."

Later Prue's on the phone. "If you hear from her just tell her to come home, okay, it's an emergency. Thanks." She hangs up. "So she's not at the club and none of her friends has seen her."

Piper nods, "Did you try Cole?"

"No answer." Prue says.

Buffy nods, "If something happens to her I'll never forgive myself."

Leo shakes his head, "Nothing's gonna happen."

"Leo, something happened to Grams, something happened to mom, it kind of runs in the family." Piper says.

Phoebe walks in.

Prue smiles, "Phoebe, thank god."

"Has the tribal council spoken? Am I booted off the island?" Phoebe asks.

Piper hugs Phoebe. "Are you okay?"

Phoebe nods, "Yeah."

Buffy hugs Phoebe, "I'm sorry Pheebs."

Phoebe smiles, "I'm sorry too, Buffy."

Piper nods, "Where were you?"

"I was at Cole's. And after a lot of talking and a lot of tears, he convinced me to come home and deal with what happened." Phoebe says.

"Belthazor is what happened." Prue says.

Phoebe frowns, "What?"

Piper nods, "Abbreviated version, he used some underling spirit to enrage us and when we fought we lost our powers. No more triquetra, no more power of three, no more family magic period. Even Buffy lost her powers."

"What, we have no powers? But that means that..." Phoebe says.

Prue nods, "That he's gonna try and come try kill us. Which, when you didn't come home, we thought that he had already..."

Phoebe shakes her head, "No, it's okay, I'm fine. So what do we do? A spell, a vanquish, a potion?"

"You need to try and restore your bond as sisters. I'll give you some privacy." Leo says before he leaves.

"A potion would be easier, huh?" Buffy says.

Piper nods, "Oh, yeah. Um, Phoebe, Grams didn't say you'd never amount to anything. That was just me being mean. She was, is, very proud of you."

Phoebe smiles, "We all know that sometimes I'm not the most responsible person in the world."

Prue shakes her head, "No, Phoebe, that's all kind of ancient history, isn't it? I mean, you've grown up a lot and I'm sorry if I don't treat you like you have all the time."

Phoebe nods, "It's okay. Since mom died..."

Buffy looks to Prue, "Prue, you can use Payson's any time you want."

"Thanks Buffy, that's most generous of you. Next time I will ask you and Piper beforehand though." Prue says.

Piper nods, "Prue, you did take care of us and you do still look out for us all the time and we don't always say thank you. Sometimes we take you for granted."

Prue nods, "I don't think I'm the one who's been taken for granted around here. You know, who needs Oprah when we can do it ourselves?"

They giggle.

"Do you think we have our powers back?" Phoebe asks.

Belthazor bursts through the door.

"Oh!" Prue tries to use her power. "Alright, no, you try."

Piper tries to freeze him. "No, mine aren't working either."

Buffy tries to power up a fireball, "No dice."

"We worked on our issues." Phoebe says.

Leo runs up behind Belthazor and slams a chair over his back. Belthazor hits him in the face.

"Leo!" Piper says.

Prue shakes her head, "No, wait. You guys run, I'll hold him off."

Buffy shakes her head, "No, Prue, we're in this together." The triquetra on both Books of Shadows joins back up. "Look, the Books."

Prue uses her power and knocks the knife out of Belthazor's hand. Belthazor throws a lightning ball at them. Buffy throws a fireball and it collides with the lightning ball causing an explosion in mid-air. Buffy throws another fireball and hits Belthazor and Andras gets knocked out of him.

"Okay, that's new." Prue says.

"Demon with demon filling." Phoebe says.

Belthazor looks to Andras, "Nobody crosses me."

A lightning ball hits Andras and he is vanquished. Belthazor picks up the knife.

"Okay, positions." Prue says.

Belthazor walks towards Phoebe and she kicks him in the face.

"Uh, Piper?" Buffy says.

Piper freezes the knife he throws at her. "Whoa."

Prue astral projects behind Belthazor and kicks him in the back just as Buffy throws a fireball at him.

Piper plucks the knife out of the air and slices Belthazor. A chunk of skin falls to the ground. Belthazor roars. He grabs Piper's arm, twists it and hits her in the face. She falls to the floor. Prue astral projects back in her body. She uses her power and Belthazor crashes through the window. He disappears. Buffy, Prue and Phoebe run over to to the window.

"He's gone." Phoebe says.

Prue nods, "At least for now."

Leo helps Piper up.

"Ow. Are you okay?" Piper says.

Leo nods, "Yeah. Good thing I'm already dead. Did you get him?"

Piper smiles, "Ooh, yeah." She picks up the skin. "I got a slice."

"Mmm, yum, the other white meat." Buffy says.

Prue laughs and hugs Buffy.

"Better him than me." Leo says.

Phoebe nods, "Well, at least now we can work on the vanquishing potion."

Prue nods, "Well, better hurry before Belthazor's encore."

Later at Payson's Fastball is on stage playing. Prue walks up to Buffy, Piper and Phoebe who are sitting in the alcove. She sits down.

"Hey, how did the photo session go?" Phoebe asks.

Prue sighs, "Not as good as if it had been done here but definitely better for our relationship."

Piper nods, "Like Buffy said just let us know beforehand we'll be happy to accommodate you."

Prue smiles, "Oh, I promise. By the way, how was your doctor's appointment?"

"It was fine. Everything was normal except my stress level." Piper says.

"Oh, I don't mean to stress you out even more but I ran into Ellen and Claire and they said they worked everything out with Mrs. Snyder. What did you two say to them anyway?" Phoebe asks.

Buffy shakes her head, "Oh, nothing, We just spoke our minds."

Prue nods, "Maybe you two should handle all the meetings."

Piper shakes her head, "No. Absolutely not. Right, Buffy?"

Phoebe smiles, "Wow, you're getting good at saying no."

"Right, my sister." Buffy says. "Though I should stop saying that since you are all my sisters."

Piper smiles, "Thank you."

Prue shakes her head, "You don't have to do that Buffy…"

Buffy shakes her head, "Prue you are not only my legal guardian, or my cousin. But you, Phoebe and Piper are my sisters. And calling Piper my sister is ignoring the fact that you and Phoebe are as well."

Phoebe nods, "Anyway, I think it's good that we got everything out on the table. And for the sake of innocents everywhere, I think we should always tell each other how we feel."

"Well, not always. We might kill each other." Piper says.

Phoebe nods, "Okay, then most of the time. Just enough to keep demons away from splitting us up."

"I agree with that." Prue and Buffy says.

Phoebe looks around for Cole.

"Haven't heard from Cole yet, huh?" Prue asks.

Phoebe shakes her head, "No. I still can't figure that guy out. But I will."


	58. Chapter 58: Sleuthing With the Enemy

**Chapter 58: Sleuthing With the Enemy**

Buffy, Prue and Piper are making a potion. There are ingredients everywhere.

Piper puts something in a pot and a flame shoots up. "Okay, even if this works, we still have to find Belthazor."

Prue nods, "Well, I have an idea how to do that but first things first. Cockles."

"Cockles?" Buffy asks.

Prue nods, "They're over by the crickets."

"And what exactly are they?" Buffy asks.

"Small leaping insects that chirp." Prue says.

Buffy shakes her head, "That's funny. I meant the cockle shells, not the crickets."

"I'm not really sure but as long as they help vanquish Belthazor that's all I really care about." Prue says.

"It would be nice to get back to our lives such as they were." Piper says.

"Pigs feet." Prue says.

"Yecchh." Piper says.

"Yecchh?" Buffy and Prue says.

Piper nods, "Yecchh."

Prue shakes her head, "So you can slice up a chunk of demon flesh but you can't touch pigs foot."

"I'm a vegetarian." Piper says.

"Since when?" Buffy asks.

"Since now." Piper says.

Prue shakes her head, "Now is not the time to get squeamish, okay. This recipe is very important. We have to follow it to a T." Prue puts a pigs foot in the pot and another flame shoots up. "Ooh!"

"Poor piggy." Piper says.

Buffy looks over the recipe, "Everything's in there, we just need to get the slice of Belthazor flesh and we're good to go. Let's test it. Pheebs?"

"Something tells me she's not in a vanquishing mood." Piper says.

"Why not?" Prue asks.

"She's worried about Cole. She hasn't heard from him in over a week." Buffy says.

"And that's a bad thing?" Prue asks.

"Prue." Buffy and Piper says.

Prue sighs, "You know what? I don't like him and I don't trust him. And it has nothing to do with him being a greasy lawyer either."

Phoebe walks in. "Greasy what?"

"Uh, greasy layer. There's a greasy layer on this potion." Piper says.

Prue nods, "Too much mandrake."

"Okay, uh, what do you say we do this incantation." Buffy says.

Phoebe nods, "Anything to get rid of Belthazor before Cole gets back. And he is coming back."

"Okay." Piper says.

"Spirits of air, forests and sea, set us of this demon free; beasts of hoof and beasts of shell, drive this evil back to hell." Prue, Piper, Phoebe and Buffy chant.

The potion bubbles.

"Uh-oh, didn't work." Phoebe says.

Buffy shakes her head, "No, you forgot the Belthazor flesh."

"Oh yes." Piper says.

Phoebe shakes her head, "How can we forget the Belthazor flesh?"

Piper gets the flesh out of the fridge.

"Such a slacker." Prue says.

"Give me a second, lady. All right, ready?" Piper puts the flesh in the pot and it explodes. Piper falls to the ground.

"Piper!?" Buffy says concerned.

They help her up.

"Are you all right?" Prue asks.

Piper nods, "Attack of the killer pigs feet. Remind me to step back next time."

Some time later Prue comes down the stairs. Buffy is watching TV in the living room. Phoebe walks into the foyer.

"Hey." Prue says.

"I'll be back." Phoebe says.

"Um, where you going?" Prue asks.

Phoebe smiles, "I am going to school," they go into the living room, "and then I'm going to Cole's." She puts some books in her bag.

Prue nods, "Okay, aren't you forgetting a little something? Like vanquishing Belthazor?"

"Wait, I thought you had to write a spell to summon him first." Phoebe says.

Buffy nods, "Yes, and it's done. I used the one that we called Melinda from the past with, just re-wrote it a little bit."

"Really? Think it'll work?" Phoebe says.

Buffy nods, "Well, yeah, I mean, it should. It's magic calling magic. Although in this case dark magic."

"Phoebe, why are you going to Cole's again? I mean, what do you really expect to find?" Prue asks.

"Mmm, actually, I was gonna go to his office. And how do you know I've already been to Cole's?" Phoebe says.

Prue nods, "Well, you got a parking ticket there yesterday when you borrowed my car."

"Oops, sorry, I'll pay for it." Phoebe says.

Buffy shakes her head listening to two of her cousins bicker.

"Phoebe, that's not the point. Look, please, don't take this out on me, all right. I'm not the bad guy." Prue says.

Phoebe nods, "I know, I would just like some understanding, you know, some support here."

Buffy shakes her head, "Pheebs forget it when it comes to Cole, Prue can't. You have mine though."

Prue nods, "Look, I can't support you when I think you're just setting yourself up to get hurt. I have to be honest with you, we have to be honest with each other. That's the promise we made when Belthazor tried to split us apart, remember?"

Phoebe sighs, "Yeah, it just doesn't help that you never really liked Cole from the beginning."

Prue nods, "Yeah, well, I mean, you never really like any of my boyfriends either."

"That's very true." Phoebe says.

"I'm sorry, all right. This is your call and not mine." Prue says.

Buffy smiles, "Wow, Prue. I never thought I would hear you say that to Phoebe."

Piper walks in.

Phoebe smiles, "Thank you."

"Okay, are we gonna do this or what?" Piper asks.

Prue nods, "You, me and Buffy are. Phoebe's not."

"Are you sure?" Phoebe asks.

Prue nods. "Yeah, yeah, go to Cole's. It's fine. Uh, we don't need the power of three to vanquish, just the potion."

"Okay, well, why don't you take this in case." Piper says and she hands Phoebe the potion.

"Okay, just you guys no more whispering, okay. It's hard enough for me to know that Cole's keeping secrets from me. I can't take it from you too." Phoebe says.

Buffy smiles, "We're trying, Pheebs."

Phoebe nods and leaves.

Prue, Buffy and Piper go in the dining room and tip over the table onto its side.

"This is gonna be messy." Piper says.

Prue nods, "That's why we Scotchguard." She hands Buffy and Piper the potion. "You two ready?"

Buffy nods, "Ready to go. The quicker we get this done the quicker I can take my written drivers test." Prue gives Buffy a look. "You promised." Prue sighs and nods.

Piper nods, "I'm ready as I'll ever be."

"All right." Prue says.

They crouch down behind the table.

"Magic forces black and white, reaching out through space and light, be he far or be he near, bring us the demon Belthazor here." Prue, Buffy and Piper chant.

It gets windy.

"It's working." Piper says.

"All right, you gusy ready?" Prue asks.

Piper nods, "Uh-huh."

"Ready." Buffy says

"On three." Prue says.

"1, 2, 3." Prue, Piper and Buffy says together.

Krell appears and Buffy, Prue and Piper throw the potion at him.

"There's no boom. Why is there no boom?" Piper says.

Prue shakes her head, "I don't know."

"I don't either." Buffy says.

"Stupid witches." Krell says.

"He's not..." Prue says as Krell tries to zap them and puts a huge hole in the table. "Ooh, you know what? That is an antique!" She uses her power and he flies towards the grandfather clock.

Piper freezes him in mid-air. "Not the clock! We can't afford to keep fixing that thing." They walk over to him. "Unless Belthazor can morph, that is definitely not him."

Buffy nods, "All right, that doesn't make sense. How did we get the wrong demon? Hey, do you think that you could just unfreeze his head? That way we could ask."

"His head?" Piper asks.

"Yeah, his head." Buffy says.

"Why not?" Piper says and unfreezes his head. "That's different."

Prue smiles, "That's cool."

They giggle.

"What did you do to me?" Krell says.

Prue nods, "Uh, hi, you know what? You're sort of frozen in mid-air therefore we'll be asking the questions, okay?" Buffy powers up a fireball and tosses it back and forth between her hands for emphasis. "Or I might let my cousin here use you for target practice. Who are you?"

"Someone who's gonna butcher you if you don't unfreeze me right now." Krell says.

"Okay." Piper says and unfreezes him and he crashes into the grandfather clock. Buffy and Prue give her a look. "What? It was worth it."

They go over to him and Prue puts her foot on his chest. "All right, you start talking or we start the bonus round."

"I am Krell, a Zotar." Krell says.

Buffy shakes her head, "Hi, I'm Buffy, a Capricorn. This is Prue, a Scorpio and Piper, a Gemini. Where's Belthazor?"

Krell pushes Prue's leg off his chest and Prue and Piper back away as Buffy moves between them and Krell, she still has the fireball powered up. Krell stands up. "Wait, don't. I won't attack if you don't. I'm a bounty hunter. I track fugitive demons and it looks like we're after the same one. I should've known better than to underestimate him. I thought that because Belthazor couldn't shimmer, his other powers were useless as well."

"So you don't have the power to vanquish him?" Piper asks

Krell shakes his head, "Obviously not. Otherwise I wouldn't have needed to intercept your little calling card, now would I?"

"Hey, you know what? How about next time Piper can just freeze your head and then maybe I could kick you in the—" Buffy says.

"Buffy!" Prue says before turning back to Krell. "Alright, uh, so Belthazor was sent by the triad to kill us. How do we know that you weren't sent by them too?"

"You're joking, right? I don't believe this. You really don't know? You're Whitelighter must really be sleeping on the job." Krell says.

Piper frowns, "Hey, now wait a minute, pal."

"Piper. What don't we know?" Prue says.

"Belthazor killed the triad. That's why he's on the run, that's why I'm here." Krell says.

"Why would he do that?" Buffy asks.

"Probably because they were going to kill him. For failing to kill you. Ironically his inability to shimmer saved him from you killing him." Krell says.

Prue nods, "So instead we got you."

Krell nods, "Believe me, just the thought of working with you turns my stomachs."

"Stomachs?" Piper asks.

"But right now I'm more interested in killing Belthazor than witches or the Slayer." Krell says.

"Hm." Buffy says.

"Like it or not, we need each other. You can't find him without me, I can't vanquish him without your potion." Krell says.

"So then you know where he is?" Prue says.

Piper shakes her head, "Prue, you can't be seriously considering this."

"I have to agree with Piper," Buffy says.

"Answer the question." Prue says.

Krell nods, "I can track his scent, his blood, when he's in his demonic form not his human one. Fortunately, he can't maintain his human self for long, especially wounded. It drains him."

"Uh, hi, could you come here, over here, please?" Piper says and Prue and Buffy goes over to Piper. "We've tried working with demons before, it was a bad idea then. And it's definitely a bad idea now."

Prue looks to Krell, "We'll let you know."

"No, you'll let me know now. Think fast. Belthazor won't stop trying to kill you. Only the heads of the Charmed Ones will convince the source to spare him." Krell says and he disappears

"Leo!" Piper, Prue and Buffy says.

Moments later they along with Leo are in the attic.

"I don't understand. How can you not know the triad is dead? Don't you think that's kind of important? Especially since, oh, I don't know. They've been trying to kill us for the past two years." Buffy says.

Leo sighs, "They're heard rumors, talk, nothing substantiated."

"Well, I guess you can substantiate it now can't you? Geez, have you been sleeping on the job or what?" Piper says.

"So, Leo, don't mind her, she's just a little cranky." Prue says.

"Well, you know what? I get that way when demons are trying to kill us." Piper says.

Prue sighs, "Piper, I really don't think that Krell is trying to kill us otherwise he probably would've tried by now."

"Oh, yeah? Tell that to the dining room table." Buffy says.

"Is there anything in there on Zotars?" Leo asks.

Prue nods, "Yeah, everything that he said about them which makes me think that everything else he has said might be true too."

Buffy nods, "Including the part about how he likes to kill witches?"

"Including the part about all of us working together." Prue says.

"Are you willing to bet our lives on it?" Piper asks.

Prue shakes her head, "Are you two willing not to? Look, Buffy, Piper, if we do nothing and Belthazor somehow gets all of his powers back then we are going to be looking back over our shoulders. Again. Personally I'm tired of that."

Piper nods, "I know, I know, okay. I-I know you think she's right and…"

"If you don't vanquish him now you may not get another chance." Leo says.

Moments later they are in the conservatory as Prue, Buffy and Piper recite the Belthazor summoning spell, "Magic forces black and white, reaching out through space and light, be he far or be he near, bring us the demon Belthazor here."

Krell appears in the foyer.

Phoebe walks in the house and sees him. "Demon!" She runs over to him.

"Phoebe, no, no, no, Phoebe!" Piper says.

Phoebe jumps up, hangs onto a beam, and kicks Krell in the head. "What-what is going on? Who is that?"

Buffy, Prue, Piper and Leo walk into the foyer.

"He is a demonic bounty hunter who is here to help us find Belthazor." Prue says.

"Why don't you go sniff something while we fill her in." Buffy says.

Krell shakes his head, "There's no time. I just picked up Belthazor's scent again."

Prue nods, "Alright, gives us a minute." She looks to Phoebe. "Come here. All right, listen, here's the deal. Belthazor killed the triad, now the source wants him dead. Krell is trying to suck up to the source so he wants to kill Belthazor."

Piper nods, "Belthazor wants to kill us so the source won't kill him."

"And as much as I hate to say it if we work with Krell we can vanquish Belthazor before he kills us." Buffy says.

"Works for me. Leo, I have to talk to you for a minute." Phoebe says.

Krell shakes his head, "How do you witches ever get anything done? If we're working together we need to move now."

Prue nods, "All right, we're ready."

"Do you have the potion?" Krell asks.

"Do you have the scent?" Piper asks.

Krell nods, "I said I did didn't I? You three come with me. The others should go to the old cemetery."

"Wait, split up? Why?" Leo says.

"Because he might be hiding there, that's why. Evil frequent cemeteries. Makes it difficult for me to track a demon's scent there. Belthazor knows that." Krell says.

Phoebe nods "Okay, so why don't Leo and I go to the cemetery and you guys go with him."

"Are you sure?" Buffy asks.

Phoebe nods, "Positive."

Prue nods, "Alright, let's go, we're ready. Oh, hey, I almost forgot to ask. Did you find out anything about Cole?"

"Uh, no, nothing at all about Cole." Phoebe says.

Later in an alley Krell shimmers in as Buffy flames in with Piper and Prue.

"I can smell his blood, he's close." Krell says.

"Where?" Prue asks.

"Get your potions." Krell says.

Prue shakes her head, "You know, it's too bad that he's such a bad guy 'cause he could really come in handy."

"Don't push it." Buffy says.

They walk down the alley. Krell removes some boxes where a homeless person is sleeping. "Vanquish him."

"Hey, what's going on? Who are you?" Homeless man asks.

"It's a trick. He's in his human form. Throw the potion." Krell says.

Buffy looks at Krell, "Hold your horses and think for a moment. Don't you think he would've picked a better human? Oh, no offense, honey.

"Oh, none taken." Homeless Man says.

Krell snatches the potion off of Piper.

"Hey, easy!" Piper says as Krell throws the potion at the homeless man. "And you call yourself a Zotar."

Krell picks up Cole's coat and smells it. "Where did you get this coat?"

"I didn't do anything." Homeless man says.

Krell picks up the guy and pushes him against a fence. "Tell me."

"I just found it." Homeless man says, scared.

Prue nods, "Leave him alone, he doesn't know anything."

"Yeah." Homeless Man says.

Krell starts zapping him and Prue trips him to stop him.

"Thanks, lady." Homeless Man says.

"Touch me again, witch, and I'll kill you." Krell says.

"And then I'll kill you," Buffy says. "There was no reason to hurt that man."

"I'm a demon, it's my nature to hurt people." Krell says.

"Yeah, and it's in our nature to protect them." Prue says.

Krell shakes his head, "He's a pathetic wretch. His life means nothing. If you'd let me torture him we'd know where he found the coat."

"Whatever it takes." Buffy says.

Krell nods, "That's right."

"Well, from here on out, it's gonna take doing this our way." Prue says.

Krell nods, "Ha, then we will fail. Because your morality cripples you. It blinds you from doing what must be done."

Prue nods, "There are better ways of getting answers out of people, Krell." She picks up the coat. "Think you can get a premonition?"

"I can try. Just in case though we should wait till were with Phoebe. Two are better than one." Buffy says.

Piper nods, "Well, at least we know Belthazor has very expensive taste." Prue looks at the coat. "What? What is it?"

"How long ago did the triad send Belthazor?" Prue asks.

"Two months ago. Why?" Krell says.

Prue nods, "Does this look familiar to you?"

"I don't know. Why?" Piper says.

"Vaguely. Doesn't Cole have one just like it?" Buffy says.

Prue nods, "That was my thinking, too."

"Cole? You think Cole is..." Piper says.

"Belthazor's human form." Prue says.

In Cole's apartment building Buffy, Prue, Piper and Krell walk inside the building.

"What are we gonna do?" Piper asks.

"We're gonna vanquish him." Prue says.

"We're gonna vanquish Phoebe's boyfriend? That's gonna cause some problems." Buffy says.

"If you hesitate he'll kill us all." Krell says.

"Excuse me, we're having a private conversation over here." Piper says.

Prue nods, "You know, I can not believe I let him out of that demon trap when I caught him. What was I thinking?"

"Prue, we don't know anything for sure yet." Piper says as Leo orbs in. "Leo, what are you doing here?"

"I didn't wanna get in between you guys but I didn't know what to do." Leo says.

"About what?" Buffy asks.

"I think Cole is..." Leo says.

Prue nods, "Belthazor's human form. Yeah, that's why we're here."

"How did you know?" Leo asks.

"Where's Phoebe?" Piper asks.

"She's upstairs with Cole, apartment seven." Leo says.

Krell frowns, "Tell me you didn't heal him."

"Well, not completely." Leo says.

"You idiot." Krell says.

"Leo!" Piper and Buffy says.

Leo sighs, "Phoebe begged me. I didn't know what to do."

"You stay here, we'll fix it." Piper says.

They hurry upstairs and burst in to Cole's apartment.

"Krell." Cole says as he changes into Belthazor. Phoebe looks shocked. A knife appears in his hand and he grabs Phoebe. Krell tries to zap Belthazor but Prue pushes his hand out of the way.

"No!" Prue says.

Belthazor shimmers out of the room taking Phoebe with him.

"Phoebe." Buffy and Piper says.

Krell frowns, "You let Belthazor escape."

Prue nods, "You almost killed our sister."

"Your sister is dead anyway. He only needed her to get away." Krell says.

"I don't think Cole will hurt Phoebe." Buffy says.

Prue nods, "No, but maybe Belthazor would."

"Then why hasn't he? He's had so many chances." Piper says.

"He just used her until he could get all four of you. The Charmed Ones and the Charmed Slayer. Why he couldn't follow through I'll never understand." Krell says.

"Maybe he fell in love." Buffy says.

Prue nods, "Yeah, or maybe that was just a trick. I mean, demons will do whatever it takes, remember?"

"Glad to see I've had a positive influence on you. I can save your sister if it's not too late." Krell says.

"Why would you want to?" Prue says.

Krell shakes his head, "I wouldn't. But I'll do it if it's the only was to kill Belthazor. Give me the potion. I can find him and get to him faster alone."

"Nice try. Forget it." Buffy says.

"You already said that you can't track him if he can shimmer." Piper says.

Krell nods, "But he can't shimmer well. He needs time to recharge. Your Whitelighter only healed his human half."

"I'm sorry, his human half?" Piper says.

Krell nods, "That's why the triad sent him. He understands you. He can blend in. A full-blooded demon could never have gotten so close. Give me the potion."

"If you hurt her, we'll track you down." Prue says and she hands Krell the potion. He disappears.

"Do you really trust him?" Buffy asks.

"No. Buffy we need a flame express." Prue says.

Buffy nods, "Where are we going?"

"Oh, to where demons hide." Prue says.

Buffy flames out with Prue and Piper and flames in to a cemetery. They hear Phoebe scream.

"Phoebe?" Prue asks.

They hear the sound of something or someone being vanquished.

"Phoebe." Buffy says.

"There." Prue says.

They run towards the mausoleum.

"Phoebe!" Piper says.

Buffy, Prue and Piper run in to the Mausoleum.

"Pheebs?" Prue asks.

"Phoebe, thank goddess you're okay." Buffy says.

They see a burning pile.

"He killed Krell." Phoebe says.

Prue nods, "And you did what you had to do." She hugs Phoebe.

"I know." Phoebe says.

Later back at the Manor Phoebe is lying on the couch holding Cole's dagger. Buffy, Prue and Piper walk in. Piper's holding a tray of food.

"We brought you some comfort food." Piper says.

Phoebe shakes her head, "Thanks, I'm not really that hungry."

"You wanna talk?" Buffy asks.

Phoebe sighs, "I don't know what there is to talk about. You were right as usual, Prue."

Prue shakes her head, "I didn't wanna be right."

Phoebe nods, "I know. Believe me, Prue, you have nothing to apologise for. But I do. What I did was..."

Piper nods, "Phoebe, he fooled us all, not just you."

"That's not what I mean. I don't know, I just, I feel so... ashamed." Phoebe says.

Buffy smiles, "You can't be so hard on yourself."

Prue nods, "You didn't do anything wrong, you know."

"Didn't I?" Phoebe asks.

"Well, the important thing is that it's over. We can get on with our lives now." Prue says.

Buffy nods, "At least until the next Belthazor attacks. We'll leave you alone."

"Let us know if you need anything." Prue says.

"Thanks." Pheobe says.

Prue, Buffy and Piper walk out of the room.


	59. Chapter 59: Revelations

**Chapter 59: Revelations**

At Payson's Dingoes Ate My Baby are finishing up a ballad. The band members all take their best rock-star bows. All but Oz as he just unstraps his guitar, drops offstage, passes a gaggle of wide-eyed groupies and joins Willow at her table.

Willow, stuck between Xander and Cordelia, looks mighty happy to see Oz. "Oz! Hey. Have a seat. Except, we don't have any seats."

"Can I just say, I liked this place before it got popular?" Cordelia says.

Willow shakes her head, "Cordelia, you didn't come in here before it got popular. It didn't get popular till Piper signed Dishwalla and back then it was an adult only club while Piper was wairing for the permits to allow teens in and still server alcohol."

"No problem, I'll just scrunch." Oz says and scoots in, pressing Willow to Xander. Willow pulls back; Xander mushes up close against Cordelia.

"Xander - why are you giving me a lap dance?" Cordelia asks.

Xander smiles, "What, I just like you."

"And that's very beautiful. I think it's great when two people like two people and want to be close to them instead of anyone else." Willow says.

"Hear, hear." Xander says.

Oz nods, "Yeah, well put. Um, can I snag a sip?"

"Sure." Willow says.

"You got it." Xander says.

Willow and Xander both reach for Willow's soda - and their hands touch. Instant spaz-out. Willow knocks over the glass. Xander whips his hand back so fast - CRASH! - it knocks over a passing waitress's tray.

Mock applause from the room.

"Thank you, we're here through Saturday, enjoy the veal." Xander says.

"Why are you guys so hyper?" Cordelia asks.

"Hey, speaking of people and things they do that are not like usual, anyone notice Buffy acting sort of different?" Willow asks.

"Let's see… killing Zombies, torching sewer monsters, freeing the enslaved populace of a parallel dimension… nope. She's pretty much the same old Buffster." Xander says.

"I just mean, she's off by herself a lot more. And she's kind of distracted." Willow says.

"Think maybe she's got a new honey?" Cordelia asks.

"A boyfriend? Why wouldn't she tell us?" Willow says.

"Excuse me. When your last steady kills half the class, and then your rebound guy sends you a dump-o-gram? It makes a girl shy." Cordelia says.

"But we're the best of Buffy's bestest buds. She'd tell us." Xander says.

"Tell you what?" Buffy asks.

They all look up to see Buffy standing there. Looking on expectantly.

"About your new boyfriend. Who we made up. Unless we didn't." Willow says.

"This was a topic of discussion?" Buffy asks.

Oz nods, "Raised, never discussed."

"So? Are you with somebody or not?" Cordelia asks.

All eyes turn to Buffy. Buffy smiles to herself. "Well, I wouldn't use the word "dating," but I am… going out with somebody. Tonight."

"Really? Who?" Willow asks excited.

Faith strides up to the table. Grunts hello to the group. "Yo, what's up. Time to motorvate."

Buffy puts her arm around Faith. "Really, we're just good friends."

Later in a graveyard Buffy and Faith are fighting two big, nasty-leather vamps.

Giles is standing on the sidelines, watching anxiously.

Buffy uses her attacker's momentum against him, rolls, comes up on top. Faith just shoves her vamp off her. The two slayer/vampire opponents square off.

Buffy lets her vamp make the first move. He lunges. She ducks under him and comes up with a well-practiced combination of roundhouse kicks. She powers up a fireball.

Faith takes the fight to her guy, barraging him with a series of crude, hard shots to the head. Draws her stake…

Giles watches as the Buffy throws her fireball at her vamp as Faith stakes hers. Both vamps dust.

Buffy turns to Giles. "Synchronized slaying."

"New Olympic category." Faith says.

"What do you think?" Buffy asks.

"Sloppy." Huh? Buffy, Faith and Giles turn to see Mrs. Gwendolyn Post emerge from the darkness. She clicks off her stopwatch and briskly critiques, "You telegraph punches," she looks to Buffy, "leave blind sides open and, for a school night slaying, you both take entirely too much time. Which one of you is Faith?"

"Depends. Who the hell are you?" Faith asks.

"Gwendolyn Post. Mrs. Your new watcher." Mrs. Post says

Later back in the library Giles looks on anxiously as Mrs. Post rummages through his prized book collection, less than impressed. Buffy and Faith sit together.

"I'm telling you, I don't need a new watcher! No offense, lady, I just have this problem with authority figures. They end up kinda dead." Faith says.

"Duly noted, and fortunately, it's not up to you." Mrs. Post says. "Mr. Giles - where do you keep the rest of your books?"

"I'm sorry, the… rest?" Giles asks.

Mrs. Post nods, "Yes, the actual library. Oh. I see."

Giles nods, "I assure you, Mrs. Post, this is the finest occult reference collection…"

"…this side of the Atlantic, I'm sure. Do you have Hume's Paranormal Encyclopedia?" Mrs. Post asks. "The Labyrinth maps of Malta? I suppose you have Sir Robert Kane's Twilight Compendium?"

Giles nods, "Yes, I, I do have that."

"Yes, of course you do. I've been sent by the council for a very important reason. Faith needs a watcher. I am to act in that capacity, and report back." Mrs. Post says.

"Excuse me, Mary Poppins, you're not listening…" Faith says.

Giles shakes his head, "Now, Faith, if the council feels you need closer observations, well of course we'll all cooperate –"

"The council wishes me to report on the entire situation here. Including you and your witch."

Buffy frowns, "Witch? I'm just a witch? I'll let you know I'm Charmed, lady."

"The fact is, there is talk in the council that you've become a bit too… American." Mrs. Post continues ignoring Buffy. "Operations here seem somewhat haphazard. Sloppy. Faith. Sit up straight and pay attention."

Faith, surprised, does exactly as she's told. Giles urgently motions for Buffy to do the same, but she just throws him a look.

"A demon named Lagos is coming here, to the Hellmouth. Mr. Giles, an illustration of Lagos, if you please." Mrs. Post says as Giles scrambles through his materials, looking… "Perhaps later. Lagos seeks the Glove of Myhnegon. No record of this glove's full power exists. We do know it is highly dangerous, and cannot fall in the hands of a demon. Lagos must be stopped."

"What do you propose?" Giles asks.

"If it's not too radical a suggestion, I thought we might kill him. I suggest two slayers at full strength for a coordinated hunt. We believe the glove to be buried in a tomb somewhere, so Lagos will be headed for the cemetery." Mrs. Post says.

"Well, there is more than one in San Francisco." Giles says.

"I see. How many?" Mrs. Post says.

"Fifty. Within city limits." Giles says

"Ah. Well, we shall have to take them one at a time. Anything in your books that might pinpoint the exact location of the tomb would be useful but then, we cannot ask for miracles. We'll begin tomorrow at sunset. Faith! With me, please." Mrs. Post says before she leaves with Faith trailing along.

"Well. That was bracing." Giles says.

"She's an interesting lady. Can we kill her?" Buffy asks. "Maybe a nice fireball up her…"

"I think the council would tend to frown on that. Well. What do you say to some training?" Giles asks.

The next day at the mansion Buffy is practicing Tai Chi together with Angel. Angel's showing her how to move. She imitates his motions, mirroring him. Both lightly sweating. Together they flow like water.

Angel touches her arm, positioning her. He lets his hand slide down her arm, and she slips her fingers between his. He gently pulls her toward him. Whispers. "Buffy."

"Angel…" Buffy says.

Getting closer. Bare arms wrap around wet torsos. Buffy and Angel are now body to body, face to face. Their lips closing in on each other.

Buffy pulls back. Angel lets her. Moment over. Buffy busies herself packing a Slayer-Night bag of weapons, talking to distract herself. "I gotta go. Big night for us slayer-types. People to see, demons to kill, you know the drill. Better hurry before somebody figures out what we're doing."

Buffy hauls the bag over her shoulder, starts to head out, but Angel stops her in her tracks. "What are we doing?"

Buffy puts the bag down. "Training. And almost kissing. I'm sorry. It's just… old habit. Bad habit. Habit to be broken."

"It's hard." Angel says.

Buffy nods, "It's not that hard. Cold turkey. That's the key to quitting." They look into each other's eyes for a long moment. " Do you think they have a patch for this?"

"You have to go." Angel says.

Buffy nods, "I really do." She picks up her bag, heads for the door. "I'm gonna vent a little hormonal angst by going out there and killing a Lagos, whatever that is."

The name catches Angel's attention. "Lagos?"

Buffy nods, "Yeah, he's some kind of Demon looking for an all-powerful thingimibob and I've got to stop him before unholy havoc's unleashed and it's another Tuesday night in San Francisco." She reaches the door. Stops. Can see Angel's thinking. Tries to read his expression, but can't.

"Be careful." Angel says.

Buffy approaches Angel, to kiss him goodbye. Stops herself. Not happy. Just leaves.

Later Buffy and Faith are headed to a cemetery.

"Ronnie. Deadbeat. Steve. Klepto. Kenny. DRUMMER. Eventually I had to face up to my destiny as a loser magnet. Now it's strictly get some and get gone. You can't trust guys." Faith says.

Buffy nods, "You can trust some guys. Really. I've read about them."

"So. What about you?" Faith asks.

"Like, me and boys me? Not much to tell, these days." Buffy says.

"Yeah, but you've gotta have stories. I mean, I had my share of losers, but you boinked the undead. So? What was it like?" Faith says.

Buffy sighs, "Life with Angel's complicated. Was. It's… a little hard to talk about."

"Try." Faith says.

"All the Angel issues, they're still kind of with me, so… you know?" Buffy says.

Faith's hurt by the slight shrug-off, but hides it. "Sure, whatever. You know what? We're 0 for 6 tonight. Let's blow this off."

"I am kind of beat… but Shady Hill is pretty close." Buffy says.

"I'll swing through it, it's on my way anyway." Faith says.

"Alone? I don't want –" Buffy says.

Faith shakes her head, "I got Miss Priss on my back now, I don't need another baby sitter. I'll holler if I'm having any fun. You are after all just a flame away."

Buffy nods, "Okay…"

"Later." Faith says and takes off.

Later back at the Mansion Buffy and Angel are wrapped in one another's arms, kissing with full and tender passion. Really enjoying themselves, both knowing they shouldn't. pulling every bit of sensual pleasure they can out of each other. Finally, slowly, they pull apart. Look each other deep in the eyes.

"Oh, Goddess…" Buffy says.

"Buffy…" Angel says.

Buffy shakes her head, "What am I doing? What are YOU doing?"

"I don't know…" Angel says.

Buffy sighs, "Shame on you! Oh, Goddess. I… I don't even know why I came back here."

"It's good you did." Angel says and reaches out to Buffy. She flinches. Then realizes he's reaching for her hand. A little confused, she gives it to him. He leads her across the Mansion floor, to a bundle. "I think I have what you're looking for."

"Great. Just, wherever this was giftwrapped? Remind me not to shop there." Buffy says.

Angel unwraps the bundle, raising up a small cloud of dust. The dust settles, revealing THE GLOVE OF MYHNEGON: a huge, four-fingered, chain-mail and spiked glove. "The Glove of Myhnegon."

"The world's ugliest fashion accessory." Buffy says and she reaches out to touch the glove.

Angel sharply pulls her back away. "Don't. Once it's put on, the glove can never be removed."

"So, no touching. Kind of like us." Buffy says. Angel removes his hand from Buffy's arm. "Sorry. Cheap shot, I know." She sighs. "But at least the glove's safe. You hold onto it, I'll tell Giles in the morning. At least he'll be happy."

The next day Buffy moves into the library, all smiles. Stops dead when she sees Giles, Xander, Willow, Cordelia & Oz - waiting for her, their expressions grave.

"Hey, enough with the tragedy masks. Lagos is outta luck - I found the magic mitten thingy!"

Nothing. They just look at her.

"You'd better have a seat, Buffy." Giles says.

Now Buffy's getting scared. What's the big? She sits. "What? Is somebody hurt? Is it Prue, Piper and Phoebe? I just left them did something happen?"

"Not yet. But it's only a matter of time." Xander says.

Giles nods, "We know Angel is alive, Buffy. Xander saw you with him." Buffy closes her eyes. Busted. "It appears that you've been hiding him. And that you lied to us –"

"Nobody's here to blame you, Buffy. We all do things we're not proud of - but this is serious. You need help." Willow says.

"It's… It's not what you think." Buffy says.

"Hope not - because I think you're harboring a vicious killer –" Xander says.

"Hey. This isn't about attacking Buffy. Remember - "I" statements only? "I feel angry." "I feel worried…"" Willow says.

"Fine. Here's one. I feel worried - about me! Last time around, Angel barely laid a hand on Buffy – he was way more interested in killing her friends –" Cordelia says.

Buffy sighs, "But he's better now. Willow cured him and - somehow - he came back. Prue knows, she's been trying to help me find out why he came back."

"Better for how long, Buffy? Have you even thought about that?" Xander asks.

"What is this? Demons Anonymous? I mean, I don't need an intervention here –" Buffy says.

Giles frowns, "Don't you? To hide this – For you and Prue to take into your own hands…"

Buffy shakes her head, "We were going to tell you! But we didn't know why he was back or anything. We wanted to wait –"

"For what? For Angel to go psycho again the next time you give him a happy?" Xander says.

Buffy frowns, "I'm not going to - We're not together like that!"

"But you were kissing him." Oz says.

Buffy's nailed by this factoid - but she can't deal. There's silence before she says to Xander, with forced calm, "You were spying on me? What gives you the right?"

"What gives you the right to suck face with your demon lover again?" Cordelia asks.

"It - it was an accident!" Buffy says.

"What? You tripped and fell on his lips?" Xander asks.

"It was wrong. It can't happen again. But I - I'd never put you guys in danger. If I thought Angel was going to hurt anyone –" Buffy says.

"You'd stop him. Like you did last time with Ms. Calendar." Xander says.

Buffy powers up a fireball, "You want to go round one, Xander? Jenny was my friend. I regret what happened to her. There is not a day that goes by that I don't wish I could take it back. That she would be alive again."

"Buffy - when it comes to Angel - you can't see straight. That's why we're all going to help you face this." Willow says.

Buffy shakes her head, "You know what guys enough. If you don't want to believe me then go see Prue. Right now all I can offer you is my promise he's good again. I swear. He even found the Glove of Myhnegon for us. It's at the mansion."

Xander stands - he's had enough. "Right. Good plan. Leave tons of firepower with the scary guy. And leave us to clean up the mess." He moves toward the weapons cabinet.

Buffy grabs him hard by the arm. Stops him. "You'd love an excuse to hurt him, wouldn't you?"

Xander yanks his arm away. Backs off from her, appalled. "I don't need an "excuse." I think "lots of dead people" actually constitutes a reason."

"Right, this is all nobility, you're not jealous or anything –" Buffy says.

"Hello? Miss not-over-yourself-yet?" Cordelia asks.

Buffy frowns and throws a fireball at Cordelia, "Stay out of it." The fireball misses Cordelia by a mile and hits a wall."

"Giles, no one's doing the "I" statements!" Willow says.

Giles stands, "That's enough! Everybody. Buffy's heard our concerns. And her actions, while ill-advised, were understandable… and the question of Angel… It can't be solved while tempers run this hot." Everybody stares at their shoes. "Our priority right now is retrieving the Glove of Myhnegon from the mansion and finding a way to destroy it. Now - all of you - back to your classes."

They all file out.

Giles heads into his office, Buffy following.

"Thanks for the bail. I know this is a lot to absorb, but Angel did find the glove. That's good, right? Angel did a good…"

Giles turns, his face a hardened mask. "Be quiet. I won't remind you that the fate of the world often rests with the Slayer. What would be the point? Nor shall I remind you that you have jeopardized the lives of everyone you know by housing a known murderer. But sadly I must remind you that Angel tortured me. For hours. For pleasure. You should have told me he was alive. You didn't. You have no respect for me, or the job I perform."

"Fine consider yourself Slayerless. Prue has been on my side since we found out he came back. She helped me to find out why he came back. We planned on telling you Giles. We planned on telling everyone." Buffy says. "I know this is not the best of situations but the least you could do is trust me." She turns and walks out.

At the end of school Willow is at her locker as Buffy approaches, tentative.

"Hey." Buffy says.

"Hey!" Willow says.

"So, on a scale of one to a million, how much are you hating me right now?" Buffy asks.

Willow shakes her head, "Zero. Negative digits. Not even peeved."

"Okay. Mother Theresa? Could you stop possessing the body of Willow now. I need to talk to Willow." Buffy says.

Willow sighs, "It's me. I just think, you were scared, you kept a secret. That's okay. Secrets aren't bad. They're normal. Better than normal. Secrets are good! Must be a reason we keep them, right?"

Buffy sighs, "Willow, Prue and I kept the secret because at first Angel was nothing more than an animal. But he started to get better. Prue and I then were trying to find out why he came back, seriously. If you don't believe me you can ask Prue."

Willow nods, "Okay I can understand that. I can also understand if you have some feelings for him."

Buffy sighs, "I do. I'll always love him. I don't know if I'm still in love with him though."

Willow nods, "Good enough for me. So, you going to Payson's tonight?"

Buffy shakes her head, "No. After you guys left I blew up at Giles. I want to kill this Lagos guy. Peace offering to Giles."

"Well, Angel has the glove now, right?" Willow asks.

Buffy nods, "Yeah. But Lagos doesn't know that. Sooner or later he's bound to turn up at that crypt looking for it."

"And instead he finds Buffy in a bad mood." Willow says.

"We are the great strategists of our day." Buffy says.

In the graveyard Buffy and Willow hang out on the tomb steps, waiting for Lagos. Buffy paces.

Willow, sitting, looks around nervously. "Um, not to downplay my own slaying abilities, which in some circles are considered formidable, but… shouldn't Faith be here?"

Buffy shrugs, "Tried calling, no one home. But if you're feeling any Demon-o-phobia, please. Splitting's totally an option. You're not the one in trouble with Giles."

Willow sighs, "That's true."

"How long you think he can stay mad, anyway?" Buffy asks.

"The emotional Marathon Man?" Willow asks and she shrugs.

Buffy nods, "Guess I can't really blame him. But you know - it's weird. Now that my secret is out with Angel, I feel… better."

"Well sure you do. You and Prue have just had this big burden lifted. Keeping secrets is a lot of work. One could hypothetically imagine." Willow says.

Buffy nods, "You know Prue didn't want to go along with it at first. But she was curious on why he had returned also. It's a wonder she didn't say anything to Giles before now."

"Can I ask you something? When you were with Angel, and nobody knew about it, did that make things feel, you know… sexier, somehow?" Willow asks.

"Like, the forbidden fruit's sweeter kind of deal? Not really. Too much pressure. After awhile, it even makes the fun parts… not so fun." Buffy says.

Willow nods, "Huh."

"What makes you think all the secret stuff is sexy, anyway?" Buffy asks.

Willow shrugs, "No reason. Just wondering. Gotta keep asking the big ol' questions when you're blessed with this girl's thirst for knowledge and okay I admit it there's something I have to tell you."

Buffy frowns, "Don't tell me you tried a spell I specifically said you weren't ready for yet?"

Willow shakes her head, "No. Okay. This'll make me feel better, right? I've always thought of myself as a good person. Floss, do my homework, never cheat. But lately, and please don't judge me, but… I just want you to be the first to know that, that… there's a demon behind you."

Not what Buffy expected. She spins just in time to see big, pissed-off Lagos – rushing her, arms spread like an NFL linebacker, appetite for destruction.

Buffy nimbly leap-frogs over Lagos's rush. Turns to Willow. "We'll pick up in a minute."

Buffy stands between Lagos and the tomb entrance, ready to rock. Lagos lumbers forward. Buffy tries taking him on, Faith-style. Slugs him hard. Again. Again. He just keeps coming. Swings. Buffy barely ducks under his punch in time - it shatters a stone crucifix. "Okay. A plan "B" would be nice."

Lagos throws a roundhouse right. He's strong but slow. Buffy ducks under his huge swinging fist, takes advantage of her speed, gets around behind Lagos and rips the ancient battle axe off his back.

"Now we're talking." Buffy says.

Lagos throws another punch. Buffy ducks under it and comes up swinging… with the axe. No one's more surprised than Lagos when Buffy cuts his head off.

Lagos's head and body fall to the ground, not especially near each other.

Willow joins Buffy.

"So what were you going to tell me?" Buffy asks.

"Oh. I, um, opened my S.A.T. test booklet five minutes early. Doesn't seem that important now, does it?" Willow says.

Buffy smiles. "My lips are sealed. Come on." She slings the axe over her shoulder. "Let's go bring Giles some happiness."

Moments later Buffy and Willow enter the library.

"Giles HAS to be psyched that we showed up stuffy old Mrs. Post –" Buffy says before she freezes. "Oh, Goddess."

Giles is lying barely conscious on a stretcher, surrounded by a team of paramedics. One checks his pulse, another bandages his head while the team leader barks orders into her walkie-talkie.

"San Francisco General we've got a Caucasian male, mid-forties, blunt object head trauma. Prep E.R., we're bringing him in. Lifting." The paramedic says as they lift the stretcher's metal support stand. It locks into place. They wheel him out. Buffy's in the way.

"What happened?" Buffy asks.

"No time for this." Paramedic says.

"Wait!" Giles says as he stops the stretcher's momentum by grabbing Buffy's arm with his last remaining strength. Fighting to stay conscious, "The Glove… of Myhnegon. Must destroy…"

"You want him to live? Get out of the way." Paramedic says.

"Use… Living Flame." Giles says.

Buffy nods and leans in and whispers to Giles, "I'm sorry for what I said earlier."

Giles nods.

"Move!" Paramedic says.

Buffy moves out of the way as the paramedics wheel Giles out the library doors. Gone.

Buffy whirls on Xander. "What happened?"

"Your boyfriend's not as "cured" as you thought." Xander says.

"What makes you think Angel did this?" Buffy asks.

"We saw what you saw." Xander says.

Buffy frowns, "So you just assume…"

Xander shakes his head, "I didn't. Faith did."

This sinks in with Buffy and Willow.

"What did you tell her?" Buffy asks.

"Only what everyone knows. She's a big girl. Came to her own conclusions." Xander says.

Buffy sees the crossbow in Xander's hands. Gets it. "How much of a head start's she got?"

"Ten minutes." Xander says.

"Why's she doing this?" Buffy asks.

"Because she's a Vampire Slayer." Xander says.

Buffy glares at Xander in disbelief. Xander stares right back, not flinching, not giving an inch. "Xander get out of my sight. If I see you again before I've had a chance to calm down your toast. Literally." She turns to Willow. "Check Giles' research, find a way to destroy the glove. I'm going to stop Faith." She flames out.

At the Mansion Faith attacks Angel, who's groggy from Mrs. Post's hitting him over the head with a shovel. He's weak by vampire standards, but still a vampire - he throws a strong right. Faith blocks it; lands a better one. She kicks his ass across the room, toward the couch. Follows him there and really pummels him. One last crack and he's on the table, too weak to move.

Faith raises her stake high for the kill. Brings it whistling down – when someone grabs her wrist – stopping her. "What…?"

Faith looks up to see Buffy.

Buffy stands between Angel and Faith. Angel, crippled from Faith's attack, lies bent over and helpless. Buffy gets in defensive position. Faith's wild-eyed. Adrenaline's pumping through.

"Never stop a slayer when the blood is up." Faith says.

"Can't let you do it, Faith." Buffy says.

"You're confused, Twinkie. Let me clear you up:" Faith says as she points. "Vampire. Slayer. Dead vampire."

"Faith, there's a lot you don't understand." Buffy says.

"Faith…" Mrs. Post says. They look over. Mrs. Post is still too weak to get up, but she calls to Faith. Buffy looks confusedly at Mrs. Post and Angel - what's going on? "She doesn't… know… She's blinded by love…"

Buffy rolls her eyes, "Faith, no…"

"Faith… trust me…" Mrs. Post says.

A look passes between Faith and Mrs. Post.

Buffy steps up to Faith, "We can figure this out –"

CRACK! Before Buffy can finish, Faith whirls and punches Buffy with a left hook that nearly takes her head off. Buffy snaps back and the two slayers square off.

And they start.

Slayer vs. slayer. No weapons, categorically no holds barred. It's fast, brutal and balletic.

The two girls explode through the glass doors, sending shards everywhere. They are on their feet in a moment and the fight continues, neither girl making much headway.

Willow and Xander run into the Mansion breathless. They see Mrs. Post, rush to help her.

"The glove…" Mrs. Post says.

"We'll get it." Xander says.

"Help Faith…" Mrs. Post says.

A crash turns Xander's attention to the garden. He rushes out to see, Willow helping Mrs. Post up.

The slayer fight's in full force. Xander rushes out. "What are you - stop! Guys, listen!" He steps in the middle - and Faith backhands him into a wall. Buffy decks her hard for that one.

Willow opens the trunk, Mrs. Post digging in and producing the glove.

"Finally!" Mrs. Post says as she swings the glove and homeruns Willow into the corner. She stands before the Mansion fireplace, looks up to the sky and puts on the glove.

The Glove of Myhnegon, activated by living contact, comes to life. Click click click click click! The ancient spikes around the cuff all dig into the flesh of Mrs. Post's forearm, ringing around the arm, attaching itself permanently. "Tar chugam a chumhacht Myhnegon!"

Outside Faith and Buffy are suddenly stopped by thunder that sounds all around them. They stop, look into the house and see Mrs. Post holding the glove in front of her gleefully. Faith takes a step to the door, betrayal etched on her face.

"What's going on?" Faith asks.

"Faith, a word of advice. You're an idiot." Mrs. Post says as she lifts her hand up like a gun. "Tar frim!"

BOOM! The Mansion skylight shatters as a burst of lightning comes crashing through, sending a shower of glass shards exploding downward.

The lightning streaks straight towards Mrs. Post's glove. An Energy Beam shoots forward from Mrs. Post's hand, streaking across the Mansion, straight toward Faith. Buffy slams into Faith, the two diving for safety as the energy beam hits the tree behind them, which explodes into flame.

Willow stands and Mrs. Post turns to her.

"Tar frim!" Mrs. Post says.

Lightning, energy - and this time Angel makes the save, rising and pushing Willow out of the way. The beam explodes a piece of wall - and singes Angel, catching an arm and part of his back with flame as he hits the ground.

Willow grabs a tapestry off the Mansion wall and wraps it around Angel's prone body - dousing the flame.

"Can you draw her fire?" Buffy asks Faith.

"That I can." Faith says, she's all cold fury now.

"Then do it." Buffy says as she looks around for a good sized shard of glass.

Faith dashes into the living room.

Mrs. Post spins, "Tar frim!" And fires. Faith flips up the coffee table before her, blocking the flame. Crouches behind it. "There's nothing you can do to me now. I have the Glove, and with the glove comes the power!"

"I'm getting that." Buffy says as she has a very large, triangular shard of glass in her hand. With dazzling alacrity, she hurls it.

"Tar frim!" Mrs. Post says.

The shard spins through Mrs. Post's shoulder and smashes against the far wall.

The gloved arm, severed, drops harmlessly to the floor.

Mrs. Post screams - and the lightning strikes her. She screams as her body is engulfed in swirling, wrap-around blue streaks of unnatural electricity. Her screams build as the frenzy of electricity grows, multiplies, out of control, until…

Mrs. Post bursts into flame. Total immolation. Nothing left but smoke - she is gone.

The next day in the school lounge Cordelia and Xander are with Oz and Willow.

"So there's no more glove thingy?" Cordelia asks.

Xander nods, "A little Living Flame, a little mesquite… gone for good."

"Sounds like we missed a lot of fun." Oz says.

Xander nods, "Then we're telling it wrong."

"What do you think Buffy and Angel are gonna do?" Willow asks.

"Boy do I don't know." Xander says.

Willow nods, "He saved me from a horrible flamey death. That sort of makes me like him again."

"Well, as long as he and Buffy don't get pelvic, we'll be okay. I guess." Xander says.

Buffy approaches. "What are you guys talking about?"

"Oddly enough, your boyfriend. Again." Oz says.

Buffy shakes her head, "He's not my boyfriend. Really and truly. He's… I don't know." She turns to Xander. "I'm sorry for what I said last night. Are we okay?"

Xander nods, "Yeah. Seeing you kissing him, after everything that happened… leaned me toward the postal. But I trust you."

"I don't. Just for the record." Cordelia says.

Giles approaches now as well.

"Let me guess. Gwendolyn Post, not a watcher." Buffy says.

Giles nods, "She was kicked out by the council two years ago for misuses of dark power. They swear there was a memo…"

Buffy nods, "I'd better go. Little more damage control." She takes off, the others watching her.

At Faith's motel room, Faith's watching daytime TV by herself, sitting on a ratty sofa, feet propped up on some stolen plastic milk cartons. She's flicking channels. "Come in."

Buffy tentatively comes in. Faith's eyes never leave the TV. "Place looks nice."

"Yeah, real Spartan." Faith says.

"How are you doing?" Buffy asks.

"Five by five." Faith says.

Buffy nods, "I'm interpreting that as good…" Faith offers nothing. Buffy approaches the sofa hesitantly. "Mrs. Post, or whoever she was, she fooled us all. Even Giles."

Faith nods, "Yeah, well, you can't trust people. I shoulda learned that by now."

Buffy smiles, "This may sound funny coming from someone who just spent a lot of time kicking your face, but you can trust me."

"Is that right?" Faith asks.

Buffy nods, "I know I've kept secrets, but I didn't have a choice. I'm on your side."

"I'm on my side. And that's enough." Faith says.

"Not always." Buffy says.

Faith nods, "So, is that it?"

Buffy sighs, "I guess…"

"I'll see you, then." Faith says.

"Yeah." Buffy says as she starts slowly for the door, unsatisfied.

Faith looks equally unhappy, stops her, "Buffy?"

Buffy turns back to Faith, "Yes?"

But Faith can't do it. "Nothing."

Another moment, then Buffy leaves.

Faith looks at the door wondering if she could trust Buffy to help her… Faith pulls out a locket from beneath her shirt and opens it – there is a picture of a baby girl inside, "I swear Hope I will find you some day."


	60. Chapter 60: The Wish

**Chapter 60: The Wish**

Willow rifles through Buffy's weapon bag nearby - frantic. "Oh, God, Oh, God - Demon, demon - what kills a demon?!"

Buffy hears this - tries to talk, unsuccessfully. "Knurrppppph!" She is unable to flame.

"Oh! Nurf? Not nurf! Knife!" Willow says as she snatches an athame from the bag. She tosses it to Buffy - who catches it and thrusts it into the demon's belly. The demon bellows and dies. Both he and Buffy fall to the ground with a painful thud.

Xander and Willow move to Buffy - help her to her feet.

"Okay. That was too close for comfort. Not that slaying is ever comfy... But you know what I mean. If you guys hadn't been here to help-" Buffy says.

Willow appears to be shaken, "But we were. And we did. And we're all fine. Isn't he gonna go poof?"

Buffy shakes her head, "I guess this kind don't. We'll have to bury him or something. Makes you appreciate vampires and most other demons. No muss, no fuss."

"How come Faith was a no show? I thought the mucussy demons were her favorites." Xander says.

"Couldn't reach her - again. She hasn't been hanging out much. Off by herself." Buffy says.

"I detect worry." Xander says.

Buffy nods, "Little bit. Slaying's a hard gig – too much alone time isn't always healthy. Stuff gets pent up."

"We should try to do more socializing with her." Willow says.

"Well, burial detail aside, does this cap us off for the day?" Xander asks.

"You got plans?" Buffy asks.

"I cannot stress enough how much I don't have plans." Xander says.

"No luck reaching Cordelia?" Buffy asks.

Cordelia had recently broken up with Xander after she had caught him and Willow kissing.

"I left a few messages, sixty or seventy..." Xander says. "And you know what bugs me? Okay, we were kissing, it's wrong, but I know that was positively the last time we ever would have kissed."

Willow nods, "Darn tootin'."

"And they burst in, rescuing us without even knocking, I mean this is really all their fault." Xander says.

The girls look at him.

"Your logic does not resemble our Earth-logic." Buffy says.

"Mine is more advanced." Xander says sheepishly.

Willow nods, "At least tomorrow's Monday. Another school day."

"That's right. Focus on school. Focus on yourself. That's the strong Willow way to heal." Buffy says.

"Actually - I was more thinking "Oz will be there and I can beg for forgiveness."" Willow says.

Buffy nods, "That works too."

"I want to be strong Willow. But then when I think I might not ever get to be close to Oz again... it's like all the air goes out of the room." Willow says.

Buffy sighs, "I know the feeling."

They rise. Buffy grabs the demon's legs. Her friends immediately flank her, ready to help drag him off.

"Right. You've been through it all with Angel and you're still standing. So, tell us, wise one, how do you deal?" Xander says.

Buffy contemplates. Then, simply, "I have you guys."

They start to drag him off toward the bushes.

The next day at Gateway High Buffy joins Willow - who is looking more than a little anxious.

"How's it going?" Buffy asks.

"Oz hasn't been to his locker. There may be books in there that he needs, but still he doesn't come." Willow says.

Buffy nods, "What about Cordy? Has Xander seen her?"

"I don't think so. But she is coming in today. Amy saw her last night at the mall." Willow says.

Buffy nods, "How was she?"

"I don't know. Amy said she looked pretty scary." Willow says.

That evening at Payson's Xander sits with Buffy and Willow, watching people on the dance floor - trying not to look suicidal. Some loud laughter draws Xander's attention. Cordelia and Anya stand at another table - with boys, and having a high old time.

Xander takes this in - laughs at a remark of Buffy's. Not satisfied that they noticed, he continues to laugh until he is bellowing. He stops when he realizes that he is a grotesque freak.

Cordelia and Anya look at him, at each other - what a loser. Actually, Buffy and Willow share not entirely different looks.

"Excuse me? I need to be both giving and receiving mirth. Is it too much to ask for a little back up?" Xander asks.

Buffy sighs, "I don't know, Xand. I'm here for you. I'm supporto gal. But I feel kind of funny doing the "us against Cordelia" thing. She's had a rough time."

"It's true. Cordy belongs to the "justified" camp. She should make us pay. And pay and pay and pay and pay... In fact, there's really not enough "pay" to make up for-" Willow says.

"You want to do guilt-a-palooza? Fine. But I'm done with that. Starting this minute - I'm going to grab a hold of that crazy little thing called life and let it do it's magic heal-y thing. What's done is done. Let's be in the moment. Behold the beauty that is now! Who's with me?" Xander says.

"It's true. We're young and free in America... How dare we be spun by love - or the lack of same?" Buffy says.

"Absolutely. It's self indulgent. I'm in. I'm on the joy train." Willow says.

A long beat as they all smile. Bop their heads to the music - look around at passing people.

"That didn't work. Who wants chocolate?" Buffy says.

Willow and Xander raise their hands - Buffy moves off.

Xander absently covers Will's hand with his - worrying it as he glances at Cordelia. "Look at her. Tears of a clown, baby. Or, more like, grins of a sad person. Or is it-"

Willow looks at Xander's hand. Cuts him off. "Xander. Your hand."

Xander realizes what he's doing. Takes his hand off hers. "Oops. Sorry. But why - "oops?" We've always touched digits. It's just friend stuff. Comfort - like chocolate."

"Maybe it used to be. But now that we... It's different." Willow says. "I'm sorry. But if I ever want to make things right with Oz - my hands, my... everything - they have to be for him only."

Xander takes this in - nods. And they just sit there. Silent and uncomfortable.

Buffy's in line when she sees Cordelia saying good night to Anya and heading for the door. She watches as Cordelia tries to conceal a wince of pain when someone bumps into her. Buffy makes a decision. Follows Cordelia outside. "Hey, Cordelia? Wait up."

Cordelia rolls her eyes. Stops. "Did Xander send you to beg for him? because if he did-"

"I'm a free agent, I promise. I just wanted to see how you are." Buffy says.

"Never been better." Cordelia says as she starts to walk away.

Buffy pursues, "No - hey... I was just going to say - if there's anything I can do... If you need anything-"

Cordelia nods, "You know what I need? To be rid of Xander and all things Xander – like his spooky entourage." She starts off.

Buffy stops her one more time. "Please. Cordelia. I know what it's like to be hurt by someone. Hurt so much - you think you're not going to make it." Cordelia hears this. Her eyes flick to Buffy. "The only thing that helped? I told my friends how I felt. And it got a little better."

Cordelia looks like she might relent. She starts to say something when - BAM! A large vamp jumps Buffy. She throws him.

"Do you mind? We were talking!" Buffy says. Vamp comes up again, Buffy punches him, "Cordy, look –" right into Cordelia. They fall into a pile of garbage bags and cans. "— out."

Buffy powers up a fireball and throws it dusting the vamp.

Cordelia emerges from a large heap of trash, holding her side and clearly hurting. Her designer dress is ruined and she's covered in garbage. To add insult to injury - Harmony and the other Cordettes come out of Payson's and see her in this disheveled state. They can't - nor do the try to - contain their glee.

Cordelia turns on Buffy, fuming. "You know what I've been asking myself a lot this last week? Why me? Why do I get impaled? Why do I get bitten by snakes? Why do I fall for incredible losers!? And I think I've finally figured it out. What my problem is. It's-"

The next day at Gateway High…

"-Buffy Summers. That's when all my troubles started. When she moved here." Cordelia says.

Cordelia and Anya walk amid the usual hustle and bustle on their way to class.

"You okay?" Anya asks.

Cordelia nods, "Oh - I pulled some stitches last night. Know why?" She nods across the courtyard to Buffy, Xander and Willow - who sit together in a grassy area, doing schoolwork and talking. "Surprise! It was Buffy's fault!"

Harmony passes. Sneers. "Loved the look last night, Cor. Dumpster chic for the dumped." She flitters off and Cordelia stops - looking tired.

Anya takes off the pendant she wears and drapes it around Cordelia's neck. "Here. You need this more than I do right now."

"Yeah, I could use some luck - and a big stick with pointy sharp bits. If that Buffy wasn't a slayer, I swear-" Cordelia says.

Anya nods, "She's a pain - but Xander's an utter loser. Don't you wish –"

"I never would have looked twice at Xander if Buffy hadn't made him marginally cooler by hanging with him." Cordelia says.

Anya, standing a bit before Cordelia, turns to look at the group. "Really..."

Cordelia nods, "Oh, yeah. I swear... I wish Buffy Halliwell had never come to San Francisco."

Buffy looks at Cordelia and Anya as her Slayer hearing picks up what Cordelia said, "Oh sh…"

Anya turns toward Cordelia - revealing that her face has become a hideous demonic visage. She smiles - a horrible, brown toothed, evil grin - and utters in a gnarly, Deep voice, "Done."

Cordy gasps - and stops. Wide eyed. Looks around her. Anya is nowhere to be found. In fact, where a moment before the courtyard was full of people - now only a few kids move skittishly to class. "Anya?" She looks around, but Anya's history. Cordelia takes this in. Looks and sees where Buffy and friends were. There is no one there.

Then Cordelia realizes that she's not in pain anymore. Checks her torso where her wound was. It's GONE. Totally healed. She now looks at the pendant Anya gave her. "I wish Buffy Halliwell had never come to San Francisco." She smiles as the realization sets in - she got her wish. "She was, like, a good fairy. A scary, veiny - good fairy..."

After school it's almost dusk as Cordelia, digging in her purse for her keys, marches toward where she left her car that morning. She's now pretty freaked. She reaches the parking lot and stops in her tracks. Her car is gone. In fact - there are no cars anywhere in sight. The parking lot is totally empty. "Okay. Not funny!"

Cordelia starts pacing - sees the caretaker hustling past. "Hey! You! Where'd you put my car!?"

The caretaker stops. Looks at Cordy quizzically. "Pardon?"

"My auto!? El convertab-lo?" Cordelia asks.

The caretaker shakes his head. She's talking nonsense. "You students aren't allowed to drive and you know it."

"What?" Cordelia asks shocked.

"Go on now, miss. You better get yourself inside before the sun sets." Caretaker says and he scurries off, leaving Cordelia speechless.

Later it's just past dusk and Cordelia, now officially freaked, walks quickly home. All the stores and restaurants are closed, many are boarded-up. It's like a ghost town.

In the distance - Cordelia hears a faint scream. She starts, takes a deep breath. Starts to run. Rounds a corner and slams right into Xander.

Xander catches her - smiles. He's dressed to kill in black leather pants, long dark coat... And his skin is deathly pale. "Well, what do you know? Cordelia Chase."

Cordelia yanks herself out of his grasp. "What is this - some kind of sick joke? Harmony told me you were dead."

"Now why would she say something like that? Let's think..." Xander says.

"Whatever. Just - listen to me. We have to find Buffy. She'll figure out a way to save us. She was supposed to be here and - as much as it kills to say it - things were better when she was around-" Cordelia says.

"Buffy - the slayer?" Xander asks.

"No. Buffy the Dog Faced Girl. Duh! Who do you think I'm talking about?" Cordelia says.

"Bored now." Willow says. "This is the part that's less fun, when there isn't any screaming."

Prue, Piper and Phoebe walk up smiling.

"She's right, Xander." Prue says.

Cordelia, stunned anew at seeing Willow, stammers, "What - what is up with you five and the leather?"

Willow comes to Cordelia, getting into her personal space in a way that is both menacing and sexual.

"What's going on?" Cordelia asks stepping back.

"Play now?" Willow asks.

Xander puts his arms around Willow - pulls her back, nuzzling her. "Not that I don't appreciate your appetite, Will... But I thought we agreed it was my turn."

Piper nods, "Xander is right, Will. It was Xander's turn."

Cordelia can not believe her eyes. "No. No way! I wished us into bizarro land and you guys are still together? I can not win!"

Xander turns his attention back to Cordelia. "Probably not-" And with that Xander face morphs into vampface. "But I'll give you a head start."

Cordelia screams - starts to run. Xander and Willow watch her for a long beat.

Willow smiles. "I love this part."

Xander kisses Willow hungrily - taking his time. "You love all the parts."

"It's always fun when they run." Phoebe says.

Xander takes off after Cordelia at an incredible speed. He catches her and hurls her to the ground. Her head hits the pavement with a sickening crack. She's out cold.

Xander stands over her. Willow, Prue, Piper and Phoebe comes up from behind - pouting.

"No fun. She didn't even hardly fight." Willow says.

Xander snatches Cordelia up off the ground. He's about to bite her when he's stopped by a screeching of tires. Oz's van, with Ozas the wheel man, squeals to a halt at the curb. Prue, Piper, Phoebe, Xander and Willow glance at each other - incredulous.

"Oh swell. It's the white hats." Prue says.

Giles, Larry and Nancy, jump out of the van. Giles holds Prue, Piper, Phoebe, Xander and Willow off with a large cross. "I've got them. Get the girl!"

Larry and Nancy drag Cordelia into Oz' van. As soon as they are safely inside, Giles jumps in and they take off. Prue, Piper, Phoebe, Xander and Willow just watch, more amused than anything.

"Those people need to find some hobbies." Phoebe says.

At the library Cordelia lies on the table in the library - Giles' coat folded under her head. She's still out like a light. Giles takes her pulse - Oz, Larry and Nancy stand nearby.

"How's she doing?" Oz asks.

"Her pulse is strong." Giles says.

"What was she doing wearing blue? Everybody knows vampires are attracted to bright colors." Nancy says.

"That's Cordelia. It's better to look good than to feel... alive." Larry says.

"Go watch the perimeter - in case those vampires followed." Giles says.

Oz, Larry and Nancy gather weapons and exit.

At the Bronze the place is hopping - but the clientele has changed. It is now only vamps who move in and out of the place. Prue, Piper, Phoebe, Willow and Xander.

There are vamps everywhere - representing a bevy of eras... All partying. They smoke, dance... A few feed on helpless victims.

Xander greets a seventies looking vamp who stands with a cue stick by the pool table - upon which a fresh male victim is gagged and bound. "Slap my hand, dead soul man..."

Xander and the buddy slap. Then the 70's looking vamp chalks up his cue... Prue, Piper, Phoebe, Willow and Xander pass two large vamp guards and move through some velvet curtains into a private room.

Prue, Piper, Phoebe, Willow and Xander approach a high backed chair. The Master rises and turns to them. "Ahhhh. Xander, Willow, Prudence, Phoebe and Piper.

The Master, irritated, reaches into the chair, lifts up a beautiful young girl – who is bitten but still squirming.

"Hungry? I lost my taste for this one. She kept looking at me. I'm trying to eat and she looks at me..." The Master says.

Prue, Phoebe, Piper, Willow and Xander hesitate. But Phoebe and Will are licking their lips.

"Go on." The Master says.

Phoebe and Willow morphs to vampface, they grab the catch - bites into her with relish. Phoebe and Willow drags her away to finish the job.

The Master watches them, wistful. "I remember that lust for the kill..." He shrugs off the reverie. "So. Any news from the street?"

"Had a prime kill - an old crush, actually - but that wannaslay librarian showed up. A sad loss." Xander says.

"He'll be dealt with soon enough." The Master says.

"Weird thing: Girl kept talking about Buffy, we had to get Buffy here. Isn't that what they call the Slayer?" Prue says.

Phoebe and Willow returns. Wiping the blood from their mouths.

"Buffy." Phoebe says. "Ooooh. Scary."

Xander nods, "Someone has to talk to her people. That name is striking fear in nobody's heart."

They notice that the Master's expression has turned grave.

"This girl spoke of summoning a slayer here? Now, of all times? And you didn't kill her?" The Master says.

"Well, they had crosses –" Phoebe says.

The Master pounds his fist onto a table. Seething. "The plant goes into operation in less than 24 hours! You find that girl and kill her before she contacts the Slayer – or I'll see all of you kissing daylight."

In the library Cordelia stirs and starts to moan.

Giles runs from his office. Moves to her.

Cordelia manages to focus - sees that it's Giles. Tries to talk sense. "Giles. It's my fault. I wasn't- I made this stupid wish-"

"Please. You must be still-" Giles says.

Cordelia, frustrated, tries even harder. "No! You have to get Buffy. Buffy changes it. It wasn't like this. It was better. I mean, the clothes alone... But people were happy - mostly - and... Wait. Why are you here? And she's not.. I mean, you were her Watcher."

"How did you know I was a Watcher, I never –" Giles says as he stops. Turns, listening.

"What?" Cordelia asks.

"Thought I heard something." Giles says as he moves quickly and quietly to the book cage. Throws open the cabinet. There are just a few weapons left in there - he grabs a cross and a long stake. "I want you to start again and explain everything very carefully.

As Giles turns back the door slams shut in his face. Phoebe and Willow grins at him, holds up the keys. Behind them, Xander holds Cordy from behind, his hand over her mouth. Prue and Piper stand beside Xander. All of them in vampface.

"You're in a big cage." Willow says.

"Not too bright, book guy." Xander says.

Furious, Giles slams the cross up against the bars of the cage. Willow and Phoebe starts back, growling.

"So you're a Watcher, huh?" Prue asks.

Xander smiles, "Watch this." He sinks his teeth into Cordelia's neck... Her eyes go glassy with shock. Staring at Giles.

Giles watches - horrified - from the cage. rips it, trying to shake the door free - but it's no use.

Xander looks to Willow, Prue, Piper and Phoebe as he feeds. He nods and Willow latches onto the other side of Cordelia's neck. Prue and Piper each grab one of Cordelia's wrists and latch on to them as Phoebe stands watching smiling. They drain her in symbiotic ecstasy.

Giles is like a deer in the headlights as Cordelia's lifeless body drops in front of the cage.

Prue, Phoebe, Piper, Xander and Willow bail without ceremony. Their business attended to.

Giles just stares. Then he gets a cudgel from the weapon cabinet to break the lock on the book cage door. It finally gives and the door flies open. He moves to Cordelia, checks her pulse - although his expression betrays the fact that he knows it's a futile gesture.

Oz and Larry enter, both looking shell-shocked and bloodied. Giles looks up from Cordy's body.

"They hit us right outside." Larry said.

"Nancy?" Giles asks.

"Dead. One of the witch vamps got her." Oz says.

Giles nods, "Would you mind - could you take her body to the incinerator? I've got some business..."

Oz nods, "Yeah." He and Larry start to gather Cordelia up - take her off. They are just about out the door when Giles stops them.

"One moment." Giles says as he leans down - takes the pendant Anya gave Cordelia off her neck. Then indicates that they can go. Without further comment, Oz and Larry take off.

Back at the Bronze Prue, Piper, Phoebe, Xander and Willow enter the private room.

"The deed is done." Prue says.

The Master nods, "You killed the girl who was looking for the slayer?"

Willow flops into a chair.

"It was too easy." Xander says.

"I felt cheap." Willow says.

The Master smiles, "Excellent. The opening will commence as scheduled."

"So - you're pleased?" Phoebe asks.

The Master nods, "Ecstatic."

"Then... Can we play with the puppy?" Willow asks motioning between herself and Phoebe.

"Be my guest." The Master says.

Phoebe and Willow are clearly delighted by this news.

In the library Giles is on the phone. "...yes, I understand, but it's imperative that I see her. Here. Well, when will you...? You are her Watcher, I would think she'd at least check in to... Yes. I'm aware there is a great deal of demonic activity in Cleveland. It happens, you know, that Sunnydale is on a Hellmouth... it is so!" He gives up. "Just give her the message, if you ever see her again."

Giles. hangs up, frustrated. He sighs. Opens a research book.: There will be no sleep tonight.

At the Bronze Willow and Phoebe approach a cell.

"Bored now." Willow says.

Phoebe nods, "Daytime is the worst."

"Cooped up for hours. Can't hunt..." Willow says.

Angel lies curled on the floor - perhaps sleeping. Perhaps hoping they'll go.

Willow moves along a wall, choosing from a row of torture implements, finally taking a long, rusty pair of scissors. "But the Master said we could play."

Phoebe unlocks the gate, as she and Willow go inside the cell. "Isn't that fun, puppy?"

No answer.

"Puppy's all quiet. Come on. Don't be a spoilsport." Willow says.

"I know you like it when we come." Phoebe says.

Willow crawls on top of Angel - sits on his back. Runs her hands through his dirty hair... Then, without warning – violently yanks his head back. He grunts from the strain - but still says nothing. She leans down - gets in his face – licks him. Then whispers... "Guess what today is? Today the plant opens, it's a big party."

"You remember we told you about the plant." Phoebe says.

"All those people you tried to save... It'll be quick for them." Willow says.

Phoebe grins, "Not for you, though. It's gonna be slow for you."

Angel takes this in - clearly distraught by the news. And again - lightning fast - Willow flips him so it's his chest she's sitting on.

"That's right, Puppy. Willow and Phoebe's gonna make you bark." Willow says.

Phoebe reaches down grabs his shirt rips it open. Buttons scatter. Angel's chest is covered in horrible blistering wounds. "Oooh. Maybe we went too hard on you last time..."

Xander lights a match and throws it on top of Angel's chest, where it hisses and burns. Angel writhes, trying not to scream. "Too hard? No such thing."

Willow looks up - sees Xander standing at the bars - a box of matches in his hand. "Watch it with those things. You almost got my hair."

Xander moves into the cell. Hands Willow the box of matches. Runs a hand lovingly over her head. "Sorry. Carried away." He takes a seat in the opposite corner of the cell.

"Don't you want to - ?" Phoebe asks.

Xander shakes his head, "No thanks, baby. I just want To watch you two go."

Phoebe and Willow smiles. They turn back toward Angel. Willow lights a match.

In the library Giles, excited, enters from his office - another book in hand. "Here it is. Look." He puts the book in front of Larry and Oz, who sit at the table carving stakes.

The book is turned to a picture of Anya's pendant. The actual pendant sits beside it on the table.

"It's what Cordelia was wearing. The symbol of Anyanka." Giles says.

"Don't think I know her." Oz says.

Giles nods, "Anyanka raised a demon to ruin her unfaithful lover. The demon did her bidding - but then cursed her and turned her into a sort of... patron saint for scorned women. Apparently, the cry of a wronged woman is like a siren's call to Anyanka."

"What does she do?" Larry asks.

"She grants wishes." Giles says.

"Cordelia wished for something? If it was a long and healthy life, I think she should get her money back." Oz says.

Giles shakes his head, "Well, she said something about everything being different. The world wasn't supposed to be like this. That it was... better... before. . ."

"Okay, the entire world sucks because some dead ditz made a wish? I just wanna be clear." Larry says.

Giles shrugs, "I'm not sure. She said the Slayer was supposed to be here. To have been here already."

"Well, that certainly woulda been helpful." Oz says.

Giles nods, "I've tried to contact her, but..." He closes the book. "I'm going to need to research this Anyanka further. I have some volumes at home... or, I think they're at home... I'm a little rusty with all this..." He heads out. "You two get some sleep."

"Watch your back." Oz says.

Giles is heading home when something catches his eye down the street. He slows.

A large truck with a cheery sign on the side that reads "SAN FRANCISCO LOVES RECYCLING!" is stopped on the street. And it looks as if a number of San Francisco citizens are being forced into the back of the truck by two vamps.

Giles pulls over, grabs his cross and some stakes. He jumps out of the car. He moves toward the truck. He thrusts his cross at the vamps - grabs a few of their intended victims away from them. "Run!"

And they do - taking off down the dark street as fast as their trembling legs can carry them. Giles reaches out for another helpless woman when the third vamp lunges at him from around the truck - bringing him to the ground. Giles' cross and stakes fly from his hands and go skittering onto the pavement.

The vamp comes to pick Giles up.

"Put him in the truck!" A vamp says.

Suddenly the vamps are gone having been dusted by someone. Giles looks up at… "Buffy Summers?"

"That's right..." Buffy says as she turns. She is dressed down for combat, black shirt and fatigue pants. Her hair is pulled back and tight so it won't get in her eyes. The cross on her necklace isn't there as an accessory. And on one side of her face she sports a significant battle scar. "Want to tell me what I'm doing here?"

Later at Giles apartment Giles has been going through books. Buffy stands, not helping.

"Aha! Here. In order to defeat Anyanka, one must destroy her powercenter. This should reverse all the wishes she has granted, rendering her mortal and powerless again. You see, without her powercenter she'll be just an ordinary woman again and all this will be different. I'd say my watcher muscles are not completely atrophied after all." Giles says.

"Great. What's her powercenter?" Buffy asks.

"Dyeh - Ahhum, doesn't say." Giles says.

"Why don't I put a stake through her heart?" Buffy asks. "Or a fireball up her…"

Giles shakes his head, "She's not a vampire."

"You'd be surprised how many things that'll kill." Buffy says.

"I don't want to kill her, Miss Summers. Merely reverse whatever effect she has had on this world." Giles says.

"You're taking a lot on faith here, Jeeves." Buffy says.

"Giles." Giles says.

"Kill the bad fairy - or destroy the bad fairy's powercenter, whatever – and all the troubles go away." Buffy says.

Giles shakes his head, "I'm sure it's not that simple, but..."

"World is what it is. We fight and we die. Wishing doesn't change that." Buffy says.

"I have to believe in a better world." Giles says.

Buffy nods, "Go ahead. I have to live in this one."

Giles is frustrated: tries another line of reasoning. "Cordelia knew that I was meant to be your watcher. She said she knew you –"

"She was probably just a big fan." Buffy says.

Giles nods, "The Master sent his most vicious disciples to kill her. She must have posed some threat to him. He's up to something... those people being herded in vans - I know he's behind it."

"The Master." Buffy says.

"Supreme vampire in these parts. Lives on the outskirts of town, in an old club." Giles says.

"You know where he lives? And nobody's even tried to take him out?" Buffy says.

Giles shakes his head, "People have tried..."

"Well, point the way. Might as well do some good while I'm here." Buffy says.

Giles shakes his head, "You can't just walk in and –"

"You wanna stay here and play make believe, fine - I'm not gonna be any help to you anyway. There's one thing I'm good at. The kill." Buffy says as she picks up her crossbow.

"At least lets muster some kind of force –" Giles says.

Buffy shakes her head, "I don't play well with others. Now I'm gonna ask you once, and then I'm gonna become cranky. Where's this club?"

Later at the Bronze, Buffy comes in a back way - is surprised to find the place completely empty. She wanders past the stage, the bar. Nothing. It's deserted. She finds the stairs leading down to the cells.

Angel is huddled in a corner - trembling. His head on his knees. Buffy sees this. Sees that he's not the Master. She's about to go when Angel looks up at her.

For a brief moment they lock eyes. Angel is astounded. He knows her. But Buffy registers less than nothing. Turns again to leave.

Angel finds his voice - moves to the bars of the cage, desperate. "Buffy? Buffy Summers?" Buffy stops. Turns back. "I - it's you. I mean, you don't remember - how could you? But-"

"How did you know my name?" Buffy says suspiciously.

"I waited. I waited here for you. But you never... I was supposed to help you." Angel says

Buffy eyes his cage - his wounds, dubious. "You were gonna help me."

Angel nods, "The Master rose. He let me live - To punish me. I kept hoping – maybe you'd come. My destiny."

Buffy can't believe her ears. "Is this a "get in my pants" thing? You San Francisco guys all talk like I'm the second coming."

"I'm... sorry. I just meant-" Angel says.

Buffy's run out of patience. "I don't have time for stories. Where's the Master?"

"They're at his factory. It starts tonight." Angel says.

"Factory?" Buffy asks.

"I - I can take you there." Angel says hopeful.

Buffy considers. Gives him the once over. Then she kicks the door of his cell open. She waits for him to exit but he's already gone as far as his chains will allow. Exasperated - she starts to break his shackles - then her cross swings toward him. Angel instinctively backs off. Buffy observes this. Gets it. "You've got to be kidding." She starts to walk away - leaving Angel bound.

But Angel calls after her. "Wait! I won't hurt you."

"No, you'll leave that to your Master." Buffy says.

"You don't believe I want to help you." Angel says as he opens his shirt. "Believe I want him dead."

Buffy looks at his wounds, at his face. Considers.

At a Processing Plant The Master, stands near a conveyor belt that runs the length of the room. On one side of him stand Willow and Xander, on the other side of him stand Prue, Phoebe and Piper - all decked out for a fancy ceremony. They all face a cheering throng of vampires.

The Master, jubilant, is addressing the assembled crowd. "Vampires! Undeniably, we are the world's superior race. Yet we have always been too parochial. Too bound to the mindless routine of the predator. Hunt and kill... Hunt and kill... Titillating? Yes. Practical? Hardly... Meanwhile –the humans, with their plebeian minds, have brought us a truly demonic concept: Mass production."

Buffy, crossbow discreetly at her side, and Angel hide behind a refrigeration unit, listening to the Master's oratory.

"What's the plan?" Angel asks.

Buffy hands him a stake. "Don't fall on this." She spots the three women standing next to The Master. She recognizes them from her mother's funeral as her cousins. Her Watcher told her they died two years ago, shortly after the funeral.

Buffy lets out a sigh, resolute in what she has to do even if they were her family.

The Master continues his speech. "The days of compromise, of living alongside the humans, are over. It's time to take them out. Time to treat them like... well, let's not mince words here - like the cattle they are!"

The crowd cheers.

"We really are living in a golden age." Xander says.

In Giles' apartment, the dining table is littered with various mystical items, crystals, sage roots, etc... He's got a text in front of him and he's nervously making his way through a summoning ritual. "Anyanka, I beseech thee, uh..." He looks back at the text. Finds his place again. "In the name of all women scorned - come before me!"

Giles lights a mixture of herbs in a chalice. Waits. Nothing seems to happen. Then, from the shadows, steps Anya.

"DO you have any idea what I do to a man who uses that spell to summon me?" Anya says.

Giles is both triumphant at his success and terrified of her.

At the Processing Plant….

"Bring the first!" The Master says nodding to one of his henchmen - who grabs a screaming girl from the holding pen. Then he stuns her with a cattle prod and straps her to the conveyer belt.

"She's still alive here, see? For freshness." The Master says.

Now the conveyer belt moves the wild eyed girl into an open chamber.

Angel and Buffy move unnoticed through the crowd. Everyone is too rapt by the spectacle of the machine to pay attention to them. They separate - Buffy heading for the center of the room, Angel moving to the pen where the humans are.

Plastic tubing system fills with blood, sending it into a large container. Wild Eyed Girl's eyes flutter - and go dead.

A Henchman opens a tap in the killing machine. Fills a wine glass full of blood and delivers it to The Master.

The Master moves up onto a platform at the end of the plant. He raises his glass to the gathered crowd in a toast, ecstatic. "Welcome to the future!"

Buffy stands amidst the crowd - shoulders the crossbow and aims it at the Master. She shoots.

The Master sees the arrow and yanks Xander in front of him. Xander takes the arrow in the shoulder.

Angel frees the humans. Many scatter - but Oz, Larry and a few brave souls break wood from the pen and go after their captors.

Vamps and Humans go at it everywhere.

Xander tugs at the arrow as she sees Angel.

"Uh oh. Puppy got out." Willow says as she, Prue, Piper and Phoebe sprint to join the fight.

In Giles apartment Anya circles slowly towards Giles, who counters.

"Cordelia Chase. What did she wish for?" Giles asks.

Anya smiles, "I had no idea her wish would be so... exciting. A brave new world. I hope she likes it."

"She's dead." Giles says.

"It happens." Anya says.

Giles nods, "You're going to change it back." Anya moves toward him more directly, but he stands his ground. "I'm not afraid of you. Your only power lies in the wishing."

Anya grabs him by the throat in a vice-like grip. "Wrong."

In the Processing Plant Buffy is throwing a vamp off her as Xander approaches, pulling the arrow from his shoulder. He looks truly pissed - moves to stab Buffy with it as she is preoccupied with yet another vamp.

Angel sees Xander moving towars Buffy and he throws himself between Xander and Buffy. He punches Xander, sending him sprawling. Turns to Buffy.

Buffy sees the stake Xander plunged into Angel's chest. There is a heartbeat before he turns to dust. "Buffy-" And he's gone.

Buffy registers this with nofeeling. She simply steps through Angel's dust to get to Xander and continue the fight.

Buffy trades blows with Xander and Piper, her eyes completely empty.

In Giles Apartment Anya still holds Giles in her iron grasp.

"This is the real world now. There's no going back. This is the world we made." Anya says. Choking, Giles looks at her and sees the pendant, just like the one Cordelia had. "Isn't it wonderful?"

In the Processing Plant Buffy stakes Piper. Then spins and stakes Xander. Both of them dust.

Buffy spins to continue the fight. Encounters Prue. She pounds Buffy in the face - but Buffy doesn't fall. She gives as good as she gets. They go at it.

Willow moves to help Prue. She doesn't notice Oz until it's too late... Oz slams her into a jagged piece of broken wood that juts from the battered holding pen. She's history.

At Giles Apartment Giles stops clawing at Anya's iron grip and snatches her pendant off her neck. This action produces genuine terror in Anya's face. She lets go briefly, and he stumbles back.

"No!" Anya says as she flies at him - and he decks her, sends her flying back into a corner. She looks up as he puts the pendant on the table and grabs some desktop object that can be used as a mallet. "Trusting fool! How do you know the other world is any better than this?"

"Because it has to be." Giles says.

He swings the mallet down on the pendant.

At the Processing Plant Prue has Buffy off her feet. She brings Buffy close and buries her fangs in Buffy's neck and begins to drain her.

Suddenly there is a flash of white light and the wish is reversed. Cordelia alive again stands before the school.

"I wish Buffy Halliwell had never come to San Francisco..."

Anya turns toward Cordy and she snarls, "Done."

Nothing happens. Anya looks deeply perplexed.

Buffy looks to Willow and Xander, "Excuse me for a moment." She gets up and walks over to Cordelia, "Cordy can I have a word in private?"

Cordelia is about to object when Buffy gives her a look and then she nods. Buffy leads Cordelia away from Anya.

"I know we've never considered each other friends but I would like to think we are friends." Buffy says. "The use of the W word should never ever be used where someone can hear you!"

"W word? Oh you mean wish?" Cordelia asks.

Buffy nods, "Yes wishes can have nasty consquences, Cordy. A few months ago Prue, Piper, Phoebe and I came across a genie and made some wishes by accident. Prue wished to be a teenager again and was invariably killed. Piper made a wish and our next door neighbor at the time rapidly aged. Phoebe's wish got her a new power but it was taken from a demon who came looking for her. And my wish sent me into a future where Piper was alone and Prue and Phoebe were dead. So you see wishes are not to be taken lightly. Never say I wish in front of anyone."

Cordelia nods, "Thanks for the warning, Buffy. Can I ask… You say your cousin Prue was killed, but she's alive…"

Buffy nods, "We got the genie to reverse the wishes."

Cordelia nods, "Thanks again. I'll add that to the list of rules to use while living in San Francisco."

Buffy nods, "Your welcome. And about the wish you said. I understand, really I do. A lot of things have happened because I moved here. Sometimes I wonder what my life would have been like if I had not been here."

Cordelia nods as she and Buffy walk away from each other with an unspoken truce between the two of them.


	61. Chapter 61: We All Scream for Ice Cream

**Author's Note: **A guest reviewed (that I didn't approve) saying they wanted to see a Buffy/Cordelia pairing. Not happening. Only femslash will be Willow/Tara. Buffy pairings are canon till season 8 at which point she will get an OC pairing.

* * *

**Chapter 61: We All Scream for Ice Cream**

At Payson's the place is full of people dancing. Buffy, Phoebe and Piper are in the alcove. Piper is peeking around the curtain, looking at some guy. The guy is staring back at her.

Phoebe comes and stands next to her. "What's with the hide-and-go-peek?"

"That's what I'm wondering," Buffy says.

"He's still staring at me." Piper says.

"Who?" Phoebe asks.

"The guy at the end of the bar." Piper says.

The guy smiles.

"Oh, no, honey, that's not staring, that's flirting." Phoebe says.

Buffy gets up and looks at the guy. "He's cute."

"You say tomato." Piper says.

"No, I say relax-o." Phoebe says as they sit back down. "He seems pretty harmless. I mean, he's clean cut, innocent. The kind of guy that a girl could teach a few things to."

"Hello? A girl that's in a serious relationship. Besides, it's always the innocent looking ones you have to watch out for." Piper says.

Prue walks in the alcove and sits down. "Hi, hey, alright, I need some professional help."

Buffy shakes her head, "No arguments here."

Prue rolls her eyes, "Ha, cute. Uh, where is your DJ?"

Buffy looks to Piper, "I'm just the owner, you're the Manager, Piper."

"Uh, he's on break. Why? What's going on?" Piper says.

Prue nods, "You know when you get a song stuck in your head and you can't seem to get it out?"

"Yeah, tell me about it. I couldn't get The Facts of Life theme song out of my head for like three years." Phoebe says.

Buffy rolls her eyes.

"Alright, well, I have absolutely no idea what this one is and it's driving me crazy. And I thought that maybe your DJ might recognise it or something." Prue says.

"How's it go?" Piper asks.

"I'm not gonna sing it for you." Prue says.

Buffy shakes her head, "Why not? Maybe we'll recognise it."

Prue sighs, "Okay." She hums something. "Anything?"

Piper shakes her head, "Nada."

"Sorry." Buffy says.

Phoebe smiles, "I'm thinking if you try it again with a little bit more oomph, you know, maybe some choreography, and Piper could back you up with some old-school beatbox?"

Prue shakes her head, "Why did I know that I would get absolutely no help out of you crazy people?" She walks away as Buffy, Piper and Phoebe follow.

"Oh, come on, wait a minute. Wait. We can't let you leave completely empty handed." Piper says and hands Prue a card.

"What is this?" Prue asks.

"Well, it seems like you really reconnected with our friend Justin. He's inviting us to his big annual family barbecue." Buffy says.

"Sounds like fun." Piper says.

Prue frowns, "For who? I mean, you know, Justin and I are still in the flirtatious banter stage in the relationship. I think hanging out with the folks might put a dampener on it."

"Is that all?" Phoebe asks.

Prue nods, "Yeah, what do you mean?"

"I mean, are you sure it's not because it's a big family gathering?" Phoebe says.

Prue sighs, "Okay, if you're gonna go with the "Prue's got parental issues" card, let me save you some time."

Buffy shakes her head, "Oh, Prue, it's not like we blame you. I mean, seeing complete connected families is hard on all of us, but we can't spend our lives avoiding what bothers us."

Prue shakes her head, "The only thing bothering me right now is that I cannot get this stupid song out of my head, alright? So I really appreciate your concern, but you know what I would appreciate even more? Five minutes with your DJ." She walks off humming the song.

That night in Buffy's room she is tossing and turning as she is having a nightmare. In her nightmare is a snowy playground. A child screams and yells "help me". The little girl runs through the playground over to her father. Buffy's alarm wakes her up. It reads 7:00am.

The next morning Prue walks out on the front porch and picks up the newspaper. She looks around and hears a tune.

In kitchen Phoebe is there looking at some information on Cole on the laptop. "Come on, Cole. Talk to me."

Prue walks in. "Morning, sunshine." Phoebe ignores her. "Okay, how about, uh, cloudy with a chance of showers?"

"I'm sorry, did you say something?" Phoebe says.

Buffy walks into the kitchen. She walks over to the fridge and grabs a coke.

"Nothing pressing. You pull an all-nighter again?" Prue says.

"Yeah, uh, subject matter's been elusive." Phoebe says as she gets an Instant Messenger on her laptop.

"Caught by the bell. Who's the instant message from?" Prue asks.

Buffy walks over and sits next to Phoebe.

Phoebe closes the laptop. "Oh, it's nothing."

"Alright, well, nothing usually means something, and something usually means a boy, so..." Prue says.

Piper walks in. "Alright, I don't know what you guys are talking about, but what I've got is better... at least bizarrer."

"Bizarrer?" Prue asks.

Piper nods, "Mmm hmm."

Buffy looks at Prue, she can see Prue's feature are nearly identical to the little girl in her dream.

"Is that even a word, Piper?" Phoebe asks.

Piper shrugs, "Whatever. Anyway, Cara called last night, and she had a meeting in the Bay Tech Building yesterday, and she swore that she saw Victor walking through the lobby."

"As in Uncle Victor?" Buffy asks.

Piper nods, "As in we haven't spoken to him in a year, and now he's probably in town, and he hasn't even bothered to call us. Yes, that would be the one. Now you see my need to share?"

"Oh, wait. But Cara hasn't seen him since what?" Phoebe asks.

Piper nods, "Like the first grade, I know, but she sounded very sure. Why do you think he's here? Should we go and try to find him? I mean, what if it has nothing to do with us?"

Prue shakes her head, "Well, I for one am not going to go out of my way to find out."

"Wait, you're not even curious? Come on, Prue. I mean, he is our father." Phoebe says.

Buffy shakes her head, "I know I'm not. After what happened last time and him skipping town."

Prue nods, "Like I said before, I've come to terms with our lack of parental involvement. You know, some people just weren't meant to have the Rockwellian porch with the house, the two-car garage, the picket fence, the Golden Retriever, and the doting mom and dad."

"Okay, so we're not the typical family, but he is all we have, Prue." Piper says. "He is your only uncle, Buffy."

Prue shakes her head, "No, Piper, we have each other, okay? And we have other people that love us, too, and very full and busy lives. Speaking of which, I gotta dash. If you want to have lunch, I'll be up on Knob Hill in the park for... doing a shoot, okay?"

Phoebe nods, "Okay."

"Okay." Prue says.

Buffy nods, "Prue can I ride along. I need to talk to you."

"Sure, Buffy." Prue says.

"Hey, can I walk you out?" Piper asks.

Prue nods, "That would be so nice."

Buffy, Prue and Piper leave kitchen. Moments later in the car.

"What is it you wanted to talk to me about?" Prue asks.

"I had a dream last night. I think it might have been a premonition." Buffy says.

"I thought you no longer got premonitions in your sleep anymore." Prue says.

Buffy nods, "I thought so too. See the thing is I think my premonition was of a past event with you on a playground surrounded by snow."

Prue shakes her head, "Rings no immediate bells. You will let me know if you have another premonition though?"

Buffy nods, "Of course. While were here. I passed my written and driven tests…"

Prue nods, "And now you would like to see about getting a car."

Buffy smiles, "You know me so well, Prue."

"We'll talk about it later okay." Prue says.

Later in a building Buffy and Prue are stuck in a crowded elevator. Prue looks at her watch. She hears someone humming the tune. she looks around. The elevator door opens and a little girl walks out humming the tune.

"Oh, excuse me." Prue says as she tries to get out but people get in the way. The door closes in her face.

Later Buffy, Prue and Phoebe are sitting on a bench eating lunch.

"So, they say stick to what you know. So I pitched a piece about growing up in the city. Hopefully, it'll make the cover." Prue says.

Phoebe shakes her head, "You're dodging. Artfully, but it's still a dodge."

"Right, did you ever consider that maybe I just don't wanna go?" Prue says.

Phoebe shakes her head, "It has nothing to do with the barbecue, or the guy that asked you to go with him. It has to do with your dad."

Prue sighs, "Why do you insist on pinning everything that I do on my feelings or lack thereof for our father?"

"Prue, you say you're over it, but you say it so much that I have this feeling that the person you're trying to convince is yourself. And believe me, after what I went through with Cole, if anyone understands that, it's me." Phoebe says.

Buffy shakes her head, "Uhm I don't think having a demonic boyfriend counts, Pheebs. If it did I would win because of Angel."

Prue nods, "My feelings for our father are in the past which means it really has no place in the present."

A girl starts humming the tune.

"So Justin gets penalised for it." Phoebe says.

"There it is." Prue says.

"What?" Phoebe asks.

"The tune that's stuck in your head?" Buffy asks.

"That song. Don't you hear it, Phoebe? Somebody's humming it." Prue says.

Buffy nods, "I hear it but it could be because of my Slayer hearing."

Prue runs over to a little girl as Buffy and Phoebe follows. "Hi. Hey. I was wondering if you could tell me what that song is you're humming."

The girl points to an ice cream truck that drives by.

"Okay, riddle solved. Now you can stop humming that stupid song. So I think we were in the middle of you trying to make a strong argument of why you're not gonna go to Justin's barbecue." Phoebe says as Prue continues to stare at the truck. "Prue, if you keep ignoring me, my feelings just might actually implode."

The girls runs off towards the truck.

"It's cold out." Prue says.

Phoebe nods, "Yeah, it's a little thing we like to call winter here."

Buffy shakes her head, "I see where your going Prue. Why would a child want ice cream when it's this cold out, and the truck pulled up and no one budged, and did you notice? There are no parents."

Phoebe frowns, "Okay, connect the dots for me, please?" Prue walks off, followed by Buffy. "Uh, preferably standing still." Phoebe follows them. "Do you have a hankering for a snow cone? Prue, we're in the middle of a conversation, and considering your lunch hour ended, oh, five minutes ago, we should probably make this fast."

"Yeah, well, something's wrong." Prue says.

Buffy nods in agreement.

"Yeah, I know that. Why don't you talk to me about it?" Phoebe says.

Prue shakes her head, "Not with me, Phoebe, with this, alright? I have a total déjà vu coming on."

"Okay, so first you're humming weird songs, now you're having flashbacks?" Phoebe asks.

A girl walks up to the window of the Ice cream truck. "Hello?"

"Would you like some ice cream, little one?" Ice Cream Man says.

Buffy, Prue and Phoebe walk up to the truck. The girl starts to get sucked into the truck.

"Alright, I mean, it's usually that my instinct is pretty much..." Prue says.

Buffy, Prue and Phoebe grab her legs and pull her back out. The ice cream man pokes his head out the window. Buffy, Prue, Phoebe and the girl get sucked into the truck.

Inside the ice cream truck Buffy, Prue and Phoebe are there in the snowy playground.

Buffy looks around, "Prue!"

"Uh, alright, where's the little girl?" Prue asks.

Phoebe shakes her head, "I don't know. I was holding onto her and then..."

Prue nods, "We have to find her."

"Well, first we have to figure out where the hell we are." Phoebe says.

"PRUE!" Buffy says as Prue and Phoebe look to her. "I know where we are. This is the playground from my premonition."

"Your sure?" Prue asks.

Buffy nods, "Yeah I'm positive. Which also likely means we're not still in the ice cream truck."

"Or even worse, we are still in the ice cream truck." Phoebe says. They hear children in the distance. "Prue..."

Prue nods, "I know, I hear it too." They hear a noise which gives them a fright. "Alright, if there's a way in, there's definitely a way out."

The ice cream man comes up behind them. "Who are you?"

Prue and Phoebe scream. Buffy tries to power up a fireball but nothing happens. "No powers."

"Why am I not surprised," Phoebe says. A hole opens up above them and the Ice Cream Man runs away. They hear more noises. "Okay, something tells me he was not running from us."

"Okay, let's go." Prue says.

They start to run off but a little boy (Ari) comes out of the bushes. "Help! Please help me." They go over to him.

"Help you from what?" Buffy asks.

"The Nothing." Ari says.

Phoebe shakes her head, "Is that the man that we just saw here?"

Ari shakes his head, "It's up there. It comes for you, for everybody. When it gets you, the only thing left where you stood is nothing. You never know when it's coming, and you never know who it wants. We try to hide, but he keeps finding us. Hurry, it's coming. In here." He runs towards the bushes. "Come on. Come here, in here."

Buffy, Prue and Phoebe follow him in the bushes. They crouch down beside a tree.

A girl comes out of the bushes near by. "Wait for me!"

"Run!" Prue says.

"Help!" The girl says as runs towards them but trips and falls over.

"She's not gonna make it." Buffy says as she runs towards the girl.

The girls gets sucked up into the Nothing.

"Buffy, come on." Phoebe says as she and Prue pulls Buffy back into the bushes.

"She was right there." Buffy says. "I tried running at full Slayer speed and it's like even that doesn't work here."

Phoebe nods, "Buffy, it's not your fault. Our powera and your Slayer abilities don't work here, we know that now. We'll be better prepared next time."

"Does that mean that you're gonna save us?" Ari asks.

"Us?" Prue asks.

Ari nods, "There are others just like me, hiding, captured by the Ice Cream Man. If he doesn't want you here, that must mean you have the power to save us. We should go. The Nothing'll be coming back. He always does. Come on."

"Are we going in circles? This looks like the exact same playground." Phoebe asks moments later.

Ari nods, "In this place, everywhere you go looks the same. That's how the Nothing gets you. Only a few of us can find our way."

Phoebe slaps Prue on the arm. Prue gasps. "Why couldn't you get a boy-band song in your head like everybody else?"

"Alright, just tell us everything that you know about the mean Ice Cream Man." Buffy says.

Ari nods, "Just that he's the one that put us here."

"Alright, so is he in charge of the Nothing?" Prue asks.

Ari shrugs, "I don't know. I guess. The others are gonna be so happy to see you. We've been wishing and hoping that someday someone would come and save us, and now you're here."

"Well, we're gonna do whatever we can to get you out of here. So why don't you take us to your friends?" Phoebe says.

Ari nods, "Through here." He walks off. Phoebe touches a swing and has a premonition of Prue as a little girl. She is in the ice cream truck, calling out. She runs over to her father and he hugs her tightly.

"What is it?" Prue asks.

Phoebe looks to Buffy, "Here, Prue as a little girl."

Buffy nods, "Exactly what I saw."

Phoebe looks to Prue, "You were here with dad."

"Uncle Victor?" Buffy asks and Phoebe nods. "My premonition cut out before I saw his face."

A moment later kids are standing in front of Buffy, Prue and Phoebe.

"Alright, is that all of you?" Prue asks.

"All that's left." Ari says.

"Are you gonna save us?" A girl asks.

Phoebe nods, "We're gonna try."

Buffy nods, "Alright, I think the only way out of here is to go through the person that..." Prue sees the ice cream man standing near by. "Put us here in the first place."

"The Ice Cream Man? But how are we supposed to find him?" Phoebe asks.

Prue smiles, "Something tells me that's not gonna be very hard."

"Why not?" Phoebe asks.

"Oh, because he's right over there." Prue says pointing at him. The ice cream man runs away. "Okay, you kids stay here. We'll take care of the good humour man. Let's go."

Buffy, Prue and Phoebe run after him.

"There he is, by the slide." Buffy says.

Prue nods, "Alright, oh, hey, wait. Look at that." They see a hole behind a slide. "What does that look like to you?"

"The street from the back of the truck." Phoebe says.

Prue nods, "That's right."

"The way out. Okay, all that we need now are the, uh..." Buffy says.

The kids come up to them.

"Hey, we were just coming to get you. Come on, we're going home." Phoebe says.

Prue nods, "Come on, come on, come on. (A girl goes up the slide and jumps out of the truck.

"One down." Buffy says as a boy jumps outside. "That's another one."

The ice cream man sees them. "No!"

"Ooh, hurry! Get!" Prue says.

Ari jumps outside.

"I'm going next." Phoebe says.

Buffy nods, "Okay, but go. Prue your next."

"Get away from the door!" Ice Cream Man says.

Phoebe jumps out and so does Prue and finally Buffy.

Outside everyone moves away from the truck except Ari.

"Ari, come on, hurry up." Phoebe says.

The ice cream man grabs Ari by the shirt. Ari grabs the ice cream man's wrists and burns his hands. Ari pushes him back in the truck and closes the door.

"Oh." Prue says.

"Something tells me he's a demon." Buffy says.

"Oh, my God." Phoebe says.

Ari smiles, "Actually," his voice morphs and sounds quite demonic, "quite the opposite."

"Okay, we need to keep him away from the other kids." Prue says.

Ari shakes his head, "I don't think they'll listen to you. You're not the boss of them."

"Did you do it?" Demon Girl asks.

Ari nods. "Say thank you to the witches and the Slayer."

Demon Boy and Girl smiles and speaks together, "Thank you."

They laugh and run off.

At the Manor Piper and Leo are sitting on the couch.

"Why don't we try focusing on the positive? They're together." Leo says.

"That's it? That's your positive? Because I've got a list mile long in the negative column. They've been gone all night, Leo, and not even you can find them." Piper says.

Leo sighs, "I'm sure they're fine."

"You don't know that." Piper says.

"Piper, any minute now they are gonna walk through that door with a perfectly good explanation." Leo says.

Buffy, Prue and Phoebe walk through the front door.

"Piper." Prue says.

Piper looks at Leo. He looks stunned.

"See?" Leo says.

"Prue? Phoebe? Buffy?" Piper says as she goes over and hugs them. "Where..."

"Were we? Oh, I would like to know the same thing." Phoebe says.

Buffy sighs, "All that we know is that we have to go back."

"Wait a minute, is this demon or sibling-related?" Piper asks.

Phoebe smiles, "A little bit of both. We thought the good guys were bad guys, and in trying to vanquish them, we helped the real bad guys, which were dead ringers for good guys."

"Was that English?" Leo asks.

"Phoebe-speak." Buffy says.

Prue nods, "How about we fill in the blanks as we climb the stairs to the big books in the attic?"

"Good idea." Buffy says.

They go upstairs.

Buffy and Prue flip through both Book of Shadows."

"So, he's a demonic dog catcher, and he uses ice cream as bait? Great news for the lactose intolerant demons." Piper says.

Prue shakes her head, "Nothing in here on the demon kids who escaped."

Phoebe sighs, "That we helped escape."

"But there's a whole page dedicated to the Ice Cream Man." Buffy says.

"What?" Piper says and they move over in front of Buffy's book.

"He is mortal." Buffy says.

"What? Do you remember when demons look like demons and innocents look like innocents? Who changed the rules on us?" Phoebe asks.

"Wait, if he's mortal, how does he do it?" Phoebe asks.

Leo shakes his head, "It's not him."

Prue nods as she looks at Buffy's book, "Bingo. It's the song. It says, "The Ice Cream Man plays the Devil's Cord, which is a series of notes that when sounded together specifically attract demon kids like moths to a flame.""

Phoebe nods, "More like moths to nothing. That's what's inside the truck, nothing. That's why he pulls them in there. The Nothing is the only thing that can vanquish them."

"So they might be pint-sized, but they're bad asses." Piper says.

"Alright, but if they couldn't get out on their own, how did you guys?" Leo asks.

"Because he led us out. He tried to save us." Buffy says.

Phoebe nods, "And that is all she wrote, literally. Uh, the Nothing doesn't discriminate. Good or evil, tastes the same."

Piper sighs, "Now the only person who knows anything about the escaped meanies is stuck on the playground and is in serious danger of becoming lunch himself."

"Right, and our powers and Buffy's Slayer abilities don't play, not in this situation. I mean, Pheebs, Buffy and I tried everything to get back in, but the door wouldn't budge. And when I say it wouldn't I mean it wouldn't budge. Buffy tried using all of her Slayer strength to force the door."

"Well, not everything." Phoebe says.

"Hmm? Mind sharing with the room?" Piper says.

"Buffy and Phoebe had a premonition of me." Prue says.

Buffy nods, "On the playground."

"Except in mine, Dad was also on the playground." Phoebe says.

"You were there? How? When?" Piper asks.

"Only one way to find out." Phoebe says.

"Right, but we don't even know where he is, never have, not even now, when he might actually come in handy." Prue says.

Phoebe smiles, "He's here. Dad's in San Francisco. He's been here for the last three months. So it was him that your friend Cara saw. And it was an email from him that I got yesterday that I didn't tell you guys about. He's here, an instant message away."

"Wow," Buffy says.

Piper nods, "Phoebe, this is..."

Phoebe nods, "Huge. I know, and I'm sorry I didn't tell you guys that I've been keeping in touch with him, but I wanted to. It just never seemed like the right time. So I guess now is the right time. What do you think?"

"Do we have a choice?" Buffy asks.

Phoebe gets out her laptop.

Later at Payson's Buffy, Prue and Phoebe are sitting at the bar. Piper is standing behind it serving them a drink.

"Welcome to Club Switzerland." Piper says.

"Alright, could we just sort of cut the sarcasm there? I just didn't really feel like inviting him to our home for tea and cookies." Prue says.

"He's our father, Prue… Buffy's uncle. This is family." Phoebe says.

Prue shakes her head, "This is business, alright? And don't even think about giving me that look. If he gives us any useful information about the playground, I will be the very first one to thank him."

Phoebe nods, "And then send him packing."

Caleb approaches the bar. "These must be the sisters and cousin I've heard so much about."

"Caleb, uh..." Piper says.

Caleb nods, "And to think I almost didn't swing by today."

"Okay, you know what? I've tried, I really have, and you're not a bad guy, but obviously, the part of your brain meant to take a hint wasn't wired together properly because you're not taking any." Leo stands behind Caleb. "This is a really bad time."

Caleb nods, "Oh, okay, when would be a good time?"

"Help me." Piper says.

Leo smiles, "You got a phone call, it's in the office. Why don't I show you where that is."

"Uh, okay, do you mind if I ask you something?" Caleb says as he and Leo walk away.

Piper sighs, "Thank you." Prue looks confused. "Hey, you're just lucky nobody got killed, okay? You hear what I'm saying?"

Victor walks down the stairs and the girls stare at him.

"Well, would it be too much to ask for a hug?" Victor asks.

Phoebe gets up and hugs him. "It's good to see you, daddy."

Victor nods, "Oh, baby, you have no idea. Wow, what a place. This is yours, Piper?"

Piper shakes her head and points to Buffy, "Hers."

Victor frowns, "How?"

Buffy smiles, "It's a long story. Unofficially the club is mine. Officially I don't get it till I turn 21 because of the liquor license. And how I can be in here, Piper got permits to allow teens in and still sell alcohol."

Victor smiles, "It's terrific. The four of you together. I hardly know where to begin."

"Well, I have a suggestion. How about we just cut to the chase?" Prue says.

"Uh, Prue, he just got here. Can't that wait, like, five minutes?" Piper says.

"He's a businessman, Piper. I would think that he would appreciate that. We can do the whole family-bonding thing once the work is done, alright? So, how about you just tell us everything that you know about the playground?" Prue says.

"What playground?" Victor asks.

Phoebe sighs, "Dad, Buffy and I both had a premonition. I know you were there."

Buffy nods, "And somebody's hurt, so we need to get back inside."

"Oh, let it go." Victor says.

Prue shakes her head, "That may be your motto, but we made a mistake, and we would really like to fix it. So just tell us how you got in, and we can handle it from there. We are big witches now."

"Yeah, but you're still my girls. And Buffy is still my niece." Victor says.

Prue frowns, "Victor."

"Prue." Victor says and he is met with silence. "Alright. Yes, I was there. I went in after you, and it was the last thing I ever did as your father. You were home with a cold. You must've been about six. Your mom had some errands to run, so she took your sisters with her and left me home in charge of you."

"You had asked me to read you a story. You used to love that. But the cold was too much for you. You only lasted a page or two. When I left your room you were still sleeping." Victor continues. "I never heard you come downstairs. You must've been looking for a glass of water or me. And that must've been when you heard it."

Prue nods, "The song."

Victor nods, "I mean, I heard a truck drive by and stop a few doors down, but I didn't think anything of it. It was an ice-cream truck. How was I to know? But somehow you did. And you must've gone in the living room following that song. And that's when you saw it happen. A little boy not much older than yourself."

Prue nods, "Yeah. He was standing by the truck, and something pulled him in. He was so scared."

"And you ran out to help him." Victor says.

Buffy nods, "Just like yesterday."

"When I saw your bed empty, I lost my mind. The door was wide open, there was a truck parked outside. I mean, I had no idea what I was getting into but I just had to go." Victor says.

Piper smiles, "You saved Prue."

Victor nods, "But I lost the three of you. And of course it's the reason I didn't know about Buffy till two years ago."

Phoebe nods, "You said that you left because Grams wanted us to use our powers and you didn't."

Victor nods, "That's the truth. And now you know the whole story. I mean, when your grandmother and Patience found out, I had just brought Prue back, but being your father wasn't good enough, but how could I protect you from something like that happening again when I didn't have powers?"

Buffy nods, "Okay, so the Book said the Ice Cream Man is mortal. That's why he can go through the door and we can't, right?"

"So, what do you say, dad? We need your help." Piper says.

Later Buffy, Prue and Piper are walking down the street with Phoebe and Victor walking behind them.

"You know if this doesn't work I can look back and pinpoint the exact moment where it all went wrong." Prue says.

Piper shakes her head, "And that moment's name would be dad? Prue, you got to admit, if he can open the door, then we kinda need him."

Prue sighs, "It's all about word choice, Piper. We don't need him, we need his utter lack of power, right? He opens the door, we save the day, we get on with our lives. It's a one-time group effort."

Buffy sighs, "Glad to see you have a healthy handle on the situation, Prue." She looks back at Victor. She thinks her resentment of him may actually have been because Prue dislike him so much.

"I think I do." Prue says.

"So, yeah, I was surprised to hear from you, but why did you think I wouldn't write you back?" Phoebe says.

Victor nods, "Because as far back as you can remember, I've done very little right by you. I mean, if a guy, let alone your own dad, walks out on you once, maybe you'll give him a second chance, but he appears to make a habit of it..."

Buffy drops in next to them.

"I never thought you left by choice, dad." Phoebe says.

Victor smiles, "Thank you, Phoebe."

"Uncle Victor." Buffy says as she pulls out the locket from under her shirt. "Recognize this?"

Victor smiles and nods, "I gave it to your mother for christmas one year."

Buffy nods, "I haven't taken it off since I saw that video you left for me last time you were here. Mom must have really liked you."

Victor nods, "Of all of Patty's boyfriends in high school and uptil she met me. I was the one Patience actually approved of the most. Of course your Grams didn't approve because I was a mortal. But Patience did and she actually chipped in to pay for mine and Patty's wedding when your Grams didn't."

Buffy smiles, "That's nice. I wish you had been around more. I'm sure you have lots more stories of my mom."

Victor nods, "I do. You know what when were done give me your email address. I'll write to you just like I do Phoebe."

Buffy smiles, "I'd like that."

They walk into an alley.

"Okay, well, this is it." Prue says.

"Uh, but there's nothing here." Piper says.

"Wait, we lost the truck?" Phoebe asks.

The demon kids stand behind them.

"Yeah, but we gained company." Buffy says.

The demon girl blows them away. They laugh.

"Oh, those kids so need to be grounded." Prue says as the kids run off. "Oh, I don't get it. Alright, why pick a fight and then run?"

"Speaking of running, we should run because they're getting away." Piper says.

"No, we can't do that because we have to get back into the truck." Prue says.

Phoebe shakes her head, "Not all of us. Come on, Piper."

Buffy nods, "I'll stay with you, Prue and Uncle Victor."

Phoebe and Piper run off.

"Nice work." Victor says.

Prue shakes her head, "Alright, lost modes of transport are definitely not my forte. So..."

Victor nods, "Prue, sometimes things in life happen for a reason, no magic involved. Truck's been towed."

They see a No Parking/Tow Away sign.

Buffy shakes her head, "Why didn't I see that."

Later at the impound lot Prue's removing a chain from the gate.

"Need a hand?" Victor says.

"Prue I could just flame us over." Buffy says.

Prue shakes her head, "No, I don't need a hand, I don't need anything."

Buffy shakes her head.

They walk over to the truck.

Buffy moves to the side of the truck, "This is where he pulled us in, but since he's still trapped inside, I'm guessing the only way in is through the exit." She tries to open the door but it won't budge. Prue uses her power but still doesn't open. "No go. Okay Uncle Victor."

Prue nods, "You can do it, right?"

"Well, let's just say that chasing demons is not exactly my day job." Victor says.

Prue nods, "Alright, it helps if you specifically focus on the task. Don't think about what's behind the door, that'll only distract you. Picture yourself opening the door. See yourself opening the door, then just do it."

Victor opens the door. "Thanks for the advice."

"Just doing my job." Prue says.

They go inside the truck.

"This would be a lot easier if things stopped moving. We left him right here. Unless..." Buffy says.

Victor nods, "The Nothing. Even mortals have memories, Prue, Buffy. I saw what it did to those children. I know what it could've done to him and to us if we don't act quickly."

Prue nods, "Yeah, well, at least we agree upon one thing."

"Make that two and get out while you still can." Ice Cream Man says from where he is sitting near by.

"Oh, my Goddess. We are so sorry. We didn't know." Buffy says.

"The mistake was mine. You're the Charmed Ones and the Charmed Slayer, you were saving innocents. How could you know they weren't?" Ice Cream Man says.

"How did you know?" Prue asks.

Ice Cream Man nods, "Let's just say we both have friends in high places. The moment I mistakenly pulled you, your sister, and your cousin here in, I was alerted and sent to save you."

"And you get this in return." Buffy says.

"It's getting closer." Victor says.

"Alright, so you got us out of here once, now it's our turn." Prue says.

They help him stand up.

"The children, you must get them back inside the playground." Ice Cream Man says.

Buffy nods, "We will, and you're gonna help us do it."

"I disabled the truck. You'll need to fix it, play the song." Ice Cream Man says

"Don't you dare. You stay with us." Prue says.

Ice Cream Man nods, "Inside..." Prue pulls a small glass tube out of his shirt pocket. "It's for the truck."

"It's almost here. You go first, okay?" Buffy says.

Ice Cream Man shakes his head, "I can be replaced, you two can't."

"No!" Prue says.

Ice Cream Man pushes them away and the Nothing sucks him up.

"Buffy, Prue, it'll be back. We've gotta get out now! You two didn't fail. The only way either of you fail is if you don't get back and do what he asked. Come on." Victor says.

"Head for the slide. Up at the top, that's our way out." Prue says.

Prue starts to get sucked up by the Nothing. "Aah! Daddy! Buffy!"

"Hold on, Prue!" Victor says as he and Buffy grabs Prue's arms.

"Daddy, I need you." Prue says.

"We've got you. We're not leaving without you." Victor says.

"Dad!" Prue says.

"We've got you. Oh, Goddess." Buffy says as she and Victor pulls Prue in.

They make their way up the slide and jump out the exit, Prue uses her power on the demonic kids.

"Alright, any ideas what to do with this?" Prue says handing the glass tube to Victor."

Victor nods, "Eight years of fixing your mother's car has given me one."

Buffy nods, "I'll watch Uncle Victor."

Prue nods, "Alright, we'll buy you two some time." Prue helps Phoebe up. "Hey, need a hand?"

"I need about ten." Phoebe says.

The girl stands up.

"Oh, you need a little time out, missy!" Prue says as she uses her power on the demon girl.

Buffy and Victor opens up the hood of the truck and looks for a place to put the glass tube.

A flame flies out of the demon boy's hand heading for Prue and Phoebe. They jump behind a car.

"Oh, dad, hurry!" Prue says.

Ari walks up to Victor and Buffy throws a fireball at him and sends him flying. Victor puts the tube in its place. The music starts playing and the kids walk over to the truck. They get sucked into the truck.

Piper regains consciousness and Phoebe goes over to her.

Victor looks to Buffy, "Thanks Buffy."

Phoebe smiles, "Welcome to our world, dad."

Piper nods, "When I decide I wanna have kids, you remind me of this day."

Buffy shakes her head, "Don't worry I won't."

Leo and Caleb walk in the junk yard.

"Leo, what are you doing here? Why did you bring him here?" Piper asks.

Leo nods, "He's supposed to be here, Piper."

"You fixed my wheels. Thanks." Caleb says.

Leo nods, " Caleb's the new Ice Cream Man. He filled me in back at the club. Everything's happened the way it was meant to. He was sent here to take over. It's his time."

"So your interest in me..." Piper says.

Caleb nods, "Strictly professional. I was lost, but until I was sure who you were, I couldn't just come up and say, "Hey, are you a Charmed One?" 'Cause I need you to take me to my demon-catching truck. Speaking of which, I'm running kind of late as it is, so, uh, thank you. All of you."

"Good luck." Leo says.

Caleb gets in the truck.

"Something tells me I'm never gonna look at a Creamsicle quite the same way." Phoebe says.

Buffy laughs.

"Hmm." Prue says.

The next day in the Foyer of the Manor Victor's getting ready to leave.

"Well, I guess this is goodbye again." Victor says.

Phoebe hugs him. "Thanks, dad. Keep writing."

Victor nods, "You don't have to keep secrets anymore, Phoebe."

Phoebe smiles, "I know."

Victor nods, "I mean anything." He kisses Phoebe's forehead.

As soon as Phoebe steps away from Victor, Buffy's in there hugging him. "Do you have to leave Uncle Victor?"

Victor nods, "I do. But it won't be forever. Like Phoebe you write, okay."

"It will be my pleasure Uncle Victor." Buffy says.

Victor walks over to Piper and hugs her. "What's the story with this Leo character anyway? How much does he know about you?"

"Uh, just about everything." Piper says.

"Oh, so he's..." Victor says.

Piper smiles, "He's a wonderful man, yes."

Victor nods, "Well, still I think I should have a little chat with him sometime."

"Dad..." Piper says.

Victor smiles, "It's a father's prerogative." He walks over to Prue.

"I'm not saying good bye." Prue says.

"Prue!" Buffy, Piper and Phoebe says.

Prue smiles, "I'm saying see you soon, dad." She hugs him.

Victor nods, "Thank you. You know, that's sort of why I came to town. For this job interview, and although it would entail some travel, I'd be based here in San Francisco, and if you guys think that occasionally this town is big enough for the five of us, I'd like to accept their offer."

"Hmm." Piper says.

Victor nods, "Could I except that as a yes?"

Prue nods, "Yes."

"Heck, yes!" Buffy says.

A horn honks outside.

Victor nods, "That's my cab. Alright," he grabs his stuff, "we've got so much catching up to do."

Piper nods, "It's okay. It's different now."

Victor smiles, "It is, isn't it?" He looks at Buffy. "Besides I believe I owe someone some stories about her mother. You know she would be very proud of you Buffy."

Buffy smiles, "I know."

Victor smiles, "See you soon." He turns and walks out the door.


	62. Chapter 62: Helpless

**Q/A - Megagalvatron - **1) Hope's relationship to Faith will be revealed in chapter 65. 2) Who Hope is will be revealed in Chapter 72. She is a canon character just not by the name of Hope. She is not the Hope from the episode dealing with Pandora's Box. 3) Faith will turn evil briefly. Hope is tied into Faith's redemption. 4) Yes both the Mayor and Glory will be seen. 5) X-Mas episode was skipped. 6) Halliwells won't invite Faith to live with them. Where would she sleep? After Faith's redemption it's likely Hope will invite Faith to live with her.

* * *

**Chapter 62: Helpless**

Buffy falls, her brow sweaty, muscles taut, straining, her hands gripping the shoulders of Angel.

A moment, and she brings her knees up hard, flipping him over her and onto his back. THUD! Buffy springs to her feet. Angel quickly recovers and he rushes her.

They tussle. She sweep kicks his legs out from under and he hits the floor hard, knocking the wind out of him.

Swiftly, Buffy snatches the French bread, rolls over to Angel's prone body, then kneels on his chest, pinning him, the bread poised over his heart like a stake. "Gotcha."

"Right in the heart." Angel says.

Buffy tosses the bread back. They are still entwined, still close. "Satisfied?"

"I'm not sure that's the word..." Angel says.

A little close to home - self-awareness intrudes and discomfort sets in.

Buffy quickly stands. "Well, I didn't mean satisfied like-"

"No, I wasn't trying to –" Angel says.

Buffy nods, "'Cause we're not having satisfaction, in the personal sense..."

"Of course." Angel says.

Buffy gathers her stuff, "I should take off. Giles is –"

Angel nods, "Waiting for you. I know."

Buffy stops, realizing the moment has passed and she can relax. "Thanks. For the work out."

"Am I going to see you this weekend? You probably have plans..." Angel says.

"Birthday, right. Actually, yeah, I do have a thing." Buffy says.

Angel nods, "A thing? A date?"

Buffy smiles, "Nice attempt at casual. It is a date. Older man. Very handsome. Likes it when I call him "Daddy.""

Angel smiles, "Your father. It is your father..."

Buffy nods, happily. "He's taking me to the ice show. It's great fun. And I could definitely use a little more fun."

Later at the library Buffy's face is glum. She is staring at a crystal dangling right in front of her from a leather string.

"And this one?" Giles asks holding the string. She scrutinizes the crystal with a lack of enthusiasm.

"Amethyst." Buffy says.

"Used for?" Giles asks.

"Breath mint?" Buffy asks stumped.

"For charm bags, money spells, and cleansing one's aura." Giles says growing impatient.

Buffy nods, "Okay, so: how do you know when your aura's dirty? Somebody come by with a finger and write "wash me" on it?"

Giles shakes his head, "Buffy, I'm aware of your distaste for studying the vibratory stones, but as it's part of your training, I'd appreciate your glib-free attention."

Buffy sighs, "Sorry. I just figure with Faith on one of her unannounced walkabouts someone should be out patrolling."

Giles shakes his head, "Faith is not interested in proper training, so I rely on you to keep up with yours."

"I hate being the "good" one." Buffy says.

"And as for patrolling, you'll be out there soon enough, why so anxious?" Giles says.

Buffy appears self-conscious. "Let's just say I've got a lot of energy to burn off."

"Due time. For the present, if it's not entirely beyond your capabilities... try to concentrate." Giles says as he places a large blue crystal before her. Buffy sighs heavily, then lazily eyes the crystal.

Later in a playground a vampire screams as it flies into the top of a slide. Gravity takes him for a ride to the ground.

Buffy is in prime fighting mode, easily dominating her adversary. "Wow, that was really funny looking. Could you do that again?"

"I'll kill you for that!" The vamp says.

Buffy shakes her head, "For that? What were you trying to kill me for before?" She deftly roundhouse kicks the vamp in the face, sending him sprawling onto the whirligig. She whips out a stake and holds it high. "Okay, so here's the deal –"

WHOOF - Buffy suddenly is dizzy and staggers a bit.

The vamp eyes her suspiciously. Then, seeing an opportunity, he lunges, throwing her to the ground.

The vamp grips the stake in Buffy's hand and, with little effort, twists it until the sharp point touches her chest. He pushes down on the stake hovering over her heart and whispers to her in a manner both intimate and obscene, "Let me know if I'm not doing this right."

Buffy is terrified and struggling, but weak and disoriented, so disoriented she forgets that she could flame out. The vamp presses the stake down on her chest.

The pain brings her focus back and she gives the vamp a ferocious headbutt. He rolls off her, nursing a bleeding brow.

Buffy wearily pushes herself up, she spots the stake lying on the ground where it was dropped. She scrambles toward it on all fours as the vampire recovers and sees her.

Snarling, the vamp dives at her. Too late. Buffy turns over, and he impales himself on the stake propped up in her hands. Dust.

Buffy sits up, brushing off dust, trying to shake off her near death experience.

She opens and closes her fists, feels her arms. Finally, concerned, she stands, takes a last glance around, and walks away.

Buffy stands and walks over to Phoebe who was knocked out during the fight. She helps Phoebe to stand up.

"Dang I really need to work on my fighting skills. When a vamp can knock out a Charmed One…" Phoebe says.

The next day Giles enters the library, carrying his case, engrossed in some old book he notices Buffy is there early.

Buffy has a throwing knife in hand, concentrating intently at some unseen target.

"Bit early in the day..." Giles says.

Buffy lets the knife fly - THWACK - then grimaces. It's obvious the knife missed it's target. "Giles, something's wrong."

"Wrong?" Giles says as he follows her gaze to the target with knives everywhere; sticking out of walls, a bookcase, book bindings - only one or two made the target, though none in the immediate vicinity of the bull's-eye. "Ah. Maybe you shouldn't –" Buffy hurls another knife - thwacks way wide. "— do that anymore."

Buffy sighs, "On top of that, I got a bad case of the dizzies last night and almost let a vamp stake me. With my own stake!" She throws another knife it too goes wide. "I am way off my game, my game's left the country, it's in Cuernavaca, what's going on here?"

"Well... probably you've just contracted a flu-bug or something." Giles says.

Buffy registers the possibility with grave disappointment. "Oh, no. Not sick. I can't get sick."

"Buffy, with precautions, there's no reason to think you'll end up in the hospital like last time." Giles says.

Buffy shakes her head, "No, my father's coming up to take me to the ice show. We do it every year for my birthday. If I cancel on him, it'll break his heart."

Giles nods, "Perhaps you should take it easy for the next forty-eight hours. Forego any more patrolling until you're feeling yourself again."

"No, no - I think I need to spend a little more time training..." Buffy says as she throws another knife, followed by the CRASH of breaking glass. "I'm gone."

"Thank you." Giles says.

Later outside in the quad Buffy sits with Xander, Willow and Oz, under a tree, having their lunch as other students mill about.

"An ice show. A show performed on ice. And how old are we, again?" Xander says.

Willow smiles, "I saw "Snoopy on Ice" once when I was little. My dad took me backstage and I got scared and threw up on Woodstock."

"I know you all think it's just a big, dumb, girly thing, but it's not. Some of the skaters are Olympic medal winners and my dad buys me cotton candy, a different stuffed animal wearing fuzzy skates every year and okay it is a big, dumb, girly thing, but I love it." Buffy says.

"Not so girly. Ice is cool. It's water. But it's not." Oz says.

Willow nods, "I think it's sweet you and your dad have a tradition, 'specially now that he's not around so much. Ixnay on the caramel corn if you're goin' backstage..."

"Okay, but we're still talking party, right? I mean, some of us relish celebrating the birth of the Buff." Xander says.

"Maybe it's time to call a moratorium on parties in my honor. They tend to go badly. Monsters crash, people die..." Buffy says.

Willow nods, "Eighteen is a big one, Buffy. You can vote now. You can be drafted. You can vote not to be drafted."

"Still, I think maybe I'll just celebrate this one with quiet reflection." Buffy says.

Xander nods, "Where's it written quiet reflection can't be combined with cake and funny hats?"

That evening at the Manor Piper is at the stove, stirring sauce. She hears a door slam. "Prue, Phoebe, Buffy?"

Buffy enters the kitchen, "Just me." She notices the decorations around kitchen. "Oo, presents!"

"They're not... They're from your father." Piper says.

It takes Buffy a nanosecond to register its meaning. Her face goes slack as she notices a small card with two tele-tickets attached to the bouquet. She sits down at the table, her back to Piper.

Piper sighs, "He said something about his quarterly projections are unraveling and he can't afford to take off right now. He promises he'll make it up to you. It's all there in the note... Personally I think he might be bailing."

Buffy sighs as she removes the note and tickets and eyes them stoically.

"If you want, I could go with you." Piper says as Buffy crumples the unread note. "That's assuming you want me to go."

Buffy pulls herself together and puts on a brave smile, then turns to face her mother. "That's okay. Really. I was thinking earlier how nice it would be to have a quiet birthday."

Piper sighs, "Well were still on aren't we. A little birthday shopping?"

Buffy sighs, "Sure." She turns and walks out of the kitchen.

Piper shakes her head, "Poor Buffy."

The next day in the library Buffy sits again at the large reference table, as Giles lays out the chorus line of stones and crystals before her. She's making conversation, he's all business. "I mean, I know there's cartoon characters but they also do pieces from ballets and operas... Brian Boitano in Carmen, it's a life changer... He doesn't actually play Carmen... But a lot of sophisticated people go."

Giles moves the large blue crystal in front of Buffy. "I thought we'd start with the Grounding Crystal again."

Buffy sighs, "... it's the kind of thing fathers do with their daughters..."

"Now, look very carefully for the tiny flaw at its core." Giles says.

"I mean if someone were free they'd take their daughter or their... student..." Buffy says. "... or their Slayer..."

Giles sighs, "Buffy, I think we need to concentrate now." Buffy sighs a little, looks at the crystal. "Look for the flaw at its center." Buffy keeps a fixed stare at the flaw, her eyes no longer blinking. "Buffy?"

Giles studies her for a bit. She's frozen – in a trance. And Giles doesn't seem a bit surprised. He reaches under the table, picks up his case and from it produces a small leather box. He opens it to reveal one freakin' huge hypodermic needle filled with a faintly yellow liquid. Turning back to Buffy, he swabs her arm and injects her. She doesn't flinch.

One more swab then he quickly shoves the hypo back into the box, the box back into his case, the case back under the table. Satisfied that all is as it was, he reaches out... and envelopes the blue crystal, breaking the optic connection.

Buffy blinks back to life. "What? Did I zone on you? Sorry, must be this flu-bug I'm nursing."

"Best take care of that. Why don't you..." Giles says.

Buffy nods, "Call it a night. Good idea. See ya'." She turns to leave.

Giles watches her intently, his warm look quickly evaporating and replaced with a steely-eyed demeanor. "Good night."

The next morning in the quad, amid the mid-morning bustle, Buffy and Willow emerge.

"How goes it with Amy the rat?" Buffy asks.

Willow nods, "Good. She really likes the new exercise wheel. When she runs, her little nose wiggles so happily..."

"I meant, how goes it with changing her back into a human being?" Buffy says. "That really was a difficult spell. Even I wouldn't have tried it."

Willow nods in agreement, "Neither would I. But I'm working on it. But I did get her the cutest little bell –" She stops when they hear some guy.

"You don't do that to me!" Buffy looks over to see Cordelia and a hulking wrestler-type, hovering menacingly over her, in a secluded corner. Though speaking in reasonably hushed tones, Guy's anger is unmistakable. "I waited for you at Payson's all night! What's the story?"

"Came to my senses. And the big deal is...?" Cordelia says.

The guy grabs her arm, roughly. "You made me look like some kind of dork in front of my posse."

"First of all, "posse?" Passe. Second, anyone with a teaspoon of brain would know not to take my flirting seriously. Especially, with my extenuating circumstances." Cordelia says.

"What circumstances?" Guy asks.

"Rebound. Look it up." Cordelia says as she turns to leave and he throws her against the tree. "Hey!"

"I'm not through here." Guy says.

Buffy grabs his arm, "I beg to differ." She pulls. His arm does NOT budge. Guy looks at her like she's a loon. Buffy tries again with both hands, straining. He casually shoves her away - she slams into the wall and slides to the floor. Willow immediately rushes to her side.

Cordelia stares aghast at the prone Buffy, then turns to Guy and rains blows on his chest and shoulders. Guy cowers. "What is wrong with you?"

"The chick started it." Guy says as he continues to retreat from Cordelia's assualt...

"Are you okay?" Willow asks.

Buffy stares up at her, looking very not.

Moments later in a hallway Buffy catches up to Giles. "Okay, I just got swatted down by some no-neck and rescued by Cordelia. What the hell is happening, Giles?"

"All right. Calm yourself." Giles says.

"Are you getting the big picture here? I have no strength. No coordination. I throw knives like... like..." Buffy says.

"A girl?" Giles asks.

Buffy looks at him, her face a mask of fear and vulnerability. "Like I'm not the Charmed Slayer."

They stand speechless for a moment.

Giles tentatively reaches out to put a hand on her shoulder, then notices the black and blue mark where Guy shoved her. "Nasty bruise."

"Should see the one farther south." Buffy says.

"Buffy, I assure you, given time, we'll get to the bottom of whatever's causing this... anomaly." Giles says.

"Promise me?" Buffy asks.

Giles eyes her uncomfortably. She's too upset to notice. "I give you my word."

Later in the day Buffy, Willow, Xander and Oz are scattered about combing through piles and piles of books in the library.

"Aha! A curse on slayers - oh, no, wait. It's "lawyers."" Willow says.

Xander sighs, "Maybe we're on the wrong track with the spells, curses and whammies. Maybe what we should be looking for is something like slayer kryptonite."

Oz shakes his head, "Faulty metaphor. Kryptonite kills."

"You're assuming I meant green kryptonite. I was referring, of course, to red kryptonite which drains Superman of his powers." Xander says.

"Wrong, gold kryptonite's the power-sucker. Red kryptonite's the one that mutates Superman into weird –" Oz says.

Buffy rolls her eyes, "Guys!" They turn and look at he. She indicates their environs. "Reality."

Buffy and Willow now settle in a quiet corner away from the geek squad.

"Buffy, I know you're definitely, without a doubt, going to get your powers back..." Willow says.

"Thanks, Will." Buffy says.

"But - what if you don't?" Willow asks. "Oh have you tried using your Charmed powers to see if their affected also?" Buffy looks at Willow, thrown. "I mean, there's a slight, eensy possibility and it just seems like, maybe, it's a good thing to get on out there and discuss. Just in case. Right?"

Buffy tries to cover her fears on the matter. "Okay. If I don't' get my powers back - I don't. I'll deal. And yes I still have my Charmed powers. Thank goodness for small favors."

"That's good." Willow says.

Giles enters just then and Buffy anxiously stands, her brave front disappearing.

"Did you find out... anything?" Buffy asks.

Giles takes a deep breath, considering his answer. "Not yet." He looks pained as Buffy registers resigned disappointment.

Later at the mansion Buffy and Angel sit together as she unwraps a book: an old edition of Browning's Sonnets. She lifts the front cover and sees a one word inscription, signed by Angel: "Always."

Buffy, clearly touched but also clearly bothered by something, closes the book. "Angel. Thank you. It's beautiful."

Angel looks unsure, reading her mood. "You really like it?"

Buffy tries for more enthusiasm. Leafs through the book. "Of course I do. It's thoughtful and sweet and, uh, full of neat words to learn and say like "wilt" and "henceforth...""

"Then why did you seem more excited last year when you got a severed arm in a box?" Angel asks.

Buffy sees that she's nailed. Lets down. "I'm sorry. Really - I love the book. And I love what you wrote. It's just... Suddenly, there's this chance that my calling as the Slayer could be a wrong number. I guess it's freaking me out a little."

Angel nods, "That's understandable.

"What if I have lost my Slayer powers, Angel? I mean, for good?" Buffy asks.

"You lived a long time without them. You can do it again. Beside you still have your Charmed powers, right?"

Buffy stands - agitated. "Yeah I have them… But what if I can't my Slayer powers back? I've seen too much now. I know what goes bump in the night. Not being able to fight it - what if I just hide under my bed, all scared and helpless... Or what if I just get pathetic? Hanging out at "The Old Slayer's Home" - talking people's ears off about my glory days... showing them Mr. Pointy, the stake I had bronzed..."

Angel moves to her, speaks soothingly. "Buffy. You couldn't be helpless or boring. Not even if you tried. Besides you can still do that stuff with your Charmed powers. You would just have to be more careful."

Buffy sighs, "Oh, don't be so sure. Before I became the Slayer I was... well I don't want to say shallow, but... let's just say a certain person who shall remain nameless, let's call her "Spordelia", looked like a classical philosopher next to me. If I'm not the Slayer, I mean... what do I have to offer? Why would you like me?"

"I saw you before you became the Slayer." Angel says.

"What?" Buffy asks shocked.

Angel nods, "I watched you, I saw you called. It was a bright afternoon, out in front of your school, you walked down the steps and I loved you."

"Why?" Buffy asks.

"Because I could see your heart. You held it before you for everyone to see and I worried that it would be bruised or torn. More than anything in my life I wanted to keep it safe, to warm it with my own." Angel says.

Buffy folds into his arms, whispers. "That's beautiful. Or, taken literally, incredibly gross."

"I was just thinking that too." Angel says. "Still Buffy you do have your Charmed powers. Even if your Slayer powers don't come back you will never be defenseless. Don't ever think you would be, not for a second. Because it's not true."

Later Buffy walks along the empty street, lost in thought as she peruses her new book, completely unaware of the two figures in her path. Startled, Buffy stops and looks up to see two drunk construction workers loitering on a corner, eyeing her. As she passes them, one calls out.

"Hey, sweet girl... how much for a lapdance for me and my buddy?" Drunk guy says.

Buffy freezes. Slowly she turns and starts toward them. Then stops. What's she gonna do about it? Frustrated, she keeps walking, turning down a back alley. "Walk me home? Don't be silly, Angel. I can take care of myself."

Then, she hears something: humming. Low, guttural, tuneless. She looks around. Nothing. Unnerved, she looks behind her.

"Hummers - big turnoff. I like guys who remember the lyrics." Buffy says.

No response. She turns back around and GASPS, finding herself smack up against a vampire, Kralik.

"Wish I could. But my mind's not what it used to be." Kralik says.

Buffy tries to pull away, but he grabs her sleeve. Instinctively she hits him in the face. Twice. He doesn't feel it at all. Her terror builds as she whimpers. "Let me go."

"Didn't say please." Kralik says as he pulls her closer, fangs bared.

Buffy flames out and back in a couple feet away. She looks around for a moment trying to figure out why she didn't flame back to the manor like she had planned. She turns to run and finds another vamp, Blair, blocking the way. She takes off in the opposite direction, running for her life. "Help! Somebody help me!"

Kralik gestures with his head and Blair gives chase.

Buffy looks around, desperately, then spots a high chain-link fence and makes for it. "Help me please!" She lunges for the fence, but, with her leaping ability on the fritz, she can't... quite... reach the... top.

Frantic, she suddenly notices a small hole in the chain link a few yards in front of her. She looks back to find Blair is almost upon her. Sprinting as fast as she can to the opening, she clumsily pushes herself through. The jagged cut links in the fence scratch her face, her arms.

Blair grabs her leg. She screams, then manages to pull away, staggering backwards. Blair's hand is reaching for her. Before she can get her baring, she's bathed in an increasingly bright light. She turns and squints into its source.

Headlights from an oncoming car. Buffy tries to wave it down. "Stop! Please! I need-" The car never slows, almost mowing her down. "Stop!"

Buffy looks back to the fence to see Blair scaling it. She screams and turns to run, failing to notice the lights from another oncoming car, heading straight for her.

Too late to jump out of the way, Buffy braces to be hit. At the last instant, the car swerves to her right and screeches to a halt. The passenger door swings open and Buffy sees Giles.

"Hurry!" Giles says.

Buffy gets in and Giles puts pedal to metal even before she has the door closed, which is pertinent since Blair is at her door pulling on it. Finally Buffy manages to kick him off. He hits the road and rolls for a few feet.

Buffy shivers uncontrollably, her breathing sharp and erratic. "I... couldn't... couldn't fight them... I was... I tried to flame back to the manor… I couldn't make it more than a couple feet…"

"Don't speak." Giles says.

Shame washing over him, Giles swallows hard, then turns his eyes back to the road. Buffy is welling up with tears.

"I was helpless..." Buffy says.

Later back at the library, Buffy is wrapped in a blanket to stave off shock. She speaks to Giles quietly, "I hit him... it felt like my arm was broken, it hurt so much... Giles, I can't be... just a person, I can't be helpless like that... We have to find out what's happening to me."

Giles places the box in front of her, opens it to reveal the hypo and a vial of pale yellow liquied. "It's an organic compound of muscle relaxants, adrenal suppressors... The effect is temporary. You'll be yourself again in a few days. It's likely why your Charmed powers didn't work is because you were scared. You've told me they work based on your emotions. You were in the wrong emotional state for them to work effectively."

With a quivering hand, Buffy takes it from him and stares at it with growing revulsion.

Giles deposits something on the table in front of her. The blue crystal. "A mesmerizing crystal. Stare at it for more than a few seconds and it puts one in a deep trance. While you were... under, I-"

"You..." Buffy says stunned.

Giles swallows hard. "It's a test, Buffy. The Tento di Cruciamentum. It's given to slayers when they reach - if they reach their eighteenth birthday." He pauses for a reaction, but Buffy just stares at the hypo. "The Slayer is disabled then entrapped with a vampire foe whom she's to defeat in order to pass. The vampire you were to face has escaped. His name is Zackary Kralik. As a human, he'd murdered, tortured, more than a dozen young women before being committed to a sanitarium for the criminally insane when a vamp-"

Giles ducks just in time as the leather box comes flying at his head, the hypo and vial shattering against a bookcase. He looks over at Buffy, on her feet, still shaking, though now more with rage than shock.

"You bastard! All this time you saw what it was doing to me. All this time and you didn't say a word!" Buffy says.

"I wanted to..." Giles says.

"Liar!" Buffy says.

"In matters of tradition and protocol, I have to answer to the Council." Giles says. Buffy buries her face in her hands. "My role in this was specific... I was to administer the injections, then direct you to the old boarding house on Prescott Street down at the end of the street from the Manor."

"I can't hear this, I can't..." Buffy says.

"Buffy, please –" Giles says.

"Who are you? How could you do this to me?" Buffy asks.

Giles reaches for Buffy's arm, "I'm deeply sorry, Buffy, you have to understand-"

"If you touch me I'll kill you. You will get a fireball up your …" Buffy says.

"You have to listen to me. Because I have told you this, the test is invalidated. You'll be safe, I promise. Whatever I have to do, to deal with Kralik and to win back your trust –" Giles says.

"You stuck a needle in me. You poisoned me." Buffy says.

"What's going on?" Cordelia asks, she just entered. "Oh god. Is the world ending? I have to research a paper on Bosnia for tomorrow but if the world's ending I'm not gonna bother."

Buffy starts out of the library.

"Buffy you can't walk home alone - It isn't safe!" Giles says. "And with your Charmed powers not up to full strength…" He moves toward her - she turns.

"I don't know you." Buffy says.

"Did something take her memory?" Cordelia asks. "He's Giles. Ji-ylls. He hangs out here a lot."

"Cordelia... could you please drive me home?" Buffy asks, her voice is small, plaintive.

Cordelia kindly responds, "Of course." Buffy starts out. Cordelia follows. "But if the world doesn't end, I'm gonna need a note."

At the Manor Phoebe is at the table studying when she hears something like a faint crying. She goes to the front door and opens it. A look of grave concern crosses her face when she sees someone balled up in a fetal position at the foot of the porch. She immediately recognizes the coat. "Buffy...?" She goes to 'Buffy' and touches 'her' arm.

The figure rolls over. "Cousin."

Later Buffy enters from the back door, still shaken and upset. She warily eyes the flower from her dad on the table, then grabs the bunch and tosses them in the garbage under the sink.

Then Buffy notices the front door is ajar. "Prue, Piper Phoebe?" As she looks closer, light from the porch spills in the open doorway illuminating a small square object. Buffy crosses to it and picks it up. It's a Polaroid photo Phoebe - with Kralik, his hand resting menacingly on her throat.

Buffy blanches, then turns the picture over. Written in silver marker, across the black backing: "COME."

Moments later in her room, Buffy is dressed for battle, throws her weapon's bag on the bed and proceed to stock it: stakes, crosses, crossbow... She stuffs a jar of holy water in her coat pocket, a cross in her back pocket.

Buffy then writes a note for Prue and Piper and leaves it by the phone so they might see it when they get home.

Done, Buffy grabs the handle of the bag and lifts the bag... with unexpected difficulty. She puts it down again, as she reacts to its heft, coupled with her diminished strength. She throws the bag's strap over her shoulder, and with great effort, she flames out.

Buffy flames into the foyer of the boarding house. She pulls a loaded crossbow from her shoulder bag. Not knowing where to go, and with no real sense of the layout of the place, she heads to the left, into the parlor.

Buffy moves through this dark space slowly as well, trying not to shake. There is a doorway at the other end and she approaches it. Summoning her courage, she opens it. It opens onto a brick wall.

Buffy drops her cumbersome bag. She inches forward, crossbow at the ready. She comes back out into the front hall as Blair steps out behind her.

Buffy spins, fires, but it goes wild, and he grabs the crossbow, wrenches it from her grasp. He grabs her throat - she wriggles free and ducks into the parlor and makes for her bag behind the sofa - Blair comes in and climbs on the sofa, grabbing at her over the back of it, she scuttles away, not time to get a weapon, Blair comes around the sofa and Buffy backs up next to a bookcase-

Buffy tries to power up a fireball, either she is too scared or too afraid for Phoebe. She only manages to get a flicker.

Blair comes and she pulls the bookcase down on him, lots of extremely heavy things fall on him, just his arm and head exposed. Dazed, he grabs Buffy's ankle - she grabs a table lamp and brings it down on his head - again - again - His hand goes limp.

Buffy is breathing hard, definitely more freaked than usual. A moment and she goes for her bag, taking the whole thing with her.

Buffy moves slowly out in the front hall looking about her. Looks toward the stairs, then in front of her, toward the anteroom. Moves that way, when a whisper seems to come from all around:

"Hide and seek!" Kralik calls out.

Buffy spins - where did it come from? A moment more and she moves into the anteroom. She comes near the crate, it is closed. She puzzles at it a second, approaching - and Kralik leaps out of it like a jack in the box, grabbing the girl. She squirms.

Kralik smiles. "Why did you come to the dark of the wood..." He takes the bag with one hand, looks in it. "... to bring all these sweets to grandmother's house." He tosses the bag aside, grabs her with his other hand. Makes with the teeth.

Buffy pulls a cross from her back pocket and holds it up to him. He lets go, moving back a bit and hissing.

Cross still held out, Buffy inches toward her bag. Kralik suddenly grabs her hand, cross in it. He pulls open his jumpsuit and shoves her hand in, holding the cross against his chest. He smiles as smoke begins to stream out of the jumpsuit. Moves her hand down just a bit to his stomach – "A little lower... there." – like he's got an itch. He beams with nearly sexual gratification.

Buffy jerks her hand away, frightened and repulsed. She bolts away from him, down the hall into the kitchen where she slams the door behind her. Gets her bearings-nothing useful here-and moves across to exit out the other side, which puts her in the front hall again.

She looks up the stairs - this must be where her Phoebe is. She moves slowly toward the foot of the staircase, expecting Kralik to seep in from the anteroom and head her off. He doesn't. There is only silence.

Buffy reaches the stairs and moves quickly up them.

Kralik's hand bursts through the rails and grabs her ankle.

Buffy's halfway up and he's on the hall floor, having followed her through the kitchen. One yank and her legs come out from under her, she falls, her head hitting a step hard, a white flash of pain as she momentarily blacks out. As she comes to in a second, he's still grabbing at her - she fumbles for a splintered rail, jabs it at his face. He snarls and withdraws enough for her to get up.

Blood is coming down her face where she hit her head - a small stream, but more than the Slayer is used to shedding. Hand to her head she limps up the stairs as Kralik comes around to the foot. She enters the upstairs hallway and quickly dashes into a bedroom and slams the door shut behind her, bolting it.

It's pitch black in here. Buffy stumbles, looking for a light.

A huge slam and the door shakes, Kralik outside trying to break through. Again. Buffy still stumbles about - till her hand finds a dangling light cord. She pulls it.

The room is lit by a bare bulb. Every square inch of wall space is covered with polaroids of Phoebe. Every inch. Buffy wigs at first - then looks more closely. Behind Phoebe is clearly the boiler. She's in the basement.

Kralik's fist bursts through the door, starts reaching for the bolt. Buffy looks - there's another door and she goes out it, coming out again into the upstairs hallway.

To one side is the laundry chute. The other leads back downstairs - she heads that way but Kralik steps in the way, grabs her. Not smiling. "If you stray from the path you will lose your way."

Kralik bears down on her neck - she fights wildly but she's just a girl, pinned and wriggling as he gets his mouth closer to her, he whispers urgently, "I won't take it all, I won't take it all..."

Buffy is helpless, still making one last effort to push him away - and he rears back, roaring. Clutching his head.

Buffy tries to take the moment to get by him, but he slams her against the wall. She's dazed as he fumbles in his pocket, pulls out his bottle of pills. With shaking hands, he tries to open it.

Buffy darts forward and grabs the bottle, racing away from Kralik, down the hall and she dives into the laundry chute, two feet in front of him reaching for her:

Buffy shoots down it, head first, as Kralik - obviously too big to fit - grabs futilely for her. He is screaming.

Buffy comes out of the chute and hits the ground hard. She almost can't get up.

"Buffy?" Phoebe asks. Buffy looks up to see Phoebe tied to the chair. She pulls herself up, clothes torn, head bloodied, shaking. But not down. "Buffy, we have to get-"

Buffy holds her fingers to her lips. Looks around for a weapon, an idea. Then she smiles. She runs over to the glass of water and pours it out replacing it with holy water from the bottle in her pocket.

The door is just BLOWN off its hinges by the force of Kralik's blow. He comes down the stairs, screaming, "Where are they?! Where are they?!" He's dazed with pain, but twice as lethal. He moves into the cellar - sees Phoebe still tied up -

Buffy tries to slip by him upstairs but he grabs her, throws her against the wall. He pulls the pills from her fingers and rips off the top, pouring them into his mouth. He grabs the water glass and washes them down.

The pain subsides almost instantly. Kralik turns to Buffy, who has sunk down into the corner. "You almost got away little girl. I almost lay down and –" He stops, sudden pain wrenching his gut. He is still holding the glass and the bottle of pills - he looks at Buffy. "What did you... My pills..."

Very calmly, Buffy shakes her head. She holds up a small the empty bottle of holy water.

Kralik's eyes go wide. As does his mouth, which smokes, sizzles, and is eaten away from the inside.

As Kralik's whole body begins to tremble and crack, Buffy stands.

"If I had the Slayer's power... I'd be punning right about now." Buffy says.

Kralik explodes.

Buffy stares her deadpan warrior stare at the space he used to occupy. A moment, and she moves to Phoebe, starts untying her.

"Buffy, thank God you're okay." Phoebe says.

Buffy nods, "I can't get these. They're too tight."

Phoebe nods, "Fireball?"

Buffy looks at her, "I could try but I was so scared for you that I could only produce a flicker."

Buffy doesn't notice as Blair comes up behind her, looking pissed.

"Buffy!" Phoebe says.

Buffy spins, Blair moves - and is tackled from the side by Giles.

The two of them go crashing into a tool shelf - Blair turns on Giles, punching him with jaw-snapping force.

Buffy powers up a fireball, "Yay!" She throws it at Blair and he dusts. She turns back to Phoebe, "Hold on sis. I'll have those ropes burned in a moment."

The next day in the library…

"Congratulations. You pass." Travers says.

Buffy sits at the table, Phoebe is holding a wet cloth to Buffy's head. Travers stands before them, Giles, Prue and Piper stands nearby. Nobody looks wildly happy.

"You exhibited extraordinary courage and clearheadedness in battle. The council is very pleased." Travers says.

"Do I get a gold star?" Buffy asks sarcastically.

"Buffy," Prue says.

"I understand that you're upset –" Travers says.

Piper shakes her head, "You understand nothing. You set that monster loose and he went after our sister."

"You think the test was unfair?" Travers asks.

Buffy nods, "I think you better get out of town before I get my strength back. Or worse yet before my sisters decide to forget their protectors of the innocent and decide to do something with you they might regret later."

Travers nods, "We're not in the business of 'fair', Miss Halliwell. We're fighting a war."

Giles shakes his head, "You're waging a war. She along with her cousin's are fighting it. There is a difference."

"Mr. Giles, if you don't mind-" Travers says.

Giles shakes his head, "The test is done. We're finished."

"Not quite. She passed. You didn't." Travers says. "The Slayer isn't the only one who must perform in this situation. I have recommended to the council, and they have agreed, that you be relieved of your duties as watcher effective immediately. You're fired."

"On what grounds?" Prue asks.

"His affection for your 'sister' has rendered him incapable of clear and impartial judgment. He has a father's love for the child and that is useless to the cause." Travers says looking back at Giles. "It would be best for you not to have further contact with the Slayer-"

Prue shakes her head, "That's not happening. You see Buffy isn't only a Slayer but she is also Charmed, a witch as you well know. Rupert Giles is a valuable resource to the Charmed Ones, which includes Buffy. I highly suggest you do as my sister said and leave town."

Travers nods, "Very well but Mr. Giles if you interfere with the new watcher or try to countermand his authority in any way you will be dealt with. Are we clear."

Prue shakes her head, "And if your 'new watcher' countermands my authority as not only Buffy's legal guardian but also as a Charmed One. I will have him sent back to England and we will break all ties with the Watcher's Council."

Travers frowns at Prue and then looks at Buffy, "Congratulations again."

"Bite me." Buffy says as Prue, Phoebe and Piper laughs.

Travers turns to go, "Yes. Well. Colorful girl." He throws a look at Giles, Prue, Phoebe and Piper and walks out. No one says anything for a while.

Phoebe puts the rag to Buffy's head and Buffy winces, "Sorry."

"Ow, Pheebs!" Buffy says.

Giles moves over to Phoebe and Buffy, "Let me see..."

Phoebe and Buffy looks up at him. A moment of silence, and Phoebe slowly hands him the rag. Giles dips it in water and squats down, inspecting the wound, dabbing it with the rag.

Buffy says nothing. Lets him tend to her. Her eyes look at her cousins.

Later in the kitchen at the Manor Buffy, Willow, Oz, Xander, Prue, Piper and Phoebe mill about. They have all been making lunch together, talking, making with the lemonade.

"I just can't believe Giles was fired! How could Giles get fired?" Willow says.

"So how did you manage to kill Kralik?" Oz asks.

"Oh, she was very clever." Phoebe says beaming at Buffy. "You go ahead and tell it, sweetie. You tell it better.

"But when you say fired, you mean fired?" Willow asks.

Xander shakes his head, "You're not cruising past that concept anytime soon, are you?"

"It's just-he's been fired! He's unemployed! He's between jobs!" Willow says.

Prue shakes her head, "Giles isn't going anywhere, Willow. He's still the librarian. Besides the Charmed Ones still can use his knowledge. He will still be helping us whether the Watcher's Council wants him to or not."

Willow nods, "Well I might write an angry letter anyways."

Buffy shakes her head, "Nothing's really gonna change. The important thing is, I kept up my special birthday tradition of gut-wrenching misery and horror."

"Bright side to everything." Oz says.

Buffy grabs the peanut butter, tries to open the jar, "Things won't ever be exactly the same, but once I... get back to... full..." She can't do it.

Xander smiles at her condescendingly. "Give you a hand with that, little lady?"

Playful daggers in her eyes, she hands him the jar.

Piper laughs, "You're loving this far too much, Xander."

Xander takes the jar, "Admit it. Sometimes you just need a big strong..." He completely fails to open it. He struggles, manfully, the smile fixed all the while to his face. "Uh, Will? You wanna give me a hand?"


	63. Chapter 63: Wrestling with Demons

**Chapter 63: Wrestling with Demons**

At the Police Station Darryl and Mr. Chang are in a room. Darryl places a cup of coffee on the table.

Mr. Chang shakes his head, "I don't get it. Who'd want to kill me?"

"We're not sure, but our sources believe that your life is in danger. Protective custody-" Darryl says.

Mr. Chang frowns, "Our sources? What is this? Government surveillance, you have people watching me?"

"Mr. Chang, your picture was in the Metro section today." Darryl says.

"Because I planted some trees." Mr. Chang says.

Darryl nods, "Mr. Chang, there were four brutal murders in the last week. Where the only common denominator is the victims picture was in the Metro section the day that they died."

Mr. Chang nods, "The mayor's in Metro today. You guys harassing him?"

"Mr. Chang, I'm trying to help you." Darryl says.

Mr. Chang sighs, "I don't have any money, I don't have any enemies. Why would anyone wanna kill me? This is crazy."

Outside the room Buffy, Prue, Piper and Phoebe are there.

"Alright, what do we do if Darryl can't convince him to lay low?" Prue asks.

"Oh, well, we follow him and if a demon attacks we kick some wiccan ass." Phoebe says.

Piper sighs, "Look who's back and badder than ever."

"And hope we don't need a Slayer. My strength still hasn't fully returned, stupid Watcher's Council." Buffy says. "At least my Charmed powers are working normally again though."

Phoebe smiles, "It feels good to be back. It's the best way to put this whole Cole thing behind me."

"Well, that's quite a turn around." Prue says.

"What do you mean?" Phoebe asks.

Prue smiles, "Well, it's just that, I mean, you know, up until last week you were kinda quiet and not really interested in things demonic, and now..."

Phoebe nods, "I am back. Bad guys beware. Besides being kidnapped kind of puts things in perspective."

"And too bad we don't know who the bad guy is." Buffy says.

Phoebe nods, "Yeah, well, at least we know who his next victim is."

Darryl and Mr. Chang walk out of the room. Darryl goes over to the girls.

"Hey." Prue says.

"Hey." Darryl says.

Prue smiles, "So did you get anything out of him?"

Darryl shakes his head, "Just a migraine. That's about it."

Piper sighs, "So, what, you're just gonna let him go?"

"I don't have a choice. He declined protection. Phoebe, are you sure he's the guy that you saw get attacked in your premonition?" Darryl says.

Phoebe nods, "Oh, yeah, and it happened at night too, so we can't just let him go."

Mr. Chang leaves the station.

Prue nods, "Alright, then we need to split up in teams. First one to see a demon yells vanquish, okay. Come on." Buffy, Prue and Darryl follow Mr. Chang out in the alley. He walks over to his motor bike. "Ugh, innocents and alleys. Don't they ever learn?"

"Yeah, I know. Come on." Darryl says.

Mr. Chang fiddles with something on his bike. A guy comes around the corner and throws a fireball at Mr. Chang. Prue uses her power and moves it away from him. "What the hell?"

Buffy powers up her own fireball and throws it at the demon. It misses the demon but he runs away. She starts to move after the demon when Prue stops her.

"What happened? Why did you let him get away?" Darryl says.

"I know that demon. I dated that demon. Huh." Prue says.

Later back at the Manor Buffy, Phoebe and Darryl are sitting at the table in the conservatory. Buffy and Phoebe are looking through both Book of Shadows. Piper's watering the plants.

"I think they're lost, Piper. Dead." Darryl says.

Piper shakes her head, "No, they're not completely."

"Piper waters plants when she's nervous." Buffy says.

Darryl shakes his head, "There's nothing to be nervous about. Mr. Chang's in protective custody."

"No, it-it's not him. It's the whole 'my boyfriend is a demon' thing. It kind of hits a nerve with all of us, and obviously I'm not that upset because I'm with Leo, who obviously is not..." Piper says.

"Piper also babbles when she's nervous." Phoebe says.

"Much like one of my friends. I swear Piper you could be Will's twin. That's if you had red hair."

Piper shakes her head, "I resent that. I am expressing a valid concern about this continuing issue in our lives."

Prue walks in holding a year book. "What are you babbling about?"

Buffy and Phoebe laughs.

Piper sighs, "You know, if I could freeze the three of you, I would, often."

Prue opens the year book to a picture of the demon. "Alright, so here's the demon that we're looking for, or at least who he used to be. Tom Peters."

"Wait, I didn't know you dated the captain of the college football team. How suburban." Phoebe says.

Prue nods, "Yeah, he was a great guy."

Darryl nods, "I remember Peters. He blew out his knee three weeks into his rookie year. About five, six years ago."

"Leo!" Prue calls out.

"Rumors about gambling debts and that whole scene. He's also a missing persons. It never got closed. He just kind of disappeared." Darryl says.

Buffy nods, "More like went underground."

"I wonder if his mom still lives in town. Leo!" Prue says before she walks out of the room.

"A woman on a mission?" Darryl asks.

Phoebe nods, "Mmm hmm."

"I guess the captain of the football team was a bigger deal than we ever knew." Piper says as she, Buffy, Phoebe and Darryl follow Prue into the kitchen. "Uh, Prue, are you sure we should pursue this?"

"Ask Phoebe. It was her premonition. Alright, where on earth is..." Prue says as Leo orbs in. "Leo, what took you so long?"

"Hi." Leo says and he kisses Piper. "I had... have a situation."

Piper frowns, "Uh-oh, you mean an us situation or a you situation? Oh, don't tell me they've changed their minds about us getting married because if that is the case, then you can just orb me up there right now and..."

"Babbling." Phoebe and Buffy says.

Leo shakes his head, "It has nothing to do with them. It has to do with me. I sorta, kinda, lost the wedding ring."

"Got a great ring guy down town if you need one." Darryl says.

Piper shakes her head, "He doesn't need one, he has a ring. Mom's ring. I gave it to him so he could give it back to meat the perfect romantic moment."

"Wow, Leo, you lost mom's ring. It's a good thing you're dead already." Phoebe says.

Leo sighs, "I had it in my pocket, Piper. All the orbing in and out..."

Piper nods, "Your orbs are grass if you do not find that ring."

"Alright, hi. Before blood is spilled, can I just ask a business question? Is it possible to turn a human into a demon?" Prue says.

Leo shrugs, "Well, there's rumors, stories about demons recruiting humans."

"So join the evil and see the underworld?" Buffy asks.

Leo nods, "Kind of. Apparently the demons go after humans in need and strike your classic Faustian deal, but then the humans are forced into this training academy. A program that destroys their humanity."

"And turns them into demons." Piper says.

Leo nods, "Right, and when the recruits graduate, they have to kill an innocent to seal the demonic conversion permanently."

"It's like gang initiation. You go out and kill the first person that you see and you're in the gang." Darryl says.

"Well, that explains your four random killings. Maybe it's graduation time at the academy." Phoebe says.

"Well, if it is, Tom is one human they're not going to demonize." Prue says.

Buffy shakes her head, "Prue, how do you know we're not too late? I mean, if we didn't get there on time and stop him..."

Prue sighs, "He would have killed an innocent and then it would have been too late, but we did stop him, so now we still have time to save him. Alright, I'm going to talk to Tom's mother, see if she knows anything. Maybe you guys could come up with, like, a spell to find him or something."

Buffy looks to Prue, "Would you like some company?"

Prue nods, "Sure."

Moments later in Prue's car…

"Prue." Buffy says.

"I knew you wanted to talk to me. What is it?" Prue says.

"The other day after the stupid Cruciamentum thing. You said Charmed Ones when referring to you, Piper, Phoebe and me. Instead of saying Charmed Ones and Charmed Slayer." Buffy says.

Prue nods, "As far as I'm concerned Buffy, you are a Charmed One. You are as much my sister as Phoebe and Piper are. So as far as I'm concerned there is no Charmed Slayer. There is a Charmed One who happens to also be a Slayer."

Buffy smiles, "Thanks, Prue. That means a lot."

Later at Tom Peters' place Buffy and Prue are there talking to his mother.

"He was so fast. His coach said he could have run track too, but all Tom cares about is football." Mrs. Peters says.

Prue nods, "I am sorry that we lost touch but, um, what happened after he got hurt?"

Mrs. Peters sighs, "He was depressed. I understood."

"So the stories that we heard about his being in trouble..." Buffy says.

"The gambling rumors? Don't believe a word of it. No one over came to me looking for money and Mr. Kellman would have told me if there was a problem." Mrs. Peters says.

"Mr. Kellman?" Prue asks.

Mrs. Peters nods, "His business manager. He took such good care of Tom, and he was a wonderful help to me after Tom went away."

"Mrs. Peters, what do you think happened?" Buffy asks.

"I think Tom has some things to take care of and he'll be home when he can. I know it in my heart. My son's a good man." Mrs. Peters says.

At the Manor Phoebe and Piper are sitting at a table. Phoebe lights a candle. Piper is holding onto a crystal.

"Guiding spirits I ask your charity, lend me your focus and clarity," Buffy and Prue walks I, "lead me to the one I cannot find, restore that and my peace of mind."

"Hey, what's all this?" Prue asks.

Phoebe blows out the candle. "Oh, we were just looking for Tom. You know, with a little spell that we created."

"You created." Piper says.

"Wow, you came up with the whole ritual that fast?" Buffy asks.

Piper shakes her head, "Actually, not as fast as you would think."

Phoebe kicks Piper under the table.

Prue nods, "Well, thank you. I really appreciate you guys doing this for me."

"She didn't exactly do it for you." Piper says.

Phoebe smiles, "Okay, what did Tom's mother say?"

Buffy sighs, "Poor lady. She talks about him like he's been gone a week as opposed to six years and she actually think he's coming back."

"Based on..." Piper says.

"Faith, and I would like to prove her right." Prue says.

Phoebe nods, "Well, we're doing everything we can."

"Yeah, and you know what? We have saved bad boys before. I mean, what about the priest with the warlock brothers?" Prue says.

Piper nods, "Yeah, but Prue, he wanted to be saved. Can you guarantee that about Tom or any other demon-human mix..."

Phoebe shakes her head, "This is not about Cole, okay? That's a whole other subject."

"One worth discussing." Piper says.

"Are we missing something here?" Buffy asks.

"Yes..." Piper says.

Phoebe nods, "Yes, actually, we are missing Tom and he's someone we should probably continue talking about. So if this spell works and we actually find him, what do we do? Do we vanquish him?"

"Well, I'm hoping that it won't come to that." Prue says.

"Yeah, but what if it does, Prue?" Phoebe asks.

They hear a bang at the door.

"What was that?" Prue asks.

"You changing the subject." Phoebe says.

They go into the foyer and open the front door. Prue picks up the newspaper. "Huh, alright, since when did they start delivering newspapers in the afternoon?"

They flip through the paper and notice all the pictures are missing.

"Since they started taking out all the pictures." Buffy says,

"Wow, it's a pretty cool spell if I do say so myself." Phoebe says.

Piper nods, "Yeah, except what is it telling us?"

Phoebe turns to the Metro section and sees a picture of a woman. "Oh, that. "Claudia Gibson will discuss the mayor's position on Net News Live today at 2:00." Which is ten minutes ago." She goes inside.

"Hmm? Our next innocent?" Piper asks

Prue nods, "As in Tom's next victim."

Phoebe comes out with the car keys. "Keys."

Buffy rolls her eyes, "Sometimes I wonder about Pheebs."

Phoebe rolls her eyes as she, Piper and Prue take Buffy's offered hands and they flame out.

Outside a building Claudia walks towards her car. Tom follows her from behind. Buffy, Prue, Piper and Phoebe walk from around a corner. Tom throws a fireball at Claudia but Piper freezes it before it can hit her. They run over to them.

"Well, we didn't bring a vanquish, but if we throw him into the street that might do the trick." Piper says.

Prue shakes her head, "We are not gonna vanquish him."

"Prue, he almost killed that woman." Phoebe says.

"Prue as much as I want to save him. Their right he maybe too far gone." Buffy says.

Prue shakes her head, "Almost, but didn't." Prue uses her power and the fireball hits a car. "Alright, we need to get him home."

"Wha- our home? You're voluntarily bringing a demon back to our home?" Phoebe asks.

Back at the manor in the attic, Buffy and Prue are looking through both Book of Shadows. Tom is tied to a chair and is struggling to get free. Piper and Phoebe walk in and Piper freezes him.

"Did you find anything yet?" Piper asks.

Buffy shakes her head.

"Not yet." Prue says.

Piper nods, "Well, while we're waiting this would be a good time to discuss something."

The phone rings downstairs.

"Oh, phone. Piper'll get it." Phoebe says.

"Nope. Machine, remember?" Piper says.

"Leo was right." Buffy says.

"About what?" Phoebe asks.

"About the demonic training academy. It's right here in the Book." Buffy says.

"Oh, really? " Phoebe says.

Prue moves over to Buffy's Book, "A brutal training program which destroys humanity and renders the subject demonic. Alright, so if Tom is completely demonic, he'll have a brand on his arm with six chevrons."

Piper pulls up Tom's sleeve and reveals five chevrons. "He's only got five."

Prue smiles, "Good, that means he's not fully converted."

"We better vanquish him while we can." Phoebe says.

"You know, when Cole was the hybrid in question, you were all about saving him." Buffy says.

"Excellent point." Piper says.

Phoebe nods, "Yes, well, I learned from my mistake."

"And which mistake was that?" Piper asks.

"Believing that I could save a demon." Phoebe says.

Prue nods, "Hmm. Well, like I said before, this is different." Tom unfreezes. Prue walks over to him. "Tom, look at me. Do you remember me from college?"

Tom throws a fireball.

Buffy throws a fireball and the two collide in mid-air exploding. "Don't try that again. Your not the only one who can throw those things."

"Hmm, does that mean he remembers you or he doesn't?" Piper says as the doorbell rings. "What is going on down there?"

"Why don't you guys go and find out?" Prue says.

"And leave you alone with him?" Phoebe asks.

"I can handle him, it's okay." Prue says.

"I'll stay, guys. We'll be fine." Buffy says.

Piper and Phoebe leave the attic.

"You two don't scare me. I've been trained to deal with witches." Tom says.

Prue shakes her head, "I'd forgotten how proud you were when we knew each other."

"I've forgotten you completely." Tom says.

"You don't want to tell us what happened because you don't want to admit how badly you screwed up." Prue says.

"I didn't." Tom says.

"It's obvious. While you were still human, you were stupid enough to enter into some demonic contract." Prue says.

"I was never human." Tom says.

Buffy shakes her head, "You had to have been. Otherwise, you wouldn't have made it into the academy. Yes, we know about the academy. We know about the chevrons. We also know that you haven't killed your innocent, yet."

"I will." Tom says.

Prue shakes her head, "You'll have to get past me first."

Tom shakes his head, "Kellman'll kill us both if I don't."

"Kellman. Tom, I know who you are, the person that you were, alright, and I know that somewhere in there it still exists. Look, Tom." Prue says and shows him the yearbook. "This is who you are, alright? This is who your mother is waiting for."

"Vanquish me, or I will kill you, witches." Tom says.

Buffy powers up a fireball, "Are you really ready to die? I doubt it."

Prue frowns, "Buffy."

"Just making a point." Buffy says.

Prue nods, "Neither is going to happen, alright? I am going to save you from yourself whether you like it or not." She loosens the ropes with her power. She walks out of the attic.

Buffy frowns, "What the heck, Prue!" She follows Prue downstairs into the kitchen, the room is full of stuff.

"Prue, you want too… whoa." Buffy says.

"Okay, so I think I have an idea of how to... whoa." Prue says.

"My lost and found spell's a little too enthusiastic." Phoebe says.

"We're finding stuff all over the house. It's endless." Piper says.

"I don't mean to sound paranoid, but after all these years I think I've earned that right. How do you know your spell is not gonna find demons that you're already vanquished?" Darryl says.

"Oh, you mean like Belthazor." Piper says.

Prue shakes her head, "Okay, one demon at a time. Did you get anything on Tom?"

"Just a missing persons file." Darryl says and hands Prue the file.

"Alright, anything on a man named Kellman?" Prue asks.

They hear a door close.

"What was that?" Piper asks.

"That would be Tom escaping." Buffy says looking at Prue.

"What?" Phoebe asks.

"That's what I want to know." Buffy says.

"Yeah, I loosened his ropes. I'm hoping to track him down to the demon that turned him, break him, break his hold on Tom. Anything that you can get me on Kellman I'd appreciate, okay?" Prue says.

"Alright, I guess we're going now." Phoebe says.

"Shouldn't we reverse the spell first?" Piper asks.

The girls leave the kitchen. The wind blows through the kitchen and freaks Darryl out.

In a building somewhere in town. Tom is making his way to Kellman's office. Buffy, Prue, Piper and Phoebe are following behind. Tom walks inside his office.

"Alright, you ready?" Prue asks.

"Ready for what?" Phoebe asks.

Prue smiles, "To save him."

Buffy, Prue, Piper and Phoebe walk into Kellman's office. No one's there.)

"Where'd he go?" Buffy asks.

Prue shakes her head, "Doesn't make any sense. If he could vanish, he would have done it before."

"I got a bad feeling about this." Piper says.

"So do I. My spidey sense is going off." Buffy says.

Piper picks up a soccer ball. "This is weird. So Kellman poses as a human and then what? Gives athletes a way out of their problems?"

Phoebe nods, "Yeah, a demonic way out."

"Alright, what about your lost and found spell? Do you think you could rewrite it to find Tom?" Buffy asks.

Phoebe nods, "Maybe. Uh, how about, "Show me the path that I cannot find, to save Tom and restore Prue's peace of mind.""

The elevator appears.

"Oh, whoa." Piper says.

Prue smiles, "Way to go, Pheebs."

"Remind me again why we are doing this." Piper says.

Phoebe smiles, "Because your sisters have a thing for saving bad boys."

Piper frowns, "If I die before I get married, I'm gonna be really mad at the three of you."

Buffy nods, "So will I."

They get on the elevator and it goes down to the underground. The doors open.

"Oh god." Phoebe says.

"Okay, I'd still like to point out that I have a really bad feeling about this."

Buffy nods, "My spidey sense just shot through the roof."

They walk out of the elevator and see the demons wrestling.

"What the...?" Prue asks.

"Oh, no." Phoebe says.

"I'm the man!" A wrestler says as he holds a guy on the mat and a hole opens up beneath him. The guy falls into the flames.

"Next!" Kellman says.

Tom goes in the ring.

"Tom." Prue says as she starts to walk over but Buffy, Phoebe and Piper stop her.)

"Hey, hey, hey, hey!" Piper says.

"Where you going?" Buffy asks.

"Whoa!" Phoebe says.

"Are you nuts?" Piper asks.

Phoebe nods, "Maybe we need to go back up top and rethink this whole thing."

"Oh, well, you know what, Phoebe? That would be such a great plan if Tom weren't seconds away from annihilation." Prue says.

Phoebe sighs, "Okay, so we're supposed to risk our lives to save a demon? Of course, it's okay now that it's your demon, right?"

Buffy nods, "The thing is, isn't it silly for the four of us to sacrifice ourselves for one guy, whatever kind of guy he was?"

Prue sighs, "Alright, what kind of witches would we be if we started playing the odds, if we started picking and choosing our innocents? I mean, this is what we do, isn't it?"

"Then let's do it." Phoebe says.

"Okay." Prue says, smiling.

"But..." Buffy and Piper says.

"Tom!" Prue says.

The men start to run over to them and Piper freezes them all but Kellman, Tom and the wrestler. Kellman makes a ball with three sharp blades sticking out of it hover near Tom.

"Your little parlour tricks may work on some of the newer boys but the rest of us will be a little tougher." Kellman says as he pulls up his sleeve to reveal eight chevrons on his arm. "You girls are way out of your league down here. You have no idea."

Prue nods, "Well, we know that you have a deadline, Mr. Kellman. Time to deliver your recruits?"

"And you think you can stop me, hmm? Think you can save him? I kind of admire that level of arrogance." Kellman says.

Prue smiles, "Thanks. We kind of like to think of it as confidence."

"Well, get over it. He's lost." Kellman says.

"I made a deal. I stand by it." Tom says.

The sharp ball disappears. Tom gets out of the ring and stands next to Kellman.

"Now, you see that? Now, that's what I call a quick recovery, huh? Knocked the humanity right out of him and we got a perfect kill for him too." Kellman says.

Piper shakes her head, "Uh, not if we put him on ice." Piper freezes him. "Kind of hard to make him kill an innocent now, huh?"

"Unfreeze him." Kellman says.

Buffy shakes her head, "I don't think so."

Piper smiles, "Nope."

Kellman walks towards Piper.

"Ah! If anything happens to me, he's gonna stay that way." Piper says.

"Is that true?" Phoebe whispers.

"Yes." Piper whispers.

"You're bluffing." Kellman says.

"Are we?" Buffy asks.

Kellman nods, "I'm listening."

"Alright, how about four witches, one of which happens to be a Slayer, in exchange for Tom's soul?" Prue says.

"Prue!" Phoebe and Buffy says.

Prue nods, "If we win, we get Tom back. If we lose, you get Tom and the four of us. Risk one to gain five."

"You really think you can win in the ring?" Kellman says.

Prue nods, "Well, you know, we don't really have much of a choice. But if we do win, we don't go into the training program. We go free."

Kellman smiles, "Did your homework. Okay, you got a deal. You win, you go free. But if you lose, you die. I can't control what happens in the ring, only the Source can."

Prue nods, "Understood."

Buffy, Prue, Piper and Phoebe move away and take off their coats.

"Hey, you know that bad feeling I was talking about? It's getting stronger." Piper says.

"My spidey sense is not getting any better Prue. On top of that I'm beginning to wig out." Buffy says.

"Alright, you need to stay here and keep Tom frozen, okay? Buffy stay with Piper, keep her safe." Prue says.

"I hate this crappy freezing power!" Piper says.

"Okay, our powers seem to have a limited effect on these guys. So we're gonna have to outmaneuver them." Prue says.

Phoebe nods, "And outsmart them and keep our shoulders off the mat. Piece of cake."

Buffy sighs, "Be careful."

Prue smiles, "Always will. So I guess we're as ready as we're ever gonna be."

"Uh, Buffy, Prue, there's one more thing." Phoebe says.

"Now? Now is your perfect moment?" Piper asks.

"Piper, we might die in there." Phoebe says.

"That doesn't mean you should tell them now." Piper says.

"Okay, tell us what?" Buffy asks.

"Cole is still alive. I never really vanquished him." Phoebe says.

"What?" Buffy and Prue asks.

Kellman frowns, "By the way, since you're witches, I think it's only fair that I even the playing field."

Two very large wrestlers come out.

Wrestler #2 yells, "You look at this face! This is the face of pain and I'm the bringer of pain! And I'm gonna destroy you! You can cry for mercy but I don't know the meaning of the word!"

"Alright, and people think this is entertainment." Prue says.

"Prue..." Phoebe says and touches Prue's arm and she pulls away.

"Ooh!" Prue says.

"Are we okay?" Phoebe says.

Buffy sighs and shakes her head. She looks at Prue. They had no better when it came to Angel. Prue had reluctantly kept her secret till Xander had found out and she had been forced to tell everyone. Phoebe and Piper had been disappointed in her to say the least.

"Not by a long shot. Look, Phoebe, it you waited till now to tell me about Cole in hopes that we would die and you wouldn't have to deal with me, you have another thing coming." Prue says.

"Prue, don't be too hard on Pheebs. It wasn't too long ago both of us were in her position with Angel." Buffy says.

Prue looks at Buffy and glares. She turns and walks away.

"I think that went well." Phoebe says.

Prue and Phoebe go into the ring.

"Alright, I am going to win this fight and save your ass. That way I can kick it myself later." Prue says.

"Hi." Phoebe says.

"Oh boy, oh boy." Piper says.

"Your telling me." Buffy says.

Prue jumps up and kicks both of the wrestlers in the head.

"Wow." Phoebe says.

They all start fighting.

"Okay, oh god, oh god, come on, do something!" Piper says.

"Get angry! Focus! Get motivated!" Buffy says.

"Prue, listen to me. She lied to you big time. Big time lied to you. Come on, get angry! Come on, or else we're in big deep. Phoebe, she thinks you're a weakling, like, big time sucker for love. Oh god!" Piper says.

Kellman puts the sharp ball in Buffy and Piper's back. They fall to the floor. Everyone unfreezes.

"Piper! Buffy!" Prue says.

"Called your bluff." Kellman says.

"Piper! Buffy!" Phoebe says.

The wrestlers continue to beat up Prue and Phoebe.

"Let's go see how mom's doing, shall we? Slammer. Yeah, baby." Kellman says.

One of the wrestlers holds Phoebe down on the mat. The hole starts to open.

"No! Aah, Prue!" Phoebe says as Prue kicks both the wrestlers and helps Phoebe up. "Thank you."

"Alright, we have to save Piper and Buffy." Prue says.

"How do we do that?" Phoebe asks.

"By kicking ass." Prue says as they kick the wrestlers in the head and they fall on the mat. Prue and Phoebe hold the wrestlers down. The hole starts to open. "Alright, 1, 2, 3."

Prue and Phoebe move out of the way and the wrestlers fall down the hole. Prue and Phoebe run over to Piper and Buffy.

"Anyone else want a piece of this?" Prue asks.

The demons run away.

"Prue, it looks really bad. I don't know if we're gonna make it to Leo." Phoebe says.

"Yeah, we will, come on." Prue says.

Prue drags Buffy to the elevator as Phoebe drags Piper to the elevator.

In Kellman's office Leo's there looking through his stuff. Prue and Phoebe carry Buffy and Piper out of the elevator.

"Leo!" Phoebe says.

"What happened?" Leo asks running over to them.

"Hurry! I think Piper's stopped breathing." Prue says as they lay Piper and Buffy on the ground and Leo pulls out the sharp ball out of both Piper and Buffy. He starts to heal Piper.

"It's working." Leo says.

"First off, hurry. Second it's not that I'm not thrilled to see you, but what are you doing here, Leo?" Phoebe asks.

"I was looking for you. I thought I'd start with Kellman." Leo says.

Prue nods, "He's the recruiter."

"I figured. The Elders think the key to destroying him is to turn one of his recruits against him." Leo says.

"So first we have to figure out a way to save Tom." Phoebe says.

"Alright, so I'll call Morris, get him to bring Tom's mom to the manor. Then we just have to figure out a way to get Tom there." Prue says.

"Hey, guess what? I found mom's ring." Piper says as she sits up. "Ooh."

Leo and Piper hug. He then moves over to Buffy and begins to heal her.

"Wait, you want them in the same house?" Phoebe asks.

Prue nods, "Yeah, she's gotta be the key to saving him, otherwise why would Kellman want Tom to kill her?"

"Okay, well, maybe I could figure out a way to tweak the lost and found spell again, lure him to the house and after all, Tom's a lost soul, right?"

"She gonna be okay?" Prue asks.

Leo nods, "Yeah, go. I'll take care of Buffy."

"You sure?" Prue asks.

Leo nods, "Yeah."

Piper, Prue and Phoebe walk outside.

A few moments later Leo heals Buffy.

Buffy sits up, "I thought I was done with the dying thing."

Leo shakes his head, "At least this time you didn't die though."

Buffy nods and looks around, "Where is the guys?"

"Manor. You okay to go to them?"

Buffy stands, "A little wobbly but I think so."

Leo nods, "I'll orb you."

At the manor Rasputin is on the couch barking at eerie noises. Darryl and Mrs. Peters walk in.

"What was that? What are those noises?" Mrs. Peters asks.

Darryl shakes his head, "I'm not quite sure."

Piper, Prue and Phoebe come in.

"Thanks for coming, Mrs. Peters." Prue says.

Mrs. Peters shakes her head, "But I don't understand."

"You will soon. Any sign of Kellman?" Prue says.

Darryl shakes his head, "No, but there are plenty of other signs."

"Uh-oh, seems like some lost souls were found." Phoebe says.

Piper nods, "Yeah, we need to reverse this spell quick."

"Where's Tom?" Mrs. Peters asks just as Kellman and Tom walk in. "Tom!"

Darryl stops Mrs. Peters from going over to him. "No!"

"How did you..." Kellman says.

"'Cause we're not done with you yet." Prue says.

"I told you it was too late to save Tom. But thank you for leading us to the victim. Kill her, Tom." Kellman says.

Tom throws a fireball at his mother. Darryl pushes her out of the way.

Prue uses her power on Kellman. "Listen to me. Look at your mother. Remember what it felt like to be human. Remember what it feels like to be loved."

Kellman makes the sharp ball appear near Mrs. Peters' neck. The lost souls fly around the room.

"Prue, we're about to have other problems from other worlds." Phoebe says.

"Tom? Help me!" Mrs. Peters says.

Kellman frowns, "Kill her, damn it."

Tom goes over and grabs onto the ball. He hesitates and then throws it at Kelllman. The lost souls fly around him.

"What the hell is happening?" Piper asks.

"I think there are some lost souls welcoming a new friend. Get rid of them." Prue says.

"I return what I didn't want to find, let it be out of sight, out of mind." Phoebe chants.

Kellman is vanquished and the souls disappear. Tom's chevrons disappear.

"Mom. Mom, I'm so sorry." Tom says as he hugs Mrs. Peters.

Mrs. Peters smiles, "Oh! Oh, Tommy! It's alright. Everything's alright."

"I guess some guys are worth saving after all." Phoebe says.

Later at the Manor Buffy, Prue, Piper, Phoebe and Leo are there. They are looking at their Patty's ring which is now on Piper's finger.

"Isn't that beautiful?" Piper asks.

Prue smiles, "Yes, and it's right where it belongs. So is Tom, by the way, at home with his mom."

Leo nods, "And I got Rasputin back to the family he was living with."

"So maybe the spell wasn't such a bad thing after all." Buffy says.

Piper shakes her head, "Are you kidding? We're gonna have to hold a huge garage sale every Saturday for like the next three months to get rid of all the stuff that came back here."

Leo nods, "Yeah. Who knows what trouble may be caused if those lost souls had stayed around."

"Okay, okay, I will fix it. You guys go and have a nice dinner." Piper and Leo leave the manor. Prue and Phoebe walk in the living room. Phoebe burns the spell in the fireplace. "So now everything's back to normal."

"What about your hair?" Buffy asks.

Phoebe smiles, "Mmm, I'm tempted to keep it but I don't know, I think the blonde's coming back."

"Is anything else?" Prue asks.

Phoebe shakes her head, "No. You were right about Tom and I was wrong about Cole. I'm sorry."

"And you think that just takes care of it? I'm sorry?" Prue asks.

Buffy shakes her head, "Prue neither of us has the right to judge Phoebe…"

Phoebe shakes her head, "Buffy it's alright. You guys had a good reason not to tell us about Angel. Anyways, obviously an apology doesn't fix it, but I'm not stupid, Prue, I know that I made a bad choice."

"A choice that betrayed us." Prue says.

Phoebe nods, "I didn't do it to betray you, Prue, I did it out of love."

"Right. Love. Love that almost got all of us killed." Prue says.

Buffy shakes her head, "You wanted to save Tom after, I don't know, how many years? Why can't you understand how she felt about Cole? It's exactly how I felt about Angel when he came back."

Prue sighs, "Buffy! Phoebe, what I don't understand is how you could have lied to us. Buffy, Piper and me, a lie, that still poses a threat to all four of us. Even when Buffy and I lied about Angel we knew he didn't pose a threat. If I had thought for a moment Angel even posed a threat you would have seen me on the front lines wanting to vanquish him."

"Where do we go from here?" Phoebe asks.

Prue shakes her head, "I don't know."


	64. Chapter 64: Bad Girls

**Chapter 64: Bad Girls**

Buffy and Faith get slammed down into the ground, hard. Vampires clutch their necks, baring down.

Faith makes conversation. "So, what, you're telling me never?"

"Faith, really. Now is not the time." Buffy says.

"I'm curious. Never ever?" Faith asks. Buffy and Faith each flip their attackers off them, start kicking ass. Only Faith won't shut up. "Come on, really? All this time and not even once?"

"How many times can I say it? I have never…" Buffy says as she punches the vamp…" Done it…" kicks the vamp… "With Xander!" She stakes the vamp and he dusts. "He's just a friend."

"So?" Faith asks as she stakes her vamp too and he dusts also. "What are friends for? I'm sorry. It's just, all that sweating nightly, side-by-side action, and you never put in for a little after hours…" she grunts.

"Thanks for the poetry, and no. I love Xander, I just don't… love Xander. Besides, I think it ruins friendships to do stuff like that." Buffy says.

"You think too much." Faith says.

Buffy stops cold. Faith stops, too. "There's one left."

"How do you know?" Faith asks.

"I think too much." Buffy says looking at the ground. There is a cacophony of tracks and footprints in the dirt. She mentally adds them up, one set leading her gaze to a tomb nearby.

A shadow moves subtly behind it.

Someone's hiding. The slayers go silent. Buffy points. Faith goes right.

Buffy goes left. "On three…" She silently counts off on her fingers: One, Two… but that's as far as she gets. Faith leaps straight over the top of the tomb, stakes in hand. "Three."

"Yaaahhh!" Faith says.

Impossibly fast, a third vampire flashes up from behind the headstone, grabs Faith, and using her momentum slams her into the ground face-first.

The vamp turns to Buffy. Unsheathes a jewel-encrusted sword and dagger. Holds them in dueling position.

Buffy powers up a fireball, she kicks the vamp in the nuts. He howls in rage as Buffy kicks away both sword and dagger. He rushes Buffy, and slams her up against a headstone before she has a chance to throw her fireball. They struggle. His fangs approach her neck when suddenly - POOF! He's dusted. Dust clears, revealing Faith behind him.

Faith grins, twirling her stake like a gunfighter. "Nicely diverted, B.!" She holds up her hand for a high-five.

Buffy just looks at her like she's crazy. "That wasn't diverting! That was fighting for my life, Miss Attention Span." She storms away, pissed.

Faith follows. "Hey, this isn't a Tupperware party, it's a little harder to plan."

"The count of three is not a plan. It's Sesame Street." Buffy says.

"Hey, they're toast and we're here so it couldn't have been too bad. Who were those guys, anyway?" Faith says.

Buffy shrugs, "No idea. They sure didn't look local. Grab the weapons, would you? Maybe Giles can…"

But the sword and dagger are gone. Buffy and Faith look to each other…

The next day Buffy, Willow, Xander and Oz, lounging in the school lounge. All look on as Willow looks through an endless pile of thick manila envelopes. College catalogues.

Xander reads over her shoulder. "Harvard, Yale, Wesleyan…"

"Wow, Willow. Looks like early admission came early this year." Buffy says.

"Hence the name." Oz says.

"M.I.T., Barnard, some German Polytechnical Institute whose name I can't pronounce… Is anyone else intimidated? Because I'm just expecting paper-thin slips with the words "no way" written on them in crayon." Xander says.

"They're typing those now." Oz says.

"I'm so overwhelmed. I got in! To colleges. Real live colleges! And now they're wooing me. They're pitching woo!" Willow says.

"The wooing stage is always fun." Buffy says.

"But weird, too. Rejection I can handle from my long years of training in the field. But this…" Willow says.

"I feel your pain, Will. Like, right now? I'm torn between the fast-growing industries of appliance repair and motel management. Of course, I'm still waiting to hear from The Corndog Emporium, so…" Xander says as he crosses his fingers.

"Embrace it, Will. This is a great time. There's nothing standing between you and a whole new world." Buffy says.

"Except - if I could suggest? Graduate. Getting left back? Not the thrill ride you'd expect." Oz says.

Cordelia folds back the folder Xander is reading. He looks up. "That's so cute, planning life as a loser. Most people just turn out that way, but you're really taking charge."

"The comedy stylings of Miss Cordelia Chase, everybody. Who incidentally won't be needing a higher education when she can just market her own very successful line of Hooker Wear." Xander says.

"Well Xander, I could dress more like you but, oh. My father has a job." Cordelia says.

"I won't waste the perfect comeback on you now, but don't think I don't have it. Oh yes, its time will come." Xander says but Cordelia's gone. Xander turns back to the group. "So. Life beyond high school. Anyone. For the love of God, please, chime in."

"I hear it's nice. And, a place I'll never go if I don't pass Mrs. Taggart's chem. test tomorrow." Buffy says.

"I can help. Chemistry's easy. It's just like witchcraft, only there's not as much newt. Which makes me wonder how come you have trouble with it. What do you say? Study jam at my house? Tonight?" Willow says.

"I'm there." Buffy says. The BELL RINGS. They all get up to leave. "I gotta check in with Giles, report on last night's patrol."

"Oh, that's right. He said he needed to talk to you." Willow says.

Buffy frowns, "What about? Is he all right?"

"Well, he's looked better…" Willow says.

In the library Giles HAS looked better - he's uncomfortable, bored and a teeny bit hostile. He is, however, trying to be polite about it.

The reason for his attitude is speaking to him. Incessantly. He is Wesley Wyndam-Pryce, Watcher. "Of course, training procedures have been updated quite a bit since your day. Much greater emphasis on field work."

"Really." Giles says.

Wesley nods, "Oh yes. It's not all books and theory nowadays. I have in fact faced two vampires - under controlled circumstances, of course."

"Well, you're in no danger of finding any here." Giles says.

"Vampires?" Wesley asks.

"Controlled circumstances. Hello, Buffy." Giles says as Buffy enters the library.

Buffy looks over the new watcher with suspicion. He brightens to see her, shaking her hand.

"Well, hello!" Wesley says.

"New watcher." Buffy says.

Giles nods, "New watcher."

"Wesley Wyndam-Pryce. It's very nice to meet you." Wesley says.

"Is he evil?" Buffy asks.

"Evil?" Wesley asks.

Buffy nods, "The last one was evil."

Wesley nods, "Oh, yes, Gwendolyn Post, we all heard. A sad example of the seductive power of dark knowledge. Mr. Giles has checked my credentials rather thoroughly and phoned the council but I'm glad to see you're on the ball as well, a good slayer is a cautious slayer." He smiles at her.

"Is he evil?" Buffy asks again.

"Not in the strictest sense." Giles says.

"Well, I'm glad that's cleared up. And as I'm sure none of us is anxious to waste time on pleasantries, why don't you tell me everything about last night's patrol." Wesley says, slightly peeved.

"Vampires." Buffy says.

"Yes?" Wesley asks.

"Killed 'em." Buffy says.

"Anything else you can tell me?" Wesley asks.

A gently remonstrative look from Giles makes Buffy grudgingly continue.

"One of them had swords. I don't think he was with the other two." Buffy says.

"Swords? One long, one short?" Wesley asks.

Buffy nods, "Both pointy. With jewels and stuff."

"That sounds familiar." Giles says.

"It should." Wesley says as he rifles through some of his own books. Hands one open to Giles.

"El Eliminati. Fift –" Giles says.

Wesley nods, "Fifteenth century duelist cult. Deadly in their day, their numbers dwindled in later centuries, due to an increase in antivampire activity and a lot of pointless dueling. They eventually became the acolytes of a demon called Calthazar, who brought them to the new world. Specifically, here."

"You seem to know them well." Giles says.

"I didn't get this job because of my looks." Wesley says.

Buffy nods, "I really really believe that."

"I've researched this town's history. Extensively." Wesley says.

"So why haven't we seen them before this?" Giles asks.

"They were driven out a hundred years ago. Calthazar was, happily, killed. I'm not sure by whom." Wesley says.

"And they're back 'cause…" Buffy says.

"Calthazar had an amulet, purported to give him strength. When he was killed, it was taken by a wealthy landowner - I don't want to bore you with the details…" Wesley says.

"Little bit late…" Buffy says.

"…Named Gleaves. It's buried with him and I believe the few remaining Eliminati are probably looking for it. For sentimental value." Wesley says.

Giles nods, "So you don't think the amulet poses a threat of some kind?"

"Not at all. None the less, we may as well keep it from them. Buffy, you will go to the Gleaves family crypt tonight and fetch the amulet." Wesley says.

Buffy frowns, "I will?"

"Are you not used to being given orders?" Wesley asks.

Buffy smiles, "Giles always says please when he sends me on a mission. And afterwards, he gives me a cookie."

"I don't feel like we're getting off on quite the right foot –" Wesley says. Faith enters as he speaks. Assesses the situation. "Ah! This is perhaps Faith?"

Faith looks at him. "New watcher."

"New watcher." Buffy and Faith says.

"Screw that." Faith says. She turns on her heel and exits.

"Now, why didn't I say that?" Buffy says.

Giles frowns, "Buffy, do you think you could –"

Buffy sighs, "I'll see if I can get her back. Don't say anything incredibly interesting while I'm gone." She exits.

Wesley watches, trying not to be thrown. "They'll get used to me."

Giles sighs very quietly, takes off his glasses to clean them. Notices Wesley has taken his off and is cleaning them. Giles slips his back on. "Well Faith it might matter if she gets used to you. You should forget about Buffy. She is a Charmed One. Her allegiance is not to the Watcher's Council but to the Power of Three. She will work with you but she will not work for you."

Out in the quad Buffy catches up with Faith, who's storming off campus. "Faith, wait." Buffy catches up to her. "I know this new guy's a dork, but… I have nothing to follow that, he's just a dork."

"You actually gonna take orders from him?" Faith asks.

Buffy shakes her head, "Probably not. But I do need his resources."

Faith nods, "You know we're slayers, girlfriend. The Chosen Two. Why should we let him take all the fun out of it?"

Buffy nods, "That'd be tragic, taking the fun out of slaying and stabbing and beheading…"

"Oh, like you don't dig it." Faith says.

"I don't." Buffy says.

Faith shakes her head, "Liar. I've seen you. Tell me staking a vamp doesn't get you a little bit juiced. Say it." She stops, faces Buffy, folds her arms and waits. Buffy smiles, hesitates, looks away… "Aah! Can't fool me. The look in your eyes right after a kill? Just get hungry for more."

"You are way off base." Buffy says.

"Tell me that if you don't get in a good slaying, after a while you start itching for some vamp to show up so you can give him a good…" Faith says and makes a stabbing motion and grunts.

"Again with the grunting. I'm not comfortable with that." Buffy says.

"Hey, slaying's what we were built for. If you're not enjoying it, you're doing something wrong." Faith says and she starts to go.

"Uh, what about the little idiot's mission?" Buffy asks.

"Tell you what. You go." Faith says and she goes, leaving a pensive Buffy.

Faith saunters off campus, free. Buffy looks back at the school. Then back at Faith.

That evening Buffy and Prue enters the Gleaves Family Crypt. They each have a flashlight in hand, moving forward.

"So why is Faith not with you tonight?" Prue asks,

Buffy finds a grave. With some effort, she shoves the heavy stone covering aside, looks inside. Nasty corpse. No amulet. "Strike one… New Watcher, Prue. I don't know why they couldn't just stay away. Anyways Faith doesn't want to play nice and I can't say I blame her. If it weren't for the fact Giles only has access to his own books now. I would say let's ship this guy back to England. But we need his resources."

Prue nods and turns to the second grave. Opens it using her power on the cover. Inside, she sees the rotting corpse of a dead monk. Wearing an ancient, ornate amulet. "Here we go."

"Game over." Buffy says and reaches into the tomb to remove the amulet. And suddenly the tomb is filled with light.

Buffy and Prue turns to see a torch comes into the crypt. Held by a vampire. Followed by another. Then another. Then another. They keep coming. Ten torches in all. The vampires swagger in as a pack.

Buffy grabs Prue and stuffs herself and Prue into the first tomb, next to the rotting corpse. They wait, trying to be silent.

The vamps enter. The head vamp, Vincent, pulls the amulet off the corpse. They exit as a group.

Buffy and Prue listens. Nothing.

Buffy exhales a sigh of relief. Stands up, and the second she does - clap! - a hand grabs her shoulder. "Aah!"

Prue turns using her power on… Faith. Sending her flying across the crypt.

"Faith!" Buffy says.

Prue frowns, "Sorry. You shouldn't have startled us like that, Faith."

"What are you two doing, hiding in there?" Faith

"Looking for an amulet. Wasn't really counting on the special guest stars. Ten against two - hence the hiding.

Faith smiles, "Ten against three now. Come on." She runs out of the crypt. Buffy and Prue follows.

The vamps are getting away. They are rabbiting down a manhole. Gone. Faith charges after them.

Buffy pulls her back. "Wait. Stop. Think."

"No. No. No." Faith says.

"It's a manhole. Tight space, no escape - and ten against three – not unlike three against one." Buffy says.

"And there might be more. Come on." Faith says.

"You're just going in? That's your plan?" Prue asks.

Faith stops, turns, looks at Prue. "Who said I had a plan? I don't know how many's down there but I wanna find out and I'll know when I land and if Buffy at least don't come in after me…" She leaps, finishing with a big smile, "I might die!"

Buffy looks to Prue, "She's right. I got to go."

Prue nods, "Let's go then."

Buffy jumps down into the manhole followed by Prue.

As Buffy lands she is punched by an vampire. She turns to face TWO OTHERS. Lightning-fast, she backhands the first, one-tows the other and backs up right into Faith…

Prue lands beside them and she too backs up towards Faith.

They are surrounded by vampires

Faith is fighting for her life - and grinning.

The three of them are right in the middle of one big mother of a fight. Ten vamps. Two Slayers, Two witches. And the only exit is a small round opening, twelve feet overhead.

"We're surrounded!" Buffy says.

Faith laughs, "You noticed that too?"

The vamps attack at once. War cries echo sharply through the tunnels. Buffy, Prue and Faith go total video game on them. Kicking. Punching. Staking. Anything but stopping.

One slams Faith against the slimy sewer wall. Buffy hurls a fireball and dusts Faith's vamp.

Two vamps rush Prue, one left, one right, and grab her arms. Their leader, Vincent, a tall one, unsheathes a sword and dagger. He has the amulet tucked into his belt. He takes a fighting stance.

"Let's settle this honorably." Vincent says.

Prue kicks the sword out of his hand. She telekinetically brings the two thugs holding her crashing together. Vincent lunges with the dagger. Only to find Buffy standing in his way as she holds the dagger off, but it takes both hands.

Vincent takes his free hand, grabs Buffy by the back of the head. "Well, then, we'll just settle it." He shoves Buffy's head under the brackish water, face first.

"Buffy!" Prue and Faith says.

"Son of a bitch, I'll…" Faith says.

But Faith can't even finish her sentence. She gets socked in the stomach by a big brute of a vamp.

Another jumps Prue from behind.

Prue and Faith fights them, two-against-two, watching as Buffy stays down.

Vincent smiles, holding Buffy's head under water. She struggles. Then weakens. Then stops.

"BUFFY!" Prue and Faith yells.

Vincent holds her down just a little bit longer, just to make sure. The remaining vamps surround Prue and Faith. They're next. Vincent relaxes his grip, stands, is about to turn when…

Buffy whisps her head up. Alive. Newly baptized. Eyes blazing a glint we've never seen before lighting her eyes. She's crazy. Grins. She uppercuts Vincent, catching him clean under the jaw and lifting him a good two feet off the ground. "I hate it when they drown me."

Prue lets out a sigh of relief.

Buffy grabs his sword from under the water. Lunges.

Faith grins at Buffy's transformation. She uses the distraction to kneecap of the vamp holding her with a crisp sidekick. He goes down.

Prue flips one who rushes her from behind. Clears an entrance. Palm-thrusts an onrushing vamp, sending nose cartilage straight into his brain.

Buffy's Errol Flynn. She fences Vincent, kills and oncoming vamp without breaking stride, keeps thrusting forward…

"B. - gotta go!" Faith says.

"Faith's right Buffy. We need to flame out." Prue says.

"We came for the amulet…" Buffy says as she swipes her blade in a long, swinging arc - slicing the amulet's chain from around Vincent's belt. It drops to the ground. She scoops it up the second it lands. "…We're not leaving without it." She clocks a vamp who's sneaking up behind her with the blade handle. He's out.

Vincent and what's left of his men - run. A ragged, defeated gang, splashing away in defeat. Buffy, breathless, turns to Faith and Prue.

"Tell me you don't get off on this." Faith says.

Prue rolls her eyes.

Buffy stands tall, pockets the amulet, too cool. "Didn't suck." She grabs Prue and Faith's hands and flames out.

The next day in the library Wesley, tut-tutting to himself quietly, cleans a small bit of muck off the amulet as he examines it up close. "Well. Looks authentic enough. Of course, there are tests to be made before actual verification…"

"How about verifying that your "nearly extinct" cult was out in magnum force last night? Faith, Prue and I got into a serious party situation." Buffy says.

"Are you all right? Is Prue?" Giles asks.

Buffy nods, "I had to lather, rinse, and repeat about five million times to get the sewer out of my hair, but otherwise, I'm of the good. Prue's good, nothing a Charmed One couldn't handle."

"Perhaps there were a few more of them than we'd anticipated, but I'd expect you to be ready for anything. Remember the three key words for any slayer:" Wesley says and taps his book for emphasis. "Preparation. Preparation. Preparation."

"That's one word three times." Buffy says. The bell RINGS. "Oh my God. I have a chem. test. It's so sad that I'm happy about that. Giles. We gotta talk."

"Buffy, I must ask you to remember that I am your watcher. From now on, anything you have to say about slaying, you say to me. The only thing you need to discuss with Mr. Giles is… overdue book fees. Understood?"

Buffy turns to Wesley and gets up in his face, "I don't care who you are. The only reason you're here is for your resources with the Watcher's Council. The Charmed Ones don't want to burn an ally by turning our backs on Giles. If we want to use that resource it is our call not yours or the Watcher's Council. You got me? If you don't you can pack your bags." Wesley nods. Buffy turns to Giles. "We'll talk."

"Of course." Giles says beaming with pride.

Buffy turns and leaves.

Wesley frowns at Giles. "You're not helping."

Giles nods, "I know. I feel just sick about it. But you know I did warn you.

Moments later Mrs. Taggart, chemistry teacher, hands out test booklets. Buffy talks with Xander and Willow.

"It was intense. It was like I just let go, you know, and I became this force. I just didn't care any more." Buffy says.

"Yeah, I know what that's like –" Willow says.

"I don't think you can. It's kind of a slayer thing; I don't even think I'm explaining it well." Buffy says.

"You're explaining it a lot, though…" Xander says.

"All right. You have one period to fill out your test booklets, periodic charts are included in the back, and you're on the honor system, so remember… no talking." Mrs. Taggart says.

"Well, the thing was, Faith knew I didn't want to go down there –" Buffy says.

"Ahem. Ms. Halliwell?" Mrs. Taggart says as Buffy sits straight, makes a contrite 'zip' across her lips. "You have one hour." She hands out the last of the tests. Leaves.

And the second the door closes, Buffy launches right back in, "Okay, so the best part –"

"Buffy? Test. You know, the one you didn't come over to study for?" Willow says.

"Right. Got it. Sorry." She turns to Xander, "…so, we're in the sewers, right, and Faith has three of them on her…"

"Hey. Whoa, can we resume Buffy's ode to Faith later? Like when I'm not actively multiple-choicing?" Xander says.

"How come your eye always twitches when I talk about Faith?" Buffy asks.

"What? No it doesn't." Xander says.

"Faith." Buffy says.

Xander covers his eye. "Cut it out, we got a test to take, I'm highly caffeinated and trying to concentrate. Some of us care about school, you know." He goes back to his test.

Willow's immersed. Everyone in class sits hunched over their test booklets, except Buffy. Way bored. Then, tap tap tap! Buffy sees Faith - her nose pressed up against the glass of the classroom window.

"Hey girlfriend. Bad time?" Faith says as Buffy holds up her test booklet. Faith nods, breathes steam onto the window. Finger-draws a heart. Then a stake through it. Looks at Buffy, wiggles her eyebrows…

"She can't." Willow says. "You can't. Can you?"

Buffy climbs out the classroom window. Kids laugh and point, but go back to their tests.

"Buffy! This is fifteen percent of the final grade, and that's…" Willow says but Buffy's gone. Willow turns to Xander. "…apparently meaningless."

Faith and Buffy stride off campus.

"What's up?" Buffy asks.

"Vampires." Faith says.

"Uh, Faith? Unless there's a total eclipse in the next five minutes - it's daylight." Buffy says.

Faith smiles, "Good for us. Bad for them. I found a nest."

Buffy grins, "That has potential…"

They walk off together, picking up momentum.

Later in an abandoned warehouse it's dark. There are several silhouettes of several sleeping figures on the grounds.

CRASH! Two figures come smashing through a window. Buffy and Faith. They land, roll, and come up on their feet. Sunlight pours in through the broken window behind them.

Vampires scream. Scramble out of the sunlight's path before bits and pieces of them burst into flame. Big chaos. Buffy and Faith each pull stakes.

"Rise and shine, people." Faith says.

"This is your wake up call." Buffy says.

The two girls, smiling in the moment before all hell breaks loose.

Later at Payson's Buffy and Faith dance wildly. Both slayers look a little beat-up. It only makes them sexier. They gyrate with abandon. Their dancing picks up a beat as two hunky cute guys join in. Buffy and Faith heat it up for their dance partners, the luckiest boys in San Francisco.

Piper shakes her head watching Buffy from the bar. She's never seen Buffy like this before.

Angel is watching from the crowd. Bummed. He turns to leave.

"Angel!" Buffy says as she jumps on Angel and wrapping herself around him. "Not leaving, are you?"

"Saw you making friends." Angel says.

"Them? Boys. I like you." Buffy says. Angel lets her down. She stands. Very close. "What's the matter? You're not afraid of little me, are you?"

"We better sit down." Angel says and he leads her to a table. They sit. Buffy tries to match his seriousness, but she can't help the playful smile that floats about her lips.

"Okay. I can sense this is a business trip. What's the what?" Buffy says motioning for Piper.

Piper comes around the bar and walks over to Angel and Buffy.

"Calthazar." Angel says.

Buffy nods, "Dead demon."

"Not as dead as you'd think. Word on the street puts him in the packing warehouse on Devereau. He's looking for –" Angel says.

"— his amulet. Yeah. It's supposed to restore his strength." Buffy says.

"From what I'm hearing, that's not something we'd like to see happen." Angel says.

"Well, Buffy got the amulet." Piper says.

"I know, I spoke to Giles. But he said you gave it to –" Angel says.

"There you are!" Wesley says and he bustles to them.

"Wow, speak of the really annoying person." Buffy says.

Piper shakes her head, "Buffy."

"Well he is." Buffy says.

"Well, you're certainly giving me a run for my money." Wesley says pulling Buffy aside. "I think we should establish that when you go out slaying, you leave me a number where I can –"

"Where's the amulet?" Angel asks as he and Piper come over to them.

"Who are you two?" Wesley asks.

Buffy smiles, "He's a friend. And she's my sister. One of the Charmed Ones. Do you have it?

Piper glares at Buffy, "You told him?"

"New Watcher." Buffy says. "I thought Prue told you."

"It's somewhere very safe." Wesley says as Buffy reaches into his inside pocket and pulls it out. "How did you –"

"It pooches your jacket." Buffy says and she hands it to Angel.

"Now hold on a minute." Wesley says.

"Walking around with this thing is like wearing a target." Angel says.

Piper nods, "He's right. Demon would go straight for you."

"You'll put it somewhere safe that's actually safe?" Buffy asks.

Angel nods, "I'll do it now."

"I'm gonna do a little recon on Calthazar. Piper go back to the Manor and see if he's in the Books." Buffy says.

"Okay, people? Calthazar is dead. Am I the only one who remembers that?" Wesley says.

Buffy kisses Angel a hard goodbye.

"Be careful." Angel says.

"That goes double for me, Buffy." Piper says.

"You know me…" Buffy says.

"I mean it." Angel says as he goes out the front, Buffy heads for the dance floor, and Piper goes to the bar to grab her keys.

On the dance floor. Faith is dancing with the two cute guys simultaneously. No one's complaining. Buffy passes by, pulling Faith out towards the back with her. "Call me!"

Later outside a warehouse Buffy and Faith spy through a broken window, watching Calthazar and his minions, lit by the ring of torches.

"Okay. We got ten, maybe twelve bad guys and one big demon in desperate need of a stairmaster." Buffy says.

Faith nods, "I say we take 'em all, hard and fast, now."

"Okay. But - we need a little more firepower than just my fireballs. We should get to the library." Buffy says.

"Well, I guess Jacuzzi boy isn't going anywhere, I just wish we –" Faith says scanning the neighborhood. Stops. "Oh. That's too good."

Buffy follows her gaze to a sporting goods store across the street. Buffy smiles and a moment later Faith is kicking the door in.

Faith strides in through the broken frame. Buffy comes in after, looks around. They pass rows of soccer balls and camping equiptment. Go straight to the knives, bows and arrows, clubs. "Score." She smashes a glass case, pulls out a bow, notches an arrow.

"Think they're insured?" Buffy asks.

"Strangely - not my priority." Faith says.

Buffy tries prying open a locked case filled with knives.

Faith comes over to her. "B. When are you gonna get this? A slayer's life is simple. Want?" She SMASHES the case. "Take." She reaches in, hands Buffy a knife from inside. "Have."

Buffy sees another case, containing a pneumatic crossbow. Tentatively smashes the case. Takes. A weird little smile on her face. "Want, take, have. I'm getting it."

Faith is going for more stuff - she's building up a head of steam trashing the place, when they hear - BANG! - a GUNSHOT. Both girls turn to see a tough-looking cop. Pointing a gun right at them. His partner behind, gun also drawn.

Drop your weapons and get down on the ground! NOW!" Cop says. "I said drop the weapons or I fire."

Buffy drops her crossbow. Faith hesitates a moment, sizing up the situation, then lays her bow on the ground.

"Now spread 'em!" Cop says.

"You wish." Faith says.

"Hands in the air where I can see 'em. Slow. Good. Cuff 'em." Cop says.

The other cop begins cuffing the girls.

"I like him." Faith says as she gives him a big, sexy wink. "He's butch."

Moments later Buffy and Faith sit cuffed in the backseat of the police car. Buffy looks miserable.

"That's some artillery you two are putting together. You with one of them girl gangs?" Cop asks.

"Yeah, we're the Slayers." Faith says. "You wanna get out of here?"

Buffy nods.

Faith slides down, brings her legs up against the seat in front of her. She looks at Buffy, who hesitates. "Can't save the world in jail."

Buffy slides down as well. Together they kick. Hard. Both feet. The mesh metal barrier comes crashing up against the back of the cops' heads.

The police car swerves wildly, back and forth, accelerates, and careens - smash! into a parked car.

They get out and Faith reachs in and gets the keys to the cuffs. They turn back to back to unlock each other's cuffs. They are standing by the wrecked car. Their cuffs fall away. Buffy turns to the cops, looking concerned. "We should call an ambulance."

"Five people already have, the racket we made. And they're fine." Faith says.

The cop moans. "Unnggh…"

"Let's get out of here." Faith says.

Faith starts to run. Buffy stares horrified at the wounded cop, who stirs back to consciousness.

Buffy and Faith run off into the night.

The next morning at the Manor. Too bright, and way too sunny. Buffy comes in the back door with the morning paper. She dumps it on the breakfast table, ripping through the paper, searching…

"Admit it." Prue says. Buffy flinches, startled, double-checking headlines. "Some days you just want to wake up and say, to hell with the diet. You wanna make waffles? Big Saturday brunch?"

"I'm not really that hungry." Buffy says.

"What did you and Faith find out last night?" Prue asks.

"We found him. Faith and I are going back tonight with weapons. Was there anything in the Books?" Buffy says as she closes the paper. Nothing.

Prue shakes her head, "Piper didn't find anything. So how about those waffles?"

Buffy shakes her head, "No thanks, but I could help make them if you want them…"

"No, are you done with the paper?" Prue asks.

Buffy hands it over.

Prue opens it as Buffy looks on, still uncomfortable. "Let's see what's happening in San Francisco."

Later that evening in Buffy's room, Buffy enjoys the scent of a small black bag of herbs which Willow dangles before her. "Mmm…"

"You like it?" Willow asks.

Buffy nods, "Smells nice. What is it?"

"Just a little something we witches like to call a "protection spell."" Willow says.

Buffy shakes her head, "Protection spell? That's not something we've taught you."

Willow smiles, "I've been trying to create my own spells."

Buffy takes a sniff, "I'm surprised, spell stuff is usually a lot more…"

"Stinky? That's why I added the aloe. Give me time, and I could be the first Wicca to do all my conjuring in a pine-fresh scent. " Willow says.

Buffy shakes her head, "We'll see if it works. Your scapula didn't, remember."

Willow sighs and nods, "So what's the plan? For tonight's slayage. We're going, aren't we?

"Uh… yeah." Buffy says.

"Great!" Willow says.

"But, there's a "but" here, and it's… but you shouldn't. Come. Tonight. Is that cool?" Buffy says.

Willow thinks this out. "Sure. Makes sense. You'll be facing big, hairy danger…"

"Biggest. And, yes, hairy. Think danger with a beard." Buffy says.

"You're risking your life." Willow says.

Buffy nods, "Right, and why risk yours?"

"Because I'm your friend and a fellow witch." Willow says.

"I know, Will, and that's exactly why I don't want you coming. It's too dangerous. Your still learning to control your power." Buffy says.

Willow sighs, "But, I've done this sort of thing before. Like a million times. I can totally handle myself and besides…" she holds up the bag. "Minty fresh protection. So?" She looks hopeful.

Buffy's looking for what to say.

Faith enters without knocking. "Ready? Gotta motor. Hey Red."

"Hi." Willow says.

"Uh, look, I really should… but later, we'll hang. Okay?" Buffy says.

Willow nods, "Okay. You go ahead, I'll just get my stuff."

Buffy wants to stay and say more, but Faith's jumpy. Willow gestures, "go." They go. The door closes.

Willow looks at her little magic bag. "Stupid."

Piper walks in, "It's good you want to help, Willow."

"You heard?" Willow asks.

Piper nods, "Every word of it. May I?" She motions towards the bag and Willow hands it to her. "Aloe hunh? I know of no spell or potion that requires Aloe. But that's okay it means your learning. And eventually you may find the right ingredients for your protection spell or even a protection potion. Speaking of which are you ready for your next lesson?"

Later in an alley Buffy and Faith walk, loaded for bear.

"You're quiet tonight." Faith says.

"I just wanna get this done." Buffy says.

"Yeah, I'm dying to test out the long bow. I think it's gonna be my new thing." Faith says.

Buffy shakes her head, "I can't believe you went back for that stuff."

"Hey, how do you feel about getting some ribs? You know, after we're done?" Faith asks.

Buffy turns to Faith - and a vampire drops down on her.

A moment later Buffy's fighting two vamps at once while Faith struggles to notch an arrow.

"Screw it." Faith says and she drops the bow and simply jams the arrow into the chest of the nearest vampire. DUST.

Buffy dusts hers as well.

"I think we got more coming…" Faith says.

The two girls move quickly down the alley, turn a corner and a stray vamp lunges from the corner. Faith spins him, Buffy stakes him. Dusted.

"We may never even make it to the warehouse." Buffy says.

"They keep coming one at a time, we got a shot." Faith says.

Buffy nods, "Keep moving."

They walk down the alley - and a hand reaches out and grasps Buffy's shoulder. She grabs her assailant and throws him against the wall by Faith. "That was too easy…"

Buffy stops. Eyes wide. "Faith, WAIT!"

Too late. Faith stakes the guy, right in the chest. She steps aside. Light from a street lamp illuminates the assailant's face. It's NOT A VAMPIRE.

It's the Deputy Mayor.

Bleeding. He looks in terror at the girls. Blood runs over his hand, out the corner of his mouth.

Buffy rushes to him as he starts to collapse - she holds him and lowers him gently down, "Don't move –"

"I didn't know… I didn't know…" Faith says as the stake drops from her hand.

"We have to call 911." Buffy says. "Don't move, it's okay." She puts her hand over the wound, trying to stem the blood. "I need a rag… something to…"

But Faith hasn't moved. In the distance, police sirens can be heard approaching.

The Deputy Mayor grabs Buffy's arm. His breathing becomes a rattle. He dies.

Buffy reaches down, checks the guy's pulse. Pulls her hand back slowly. Looks at Faith, fear in her eyes. Long pause. Faith says nothing and the sound of sirens keeps growing louder…

Buffy and Faith look at each other. Then, without a word, Faith grabs Buffy's hand. Pulls her up and into a dead run.

Buffy runs alongside Faith. They reach a T - one side fenced, one partially blocked by garbage. They look - which way?

Faith opts for the fence. "Come on!"

"Wait, we should go back –" Buffy says.

But Faith is over the fence and running like hell.

Buffy hears a car screeching by at the end of the alley they came in - and she moves as well, frantically heading for the more garbagy route. She gets past the pile of cans and bags - and someone is on her. "Angel!"

"Buffy. I've been looking for you." Angel says. Buffy is breathing hard - looks at him pleadingly, but can't speak. "Your hand!" He takes it. She looks down to see it is covered in blood.

Buffy pulls it away. "I'm okay…"

"I've just been to the warehouse, I was waiting for you. They've got Giles." Angel says.

Buffy stares at him, the horror growing.

In the warehouse Giles and Wesley stand together near the tank. Both men have their hands tied behind their backs. The four vampires are close by.

Wesley is in deep and reverent terror. Giles is merely assessing the situation. "Oh god, Oh God…"

"Doesn't look too promising, does it?" Giles asks.

"Stay calm, Mr Giles, we have to stay calm." Wesley says, obviously freaking.

"Well, thank God you're here. I was planning to panic." Giles says.

"What is that thing?" Wesley asks.

"That would be your demon. You know, the dead one." Giles says.

"There's no need to get snippy." Wesley says.

"Bring them closer." Calthazar says. The two men are shoved up by the tank. "You know what I want."

Giles nods, "If it's someone to scrub those hard to reach areas, I'd like to request that you kill me." A vampire slugs him across the face. Giles takes it, smiles at the fellow. "You don't want to be doing that again."

"Are you out of your mind? This is hardly the time for games!" Wesley says.

"Why not? We're about to be tortured to death." Giles says.

"He's not wrong about that." Calthazar says.

Wesley shakes his head, "Now hold on! We can deal with this rationally. We have something you want. You have something we want."

"Ah, a trade… intriguing. No. Wait. Boring. Pull off his kneecaps." Calthazar says.

Wesley shakes his head, trembling in fear, "NOO! The slayer gave it to someone! A tall man! A friend of hers! I'll tell you everything!"

"Shut your gob, you ninny! You'll get us both killed!" Giles says.

"But… I like to have… my kneecaps… " Wesley says.

"You will tell us everything." Calthazar says.

"Yes… sir…" Wesley says.

"What is this friend's name?" Calthazar says.

"Ooh. Didn't actually catch it." Wesley says.

"Tell you what. Let Captain Courageous go and I'll tell you what you want to know. How's that deal?" Giles says.

Calthazar shakes his head, "There is one deal! You will die slowly or you will die quickly! The man who has my amulet - what is his name?"

"His name is Angel."

And before the vamps know what's happening, Angel leaps at them, vamp face on.

The vamp next to Giles draws his sword, brings it whistling down in a deadly arc.

Wesley shrieks out a big ol' girly scream. "Aaaahhh!"

Buffy kicks the vamp, his sword dropping to the ground. Buffy grabs it and Giles spins cooperatively, she slices him free of his bonds and hands him the blade. She turns and takes on the very next vamp, hand to hand.

"Unacceptable! Unacceptable!" Calthazar says.

Not that anyone is listening. Giles frees Wesley, pushing him into a more or less secluded corner of the warehouse.

One vamp engages Giles, sword to sword. The Watcher holds his own - he doesn't score a kill, but he pushes the vamp back and out of his arena.

A vamp grabs Wesley from behind, holding his neck in a vise-grip.

"Uh… Mr. Giles?" Wesley says.

Giles doesn't hesitate. He swings the sword in a straight arc, aiming right for Wesley's head. Wesley's eyes go wide. Giles yells, "DOWN!"

Wesley tucks his head down just before the sword makes contact, revealing the vamp's head, behind him, in its place.

Giles cuts the vamp's head off. DUST. Wesley, covered head and shoulders in dust, trembles. Looks up at Giles like he's some kind of madman.

Giles smiles grimly and hands him a sword. "Welcome to the field."

Buffy fights like a trapped animal, literally in a corner. Angel gets backed up fighting the two vamps. Calthazar sticks his hand out and Angel is sucked back into his grasp. Calthazar grabs his head. He's about to crush it.

Buffy roundhouse kicks her vamp and leaps.

Calthazar applies pressure. Angel grimaces as he braces himself against the tank's edge, head turning.

Buffy grabs onto a rickety overhead light fixture. SNAP! Her weight brings the electric lights crashing down. She rolls out of the way as the fixture comes down, right into Balthazar's tank, ELECTROCUTING HIM.

"Yaarrrgghhh!" Calthazar screams out in pain.

With a hideous ROAR, Calthazar dies. Electric sparks shoot out of the tank. He flails. Splashes. It's horrible. Buffy can barely watch.

The two vamps left alive bolt.

The light show is over. Buffy, Angel, Giles and Wesley approach the demon's tank. A big white hand flops over the side, lifeless.

"You killed him." Giles says.

"Yeah. Hooray for me." Buffy says and she turns to go when Calthazar's hand shoots out and grabs her. Buffy pulls herself from the demon's grip, way beyond wigged.

"Slayer…" The demon is not quite dead. But almost. He speaks in a ragged whisper, the life almost out of him. "You think you've won?" Smoke pours from his mouth as he speaks. "When he rises… you'll wish I had killed you all."

Calthazar dies, a mysterious smile on his hideous face. Buffy stares at him, turmoil ragin inside her.

The next day at Faith's motel room, Faith washes her clothes in the sink. The water's still a little red. She pours in more detergent. There's a knock on the door.

Faith freezes. Freaked until she hears Buffy, "Faith, it's me."

Wiping her hands, Faith opens the door. Barely looking Buffy in the eye, she goes back to the scrubbing.

"Hey." Buffy says.

"Hey." Faith says.

"Are you… how are you doing?" Buffy asks.

It's clear Buffy isn't doing great. Faith looks at her, giving away nothing. "Five by five. You know me."

"Yeah. I know you think you can handle this. And you're used to being on your own. You got your tough loner act down pretty well." Buffy says.

"Thanks." Faith says as she yanks the sink plug and turns the faucets on full.

"And maybe its not an act. But right now, we need each other. We need to talk about what we're going to do." Buffy says.

Faith shakes her head, "I was doing my job."

"Being a slayer is not the same as being a killer." Buffy says. Faith says nothing. Wrings out her shirt. "You can't shut me out on this, Faith. Sooner or later, we both have to deal."

"Wrong." Faith says.

"I can help you." Buffy says.

Faith shakes her head, "I don't need it."

"Yeah? Who's wrong now? You can shut off all the emotions you want, but there's still the fact that sooner or later, they have to find a body." Buffy says.

That gets Faith's attention. She faces Buffy. "Okay. This is the last time we're having this conversation, and we're not even having it now, you understand me? There is no body. I took it, weighted it, and dumped it in a river. The body does not exist."

Buffy absorbs this. "But getting rid of the evidence isn't making the problem go away."

"It is to me." Faith says.

"Faith. You don't get it. You killed a man." Buffy says.

Faith shakes her head, "No. You don't get it. I. Don't. Care."

Buffy flames out at that.

Faith pulls the locket out and looks at the baby picture of Hope, "If I go to jail I can't find you. And I am going to find you."

* * *

**Author's Note: **The name of the demon on BTVS was not Calthazar it was Balthazar. While the spelling is different than Belthazor. I didn't want to confuse folks in to thinking this was Cole, so I changed the spelling of the demon's name slightly.


	65. Chapter 65: Consequences

**Chapter 65: Consequences**

_Shafts of sunlight slice flowing blue currents ... It is tranquil, peaceful except for a panic-stricken Buffy who thrashes trying to break the grip of the hand on her ankle, pulling her down to a watery grave._

_Her attacker is the Deputy Mayor. Buffy manages to fight him off, kick him back into the murky depths. She swims frantically, tries to surface - but can't. Something is holding her down. She struggles._

_For a moment, she manages to break the surface - sees that Faith is holding her under. Her expression inscrutable, Faith shoves Buffy under again. _

_Buffy is sesperate, drowning..._

Buffy wakes in her room at the Manor from her dream with a start, badly shaken. She gets up and moves out of her room and down the hall to the bathroom. She overhears Prue watching the news on her bedroom TV.

"...fishermen discovered the body today, the victim of a brutal stabbing..."

Buffy moves so she can see both the TV and Prue. Prue doesn't notice her.

"...Authorities and citizens alike were shocked when the slain man was identified as Deputy Mayor, Allan Finch. Still reeling from the news, Mayor Wilkins had this to say…"

"Mr. Finch was not only my longtime aide and associate, he was a close personal friend... I promise you - I will not rest until whoever did this is found and brought to justice." The Mayor says.

Prue notices Buffy standing there. "Oh, Buffy. You're up..." She looks back to the TV. "In a way I'm glad we don't have to deal with human evil just demons, warlocks and vampires."

Buffy looks at the TV, horrified. Feeling like the walls are closing in on her.

The next day at the library Wesley paces, amped. "I want you to look into this. Find out everything you can about the murder of the Deputy Mayor."

"But, I mean - it's not really our... jurisdiction - is it?" Buffy says.

Faith, seems pretty cool. She glances at Buffy, sending the message - chill out. "It's no big, B. We can get into it if he wants-"

Giles steps forward, irritated. "No. Buffy's right. The Deputy Mayor's murder was the result of human malice. There's nothing supernatural about it."

"We don't know that for certain. I say it merits investigation." Wesley says.

Giles nods, "Which I'm sure the police are doing. However, if you ask me, there are far better uses of the slayers time-"

"Ah, but, I don't believe I did. Ask you." Wesley says.

"Well, considering the success of your last venture you might do well to-" Giles says as Cordelia enters.

"Don't let me interrupt. Wait. Let me interrupt. I'm in a hurry." Cordelia says.

"What did you need?" Giles asks.

"Psych class. Freud and Jung. Book me." Cordelia says.

Giles smiles, "Happily." He moves into the stacks.

Cordelia turns to the others, really noticing Wesley for the first time. "Check out Giles, the next generation. What's your deal?"

Wesley is clearly taken with/flustered by Cordelia. "Uh, I, uh - well –"

"New watcher." Faith and Buffy says.

"Oh." Cordelia says.

"Does everyone know about-" Wesley says.

"She's a friend." Buffy says.

"Let's not exaggerate." Cordelia says giving Buffy a look that says yes were still friends just not where people can see it. "So you're the new watcher."

Wesley proffers his hand, "Wesley Wyndam-Pryce."

Cordelia takes his hand, doesn't let go. "I like a man with two last names. I'm Cordelia."

"And you teach psychology?" Wesley asks.

Cordelia shakes her head, "I take psychology."

"She's a student." Giles says.

Wesley snatches his hand back. Giles stamps Cordy's books. "Well then, yes. In fact I am. Here to watch. Girls. I mean Buffy and Faith, in specific."

Cordelia is enjoying her effect on Wesley. Moves closer, really turning on the gas. Wesley squirms. "Well, it's about time we got some fresh blood."

"Ha! Well. Fresh. Yes." Wesley says.

Giles stamps emphatically. Hands the books to Cordelia. "Here you go."

"Thanks." Cordelia says turning back to Wesley. Hits him with a killer smile. "Welcome to San Francisco." And she bails.

Wesley takes a minute to recover. "My. She's... cheeky. Isn't she?"

"First word, "jail," second word, "bait."" Faith says.

"Well. Where were we?" Wesley asks.

Anxious to get out of there, Buffy stands. A little too urgent. "Done." She looks to Faith, "We were done. Weren't we?"

Faith nods, "Yep. Off to patrol. See ya." She gets up and they start for the door.

But Wesley catches them. Gives Giles a "back off" look. "One moment, girls. I am your commander now and on the matter of this murder, I am resolved. "Natural" or "super" - I want to know."

Buffy glares at Wesley, "How many times do I have to tell you."

Faith smiles. "Fine by me. Always ready to kick a little bad guy butt."

Moments later an agitated Faith and Buffy move into an empty classroom. They close the door - make sure they're alone.

"You gonna rat me out? Is that it?" Faith asks.

"We have to tell, Faith. I can't pretend to investigate, can't pretend that I don't know..." Buffy says.

"Oh. I see. You can "pretend" that Angel's still dead when you need to protect him-" Faith says.

"I am trying to protect you, Faith. If we don't do the right thing, it'll only make things worse for you." Buffy says.

"Worse than jail for the rest of my young life? No way." Faith says.

'Not till I find, Hope.' Faith thinks to herself.

"Faith, what we did-" Buffy says.

Faith nods, "Yeah. We. You were right there beside me when this thing went down. Anything I have to answer for – you do too. You're part of this, B. All the way."

With that, Faith TAKES OFF - leaving Buffy breathless.

Later dazed, Buffy moves from the hall to the lounge area. She sees Willow there, reading. Goes to her - needing a connection.

Willow sees her coming. Glances up from her book. Looks back. She's still a little hurt by what she feels is Buffy's rejection.

Buffy sits next to her. Tries to smile. "Hey."

"Hey... Where's Faith? I saw her around. Figured you guys were off to kill more nasty stuff." Willow says.

"Not right now. She bailed, I guess." Buffy says.

"Will - I thought maybe we could-" Buffy says.

"Actually, I should get-" Willow says talking at the same time as Buffy.

"Sorry... You go." Buffy says.

"I'm - late." Willow says and stands gathering her things. Continues, a little apologetically. "I'm meeting Michael, the warlock guy? We're still trying to "de-rat" Amy."

Buffy frowns, "Willow is something wrong? I thought I was teaching you."

Willow sighs, "You were supposed to be, Buffy. But lately… I don't know. Maybe it's something to do with Faith, I don't know."

"I'm sorry, okay. If it seemed like I was abandoning you. Your my best friend, always will be. No one else I would rather do magic with." Buffy says. "Well other than Prue, Piper and Phoebe of course."

Willow smiles, "Thanks, Buffy. That means a lot."

"How about tomorrow, we work on your power." Buffy says. "I'd do it tonight. But Mr. stick up his butt has Faith and I looking into what is obviously a murder."

That evening Buffy and Faith enter the Deputy Mayor's office, as Faith flicks on a light. The office is absolutely generic. A few unremarkable personal items. A rubber plant. Buffy and Faith move about, taking all this in as they talk in hushed tones.

"I'm telling you. We did the world a favor. This guy was about as interesting as watching paint dry." Faith says.

Buffy stops, shocked at Faith's callousness. "Faith-"

"Joking. Geez, lighten up, B..." Faith says as she comes across a framed photo. Picks it up.

It's a shot of the Deputy Mayor with the Mayor at an official function of some kind. The Deputy Mayor is smiling, proud.

"He came out of nowhere." Faith says.

"I know." Buffy says sympathetically.

At this Faith's eyes go cold and she returns to the search. "Whatever. I'm not looking to hug and cry and learn and grow. I'm just saying it went down quick, is all." Buffy, a little stung, decides to let it go - also looks around some more. But now Faith is restless, irritated. "Let's just blow. I mean, who cares what this guy was about? It's kind of moot now - don't you think?"

"I don't think he was in that alley by chance. I think he was looking for us. Like to know why." Buffy says.

"So, what, you think there's some big conspiracy-" Faith scoffs.

Buffy opens the file cabinet drawers. They're empty. Buffy looks to Faith. Touché. "You were saying?"

"So his papers are gone. That doesn't prove anything." Faith says.

"Except that somebody doesn't want us to prove anything." Buffy says.

Moments later Buffy and Faith poke their heads out of the Deputy Mayor's office - checking to see if the coast is clear. They are about to move into the hall when another door opens and The Mayor and Mr. Trick walk out of the Mayor's office.

Buffy sees them - then quickly and quietly shuts the door before she and Faith are noticed.

Buffy and Faith lean against the door. They hear the muffled voices of the Mayor and Mr. Trick as they pass.

"...get as many men on it as we can."

"Yeah. We'll be wanting to turn up the heat."

Faith and Buffy look at each other.

Later Buffy and Faith walk quickly down the street. Buffy is reeling, freaked by what she just saw.

Faith, on the other hand, seems pumped. "So the mayor of San Francisco is a black hat. Shocker, huh?"

"Actually - yeah. I didn't get the bad guy vibe off him." Buffy says.

Faith shakes her head. Scoffs. "When you gonna learn, B? It doesn't matter what kind of "vibe" a person gives off. Nine times outta ten the face they're showing you? It isn't the real one."

Buffy takes this in. "I guess you know a lot about that."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Faith asks.

"Look at you, Faith. Less than twenty four hours ago you killed a guy. And now you're laughing and scratching and zipidee doo dah. That's not your real face, and I know it. I know what you're feeling because I feel it too." Buffy says.

"Do you? So, fill me in. I'd like to hear this." Faith says, dubious.

Buffy nods, "Dirty. Like something sick creeped inside you and you can't get it out. And you keep hoping what happened was just some nightmare... But it wasn't, Faith. And we have to-"

"Is there gonna be an intermission in this?" Faith asks, completely unmoved by Buffy's argument.

"Let's just talk to Giles or Prue, Piper and Phoebe. I swear-" Buffy says.

"No way. We're not bringing anybody else into this. You gotta keep your head, B. This is all going to blow over in a few days." Faith says.

"What if it doesn't?" Buffy asks.

"If it doesn't... They got a freighter leaving the docks at least twice a day. It's not fancy - but it gets you gone." Faith says.

"And then what? You just live with it? See this dead guy in your head for the rest of your life?" Buffy asks.

Faith shakes her head, "Buffy. I'm not going to "see" anything... I missed the mark last night. And I'm sorry about the guy, really. But it happens. Anyway - how many people do you think we've saved by now? Thousands? And didn't you stop the world from ending? In my book, that puts you and me firmly in the plus column."

"We help people. That doesn't mean we can do whatever we want-" Buffy says.

"Why not? This guy I offed was no Ghandi. We just saw - he was mixed up in dirty dealing." Faith says.

"Maybe. But what if he was coming to us for help?" Buffy says.

Faith shakes her head, "What if he was? You're still not looking at the big picture, B. Something made us different. We're warriors. We were built to kill-"

"To kill demons. But we don't get to pass judgement on people, like we're better than everybody else-"

"We are better." Faith says. "That's right. Better. People need us to survive. In the balance? Nobody's gonna cry over some random bystander who got caught in the crossfire."

Buffy looks stricken. "I am."

Faith just looks at her. Shakes her head. "Your loss."

With that, Faith walks on. Leaving Buffy behind, appalled.

Later Buffy comes up the walk to the Manor, distraught. Before she even gets to the front door, Piper opens it - freaked. "Buffy..."

Piper steps aside, revealing Detective Stein.

Buffy is stunned, cold with fear.

Moments later Buffy and Detective Stein sit across from each other as he questions her. Prue, Piper and Phoebe are also there. Buffy is doing her best to remain calm in the face of his intense scrutiny.

"Tell me again. You got home at what time last night?" Stein asks.

"Late. A little past one, I guess." Buffy says.

Stein nods, "Maybe you can explain to me what a girl your age is doing out all night."

"I was at Faith's. Watching TV." Buffy says.

"What did you watch?" Stein asks.

"Infomercial." Buffy replies.

Stein nods, "That's funny. 'Cause I've got a couple witnesses who put you near the alley."

Prue frowns, "Witnesses?"

Stein nods, "Somebody stabbed this guy through the heart. Strange thing is, the weapon? It was made outta wood. Any of this mean anything to you?"

"Yeah. Whoever did it wasn't hip to the bronze age." Buffy says as she looks like she can barely contain her rising panic. "Is that it? I'm - I'm kind of beat."

Stein stands to go - fixes her with a knowing look. "I have enough for now. Payson. If you know something. If you're protecting someone. I promise you it'll be better for everyone if you come clean."

Buffy looks as though she could be wavering. But she just shakes her head, "I wish I could help you."

Stein nods, but he's not buying it. He heads for the door. Hands her his card. "Well. Call me if you "remember" anything."

And he's gone. Buffy leans against the door, letting down. She fights to catch her breath. She turns to face Prue, Piper and Phoebe.

"Who are you protecting?" Prue asks.

Buffy sighs, "Faith." She goes into the living room and tells them everything. "...And Faith just acts like she doesn't care. The way she talks, she doesn't even think she made a mistake."

"You think she's like, in shock?" Phoebe asks.

Buffy shrugs, "I don't know. But I think the police guy knows more than he's saying. I think he knew I was lying."

Prue sighs, "Well I don't agree with you telling a lie Buffy. I do think it was probably for the best. What would the police be able to do. We've all seen you use your Slayer abilities and we know a jail couldn't hold you unless you wanted to be held. All Faith would do is break out if she didn't want to be held."

Piper nods, "I think Prue is right. You have to go to Giles, Buffy. You have to tell him what happened. I'm sure the Watcher's Council would have a better system setup to deal with this than the police since they know how strong a Slayer would be."

Later that evening Buffy enters the library. The lights are on - but the library appears empty. "Giles?"

Giles comes from his office. He immediately reads her expression. Knows something is terribly amiss. "Buffy-"

Buffy steels herself. Moves to him. "Giles, I don't know how to say this so I'm just going to say it. I know I've kept things from you before but-" She stops as she sees Faith standing in the doorway to Giles' office. It's clear from her expression that she's heard every word Buffy said. Buffy immediately starts to back down. "But... I've been sort of blowing off my classes- you know, in the sense of not attending..."

But Faith stops her. "It's okay, Buffy. I told him." Now Faith looks away - unable to meet Buffy's eye.

"You told?" Buffy says surprised.

Faith nods, "Had to. He had to know what you did."

"What I did?" Buffy asks. She turns to Giles, desperate. "No. Giles. That's not- That's not what happened-"

Giles shuts her down, furious. "I don't want to hear it, Buffy. You've been lying again. To me, to everybody."

"What? No!" Buffy says. "You can't be serious. You're setting me up?"

Faith, guilty, ignores her. Turns away.

"Buffy. Go to my office." Giles says. "Faith, I'll speak to you in the morning."

"Giles-" Buffy says.

"Now." Giles says.

Buffy, stunned, does as she's told.

Faith moves to Giles, anxious. Ready to bail. "I'm... sorry."

Giles just nods. Faith leaves. He turns and follows Buffy into his office.

Buffy immediately launches into her explanation. "Giles. I didn't do this. I swear. I messed up bad, I admit it. But the murder. It was-"

"Faith. I know." Giles says. "She has many talents, Buffy. Fortunately, lying isn't one of them."

Buffy takes this in. Tremendously relieved. "Oh. Oh Goddess. I thought-"

Giles nods, "I'm sorry. I needed to see how far she'd take the charade."

"Try - far. Like all the way." Buffy says.

Giles nods, "You should have come to me or your cousins right off."

Buffy nods, "I know. I wanted to..."

"But Faith wouldn't hear of it." Giles says.

"It's not all her fault, Giles. We both thought it was a vamp. I only realized a second before-" Buffy says.

Giles nods, "Buffy, this is not the first time something like this has happened."

Buffy looks at Giles confused, "It's not?"

"A slayer is on the front lines of a nightly war, Buffy. It's tragic - but accidents have happened." Giles says.

"What do you do? Prue, Piper and Phoebe agreed you or the Council should handle it." Buffy says. "That they would have better resources to deal with Faith."

Giles nods, "They do. The council will investigate, they will meter out punishment if punishment is due... I've no plan to involve them, however. That's the last thing Faith needs right now. She's unstable, Buffy. She seems utterly unable to accept responsibility. Shows no remorse."

"Well, she's freaking, right? I mean, we'll just have to help her deal." Buffy says.

Giles nods, "There is no help for her unless she can admit what happened."

"I can talk to her..." Buffy says.

Giles sighs, "Perhaps..."

"Or maybe I'm too close-one of the guys could..." Buffy says.

Giles nods, "We should meet. They may be seeing a different side of her. And have Prue, Piper and Phoebe here also. They may have some insight all of this."

"Okay." Buffy says.

"But nobody else is to hear, understood?" Giles says.

Outside the office Wesley, who entered a few moments before has overheard the whole thing.

"Absolutely." Buffy says.

"This is a very delicate stage. If we scare her off now we could lose her forever." Giles says.

Wesley's expression remains inscrutable.

The next day it's late in the day and the cafeteria is totally empty. Prue, Piper, Phoebe, Buffy, Willow, Xander and Giles are in the midst of a "family meeting." Topic - what to do about Faith and the murder.

"Maybe we should all talk to Faith together." Willow says.

"Like the intervention thing you guys did on me? As I recall, Xander and I nearly came to blows." Buffy says.

Xander nods, "You nearly came to blows, Buffy. I nearly came to loss of limbs."

Prue shakes her head, "No - Faith's too defensive to be confronted in that manner."

Giles nods, "I agree, I think the "one on one" approach is more likely to reach her-"

"I could be the one. On her one." Xander says. "Let's rephrase. I mean, I think she might listen to me. We kind of have a "connection.""

Buffy shakes her head, "A connection. Like when you say "hi" and she says "hi" and then she blows you off?"

"Something like that. It's just worth a shot, that's all I'm saying." Xander says.

"I don't see it, Xander. Of all of us, you're arguably the person Faith has had the least contact with." Giles says.

Xander nods, "Yeah - but we hung out a little. Recently. And she seemed, uh, responsive."

"When did you hang out?" Piper asks.

"She was fighting one of those apocalypse demon things and I helped her. Gave her a ride home." Xander says.

"And you guys talked?" Buffy asks.

"Not extensively." Xander says.

"Well then why do you- Oh." Phoebe says.

"Ohh." Giles says.

"I don't need to say "oh." I got it before. They slept together." Willow says.

"Fine then, moving on-" Giles says.

"Xander - I know you mean well. But I don't see Faith opening up to you. She doesn't take the guys she... "has a connection with" very seriously. They're kind of a big joke with her. No offense." Buffy says.

"Oh, no. Why would I find that offensive?" Xander says, offended.

"Buffy's right, Xander. In this instance, it would be best if you let Faith be." Giles says. "However, if you want to be of assistance, I could use some research help. We have this business of the Mayor and Mr. Trick to attend to."

Prue nods, "We will look in the Books at the Manor and see what we come up with also."

"Yeah. They were looking pretty cozy the other night." Buffy says.

"Willow - can you access the Mayor's records?" Giles asks.

"What? Oh. Sure. I can try." Willow says.

Giles nods, "Good. It's clearly time we took a harder look at him. He's up to something."

Prue nods, "What about Faith?"

"I don't know. Give me a little time-" Giles says.

Piper shakes her head, "She needs help. Now."

Buffy nods, "I agree with Piper. Plus I owe her that, at least.

Later at the Mansion Angel has rescued Xander from Faith. Now Faith is chained with the same shackles that Buffy used to restrain Angel when he first returned from Hell.

Faith is just regaining consciousness.

Angel sits, waiting for her to awaken.

"Finally decided to tie me up, huh? Always knew you weren't really a one slayer guy." Faith says.

Angel nods, "I'm sorry about the chains. It's not that I don't trust you- Actually. It is that I don't trust you."

"That thing with Xander? I know what it looked like, but we were just playing-" Faith says.

"And he forgot the safety word? That it?" Angel asks.

Faith shakes her head, "Safety words are for wusses."

Now Angel crouches near her. Looks at her hard. "I bet you're not big on trust games, are you, Faith?"

Faith scoffs, "You gonna shrink me now, that it?"

Angel shakes his head, "I just want to talk to you."

"That's what they all say. Then it's - "just let me stay the night. I won't try anything."" Faith says.

"You wanna go the long way 'round, I can do that." Angel says and he stands. "I'm not getting any older." He walks out into the garden.

Buffy is there waiting, like a worried parent. Angel moves to her. "How's she doing?"

"Like talking to a wall. Only you get more from a wall." Angel says.

"But you'll keep trying, right?" Buffy asks.

Angel nods, "Sure. We're just getting started."

"So what do I do?" Buffy asks.

"Right now there's nothing you can do." Angel says.

"This could go on for a while, right? So I'll go to Faith's place and get her some of her clothes and stuff. That way she'll see we're on her side - that we want her to be comfortable." Buffy says.

Angel nods, "It's not a bad idea."

Buffy smiles, "Great. I'll be back."

"I just... Don't get your hopes up, Buffy. She may not want our help." Angel says.

Buffy nods, "She does. I know it. She doesn't know how to say it."

"She killed a man. That changes everything for her." Angel says.

Buffy sighs, "Giles said with counseling, she might not have to be locked up, or at least-"

"That's not what I mean. She's taken a life." Angel says.

"I know." Buffy says.

Angel nods, "She's got a taste for it, now."

Later Faith wears a studied look of disinterest.

"I know what's going on with you." Angel says.

"Join the club. Everybody seems to have a theory." Faith says.

Angel, stares her down. Intense. "But I know. What it's like, to take a life. To feel a future, a world of possibility - snuffed out by your own hand. I know the power in it. The exhilaration. It was like a drug for me."

"Yeah? Sounds like you need some help. A professional, maybe." Faith says.

"A professional couldn't have helped me. It stopped when I got my soul back. My human heart." Angel says.

"Goody for you. If we're going to party, let's get on with it. otherwise, could you let me out of these things?" Faith says.

Angel shakes his head, "Faith. You have a choice. You've tasted something few ever do. To kill without remorse is to feel like a God-"

Faith doesn't want to hear it. Starts to struggle. "Right now - all I feel is a cramp in my wrist. Let me go!"

"But you're not a God. You're not much more than a child. And this path will ruin you. You can't imagine the price for true evil." Angel says.

A flicker. Like something he said hit the mark. But, "Yeah? I hope evil takes Mastercard." And Faith smiles.

But Angel isn't biting, "You and me, Faith, we're a lot alike."

"Well, you're kind of dead..." Faith says.

"Like I said. A lot alike." Angel says.

Faith shakes her head, "Sorry, buddy. I'm alive and kicking. In fact, I've got a bodily function that needs attending to pretty quick here."

"You're not alive. You're just running. Afraid to feel. Afraid to be touched..." Angel says.

Some part of Faith reacts to this truth. But she averts her eyes. "Save it for Hallmark. I have to pee."

"Time was, I thought humans existed just to hurt each other." Angel says. Faith looks back to him now. Silent. But he's struck a cord. "But then I came here. And I found out that there were other kinds of people. People who genuinely wanted to do right. They still make mistakes. They fall down. But they keep trying. Keep caring."

Faith takes this in, clearly wanting to believe.

Angel sees this. Moves to her - speaks from the heart. "If you can trust us, Faith, it can all change. You don't have to disappear into the darkness."

Faith looks genuinely moved, confused. But the moment is lost as-

BOOM!

Wesley bursts in through the main doors with a couple of henchmen. Wesley and one henchman hold Angel off with crosses - then the other throws a net over him.

Angel struggles, but he's completely tangled in the webbing. "No!"

One of the henchman grabs the keys to the shackles from a peg on the wall. Tosses them to Wesley.

Wesley moves to Faith.

Angel sees this - cries out, infuriated. "Leave her! You can't help her!"

Faith and Wesley ignore Angel.

Wesley takes one of her hands from the shackles and slaps a handcuff on it. "By the order of the Watcher's Council of Britain..." He cuffs her other hand. Stands her up roughly, starts to walk her out. "I am exercising my authority and removing you to England, where you will accept the judgement of the disciplinary committee."

Faith's eyes go completely dead. This is the last straw. She knows now that she will never find Hope.

Later Buffy returns with a small bag full of Faith's stuff. Sees the doors left standing open. She wanders in - sees that Angel has been left tied up in the net and Faith is gone. She rushes to him, starts to free him. "Angel. Are you all right?"

"I'm fine. They took Faith-" Angel says.

"Who took Faith?" Buffy asks.

Back at the library some time later, Angel addresses Prue, Piper, Phoebe, Buffy, Giles, Willow and Xander. Xander is quiet and looking pretty shell-shocked - his neck covered in nasty bruises.

"The new watcher. He had a couple of guys helping him." Angel says.

"Then he figured it out. The murder-" Willow says.

"Which means that Faith will soon be on her way to England to face the Watcher's Council." Giles says.

"And then what?" Prue asks.

"Most likely? They'll lock her up for a good long while." Giles says.

Buffy takes this in, worried. "So - we head them off at the airport. Stop them."

Willow, looking tentative, pipes up again. "Can I- I'm just wondering. Why?" Everyone looks to her. She's definitely got their attention. "I'm not the most objective, I know. I kinda have an issue with Faith sharing my ... people. But - she murdered someone and accused Buffy. Then she hurt Xander. I hate to say it, but maybe she belongs behind bars."

Piper nods, "I have to agree with Willow."

Xander tries to add something - but his voice is completely shot. He falls silent, embarrassed and frustrated.

Buffy is sympathetic, but resolute. "She's out of control, I know. But Angel was getting somewhere with her. She was opening up. If we can just stop Wesley-"

"That's no longer an issue."

They all turn to see Wesley, who has come through the library doors, unnoticed. His face is black and blue - he looks terrible.

"You let her get away?" Phoebe asks.

"'Let' wouldn't be the way I'd phrase it, but - yes. She escaped." Wesley says.

"Good work. First you terrorize her, then you put her back on the streets-" Angel says.

Wesley shakes his head, "That was hardly my plan. I was trying to save the girl-"

"Well, you didn't. You probably destroyed her-" Buffy says.

Giles shakes his head, "Buffy. That's enough."

Buffy backs off. Turns to the others. "We'd better find her before she does any more damage." Everybody rallies - with Buffy in command. "We should split up. Prue and I'll take the docks - chances are, she's there. Giles and Piper - you go to her place. Will – you, Phoebe and Xander check her haunts. Take weapons."

"I'll try the airport." Angel says.

"What can I do? I want to help." Wesley asks.

Buffy shoots him a withering glare. "Still got your plane ticket back to the mother country?"

Prue glares at Wesley, "The Charmed Ones don't want to burn the bridge with the Watcher's Council just yet. But you are on thin ice, here. I'd highly suggest you watch what you do. One more step out of place and I'll have Buffy flame you back and we'll break all ties."

Later at the docks Buffy and Prue walks along the docks, sees a cargo boat ahead - loading up. They approach, looking for any sign of Faith.

"You don't give up, do you?"

Buffy and Prue turns. There's Faith, looking a little worse for the wear. She's dressed for a journey - carries a small bag.

"Not on my friends." Buffy says.

Faith takes this in. Scoffs. "Yeah. 'Cause you and me are such solid buds."

Buffy nods, "Could be. It's not too late."

"For me to change and be like you, You mean? Little miss goody two shoes? Ain't gonna happen, B." Faith says.

Prue shakes her head, "Faith. Nobody's asking you to be like Buffy. But what you're doing – you can't keep going like this."

Faith looks to Buffy, "It scares you, doesn't it?"

"Yeah, it scares me. You're hurting people. You're hurting yourself-" Buffy says.

Faith takes this in. Smiles knowingly. "But that's not it. That's not what bothers you so much. What bugs you is - you know I'm right. You know in your gut. We don't need the law. We are the law-"

Buffy shakes her head, "No."

Faith moves in closer. "Yes. You know exactly what I'm about. Because you have it in you, too."

Prue shakes her head, "No. You're sick, Faith-"

Faith ignores Prue, "I've seen it, B. You've got the lust. And I'm not just talking about screwing vampires-"

"Don't bring him into this-" Buffy says.

"It was good, wasn't it? The sex? The danger? Bet a part of you even dug him when he went psycho-" Faith says.

Buffy shakes her head, "No-"

"See - you need me to tow the line because you're afraid you'll go over it, aren't you, B? You can't handle watching me living my own way and having a blast - because it tempts you. You know it could be you-" Faith says.

That's it. Something snaps in Buffy. She rears back and pops Faith a good one. Faith falls back, but she's smiling as she puts a hand to her bleeding mouth. "There's my girl..."

"Buffy!" Prue says.

Buffy struggles to regain her composure. Puts her hands down. "No. I'm not going to do this."

"Why not? It feels good. Blood rising-" Faith says. She'd go on but is stopped as an overhear cargo crate lurches and starts to fall from a crane. It's about to drop right on Faith.

Acting on pure instinct, Buffy lunges for Faith - knocking Faith to safety and causing the crate to fall on her instead.

Buffy is pinned under the crate and injured. She tries vainly to free herself.

Prue runs over to Buffy, "Are you alright."

"I'm fine, help me get this thing off me." Buffy says.

Faith spins - sees that she, Prue and Buffy are surrounded by Trick and three massive bass ass vamps.

Trick and the three vamps attack Faith.

Prue uses her power to help lift the crate enough for Buffy to get herself out from under the crate.

Buffy's clearly hurt - but struggles to get to her feet.

Faith manages to get hold of VAMP #1 and VAMP #2 - and slam their heads together. They fall back, stunned, as VAMP #3 lunges for her.

VAMP #2, still reeling from Faith's blow, practically falls onto Buffy. Prue reaches into her jacket and produces a stake and dusts VAMP #2.

Buffy and Prue turns - only to be confronted by Mr. Trick and VAMP #1.

Faith battles VAMP #3. He gets her in a headlock - moves in, teeth bared. But Faith manages to flip him off her.

Prue and VAMP #1 square off, start trading blows.

Buffy and Mr. Trick go at it. With Buffy hurt, Mr. Trick clearly has the upper hand. Buffy's getting pummeled.

Mr. Trick manages to drop Buffy with a brutal blow that leaves her dazed. Then he goes to the ground - lifts her into his arms and holds her against the crates.

"Buffy," Prue says as she dusts vamp #1.

Faith turns and dusts Vamp #3 and sees Mr. Trick about to take out Buffy. She looks around - clearly has a chance for escape. She hesitates.

Mr. Trick leans in about to bite Buffy, "I hear once you've tasted a slayer? You never wanna go back." Buffy struggles, but is clearly lost. Trick's fangs graze her neck... But he suddenly STOPS. Eyes wide. A look of indignation crossing his features. "Oh. No. No, this is no good at all-" And he dusts, revealing Faith, who stands behind him - stake still hoisted in the air.

Prue runs over to Buffy as Faith and Buffy just stare at each other - breathing hard. Then Faith silently extends a hand, helps Buffy off the crates.

Later back at the library… It's late. Prue, Buffy and Giles are doing a recap of the night's events.

"Faith saved you?" Giles asks.

Buffy nods, "She could have left me and Prue there to die, Giles. But she didn't."

Giles considers this - slightly encouraged. "And the fact that she opted to come back to town with you bodes well."

"I really thought we were gonna lose her." Buffy says.

"She still has a lot to face before she can put this behind her. But yes, she has a real chance. Because you didn't give up on her." Giles says.

Prue nods, "I just hope it's enough."

At that same moment in the Mayor's office, the Mayor is gathering his coat and briefcase, getting ready to leave for the day. He opens his office door to find Faith standing there. Being mister invincible - he's more surprised than concerned.

"You sent your boy to kill me." Faith says.

The Mayor nods, "That's right. I did."

"He's dust." Faith says.

"I thought he might be. What with you standing here and all." Mayor says.

Now Faith moves a little closer - getting in the Mayor's personal space. "Guess that means you have a job opening." And she smiles.

A beat as the Mayor gets her drift. Then he smiles... Steps out of the doorway, inviting her in. Faith moves into the room. Takes a seat.

"One thing though. If I'm going to work for you I need something in return." Faith says.

"Like?" The Mayor asks.

"My sister, Hope was taken from me when she was a baby. Help me find her." Faith says.

"I think I can do that." The Mayor says, smiling.


	66. Chapter 66: Just Harried

**Chapter 66: Just Harried**

At the Manor Prue and Phoebe are putting a floral arch in place for the wedding. Grams' spirit and Buffy are standing near by.

"Okay, that should do it." Prue says.

Grams shakes her head, "I'm thinking more to the left. Uh, is this the biggest arch you could get?"

"Ugh." Phoebe says.

Buffy shakes her head, "Without opening a fast food franchise, yeah."

Grams nods, "Well, just remember, if love is the quest then marriage is the conquest. This place must be like victory."

"And here I thought weddings were supposed to be romantic." Phoebe says.

"Oh my dear sweet child." Grams says.

Prue nods, "Better listen to Grams, Phoebe. I mean, you could always calculate her age by the number of rings on her fingers."

Phoebe laughs.

"Really?" Buffy asks, getting the implications. "You were married that many times, Grams?"

Grams nods.

"Alright, wedding arch is done." Prue says as she ticks something on her list. "The next thing to do," she yawns, "on the To Do list is..."

"Sleep." Phoebe says.

Buffy nods, "You've been yawning all day."

"Try all week. It's this reoccurring dream I keep having. It's keeping me awake." Prue says.

"Really? What's in the dream?" Phoebe asks.

"Well, uh, there was this biker guy and he's kinda cute and kinda dangerous." Prue says.

Phoebe smiles, "Sounds kinda yummy."

Piper walks in and looks around.

"Piper, sweetie, well, what do you think?" Grams says.

Piper smiles, "It's-it's beautiful."

"Yeah, and the best part about it is, it's finally happening." Buffy says.

Piper sighs. "Flowers and bows and Grams. The only thing missing is..."

Prue nods, "Mom."

Buffy nods, "Both our mothers."

"Grams, are you sure that you can't do..." Piper says.

Grams shakes her head, "No, nothing. I'm only here because you need a high priestess. They want me back by the witching hour tomorrow."

"I thought maybe this could help." Phoebe says and holds up a photo of Patty and Joyce.

"You okay?" Prue asks.

Piper nods, "Yeah, I just, I can't believe how close I came to sabotaging my own wedding."

"What do you mean?" Buffy asks.

"Well, with the demons and the false start and 'them' I, you know, I told myself if one more thing went wrong then it just maybe wasn't meant to be." Piper says.

Grams shakes her head, "Oh, darling, there's no need to think that way. I mean, you made it."

Prue nods, "Yeah, and I will personally butt kick any demon who tries to ruin it for you." She yawns.

"Not if you're asleep you won't. Come on, I'm tucking you in." Phoebe says.

Buffy nods, "Sweet dreams. Bye."

Prue and Phoebe go upstairs.

"I'll see you tomorrow at 4:00, Mrs. Halliwell. The women keep their names in this family." Grams says.

"How come mom didn't?" Buffy asks.

Gram shakes her head, "Your mother and I had a falling out, Buffy. Other then the girls birthday's and Christmas she never came around. When she married your father she rebelled against me and took his name."

Buffy sighs, "What caused such a riff?"

Grams shakes her head and disappears.

Piper looks around the room.

That night in Piper's bedroom. Piper is asleep. There are rose petals covering her bed. A chime wakes her up. "Leo?"

Piper sits up and sees the petals. She giggles and picks up a handful of petals. Buffy walks in carrying a tray. "Was that just giggling I heard?"

"Yes, I am guilty of giggling and I am guilty of being happier than any previous romance in my life." Piper says.

"Piper, it's your wedding day!" Buffy says, excited.

"I know." Piper says, shyly.

"Here comes the Maid of Honor!" Buffy says and jumps on the bed. Phoebe and Prue walks in. "Phoebe, Prue, come play!"

"Oh, hey." Prue says.

"Uh-oh. Another bad dream?" Buffy asks.

Prue nods, "Yeah. I was still in that biker bar but this time I was attacked by a big galloot."

"A galloot? What is that?" Piper asks as Phoebe shrugs. "You fought a demon in your sleep? If I'm gonna have to vanquish a demon in my wedding dress, just tell me because if so, then—"

"Ay! Alright, he was not a demon. He was just a big rude guy." Prue says.

"And it was just in her dream." Phoebe says.

Prue nods, "Yeah, and the only thing I need to vanquish him is a potion called coffee." The doorbell rings. "Ah, that must be the flowers. Um, okay, you just relax, no worrying."

Buffy nods, "And eat your breakfast and then I will have a hot bubble bath waiting for you."

"Are you sure there's nothing witchy going on?" Piper asks.

Prue throws petals over Piper. "I'm positive."

They leave the room.

Moments later Buffy, Prue and Phoebe are in the kitchen. Buffy and Prue are sitting at the table.

"Check out what I found in the attic." Phoebe says.

"I hope it's something old 'cause we already have new, borrowed and blue covered." Prue says.

Phoebe nods, "Is Melinda Warren's blessing cup old enough?"

Buffy picks up the cup, "That is very cool."

Phoebe smiles, "Yeah, what could be better than to give Piper the actual cup that our favourite ancestor drank from at her wedding."

Prue smiles, "Hmm, alright, I can check that off. Now all I need is help moving the buffet table."

"Um, maybe we should wait until Cole gets here. He should be here any minute." Phoebe says.

Prue shakes her head, "You're kidding, right?"

"No, you knew he was coming to the wedding." Phoebe says.

Prue nods, "Yeah, to the wedding, Phoebe, but the moments leading up to it belong to the family."

Buffy nods, "I'm in agreement with Prue, pre-wedding is family time."

Prue nods, "And I'm sorry, but Cole is not family, okay, he is still a demon. And I don't think Piper needs a demon—"

They hear Piper scream.

On the landing, Piper is hiding behind the railing. "It is bad luck to see the bride's dress before the wedding."

"But you're not even wearing the dress." Leo says.

Piper shakes her head, "The same rule applies to the bride's... curlers. Go away." She goes upstairs.

Buffy, Prue and Phoebe walk out of the kitchen.

"Oh, good, you're here." Prue says.

Leo nods, "Yeah, I'm just looking for a place to change."

Buffy sees Leo holding his Whitelighter robe. "Uh, what's with the robe?"

"Oh, it's my formal Whitelighter wear." Leo says.

Phoebe shakes her ehad, "Um, yeah, I-I hope you don't mind but we sort of decided that you should be a little bit more traditional, so we rented you a tux."

Victor enters the manor. "Anybody home?"

Phoebe smiles, "Daddy!" She goes over to Victor. "Hi." She hugs Victor.

Victor smiles, "Hi, baby. Leo."

"Victor." Leo says.

Buffy shakes her head, "You can just cut the tension with a knife." She then smiles, "Hey Uncle Victor." She goes over and hugs him.

Victor smiles and hugs Buffy, "How's my favorite, niece."

Buffy laughs, "I'm your only niece. But I'm good."

Victor goes over to Prue.

"Hey dad." Prue says and Buffy smiles.

Victor smiles, "Hey." He kisses the top of Prue's head.

"Well, I know that you have a lot of joy and laughter to share so I'll just take you down... whoa." Prue says.

"What's the matter?" Victor asks.

Prue sits down on the stairs. "Uh, just a, uh, dizzy spell. I've been getting them ever since those dreams began."

"What dreams?" Leo asks.

Prue shakes her head, "Uh, you know, those dreams... uh, you know, it's nothing."

Phoebe nods, "Yeah, certainly nothing to worry about. Okay, you two, follow me." She looks to Prue, "You just sit there and relax. I'll be right back. Buffy…" Buffy simply nods in understanding of the unspoken request." Leo and Victor follow Phoebe down to the basement. "Get dressed and no fighting."

Leo and Victor walk down the stairs.

Buffy sits next to Prue and pulls Prue close to her resting Prue's head on her shoulder.

Phoebe comes back a moment later and sits on the other side of Prue, "Prue, okay, we've got everyone convinced that we have things under control. Now you have to convince me and Buffy."

Prue shakes her head, "I can't do that."

"Oh, no. What are you feeling?" Buffy says.

Prue sighs, "Tired all the time. I mean, when I fall asleep my dreams are so real, they don't allow me any rest. It's like I'm awake twenty-four hours a day."

"Is the dream sorcerer back?" Phoebe asks.

Prue shakes her head, "I don't think so, but I'm not ruling anything out."

"Well, remember what Piper said. If one more thing goes wrong she was gonna call of this wedding." Buffy says.

Prue shakes her head, "No, we can't let that happen."

Phoebe nods, "Okay, why don't you let me and Buffy handle this almighty To Do list, and you go upstairs and get some rest. Don't sleep, just rest."

Prue nods, "Okay."

They stand up.

"Huh, wow, so you're relinquishing control to your little sisters." Phoebe says. "You must really be tired."

Prue goes upstairs.

Phoebe picks up the photo of Patty and Joyce. "Please help us through this day, mom."

Some time later Buffy walks into Prue's room, she notices Prue is asleep. She starts shaking Prue trying to wake her, "Prue? Prue, wake up."

Prue wakes up. She looks at her wrists. "Oh, no." A little bit later Prue is finishing up telling Buffy about the dream, "I was wanted for murder but this, this guy in my dream, he risked himself to save me. Sexy guy."

"Prue, forget the guy. What about the arrest?" Buffy says.

Prue sighs, "Right, uh, okay, a cop handcuffed me and that's all I remember, except that I didn't really wanna wake up, it's like my dreams were overpowering me."

"Mm, that's what my premonitions feel like. They pull me against my will." Buffy says.

Prue nods, "You know, maybe somebody's trying to pull me in a parallel world or a dream dimension."

Buffy sighs, "Well, hopefully that someone will be in the Book of Shadows, okay? Come on." They head for the attic. "Wait, should we tell Piper?"

Prue shakes her head, "No, I won't let this be the one thing that goes wrong today. In fact let's not tell Phoebe either. She can get the to do list done while we do this. I'll be okay as long as I stay awake, right? For Piper?"

Buffy nods, "For Piper."

Piper comes out of her room. "Hold it right there. What's wrong?"

Buffy smiles, "Boy bands. There's just too many of them, don't you think?"

"No. What's wrong with you two?" Piper says.

Prue shakes her head, "Uh, nothing's wrong."

Piper frowns, "I can see it in your faces. We've been demon hunting for three years now. You're going to the attic, aren't you?"

Buffy nods, "Yes."

Prue elbows Buffy. "Buffy!"

Piper frowns, "I knew it."

Buffy nods, "What, Prue, she's onto us, she knows. Yes, Piper, we were heading to the attic. To find something old, something new..."

"Uh, something, something borrowed, something blue." Piper says.

Buffy smiles, "Yes."

Prue nods, "Right. We were gonna surprise you but now you caught us."

"Oh." Piper says.

Prue nods, "Yeah, I mean, look, I told you, you have nothing to worry about today, alright? It's going to be a demon-free day." Cole shimmers in and scares Piper. "Hey!"

"Sorry I'm late." Cole says.

Piper looks to Prue, "You were saying?"

"Near miss with a Zotar." Cole says. "Almost spotted me. Oh, don't worry, I lost him. I think."

Piper frowns, "See? No matter what, a demon will attack today. It's just the natural order of our universe."

Buffy shakes her head, "Piper, you have to stay positive. You know what? I think Pheebs has an old Celine Dion 'Behind The Music' on video cassette. Would you like to watch that?"

"Would you like to get slapped?" Piper asks.

"Hey, she's just trying to relax you." Prue says.

Cole nods, "Don't worry, leave the demons to me. I can handle anything that comes through..."

Buffy shakes her head, "Oh, no you don't. You promised Phoebe you were not gonna use your demonic powers anymore."

"Oh, sorry. Old habits." Cole says. "Um, I brought a gift." He throws the gift at Piper.

"Why don't you join Uncle Victor and Leo and get ready, Cole." Buffy says as she turns and follows Prue up the stairs to the attic.

Moment later Buffy and Prue walks downstairs from the attic.

Buffy shakes her head, "I can't believe we didn't find anything in the Book about your dreams?"

"I know." Prue says.

Buffy sighs, "What are we gonna do? The wedding's in a half an hour."

"Get ready, get set, get through it for Piper." Prue says.

Buffy nods, "For Piper."

They head in different directions.

In Piper's bedroom, Piper is in her wedding dress. She puts on her earrings and looks in the mirror. Patty and Patience appears behind her.

"Oh, you're so beautiful." Patty says.

Joyce smiles, "Your mom's right you are beautiful."

"Mom?" Piper says. "Aunt Joyce?"

Outside Buffy is passing by the door to Piper's room when she hears her mom's name called out by Piper. She turns and enter's Piper's room and her eyes go wide. "Mom?"

Patty smiles, "Don't be afraid."

Joyce turns to face Buffy and smiles, "Hello, my darling."

Piper turns around. "Oh my god. But... it can't be 'cause, um, ghosts, ghosts glow. You two are not glowing."

Patty nods, "I'm not a ghost. Well, not today. Today I am simply your mother."

"But, uh, how?" Buffy asks.

Patty smiles, "After all the Elders put Piper and Leo through, they wanted to give her something back, so, so they sent me down, just for her wedding day. You know, I think I wore my hair like this for my wedding day."

Joyce smiles, "You did Patty."

"Mom, I kind of have the same question as Piper." Buffy says.

Piper nods, "You did. Uh, I kept your wedding album after you died and..." Patty licks her finger and pushes a piece of Piper's hair in place. "And I looked at the pictures every night like a bedtime story."

Joyce looks to Buffy, "My darling, Payson. I convinced the elders that if they were going to send Patty they should send me also. I wanted to see you in your maid of honor dress."

Patty smiles, "Piper, I always thought you'd be the first to get married. You're the heart of this family."

Piper touches Patty's hand. "I'm not dreaming am I?"

"If you are, so am I." Buffy says. "And it's a dream I don't want to wake up from."

Patty shakes her head, "No, sweeties, neither of you are.

Piper smiles, "Mom." She hugs Patty. "Aunt Joyce." She hugs Joyce.

Buffy hugs Patty and then Joyce.

Prue and Phoebe walk in.

"Mom. Aunt Joyce." Phoebe says.

Piper smiles, "It's true. They're real. They sent them to us for today."

Patty goes to Prue. "Oh, Prue. It's been so hard on you, unfair."

"Yeah... no, it doesn't matter. I just wanted to make you proud." Prue says.

Patty nods, "You protected this family better than I could. I'm so proud of you."

Joyce walks over to Prue, "I'm proud of you also, Prue. You've been doing a good job raising my daughter."

Prue smiles, "Thank you." She hugs Patty and then Joyce.

Patty turns to Phoebe, "And you, my baby, you feel it all, don't you? I was never there to comfort you. I died before you even knew me."

Phoebe nods, "Some nights I just wanted you to hold me."

"Your road's been the longest, Phoebe. But I was never worried about you. You know why? Because I had a premonition the day you were born." Patty said.

Buffy frowns, "You did? How? I thought mom had the power of premonition."

Patty nods, "She does. But I got the premonition from Phoebe while she was still in my womb."

"What did you see?" Piper asks.

Joyce smiles, "She saw this. I had the same premonition actually when Payson was born. We saw this moment right now, you three and Payson standing before us as beautiful young women and I believe I speak for Patty in saying we knew that everything would be okay."

"What did you see next?" Phoebe asks.

Patty smiles, "I held you." She hugs Phoebe. She then turns to Buffy, "Ah sweet Buffy. You are not giving your cousins a hard time are you?"

Buffy shakes her head, "No, Aunt Patty. And I no longer consider them my cousins."

Joyce nods in understanding, "You consider them as sisters. Despite the fact that I kept you away I had always hoped you would come to love them as such."

Buffy smiles and nods, "Yeah, mom." She is hugged by Patty and Joyce together.

Moments later downstairs everyone but Buffy, Joyce, Piper and Patty are standing around the room.

"Places, places everyone." Grams says.

The doorbell rings.

"Don't answer that." Prue says.

"Can somebody answer that?" Piper calls down.

"Ooh, I'll get it." Prue says and answers the door. Darryl is there. "Hey, you're late. Where were you?"

"Out saving your ass." Darryl says.

"Huh?" Prue asks.

Darryl nods, "Police have your picture. You're wanted for murder. They said you fled custody this morning. They don't have your name yet but it's only a matter of time."

"Girls!" Grams says.

Prue nods, "Alright, let's just stay cool and we'll get downtown and straighten this out later. But we have to get through the wedding first, okay? For Piper?"

Phoebe nods, "For Piper." They look at Darryl. "You're supposed to say 'For Piper'."

"Alright, it better be a quick wedding." Darryl says.

Prue, Phoebe and Darryl go into the room and stand in place.

"Everything looks perfect except Victor, could you move a little to your left." Grams says.

"Sure, why?" Victor says.

"Well, to make room for..." Grams says.

Joyce and Patty walks in.

"Patty. Patience." Victor says.

"Hello, Victor, how are you?" Patty says.

"Hi, Victor." Joyce says.

"Good. I mean, I was good. Alright, who brought my ex-wife back from the dead?" Victor says.

Grams shakes her head, "Not now, Victor. I know you two have issues but that's what the reception is for."

Grams starts the music and Buffy and Piper walks down the stairs arm in arm. Victor walks over to them and he holds out his arm for Piper's free arm to loop through. Piper holds onto his arm. Buffy and Victor takes her up to Leo.

"We did it. It's really happening." Phoebe says.

Suddenly, TJ rides through the front door on his motorbike. He knocks over the flowers and then knocks over the table and all the glassware smashes on the floor. He stops in front of the table the cake is sitting on. "Prue!"

"Who the hell is that?" Buffy asks.

"Oh, oh, oh no." Prue says as she faints.

Phoebe frowns, "Prue?"

Astral Prue appears. "TJ." She runs over to him. Grams gasps. "You came." She gets on the back of the bike.

"Had to beat the cops. I won't let them take you." TJ says.

"Prue, what the hell is going on?" Buffy says.

"Prue, you get your astral ass back here!" Phoebe says as TJ rides off, knocking the cake table. Piper gasps. The three tiered cake falls on the floor. "Honey..."

"Alright, that's it! The wedding is off!" Piper says as she throws her veil on the floor. She tries to walk but Phoebe is standing on her dress. "Phoebe!"

"Sorry! Sorry!" Phoebe says as Piper walks away. "Piper, Piper, wait, think about this."

Piper puts on a sweater.

"Piper, Piper, you can not just leave." Phoebe says.

"Yes, I can. A demon I could have handled, but my big sister ruining my wedding, I can not handle that." Piper says.

Buffy sighs, "Okay, just listen to us for one second. All we have to do is find a way."

Piper shakes her head, "No, no, I don't wanna find a way to get married on my wedding day. It's-it's too hard. There must be a reason."

Leo walks over to them. "Piper..."

Piper sighs, "Leo, I'm sorry, but this is just the final straw. It's just not meant to be." She leaves the manor.

In the living room, Victor lays Prue on the couch. Leo, Buffy and Phoebe walk in.

"I've never seen Piper so defeated." Phoebe says as Leo sits on the other couch. "Prue, come on, wake up. Prue, come on."

Patty shakes her head, "Honey, you won't get her back that way."

Joyce nods, "A part of Prue wanted to escape and it used her astral self to do it."

Grams frowns, "If the wedding's off, I have to go. I'm only here to conduct the ceremony. I'm sorry." She disappears.

"Maybe Piper's right. Maybe the wedding just wasn't meant to be." Victor says.

"Victor." Patty and Joyce says.

Victor sighs, "All I'm saying is maybe the gods are just trying to spare them the pain that you and I went through, Patty."

Leo shakes his head, "No. All I need is what's inside of me to know that Piper and I are meant to be together." He stands up. "What happened here today..."

Buffy nods, "Piper and Leo's love have touched us all. We have to fix this."

Darryl's pager beeps. "I gotta go fend of the posse."

"What posse?" Victor asks.

Darryl sighs, "Prue's wanted for murder. I'll stay in touch by cell phone." He leaves.

Joyce frowns, "Murder?"

Leo frowns, "You knew about this?"

"I just found out when Darryl told Prue. But it's obviously a mistake. I mean, Prue wouldn't murder anybody." Phoebe says.

Cole nods, "You sure? I mean, Prue's astral form seems to have taken a life of its own. How do you know she didn't do it?"

Buffy shakes her head, "Because we know her."

"Oh, yeah." Cole says.

"At least I think we do." Phoebe says.

Leo nods, "Alright, alright, you guys find Piper, bring her back here somehow. Buffy, Phoebe, Book of Shadows, see if there's a spell to bring astral Prue back. Cole, you and me are gonna do a little investigating of our own. Alright, come on you guys. We've got a wedding to save."

Buffy shakes her head, "Mom would you help Phoebe?"

Joyce nods, "Of course dear."

Buffy turns to Patty and Victor. "Ready for a flame express?"

Patty and Victor look at each other and then nod as Buffy takes their hands and flames out.

They flame into Payson's a moment later.

"Just let me do the talking. You always had a way of saying the wrong thing when they were young." Patty says.

Victor shakes his head, "Wrong, according to you, you never were opened to what I had to say because you wanted to raise them as witches..." They see Piper sitting across the room. "Instead of little girls."

Buffy shakes her head, "Maybe it should be a group effort."

Patty and Victor nod and they walk over to Piper.

"We were worried." Patty says.

Piper sighs, "I'm sorry, I let everyone down."

Victor shakes his head, "Honey, you have nothing to apologise for."

Buffy nods, "It is a tribute to you and Leo that you made it as far as you did.

"Yeah, but we didn't make it all the way." Piper says.

Patty shakes her head, "Not yet maybe, but..."

"Not ever. I mean, I think it's obvious, don't you? Leo and I are just clearly not..." Piper says.

Buffy shakes her head, "Destined to be? Oh, I don't believe that."

Patty nods, "Neither do I, and I don't think that you really believe that either."

Piper sighs, "Don't I? All I have to do is look at you and dad to see where I might end up if I marry Leo. I mean, look at the track record. The Halliwells, we are blessed as witches and we are cursed as women. Sometimes I think we're all destined to end up alone."

Patty shakes her head, "You don't really... I mean, just because... Victor."

"You think your mother and I were cursed?" Victor asks.

"Don't you?" Piper asks.

Victor looks to Patty, "Honestly, I look back at those days as the best of my life. I loved your mother, she was the best thing that ever happened to me until the three of you came along."

Piper shakes her head, "But your marriage still didn't last."

Victor nods, "Yeah, that hurt. A lot. But it was our love that gave birth to you and your sisters. Maybe that was my destiny."

"I'm sorry, I just need to be alone." Piper says and she walks away.

"Not bad for a guy who always says the wrong things." Patty says.

Buffy nods, "I agree, Uncle Victor."

"Thanks. I just wish I knew that it helped." Victor says.

At the Manor Phoebe is there flipping through the Book of Shadows. She finds a spell. "Gotcha." She recites the spell.

Astral Prue astral projects in. "No, I will not let you take me!" She looks around.

Phoebe slams the Book of Shadows shut. "Nice spell, huh?"

Astral Prue frowns, "How dare you."

Phoebe shakes her head, "How dare you. You destroyed Piper's wedding along with Piper. Now, Prue, I don't know what's going on with you but you have got to pull yourself together."

"I'm outta here." Astral Prue says as she starts to walk away. Phoebe gets up and grabs Astral Prue's shoulder. Astral Prue flips Phoebe onto the ground. "You know what?" She grabs Phoebe by the throat. "You can not stop me, alright. I am never going back. I'm not going..." Phoebe swings her around onto the couch. "Alright, you know what? I am sick of this. She is all about duty and obligation, well not me. Alright, I want to be free, I wanna find love, I wanna have a life."

"Well, Prue, you have responsibilities whether you like it or not." Phoebe says.

Astral Prue shakes her head, "Don't talk to me about being responsible, Phoebe. Alright, you were not very responsible when you went and fell in love with a demon."

Phoebe frowns, "Oh, please, you have got to let this whole Cole thing go, okay? You can't stay mad at me forever."

"I'm not mad at you, Phoebe, I never was. Alright, she was. I was rooting for you." Astral Prue says.

"Okay, now you're scaring me." Phoebe says.

Astral Prue nods, "You risked everything for love, just like Piper and Leo. I dream of having that kind of freedom but instead I get stuck watching my sisters and cousin live my dream."

"Wait a minute, you astraled out in a dream when your subconscious takes over." Phoebe says.

"So what?" Astral Prue says.

"So I just studied this in psych 101. Freud. You're the ID. Prue's inner desires. Which means that she is the ego. The control factor." Phoebe says.

Prue nods, "Yeah, well, she is one big remote control and she's always got me on pause."

Phoebe smiles, "I think I understand. The sacrifices that you've made for us over the years and now for Buffy. They made you suppress your inner desires."

Astral Prue sits down beside Prue. "Yeah, well, don't tell me, tell her."

"No, I'm telling you because you are Prue. I mean, you are both two sides of my sister. Prue, you have to stop devoting your entire self to the Charmed Ones. It'll tear you apart. Literally." Phoebe says.

"Is Piper very mad at me?" Astral Prue says.

Phoebe shakes her head, "She'll get over it. And you know why? Because we're okay now, Piper, Buffy and me. We've all got passion and purpose in our lives and you gave us that."

"I did?" Astral Prue asks.

Phoebe nods, "You took care of us. And now it's time to take care of you." Astral Prue astral projects back in her body. Prue sits up. "Welcome back."

"Thanks. For everything. Oh, no." Prue says as she walks into the next room and sees the mess. "Oh. I can not believe I wrecked Piper's wedding."

"Only a part of you did." Phoebe says.

"Is it too late to fix it?" Prue asks.

The lights go out.

"Oh, now what?" Phoebe asks.

Suddenly, the door flies open and cops burst in. "Police! Stay where you are! Don't move!"

"Prue Halliwell? You're under arrest... for murder." Inspector says.

Sometime later Patty is putting the bride and groom back onto the cake. Phoebe is lighting candles.

"I don't get it. Prue should be back by now, the police have the killer." Leo says.

"They might have held her over for escaping custody." Cole says.

"Can we get some light while we're waiting?" Victor asks.

"Yeah." Patty and Joyce says.

Phoebe shakes her head, "No, dad, the police cut the power line."

Grams appears. "I'm sorry, Patty, Patience. They sent me to take you both back."

"No, it's not midnight yet, we still have five more minutes." Buffy says.

"I should have said something more to convince Piper." Victor says.

Patty shakes her head, "But you said everything, you were wonderful."

Buffy smiles, "You were Uncle Victor." She looks to Joyce who nods.

Prue and Darryl walk in. Victor shines the flashlight on them.

"Sorry we're late." Darryl says.

"What, not who you were expecting?" Prue says.

Piper walks in. "So, okay, what are we waiting for?" Piper takes off her sweater. "Don't look so shocked."

"Girls, it's show time." Grams says.

Everyone stands in place. Buffy puts on Piper's veil.

"You look beautiful, you know that?" Buffy asks.

Piper nods and smiles, "So do you, sis."

Victor looks to Leo, "I noticed you don't have a best man. If you like, I could, uh..."

"I'd be honored." Leo says,

Phoebe frowns, "Oh, no, there's no power for music."

Grams makes the wind chimes chime.

Joyce nods, "Alright, is that the best that we can do on the lights?"

Leo makes clouds of bright lights appear above them.

Prue smiles, "That's more like it."

Grams clears her throat. "We are gathered here today to unite two souls as one. Do you, Leo Wyatt, and Piper Halliwell, join us here of your own free will to acknowledge the eternal bond shared by both of you."

Leo nods, "I do."

Piper smiles, "I do."

"You may face each other, join hands." Grams says and Piper and Leo turn and face each other, joining hands. "Uh, Leo, you may recite your vows."

"Piper, through all the tears and struggles, I always knew in my heart that we'd make it here. I promise to love and respect you from this point forward as your husband, as my wife, my lover, my friend, and my soul mate. All I am is yours." Leo says.

Grams nods, "Piper..."

Piper smiles, "Leo, you are the best thing that has ever happened to me. I was afraid that you were too good to be true, that maybe I didn't deserve someone so pure and beautiful and loving as you are. But here we are surrounded by the people that I love the most and I feel so proud, and so blessed to be your wife. Leo, I was born to love you and I always will."

"Here before witnesses, Leo and Piper have sworn their vows towards each other. With this cord, I bind them to those vows." Grams says as a rope is loosely tied around Leo and Piper's hands.

"Heart to thee, body to thee, always and forever, so mote it be." Leo and Piper says.

"So mote it be." Grams says.

"So mote it be." Prue, Phoebe, Buffy, Joyce, Patty and Victor says.

The clock strikes twelve.

"Kiss her fast." Grams says.

Piper and Leo kiss. Everyone applauds and grins.


	67. Chapter 67: Sin Francisco

**Chapter 67: Sin Francisco**

"Alright, it should be around here somewhere." Prue says as she and Phoebe walk down the street.

"And you can't be more precise about what it is?" Phoebe says.

"Okay, I told you, it's some sort of evilly thing." Prue says.

"Why'd I let you talk me into this? I should be at home encrastinating my delinquent ethics paper, not chasing some wild goose." Phoebe says.

Prue shakes her head, "Wild demon, okay? And I was scrying for unnatural activity and this place came up loud and clear."

"Wait a minute, are you telling me you're actually looking for trouble now? Prue, what happened to putting more balance in your life? You know, less Wicca wonder, more Prue." Phoebe says.

Prue sighs, "Listen, I shot a magazine cover yesterday, I had a date last night, and then this morning I am searching for evil. You can't get more balanced than that."

"Right, just your typical everyday cosmo girl." Phoebe says.

"Well, you and Piper don't need me anymore, so that leaves me plenty of time to help those who do. " Prue says.

Phoebe shakes her head, "Is that what you think? That we don't need you anymore?"

Prue nods, "Well, I mean, it's just that ever since Piper got married and you moved up with Cole, I feel like I don't really have to watch out for you guys as much anymore. Even Buffy has been busy lately. She's been training Willow and taking her on patrols with her where Willow can use her powers."

Phoebe smiles, "Prue, this is a good thing."

Prue nods, "Yeah. You know I've been wondering about Willow."

"About what?" Phoebe asks.

"About if she isn't more like us. You know if her family hasn't been witches like ours was." Prue says. "You know we just always assumed she was a witch practioner like Charlotte Warren, Melinda's mother. Charlotte didn't seem to have powers but we know Melinda did. So what if she just came into her powers late. What if her powers like ours was bound at some point and just came unbounded around the time she cursed Angel with his soul."

Phoebe nods thinking, "It would be a big coincidence." Buffy flames in. "But if your right then what is her power."

"Who?" Buffy asks.

Prue glares at Buffy, "Buffy you could have exposed us."

Buffy shakes her head, "I've been working on sensing the location I've been going to trying to make sure it's deserted. Only people I sensed were in the general vicinity were you two. Anyways who are you two talking about?"

"Willow." Prue says.

"Oh. I think I know what power she has. She seems pretty good at levitating objects. So she may have telekinesis like you, Prue." Buffy says.

"She can move things with her mind?" Phoebe asks.

Buffy nods, "She has to work on her control. If she gets distracted she looses control."

Prue looks over at a dumpster. "I think that's it."

"Good." Phoebe says. "We'll finish this conversation about Willow later."

Prue nods, "Alright, on the count of three. One, two..."

Buffy powers up a fireball.

Prue uses her power to open the lid of the dumpster.

"Oh my god!" Phoebe says and runs over to the dumpster. "It's the coffee maker I wanted." She pulls out an empty box.

"Phoebe, it's just a carton." Prue says as Buffy extinguishs her fireball.

Phoebe nods, "Oh, right, of course. See, I need you. You just protected me from making a fool out of myself."

Prue smiles, "Now there's a full time job."

"Uh now what are we talking about?" Buffy asks.

"Thank you very much." Phoebe says. "Prue doesn't think we need her anymore. Piper has Leo, I have Cole. You have been training Willow and taking her on patrol."

They continue walk down the street.

Buffy shakes her head, "Prue of course we need you."

Prue nods, "Hey, so, how's Cole? I haven't seen him in a while."

"Oh, he's been dodging demonic bounty hunters. You know, but he still manages to shimmer into the bedroom when he has a chance. Pops in and then pops right back out if you know what I'm talking about." Phoebe says.

"Huh, I vaguely remember." Prue says.

Phoebe nods, "Even though I'm really happy to see him, it's starting to raise old issues for me. Like, does he really love me or is he just interested in my... charms?"

Buffy shakes her head, "Oh, Phoebe, come on, you know that for a magical fact that he loves you. Alright, and think how many times he's risked his life to save you. I don't think that's just sex."

"Yeah, but what about if it was really, really great sex." Phoebe says.

Prue nods, "Well..." They hear voices coming from an alley. "Seek and you shall find."

In the alley, two men are there arguing. One man is holding a small crystal box.

"Please, just one more." Man #1 says.

"I told you!" Man #2 says and pushes Man #1. "What you want is no longer in this box."

Man #1 shakes his head, "I need more! Won't you understand? I've gotta have more!"

Man #2 frowns, "You can never get enough greed, can you?" He a fireball at Man #1 and he flies against a dumpster.

Buffy, Prue and Phoebe run over to them.

Prue frowns, "Hey!" She uses her power on Man #2. He drops the box.

"The box." Man #1 says.

The two men both dive for the box. Prue uses her power and the box slides across the room.

Man #2 tries to get up and Phoebe kicks him in the face. "That box belongs to Lucas."

Buffy powers up a fireball, "Yeah, well, tell Lucas it's been impoun..." Man #2 disappears, "…ded."

Prue goes over to Man #1. "Hey, it's okay, it's over."

Man #1 shakes his head, "No, gotta have more. Don't you understand? I've gotta have more!" He pushes Prue out of the way and runs onto the road.

"No!" Prue says as the man is hit by a bus.

Some time later the police are questioning witnesses. Darryl goes over to Prue. Phoebe and Buffy are being interviewed by a cop.

"In your opinion, was there anything the bus driver could have done to avoid him?" Cop asks.

Buffy shakes her head, "No, it happened too fast, he didn't have time to react."

"Alright, I think that's it. If I could just have both of your home phone numbers in case I have any other questions." Cop says.

"It's the same as my sister's. We live together." Phoebe says.

"Really? Just out of curiosity, what would you say if one of my other questions was, can I take you out to dinner?" Cop asks.

Buffy rolls her eyes. Is the cop really hitting on Phoebe?

Phoebe laughs. "Ooh, you caught me off guard with that one."

"That's my job." Cop says.

"Uh, well, you're very good at it. Um, but I-I think that it would be best if those numbers stayed in the report. I'm seeing someone." Phoebe says.

Cop nods, "I'm not surprised."

"Officer." Darryl says.

"Excuse me." Cop says.

Buffy and Phoebe walks over to Prue.

"Are you okay?" Buffy asks.

Prue shrugs, "Um, I don't know. I keep on thinking about what we could have done differently to try and save him but he ran into the street so fast, and..."

Phoebe shakes her head, "We couldn't have saved him, Prue. Not without knowing more about the demon who did this to him."

The coroners take the body away.

"Lucas. To find him we have to find out what's so special about this box." Prue says.

Later Prue, Buffy and Phoebe walk inside in the front door of the Manor. Prue gets the box out of her bag.

"Don't open that. Let me go get Piper first." Phoebe says.

"Why?" Prue asks.

Phoebe sighs, "Oh, gee, Prue, I don't know. Maybe so you don't go running in the street and get hit by a bus too." She goes in the kitchen.

Prue looks to Buffy, "How long have you know Willow might have a power?"

"A few days. She just started levitating stuff." Buffy says.

"And you didn't think to mention this, because." Prue says.

Buffy sighs, "Because I am training her. I didn't want to thrust that onto someone else. I took on that responsibility and till I feel she nolonger needs a teacher I will continue to train her."

Prue nods, "I understand. But you should consider letting me help at least. If she has a power like mine I can help her to learn control."

Buffy nods, "Your right, Prue. I'm sorry for not asking you to help train her. I'm also sorry you felt like I didn't need you."

Prue sighs, "It's okay, Buffy."

Buffy smiles, "Besides I will always need you. Your my big sis. Who else will I turn to if I need help with something?"

Prue nods and smiles. She moves to open the box as Phoebe and Piper walk into the room.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, what are you doing?" Phoebe asks.

"Uh, opening the box." Prue says.

Phoebe shakes her head, "You're supposed to be waiting for me and Piper."

"Okay, so you're here. I'm gonna open it." Prue says.

Phoebe takes it off her. "What if you unleash some huge abomination?"

Prue sighs, "Whatever it is, I'm sure that we can handle it."

Buffy nods, "I think at least we should call Leo and ask his opinion first."

Prue nods, "Okay, but we didn't need his opinion before."

Leo orbs in. "You called?"

Prue shakes her head, "No."

"But as long as you're here. Box. Intercepted from a demon. Open it? Yay or nay?" Phoebe says.

Leo nods, "Have you checked the Book of Shadows?"

Piper shakes her head, "No. But that's a great idea. Leo, you're a genius. What would we do without him?"

Prue frowns, "Oh, I don't know. I guess our lives wouldn't be this smooth running, carefree existence that they are today."

"Oh, uh, Phoebe, your ethics professor called about your meeting today at 2:00." Piper says.

Phoebe shakes her head, "Well, obviously I can't make it now."

Prue shakes her head, "No, no, no, you should go. I mean, you're too close to graduating to mess up now. The four of us can handle the box."

"Are you sure?" Phoebe asks.

Buffy nods, "Yes, go. Although, you might want to change into, oh, I don't know, clothes. Actual shirt."

Phoebe looks down at her open vest, showing most of her bra. "Okay."

"Okay. That's very... let's go." Prue says.

Prue heads upstairs.

Buffy looks to Piper, "We need to find time to spend with Prue. I got the tail end of a conversation about her thinking we don't need her anymore."

"That's ridiculous." Piper says.

"I know it is." Buffy says. "But that's what Prue thinks."

Later Buffy, Prue, Piper and Leo are in the attic. They have both Book of Shadows opened up to a page on 'The Seven Deadly Sins'.

"Bottled at the Source by the Source. So what, it's a box of sin?" Prue says.

"Good thing you didn't open it. It would have been Pandora all over again." Piper says.

Leo shakes his head, "Not quite. But this may be how the myth got started. Only it's much more specific type of attack. According to this, the box contains seven balls of sin used to corrupt paragon's good."

"If you're a paragon of good, how do you get corrupted?" Buffy asks.

"Because no one is immune to sin. Whether it be pride, envy, gluttony, lust, anger, greed or sloth. Whichever one you're predisposed to, is the one that attacks you."

Prue nods, "Well, the business man must have been attacked by greed, that's why he kept on wanting more."

"Only his greed was magnified a thousand times." Piper says.

Buffy nods, "And it explains why Prue's scry worked."

Prue nods, "I felt the unnatural activity was the demon courier. But it must have been the sin working against the businessman's good nature."

"Okay, so what do we do now?" Piper asks.

"Well, the infector appears to be the link. Destroy Lucas and the sins lose their power." Leo says.

"Do we know anything about these infectors?" Buffy asks.

Leo shakes his head, "Only that they were humans consumed by sundering life and in death."

"So what we need to do now is find a spell to remove the sin from the infected human incase Lucas strikes again, right?" Piper says.

"You can't remove sin magically or otherwise. It's apart of all of us." Prue says.

"Even you?" Buffy says.

Prue nods, "Yes, even me. Just a teeny little bit. Nothing that anyone would notice but me."

Downstairs Lucas appears and picks up the box.

Phoebe comes down the stairs. "Okay, you guys, wish me luck." She sees Lucas. "Hey."

Lucas smiles, "It's okay. I think you're gonna like this one."

A sin ball hits Phoebe. Prue, Piper and Leo come down the stairs. Three more sin balls hit them. Lucas disappears.

Buffy comes down the stairs and notices the box is gone, "Where's the box?"

"What was that? What just happened?" Phoebe asks.

"Oh, no, don't tell me we got infected with the sin thingy." Piper says.

Phoebe frowns, "What do you mean? What is she talking about?"

"Someone tell me what's going on?" Buffy asks.

Prue nods, "Okay, nobody panic. Buffy I think we got hit by the sin balls. Does anybody feel different?"

Leo shakes his head, "No."

"Me neither." Piper says.

"Uh-uh." Phoebe says.

"No." Buffy says.

"Alright, so maybe we're immune because we're magical." Prue says.

Leo nods, "I don't know, I better orb up and ask."

"You do that. Buffy, Piper and I will go recheck the books, and you missy, you get your butt to that meeting and charm the pants off of your professor. Go, and get home as soon as possible." Prue says as she pushes Phoebe out the door. Phoebe tries to protest. "No, I'm sure, go!"

Later in the kitchen Piper is sitting at the table talking on the phone, and flipping through a magazine.

"Ah, no, that'll be it. Just the two Armani suits size 42, the Donna Karan dress, the three pairs of Stuart Weitzman shoes, the Wong Gucci jacket and the Prada bag. What's the total?" Piper says.

Buffy and Prue walks in.

"Alright, we don't have much time..." Prue says.

"Shh! I'm on the phone with Bloomingdales." Piper says. "Oh, okay, um, well, then I'm gonna have to split that on two credit cards. You can put $5000 on the card that's on file, and the re—" Buffy hangs up the phone. "What are you doing?"

Prue smiles, "Uh, saving your life or at least your credit rating, which is your life."

Piper frowns, "Excuse me, Leo needs suits. But that doesn't answer why Buffy did it."

"Leo doesn't wear suits." Prue says. "And think of Buffy as a designated driver. She is the only one that didn't get hit by those sin ball things."

"Yet." Piper says. "And how do you know she didn't get hit?"

Buffy smiles, "Because I wasn't in the room when the rest of you got hit."

Piper picks up a wine glass and has a sip.

"A-a-are you drinking in the middle of the day?" Prue asks.

"I was a little bummed about this sin thing, so I thought I deserved a little indulgence. Would you like a bit of bubbly?" Piper says.

Buffy shakes her head, "No, we would like a little bit of help. We are supposed to be tracking down Lucas."

"Sorry. Catch me up." Piper says.

Prue sits down. "Alright, so it turns out that those sin balls work a lot faster than we thought. Once infected, the victim only has a few hours before it drives them to a total self destruction."

"Well, good thing we weren't infected then, huh?" Piper says as she picks up a chocolate and takes a bite.

Prue nods, "Right."

"Wrong," Buffy says. "Till we can prove you weren't infected we should be assuming you are."

Prue nods, "Anyways now that Lucas has the box, the question is who will be. I mean, I tried scrying for unnatural activity but it just kept pointing back to the manor."

Phoebe runs in. "Guess what? My ethics professor kicked me out of class."

"What? What happened?" Buffy asks.

"I don't know, I don't know. One minute I was telling him why my paper was late, the next thing I knew was... unzipping his pants with my teeth." Phoebe says.

Prue shakes her head, "Oh, Phoebe, you do know that charming the pants off someone is just a figure of speech, don't you?"

"I don't know what came over me, Prue. I'm just glad that I realised what was happening before I... eww!" Phoebe says.

Buffy sighs, "Sounds like lust. As in the sin of. Phoebe has been infected which means likely so have you two."

Piper frowns, "So you think we were infected?"

Prue nods, "Hello? Gluttony, table for one."

"Leo!" Piper says.

Buffy shakes her head, "Oh, no, no, no, Leo's not up there. He's in the living room watching TV."

Buffy, Prue, Piper and Phoebe walk into the living room to see Leo laying on the couch watching TV.

"What are you doing?" Piper asks.

"Just kicking back." Leo says.

Piper shakes her head, "Something is wrong with this picture. You need chips. I'll go get some." She heads heads for the kitchen.

"Oh, turn on MTV, I wanna see Carson Daily, he is so hot." Phoebe says and sits on the couch beside Leo.

Buffy sighs, "Okay, uh, excuse me, sins in a box. Demon hunt, real life. Can we please focus here? Now, what did 'they' say about Lucas' sneak attack?"

"I don't know. I didn't make it up there. I orbed half way up and I got tired." Leo says.

"What?" Prue asks.

"Hey, after sixty years of constant vigilance, I think I deserve a little down time." Leo says.

Piper walks in carrying a bowl of chips. "Here you go, honey."

Leo smiles, "Oh, thanks, honey. I'm gonna probably be thirsty soon."

"Oh, I'm gonna be ill soon." Prue says.

The doorbell rings.

Buffy sighs, "I'll get it." She opens the door and a flower delivery guy brings in bunches of flowers. "Who are they for?"

Delivery Guy looks at his invoice, "Piper Halliwell."

Buffy shakes her head, "Can't refuse since their flowers I'm guessing?"

Phoebe walks in the foyer. "I love a man in a uniform."

Prue follows Phoebe, "Hey, who sent the flowers?"

Delivery guy shakes his head, "Sorry. Their already paid for."

Buffy nods, "Ok I'll sign." She looks to Prue, "Their for Piper. I bet she ordered them for herself."

"I did order them for myself." Piper says walking into the foyer.

"Oh, this is just too much." Prue says.

"I bet you're too much." Phoebe says to the delivery guy and she places her hands on his chest.

Buffy shakes her head, "Alright, that's it. That's enough." She pushes the delivery guy outside. "Nothing to see here, nothing to respond to, get out. You! What are you smiling at, buddy?"

Delivery Guy leaves.

"Why did you do that?" Phoebe asks.

"Because unless you guys want those flowers at your funeral, you had better get a grip, okay? You've been infected. Gluttony, lust, and that in there..." Prue says as they walks back in the living room. Leo burps. "Is sloth."

"How did I get gluttony? I don't over eat." Piper says.

Buffy shakes her head, "No, but you over do. The sins are drawn to our predispositions and lately yours has been excess."

"What sin did you get hit with, Prue?" Phoebe asks.

"Well, I didn't get hit." Prue says.

"Oh, I saw you get hit." Phoebe says.

"Well, I must be strong enough to fight it off, I'm not showing any symptoms, am I? And thank goodness, alright, one of us has to keep our wits about us." Prue says.

Buffy shakes her head, "Prue, I think it would be safe to say that you are infected. It's why we agreed for me to be the one to look out for you guys till we fix this."

Prue sighs and nods, "Ok Buffy." She sees the news on the TV. "Hey, turn that up, lazy."

Leo turns up the TV.

"The SWAT team just arrived at Bay City Motor Cars. A further signal that police are taking seriously. Pastor Roger Tremble threatens to shoot and kill his hostage if his demands are not met."

"Do you have any idea what exactly the Pastor's demands are?"

"Well, actually, yeah, they're a little bazaar but he claims he wants a Jag. Specifically a XK convertible in British racing green."

"That's a new one." Piper says.

"That news caster's kinda cute." Phoebe says.

Buffy nods, "Alright, what do you wanna bet that the demon infected the Pastor with envy."

"Buffy, out of all the people in San Francisco..." Piper says.

"Still, he does fit the profile. Paragon of good, driven to an act of self destruction." Leo says.

Prue nods, "Yeah, especially with a SWAT team outside. Alright, we can not let this demon steal anymore of our innocent souls." Prue drags Phoebe away from the TV. "Piper, are you coming?"

"Uh, I was gonna stay here with Leo and hold down the fort." Piper says.

"More like hold down the couch." Phoebe says.

"I'll come if you want me to." Piper says.

Buffy shakes her head, "No, it's fine, I'll just do all of it myself if I have to. Come on, Prue, Phoebe." Prue and Phoebe grab Buffy's hands and she flames out.

At Bay City Motor Cars, the SWAT team have surrounded the building. Buffy, Prue and Phoebe are there talking to Darryl.

"Look, Darryl, just let me handle this." Prue says.

"Look, Prue, it's a highly charged, highly public situation. I can't just ask SWAT to let you handle it. I get enough flak from these guys as it is." Darryl says.

"Alright, would you rather me astral project myself in there?" Prue asks.

"Come on, Prue, you're not being reasonable." Darryl says.

"I have something to say. I see that cute officer from this morning." Phoebe says and she gets all excited.

Buffy shakes her head, "Hey, stay on point, we still have an innocent to save."

"You're right, we all do, cops included. Look, just let the hostage negotiators handle it, please?" Darryl says.

"Fine." Prue says.

"What's the plan?" Buffy asks.

"The plan is to talk the Pastor down, wait him out." Darryl says.

"Okay." Buffy says.

"It works in most cases, trust me." Darryl says.

"Okay, well, if he's been infected it will not work in this case, trust me, alright. The Pastor's only gonna get worse." Prue says.

"What would you do to resolve it?" Darryl asks.

"There's only one thing to do." Prue says and she walks towards the building.

Buffy frowns, "Prue!"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait!" Darryl says. "Hold your fire! Hold your fire!" He notices Phoebe is gone. "Buffy where did Phoebe go?"

Buffy looks back at where Phoebe was standing and frowns, "Ok you find Phoebe, I'll go deal with Prue."

"How are you going to deal with Prue?" Darryl asks.

"I'm going to flame inside." Buffy says and she runs off towards a secluded spot and flames out.

Inside the building, the Pastor has a gun up to the salesman's throat.

Prue walks in just as Buffy flames in behind a desk out of sight.

"Pastor Tremble?" Prue says.

The Pastor turns around and points the gun at Prue. "Who are you?"

Buffy stands up from behind the desk and moves over next to Prue.

"Whoa, okay, hold on, I'm – We're here to help, but we can not do that until you put the gun down." Prue says.

"Get outta here." Pastor says.

Buffy shakes her head, "We just wanna talk."

"I just want my Jag. Do you want me to shoot you too? I swear I will." Pastor says.

Prue shakes her head, "Okay, no, no, no, wait. We know what's happened to you, okay? You've been infected with sin."

"I warned you." Pastor says.

"No." Buffy says as Prue uses her power but the gun doesn't fly out of his hand. He shoots at Prue.

"Prue, you alright? Talk to me, Prue." Darryl's voice comes over the microphone.

Prue finally comes out with the salesman. "Everything's under control, don't worry a thing. I've got it all under control. Hi, he needs medical attention. The Pastor's inside, I kicked his ass. He needs attention too, he's knocked out."

Everyone applauds and news reporters rush up to Prue.

"Hi, can I just ask a few questions?"

"The name's Halliwell, Prue Halliwell." Prue says.

"What made you run in there?"

Buffy flames in out of sight of everyone and frowns at what she sees, "Great, exposure."

"Well, my job is to protect the innocent." Prue says.

"Do you work for the police?"

"No, actually, I don't." Prue says.

Darryl pulls Prue away. "No, she's a good Samaritan, very good Samaritan. No further questions."

Buffy walks over to them, "Thanks Darryl."

"Why did you do that? I was just getting started." Prue says.

Buffy shakes her head, "Prue you were about to reveal you were a witch to everyone."

Darryl nods in agreement, "'Cause you were about to hang yourself. You shouldn't be talking to the press."

"Why not?" Prue asks.

"Why not?" Buffy says, concerned. "Do you remember the future we went to the one where Phoebe was burned at the stake? If you revealed who we are it would destroy us."

"What's the matter with you?" Darryl asks.

"Nothing can destroy me, Buffy." Prue says.

"Prue, you're bleeding." Darryl says.

Prue looks at her arm. "Whoa, I am, oh my. That bullet must have grazed me."

"And you didn't even feel it?" Buffy asks concerned.

Prue shakes her head, "No, no, you know, the adrenalin, it's no big deal."

"No big deal? You almost got yourself killed. I've never seen you runaway from danger before, but I've never seen you run toward it either. What, have you got a death wish or something?" Darryl says.

Buffy's eyes go wide, "I was right Prue, your infected."

Prue's eyes go wide, "I think your right, Buffy. That must be why I can't control my powers."

"Buffy, Prue, what's going on?" Darryl asks.

Buffy shakes her head, "Darryl, we don't have time to explain. Can you get Pastor Tremble to a safe place? Some place where he won't hurt himself, like a psychiatric hospital."

Darryl nods, "Yeah, sure, shouldn't be a problem in his case."

"Okay, good, but nobody can know that he's there, okay? Because if so, the demon will find him and kill him." Buffy says.

Darryl nods, "Okay, I don't know how long I can keep it a secret though."

Buffy nods, "Well, we don't really need that long. Just long enough for us to find the demon and vanquish him, okay? Okay. Did you find, Phoebe?

Darryl shakes his head, "Not yet."

Inside a SWAT truck Phoebe is there making out with the officer from before. She starts undressing him, then pulls out a strip of condoms from her bag. "It's a good thing I came prepared." She rips one off with her teeth.

Darryl opens the door. "Officer!"

"Phoebe!" Prue and Buffy says.

"Wait, I can explain." Officer says.

"The hell you can. Get outta there!" Darryl says and pulls him out of the truck.

Buffy pulls Phoebe out of the truck. She grabs her coat. "Here, put it on. Are you out of your mind?"

"Um, yeah, I think so. But if you two are gonna go crazy..." Phoebe says.

Prue sighs, "Yeah, well, my sin's not nearly as much fun as yours."

"Wait, you're sin? I thought you didn't get hit." Phoebe says.

Buffy shakes her head, "Oh she got hit alright with pride and it almost got her killed already."

"Pride? You don't seem all that different." Phoebe says.

"Really? Well, back atcha. We need to get home and try and track down this demon, okay?" Prue says.

Phoebe shakes her head, "No, I don't think so, I'm having too much fun, so I'll just see you later."

Buffy sighs, "If I don't get both of you home, there won't be a later."

The walk over to a secluded spot and Buffy flames out with Prue and Phoebe. They flame into the Manor and find Piper's purchases fill the foyer and living room.

Piper walks in. "Good, you're here. The pashminas have arrived and they're to die for. Come see." A delivery man walks past carrying long metal strip things. "Whoa, hey, hi, almost decapitated."

"Hello." Phoebe says as they walk into another room filled with stuff. Piper pulls a pashmina out of a box. "Wow, Piper, you really put the glutt in gluttony."

"Okay, how did you get this stuff so fast?" Prue asks.

"Oh, I just let my fingers do the walking and the clicking and the... flipping." Piper says.

Buffy frowns, "Flipping as in the pages of the Book of Shadows? You used magic?"

Piper nods, "Well, yeah, I couldn't wait six to eight weeks for delivery."

"That is so personal gain." Prue says.

"No, 'cause we need all of this stuff." Piper says.

Phoebe leaves the room.

Buffy shakes her head, "Okay, Piper, this isn't you. You're being consumed by your consumption and it will only lead to your total misuse of magic."

Piper turns on a water fountain. "Soothing, isn't it?"

In the living room Leo is laying on the couch watching a big screen TV. Phoebe moves over to him. "Hey, Leo."

"Shh, watching TV." Leo says.

Phoebe sits down next to him. "I know something more exciting than television." She unties her top. "Me." She turns off the TV.

"What the hell are you doing? Come on, give it back." Leo says and he reaches for the remote but falls on Phoebe.

Piper walks in. "Phoebe!"

"What? Buffy won't let me leave the house, so I have to make do with what I have." Phoebe says and she strokes Leo's chest.

Buffy walks in and frowns, "Phoebe!"

"Get your slutty hands off of my husband!" Piper says.

Phoebe stands up. "Make me."

"Gladly." Piper says and she picks up a statue of a head and gets ready to throw it.

"Watch the remote!" Leo says.

Buffy frowns, "Piper, put down the statue!" She grabs the statue out of Piper's hands.

Prue runs in just as Buffy grabs the statue. She turns to Piper and Phoebe, "Alright, you guys, the last I checked we still had a demon to vanquish and an innocent to save."

"I thought you said Morris hid the Pastor some place safe." Phoebe says.

Buffy nods, "Yes, he did, but envy is only the sixth sin. Which means there's still an innocent out there infected with anger." She puts the statue down looking at it like it's about to spring to life and attack her.

"What would you like us to do about it?" Piper asks.

"Leo, I would like for you to orb up there and ask the Elders what they know, okay?" Prue says.

Leo shakes his head, "I'm too tired."

Buffy shakes her head, "Leo," she hits him on the arm, "get up there right now! You're a Whitelighter, that is your job."

"Why? You guys never listen to me anyway." Leo says and yawns. "I think I'm gonna orb upstairs and take a nap." He orbs out.

Phoebe picks up a magazine and starts to read it.

Prue frowns, "Fine! Fine, orb, who needs you anyway?" Piper puts on a pair of boxing gloves. "We still have the power of three augmented." She looks at Piper, Buffy and Phoebe.)

Buffy sighs, "Maybe."

Moments later in the attic Buffy and Prue are looking through both Book of Shadows, Piper's got her feet in a foot spa, and Phoebe is lying in a chair.

"There is nothing, there is nothing in the book. Why did only lame witches precede it?" Prue says.

Buffy sighs and shakes her head.

"Because nobody is as good as you, Prue." Piper says.

Prue nods, "You know, at least I'm trying, Piper. Instead of getting a foot massage, or sleeping."

"I'm not sleeping. I'm just having the best premonitions of my life." Phoebe says.

"Of what?" Buffy asks.

"It's a button off Officer Cutie's shirt. Let me tell you, if the movie's anything like the previews... whoa." Phoebe says.

"Alright, is that all that you care about?" Prue asks as Phoebe nods. "Fine. Buffy and I'll save the innocents, Buffy and I'll vanquish the demon, and if we feel like it, maybe when we're done, we'll save you guys."

"Oh, don't do us any favours." Phoebe says.

Piper nods, "Yeah, Prue, worry about yourself."

Piper knocks a lamp in the foot spa and gets electrocuted. She falls over the back of the chair.

"Piper!" Prue and Buffy says and they run over to her.

"You alright?" Buffy asks.

"Oh, what happened?" Piper asks.

"Uh, you were shocked." Prue says.

"I feel strange." Piper says.

Buffy nods, "Yes, well, if you had both feet in the water you wouldn't feel anything." Prue helps her up. The doorbell rings. "Who is that?"

Phoebe looks out the window and sees the officer standing on the porch. "Oh! Oh! It's Officer Cutie from this morning." She opens the window. "Hey! Hey, up here! I'm gonna come down, okay?" She leans out the window and nearly falls out.

"Phoebe, watch out!" Prue says and pulls her back in. "Do you see what's happening?"

"That was close." Phoebe says and runs out of the attic.

"Prue, we just have different priorities than you and Buffy do. You two need a little pick me up. How about I buy you two some shoes?" Piper says and she heads for the door.

In the foyer Phoebe opens the door. "I knew you'd come back for me."

The officer walks in. "This isn't a social call." He grabs Phoebe.

"Whoa, are we roleplaying? Did you bring your handcuffs?" Phoebe asks.

The officer gets out his gun and points it at Phoebe. "Where's the Pastor?"

"I don't know, I swear." Phoebe says.

The officer shakes his head, "You're lying!" He pushes her into a box full of stuff. "You're something else, you know that?" He throws boxes around the room. "I got suspended because of you! You think you can ruin somebody's life and not pay for it?" He points the gun at her. "You're gonna pay."

"No." Phoebe says.

"You're gonna pay right now." The officer says.

"Please, don't shoot." Phoebe says.

Piper walks down the stairs and screams. "My stuff!" The officer points his gun at Piper and she freezes him. He unfreezes and shoots at her. She ducks. "Why are my powers not working?"

"Where's the Pastor?" The officer asks.

"I don't know." Piper says.

Phoebe knocks the officer down and he shoots up in the air.

Piper falls down the stairs and knocks over all the stuff. A large wooden box falls on top of her. Piper tries to climb out from under the box. She looks over at Phoebe and sees her unconscious on the floor. "Phoebe?"

The officer stands up. Buffy and Prue comes down the stairs.

The officer yells and points the gun at himself. Prue uses her power and some of Piper's stuff is thrown at him. He falls back onto some furniture. They look at the unconscious Piper and Phoebe.

Lucas appears behind Prue and Buffy and grabs them. "You can't save what's already lost."

At Lucas' place Buffy and Prue are tied up. Prue is struggling to get free. Buffy looks at Lucas knowing she can't flame out without risking Prue's life.

"You think you can break free, but you can't. See, that's what makes pride the deadliest of all the sins. It makes you think you're invincible. Above it all..." Lucas says.

"My powers..." Prue says.

Lucas shakes his head, "Are useless now. Corrupted. You have only a small window of opportunity to save your life before it's too late. Though it does surprise me your little friend here isn't trying to free herself. I would have gotten you with the anger instead. Oh well."

Buffy shakes her head, "Well first off I don't need to work on the ropes because I can get out of them anytime I like. Second I'm not going to risk it because I don't want to risk you hurting Prue."

"No demon has defeated me. And you won't be the first." Prue says.

"You see, but I don't have to defeat you, you're gonna defeat yourself. In mere minutes you'll be so far gone you will self destruct just like all the rest. And if I'm lucky take her with you. However, I am willing to make you two a deal."

"We don't make deals with demons." Buffy says.

Lucas nods, "Do you two listen to them? Look, we all know that you safe guarded the Pastor, which means that I can't deliver his soul. But this late in the game I am willing to pay for it." He looks to Prue. "Tell me where the Pastor is and I'll remove your sin."

"Go to hell." Prue says.

Lucas nods, "This is my hell. Every rotten day of it. Listen, I am giving you a chance to save your life, Prue. To save her life. To end your hell."

"If you remove her sin, you'll still be one more soul short." Buffy says.

Lucas nods, "That's true, but once it's sponged, I can use the sin again. You see, it'll just pop right back into my box."

"And let you infect another innocent? I don't think so. Screw you." Prue says.

Lucas picks up a stick and taps it on the floor. A large hole in the floor opens up. "Witness the bottomless pit of ever lasting torment. Pride goes with before the very long fall, Prue. So what's your decision? Remember, if I lose you lose."

"Alright, alright, untie me." Prue says.

"Prue!" Buffy says. "No!"

"Tell me where the Pastor is first." Lucas says.

"Oh, untie me first. If I self destruct, you will never get a soul." Prue says.

Lucas unties her. "Alright, where is he?"

"Ha, you lose I win, ha!" Prue says.

Phoebe, Piper and Leo walk in. Prue jumps in the pit.

"No!" Lucas says.

"Prue!" Phoebe and Buffy says.

Buffy flames out and into the hole

"Why did she have to have pride? Pride is the one sin you can't beat." Lucas says.

"Beat this." Piper says and freezes him.

Buffy flames out with Prue.

"Let go, I can handle this." Prue says and elbows Buffy in the chest.

"Ow! I was saving you." Buffy says.

"Saving me? I had it under control, I didn't need your help." Prue says.

Phoebe shakes her head, "Right."

"Uh-oh, it looks like the only way to get the pride out of Prue is to vanquish him." Piper says.

Phoebe picks up the sin box. "Oh, who ordered the sweet sin balls?"

"I think he did." Piper says.

Phoebe throws all the sin balls at Lucas.

Lucas unfreezes. "What did you...?" He falls into the pit. The pride sin comes out of Prue and lands in the box.

"Okay, whoa, what just happened?" Prue asks.

Buffy smiles, "I think you just lost your pride." Two more sin balls float into the box. "And these must be envy and anger. Which must mean the Pastor and cop are okay now."

Phoebe throws the sin box in the pit.

Prue taps the wand on the floor and the pit closes. "Okay."

Piper picks up a crystal. "Oh, wait a minute, is this another?"

"I don't think so." Leo says.

"Maybe it's the business man's soul." Phoebe says.

Piper nods, "Oh, well, then you should release it some place nice." She hands it to Leo.

"I know the perfect place." Leo says and he orbs out.

"Wow, we sure showed that demon." Prue says as Phoebe and Buffy smirks. "Okay, you guys sure showed that demon."

Piper smiles, "Thank you."

"So I guess I needed you guys a lot more than you needed me." Prue says.

Phoebe shakes her head, "No, we all needed each other. Buffy got me back at the house, you saved the innocents..."

"Yeah, but..." Prue says.

"Uh, stop it, I don't like this humble Prue, I want my real sister back." Piper says.

Phoebe nods, "Me too."

Buffy laughs, "Yeah the real Prue was much more fun."

"Well, I mean, I did save that cop from killing himself and I was strong enough to tell him..." Prue says.

Buffy holds out her hands as Piper and Phoebe take hold. Prue looks at them and then nods as she takes Piper's hand and Buffy flames out.

Later at Payson's, Orgy is playing. Piper is at the bar.

Buffy and Prue comes up to Piper

Prue offers Piper a glass of wine. "Here you go."

"Oh, no, no, no." Piper says.

"Piper, it's okay to indulge, just don't over indulge." Buffy says.

"I guess we can thank Lucas for teaching us anything in moderation." Piper says.

"Hey, there was nothing that Lucas could teach me." Prue says.

Buffy shakes her head, "Oh, really?"

"I'm doing it again, aren't I? That whole pride thing. I swear, I'm working on it." Prue says.

Piper nods, "It's a constant struggle."

Buffy nods, "Piper's right. It will always be a work in progress."

"Here's one thing that I'm willing to admit I don't understand. You, Phoebe and Leo were able to get rid of your sins with a selfless act. I committed many selfless acts yet why did I have to wait for Lucas to be vanquished to get rid of my pride?" Prue says.

"Well, Lucas said that pride was the one thing you can't beat. I think what he meant was there's no such thing as a selfless act to pride." Piper says.

"I threw myself into a pit for the Pastor and Buffy." Prue says.

Buffy nods, "Yeah, but you did that to win. So any good you did during your prideful state was for the greater glory of Prue."

"Alright, fine, then here's to Buffy, for saving me from eternal torment." Prue says.

They clink their glasses.

"Mm-hmm, and to me for not trying to be the perfect couple. If it isn't good enough for them, then screw 'em." Piper says.

Buffy smiles, "I'll drink to that."

Phoebe pushes past some people. "Excuse me." She goes over to Buffy, Prue and Piper. "Hi, I am so excited, and not in any sexual kind of way. Uh, recent events inspired me to write a paper on sexual politics, claiming that my indiscretion with Professor Kass was an ethical experiment. So I handed the paper in yesterday and... pause for dramatic effect..."

"So, did he buy it?" Prue asks.

"I got a B." Phoebe says.

Prue smiles, "Yay!"

"Minus, but I got it fair and square which means I will be able to graduate. And no man, not even Cole, is going to stand in my way." Phoebe says.

"Congratulations." Piper and Buffy says.

"I am very proud of you." Prue says.

"Oh, and coming from you." Phoebe says.

"Hey, be nice, I don't even wanna think about the sin tonight." Prue says.

"Me neither." Phoebe says.

"So this is a pretty interesting band. What's their name?" Prue asks.

"Orgy." Buffy and Piper says.

Prue gives Piper and Buffy a funny look.


	68. Chapter 68: Dopplegangland

**Author's Note: **I'm on a roll. 40 chapters up and starting season 5.

* * *

**Chapter 68: Dopplegangland**

Willow is concentrating intently on a pencil that floats in front of her. Very slowly, the pencil begins to spin. She is lying on her stomach in the grass.

Buffy is doing sit ups next to her, "The Watcher council shrink is heavily into tests. He's got tests for everything. T.A.T.'s, rorschach, associative logic..." She finishes the sit ups. "They have that test to see if you're crazy that asks if you hear voices or have ever wanted to be a florist."

"Oh, I used to - Wait. Florist means crazy, right? I never wanted to do that." Willow says, perky.

"Nice, you getting control over it." Buffy said. "Remember not to do that when other people can see."

"I know and thanks. You wanna go to the espresso pump? Get sugared up on mochas?" Willow says.

Buffy starts packing stuff in a gym bag. "Pass. I'm gonna hit the pool, do some laps."

"And how come all the sudden calisthenics? Aren't you sort of naturally buff, Buff?" Willow says, pleased. "Buff buff!"

"Well, they've really got us running around on the physical side, too. A lot of precision training and reflex evaluation, and I just wanna... do..." Buffy says.

"... better than Faith?" Willow asks.

"So very shallow." Buffy says, contrite.

"Competition is natural and healthy. And you'll definitely ace her on the psyche tests. Just don't mark the box that says I sometimes like to kill people." Willow says.

Buffy nods, "I know Faith isn't exactly on the cover of Sanity Fair, but she's had it rough. Different circumstances, that could be me."

"No way." Willow says.

"We can't control the way we grow up." Buffy says.

Willow shakes her head, "No. You're you. She's her. Some people just don't have that in them."

"I'm sorry, I know you hate talking about Faith..." Buffy says.

"No, it's okay." Willow says.

"Really, I –" Buffy says.

"It doesn't bother me. I mean it." Willow says.

"Uh, Will?" Buffy says.

Willow looks at Buffy, who indicates the pencil. The pencil is spinning so fast, it's starting to steam. "Ooh." She frowns at it, tries a hand gesture - and the pencil rockets away, smashing into a tree.

Buffy shakes her head, "I think you need to work some more with Prue."

Willow nods, "I think you maybe right."

In the Principal's office Snyder sits before Willow and the slack and hulking Percy, jock extraordinaire. "As far as I'm concerned, this is a marriage made in heaven. Willow Rosenberg, despite her unsavory associations, represents the pinnacle of academic achievement at Gateway High. Percy West represents a devastating fast break and fifty percent from behind the three point line."

"I'm not sure I understand the marriage part." Willow says.

"You've got the brains, he's got the fast break. It's a perfect match." Snyder says.

Willow nervously glances at Percy, "Match? You want us to breed?"

"I want you to tutor him. Percy is flunking history. Nothing seems to be able to motivate him." Snyder says.

"Hey, I'm challenged." Percy says.

Snyder nods, "You're lazy, self involved and spoiled. That's quite the challenge. But we need a winning year, especially after last year's debacle with the swim team. Can't have our point guard benched." He looks to Willow. "So you are going to take on a little teaching job. I know how you enjoy teaching."

"But I have a lot of work of my own –" Willow says.

"You've gotten a letter of acceptance from every university with a stamp. I think your academic career is safe." Snyder says.

"Yes, but I still have classes and I don't want –" Willow says.

"Rosenberg. It's time to give something back to the community. I know you want to help your school out here. Ask me how I know." Snyder says.

"How do y—" Willow says.

Snyder smiles, "I just know."

The threat is really only in his eyes. Willow looks at him, and at Percy. Percy just looks bored.

Later Willow enters the library with Buffy.

"So he threatened you? With what?" Buffy asks.

"It wasn't anything exactly that he said. It was all in his eyes. I mean, there was some nostril work as well, but mostly eyes." Willow says.

Buffy shakes her head, "Snyder needs me to kick his ass."

"Oh, no, Buffy, don't get yourself in trouble. I'll be okay. I just hate the way he bullies people. He just assumes their time is his." Willow says.

Giles comes out of his office, "Willow, get on the computer. I want you to take another pass at accessing the Mayor's files."

"Okay." Willow says.

Faith enters with a winded Wesley. "Well, that was a blast."

"How did it go?" Giles asks.

"Princess Margaret here had a little trouble keeping up." Faith says.

"How did it go?" Giles asks again.

Wesley nods, "Faith... did quite well on the obstacle field. And her... reflexes are improving rapidly. Physically... she's in good shape. Still a little sloppy, though." He hands Giles a clipboard of times.

"Do you feel up to taking Buffy out, or shall I?" Giles asks.

"No, I'll be fine. I just need a minute. And some defibulators, if it's not too much trouble." Wesley says.

"I better change." Buffy says.

Faith smiles, "You're gonna love it, B. It's just like fun, only boring."

"Faith, The evaluations are a necessary part of –" Giles says.

"Hey. I know. I'm on board here. Just shooting my mouth off." Faith says, contrite. As Buffy passes to go out, she and Faith lock eyes. Faith says quietly and sincerely, "Good luck." She touches Buffy's arm as she passes. Buffy smiles kindly at her, exiting.

Faith wanders over to Willow as Giles and Wesley retreat into the office. Willow is not wildly comfy around Faith, but acts with strained politeness.

"Whatcha doing?" Faith asks.

"I'm trying to access the Mayor's personal files." Willow says.

"Can you do that?" Faith asks.

"He's got some pretty tricky barriers set up." Willow says.

"Can you get past 'em?" Faith asks.

Willow nods, "Eventually. I'll get through."

Later in the hallway Willow is at her locker as Oz approaches.

"Hey, Baby." Oz says, smiling.

"Oz. Hi." Willow says.

"There's something about you that's causing me to hug you." Oz says as he hugs her. "It's as if I have no will of my own."

Willow hugs him back perfunctorily. They start for the grassy fountainy area outside. "Where were you yesterday?"

"We got back late, sort of very." Oz says.

"We? Who? Where?" Willow asks.

"The Band. We had a gig in Monterrey Sunday night." Oz says, smiling.

"You did? How come I didn't know?" Willow asks.

Oz frowns, "I thought you did..."

"Maybe I would have liked to go." Willow says.

Oz shakes his head, "Didn't figure you for missing school."

"You think I'm boring." Willow says, matter of factly.

"I'd call that a radical interpretation of the text. We're playing at Payson's tonight." Oz says.

Willow shakes her head, "I can't. I have too much homework."

"Well, you'll be there in spirit. If you get done early." Oz says before he goes in a classroom.

Willow goes outside. She sees Percy and moves to catch up with him. "Percy! Hey. Listen, why don't we get together at lunch and we can go over your Roosevelt paper, what books you'll need and stuff."

"What are you talking about?" Percy asks.

"Tutoring you. The history paper?" Willow says.

"Snyder said you were gonna do it." Percy says.

Willow shakes her head, "He never said that."

"What meeting were you in?" Percy asks.

"Look, I'll pick up the books. Just meet me at lunch and we'll –" Willow says.

Percy shakes his head, "I don't have time at lunch. I have to hang out."

"Oh. Well..." Willow says.

"What, you got something better to do? Just type it up and put my name on it. And don't type too good. Dead giveaway." Percy says and he bails.

Willow sits, unable to shake her crankiness as she goes through her lunchbag. She pulls out a banana. "I'm gonna eat this now. It's not lunchtime and I don't even care."

Buffy and Xander come happily up to her.

"Hey!" Buffy says.

"Willow! Did you remember to tape Biography last friday?" Xander asks.

"Uh huh." Willow says.

"What did I tell you? Old reliable." Buffy says.

"Oh, thanks!" Willow says, bitterly.

"What?" Buffy asks.

"Old reliable? Yeah, great! There's a sexy nickname." Willow says.

Buffy shakes her head, "Oh, Will, I didn't mean –"

"No, it's fine. I'm old reliable." Willow says.

"She just meant, you know, the geyser. You're like a geyser of fun that goes off at regular intervals." Xander says.

"That's old faithful." Willow says, with a frown.

"Isn't that the dog that the guy has to shoot –" Xander says.

"That's old Yeller." Willow says, near tears.

Buffy shakes her head, "Xander, I beg you not to help me. Will, I didn't mean it in a bad way. I think it's good to be reliable."

"Well maybe I don't wanna be reliable all the time. Maybe I'm not just doormat... person. Homework Gal." Willow says.

"I'm thinking nervestrike." Xander says.

Willow gets up and starts to head inside. "Maybe I'll change my look. Or cut class. You don't know." She holds up the banana. "And I'm eating this banana. Lunchtime be damned!" She starts off again.

Buffy coming up to her. "Willow, I really didn't mean –"

"Buffy, I'm storming off. It doesn't work if you come with me." Willow says.

"Oh." Buffy says and she lets Willow go.

Willow comes grumpily inside, starts heading up the stairs.

"Willow?" Anya asks.

Willow turns, sees Anya coming up the steps. Willow comes back down a few, clearly not that familiar with the girl. "Uh, hi..."

"Anya. I'm sort of new here. I know Cordelia..." Anya says.

"Ooh, fun." Willow says, deadpan.

"Listen, I have this little project I'm working on, and I heard you were the person to ask –" Anya says.

"Uh huh. That's me. Reliable dog geyser person. What do you need?" Willow says.

"It's nothing big. Just a little spell I'm working on." Anya says.

Willow perks up. "A spell? Ooh. I like magic."

"Yeah. I need a secondary to create a temporal fold. I heard you were a pretty powerful wicca, so..." Anya says.

Willow smiles, "You heard right, mister. Well next to the Charmed Ones anyways, I am. So tell me what you need."

Moments later in a classroom Anya and Willow are finishing setting up for the spell. The desks have been pushed away from the center of the room, forming a rough circle around them. Anya is taking colored sand and funneling it into a small glass vial with a paper funnel. Willow is laying bones and whatnot about.

"The necklace was a family heirloom. Passed down for generations, then it was stolen from my Mom's apartment." Anya says.

"How does the spell work?" Willow asks.

"We both call on Eyrishon, the endless one. Offer up the standard supplication. Then there's a teensy temporal fold - we hope - I pour the sacred sand on the representation of the necklace and Eyrishon brings it forth from the time and place where it was lost." Anya says.

Willow thinks for a moment, she's never seen such a spell in Buffy's Book of Shadows. She then shrugs, "Cool."

"Of course, there's a lot of theory there, but I figure it's worth a shot. Are we ready?" Anya says.

Willow nods, "I think so."

They sit facing each other, cross-legged. They close their eyes. Anya begins, holding out her right hand, palm up. "Eyrishon. K'shala. Meh-uhn."

Willow does the same gesture. "Diprecht. Doh-tehenlo Nu-Eyrishon."

"The child to the mother." Anya says.

"The river to the sea." Willow says.

Anya holds out the vial. Willow wraps her hand around Anya's. "Eyrishon. Hear my prayer."

A moment. Nothing.

Then light, streaming from the ceiling, wrapping the girls in electric auras. Willow is jolted - transfixed. This is more than she expected.

Willow's eyes snap open as she see images flash before her.

Images from an alternate universe; Anyanka and Giles. Vampire Willow. Buffy killing Xander and Piper. Prue killing Buffy, draining her dry. The necklace.

Willow is shaking, so is Anya - a huge thunderclap and Anya turns the sand vial over. Willow's leg is jolted, kicks out, knocking the plate aside and the sand pours onto the leg instead…

The light is suddenly sucked back and the girls break apart, breathing hard.

Willow is more than a little freaked. "What was that? That was - what was that?"

Anya is looking for her necklace, "It's not here. It's not here!"

"Okay, that's a little blacker than I like my arts." Willow says.

"Oh, don't be such a wimp." Anya says.

"That wasn't just a temporal fold, that was some weird Hell place. I don't think you're telling me everything." Willow says.

"I swear, I'm just trying to find my necklace." Anya says.

"Did you try looking inside the sofa in HELL?" Willow asks.

"Look, we'll try again, and if –" Anya says.

Willow shakes her head, "I think emphatically not."

"I can't do it by myself!" Anya says.

"Well, that's a relief. I'm out of here." Willow says.

"Fine. Go! Idiot child." Anya says.

Willow grabs some spell stuff. "I believe these chicken bones are mine. Magic is dangerous, Anya. It's not to be toyed with. Now if you'll excuse me, I have someone else's homework to do." She strides out, leaving Anya desolate in the midst of her failure.

That evening at Payson's Vampwill wanders about, she had first gone to the Bronze and noticed they had gone out of business several months before. She bumps into Percy.

"Hey!" Percy says. VampWill looks at him, no idea who he is. "Rosenberg? What are you doing? Trick-or-treating?" She looks him over, amazed at his audacity. "You're supposed to be at home doing my history report. I flunk that class you're gonna be in big trouble with Snyder. Till we graduate, I OWN your ass."

"Bored now." VampWill says and she rockets the heel of her hand into his chest. He flies backwards over the pool table, landing just about as painfully as he can. While he groans and struggles to get up, she circles the table lazily.

"I'm having a terrible night." VampWill says as she grabs him by the throat and pulls him up. Eyes him seductively. "Wanna make it better?"

Percy takes a swing at her but she blocks it. VampWill continues to squeeze his neck. He tries to put his hands around hers, but his strength is failing.

People have backed off, are watching in horror.

Xander pushes through the throng. "What's going on? Is there a funny thing?" He sees Vampwill and Percy, and of course completely misinterprets the situation. "Whoah!" He plows forward, pulling them apart and facing Percy. "Back off! You stay the hell away from her!"

"Okay. Sure." Percy says as he bails heading out the door.

Xander turns back to Vampwill and gets his first real look at her, as she gets a look at him.

"Xander..." VampWill says, smiling.

"Will. Changing the look not an idle threat with you." Xander says.

"You're alive!" VampWill says and she comes at him, embraces him very sensually.

"Uh, Will, this is verging on naughty touching here. We don't want to fall back on bad habits - Hands! Hands in new places." Xander says and he takes her hands, holds them away from new places.

VampWill sniffs him, frowning, and pulls away. "You're alive."

"You mentioned that earlier. Will, are you okay?" Xander says.

"No. Everything's different." VampWill says.

Buffy works through the crowd. "Xander, there you are."

"Hey, Buff." Xander says, his gaze never leaving VampWill.

"Aren't you going to introduce me to your - holy god you're Willow." Buffy says.

"You..." VampWill says, her eyes narrowing.

"Okay, well, you know what? I like the look. It's extreme, but it looks good, it's a leather thing, it's very... I said extreme already, right?" Buffy says.

"I don't like you." VampWill says.

"Will, I'm sorry about today. You know how my foot likes to be in my mouth sometimes, but you really don't have to prove—" Buffy says.

"Leaving now." VampWill says.

"Willow, I gotta say I'm not loving the new you." Xander says.

Vampwill ignores him, turns away.

Buffy tugs at her arm. "Willow, wait –"

Vampwill spins and is in vampface, and snarls at her. "Get off me!" She snaps her head back, normal faced once more, and stalks out of Payson's.

Buffy looks at Xander and then makes her way over to Piper at the bar, "Get Prue and Phoebe and meet us at the library. Tell them it's a family emergency."

Later at the library Giles is coming out of the office, "Ah. Buffy. I thought you were going out tonight, didn't expect..." Buffy and Xander stare, unable to speak. "What is it?"

Piper, Prue and Phoebe comes in and notices Buffy and Xander's look and know something is up.

Moments later Now six people can't speak. They sit around the table, entirely shellshocked.

"This isn't real." Xander says.

"I can't feel anything. Arms or legs or anything..." Buffy says.

"She was... truly the finest of all of us." Giles says.

"Way better than me..." Xander says.

Prue nods, "Her telekinesis was coming along beautifully. She's almost mastered it in less time than it took me."

Buffy sighs, "We just saw her at lunch... how could..." Buffy says.

"It's all my fault." Xander says.

Piper shakes her head, "What makes you say that?"

"I don't know..." Xander says, "Statistical probability..."

"No, it's me... it's me, I called her reliable, she must have gone out and gotten attacked which she wouldn't have done except I called her reliable and now my best friend is –" Buffy says.

"What's going on?" Willow asks. They all turn to her, stunned, confused. "Jeez, who died? Oh god! Who died?"

Phoebe looks to Piper, "Freeze her."

Piper raises her hands and tries to freeze Willow, "I can't."

Xander springs to action, jumping up and grabbing a cross, holding it to Willow. His voice is thick with emotion. "Back! Get back, Demon!"

Willow stares at him. He stares at the cross. It's not working. He pulls it away, shakes it, holds it to her again.

Buffy has risen more slowly, eyes wet, fearing the hope in her breast. "Willow? You're alive?"

Willow frowns, "Aren't I usually?"

Buffy runs to her and grabs her in a hug, crying. A moment and Xander joins the hug. Willow can barely breathe. "I love you guys too... okay, oxygen becoming an issue..." They let go. She turns to Giles – "What's going on with these guywHOAH!" - who grabs her in yet another bear hug. Eventually he lets her go.

"Sorry." Giles says.

Then Prue, Piper and Phoebe are in there in a group hug before letting her go.

Buffy touches Willow's hair, still so amazed and grateful she's here. "It's nice that you guys missed me. Say, you didn't all happen to do a bunch of drugs, did you?"

"Will, we saw you. At Payson's. A vampire." Xander says.

"I'm not a vampire." Willow says, defensively.

Buffy shakes her head, "But you are, I mean you were... Giles, you planning to step in with an explanation any time soon?"

"Well, something... something very strange is happening." Giles says.

Prue shakes her head, "That's helpful."

"Can you believe the Watcher council let this guy go?" Xander says.

Moments later Prue, Piper, Phoebe, Giles, Buffy, Xander and Willow discuss the New Willow sitch.

Willow stands by the lectern, just out of sight of the entrance. "This is creepy. I don't like the thought that there's some vampire out there that looks like me."

"Not looks like - is." Xander says.

Buffy nods, "It was you, Willow, in every detail. Except for your not being a dominatrix... as far as we know."

"Oh, right. Me and Oz play Mistress of Pain every night. Please." Willow says.

"Did anybody else just go to scary visual place?" Xander asks.

Prue, Piper, Phoebe and Buffy nod.

Angel enters hurriedly, moving to Buffy. He looks intense. Even for Angel.

"Angel... What is it?" Buffy asks.

"Buffy, I... Something's happened that... Willow's dead." Angel says before he sees Willow. "Hey, Willow." He turns back to Buffy. "..." He turns back to Willow and then turns back to Buffy. Wait a second.

Prue nods, "Buffy and Xander saw her also."

Buffy nods, "At Payson's."

Angel nods, "She's there now. With a cadre of Vampires looking to party."

"She's there at my club?" Buffy asks and Angel nods. "Then we can worry about who she is after we stop a feeding frenzy."

Moments later the gang comes out with weapons, heads down the hall.

"How many are there?" Buffy asks.

"Eight or ten." Angel says.

"Should we call Faith?" Buffy asks.

Giles shakes his head, "No. I don't want her in combat yet. Not around civilians."

Prue nods, "I have to agree with Giles, Buffy."

"Here here." Xander says.

"Guys?" Willow asks. Something in her tone stops them. "What are we gonna do with... me? Other me."

"I don't know, Will. We've just gotta stop them –" Buffy says.

Willow nods, "I get that. I just sorta wanna know what - Oh. Hey! Go. I'll catch up." She runs back into the library. She leans over the counter, reaching for something she does not find. Straightens up again.

Vampwill grabs Willow from behind. Hand over mouth. Face right by hers. "Alone at last..." She spins Willow, looks her over, hand at her throat. "Well, look at me. I'm all fuzzy."

"What do I want with you? Dyeh, I mean –" Willow says.

"Your little schoolfriend Anya said you brought me here. She said you could get me back to my world." VampWill says.

"Oh. Oh. Oops." Willow says as she gets it.

"But I don't know..." VampWill says as she comes around Willow, checking her out, getting her from behind again. "I kinda like the two of us. We could be quite a team, if you came around to my way of thinking."

"Would that mean we have to snuggle?" Willow asks.

"What do you say...?" VampWill asks as she licks Willow's neck. Willow's face is a study. "...wanna be bad?"

"This just can't get more disturbing." Willow says. Vampwill smiles, and growls nice and low. Willow struggles free. "Okay, Ack! Ack! No more! You're freaking me out!" She moves for the door, but Vampwill blocks her.

Willow grabs a cross from the counter and holds it out - Vampwill knocks it from her grasp and grabs her, hurls her over the counter. She lands in a heap as Vampwill makes her way around, no longer amused.

"You don't wanna play, I guess I can't force you. Oh wait. I can." VampWill says as she comes around and as she does Willow reaches in under the counter for the thing she came here to get.

It's the tranquilizer gun. She fires point blank into VampWill's chest.

VampWill looks at the little dart sticking through her corset. Looks at Willow. "Bitch..."

Vampwill drops. A beat, then Will heads out of the library at top speed.

Moments later Vampwill is dragged into the cage, still unconscious. The gang has been called back, regard the similarity of Willows with varying degrees of wonder.

"Amazing." Giles says.

Prue nods, "You can say that again."

"It's horrible. That's me as a vampire? I mean, I'm so evil, and skanky," Willow says before she lowers her voice to whisper to Buffy. "and I think I'm kind of gay."

"Just remember, a vampire's personality has nothing to do with the person it was." Buffy says.

Angel shakes his head, "Well, actually –" Buffy glares at him. "— that's a good point."

"What do we do now?" Piper asks.

"We still have to get to Payson's." Giles says.

Angel nods, "Even if they're supposed to wait for her they might start feeding. Vampires not notoriously reliable."

"So we charge in, much in the style of John Wayne?" Xander asks.

Prue shakes her head, "High casualty risk."

Giles sighs, "I haven't any other plan, though."

"I have a really bad idea..." Buffy says.

At Payson's the group is coming to the entrance as Angel drops down ostensibly from the skylight onto some crates, thence to the ground. "They're still in a holding pattern. That's good; it means they must really be afraid of you."

Willow is dressed as Vampwill. And clearly deeply uncomfortable in the outfit. "Well, who wouldn't be?"

"You okay in that?" Buffy asks.

Willow shakes her head, "It's a little binding. I guess vampires really don't have to breathe..." Adjusting her corset, she looks down at her sudden cleavage. "Gosh. Look at those."

Giles nods, "All right. You go in, try to defuse the situation as much as possible. At least get a few of them to come outside. Even the odds a bit."

"First sign of trouble, you give the signal. We come in hard and fast." Prue says.

"What is the signal?" Xander asks.

Willow nods, "Me screaming."

"Giles, you, Piper, Phoebe and Xander wait at the back entrance." Prue says.

"Right." Giles says as he, Piper, Phoebe and Xander take off.

Buffy moves to Willow. "You sure you're up to this?"

"Well, it was me that started it... sort of. Don't worry. I won't do anything that could be interpreted as brave." Willow says.

"We're right outside." Prue says. "If all else fails don't forget you have one thing they don't. Don't hesitate to use your power against them till we get there."

Willow nods.

Buffy, Prue and Angel move out of sight as Willow knocks on the door. It opens to reveal an intimidating vampire.

A moment of fear from Willow, and then she composes herself. "Hi, I'm back." She strides in, trying not to stumble on her platforms, as the vampire deferentially moves aside.

Alphonse and Anya are the only ones who dare approach. "Did you find the girl?" Alphonse asks.

"Yep, I did." Willow says.

"Where is she?" Anya asks.

"I killed her. And sucked her blood, as we vampires do." Willow says as she looks to the vamp by the door. "I think maybe I heard something out there. Why don't you go check?"

He does.

"How could you kill her? She was our best shot at getting your world back!" Anya says.

"I don't like that you dare question me. Maybe I'll have my minions take you outside and kill you horribly!" Willow says and she spies Oz, she secretly smiles and waves at him.

Oz looks bemused.

"Vampires. Always thinking with your teeth." Anya says.

"She bothered me. She's so weak, and accommodating. It's pathetic - she lets everyone walk all over her and then she gets cranky at her friends for no reason. I just couldn't let her live." Willow says and then looks to another vamp, "He's been gone a while. Why don't you check on him?"

"Well, boss, since that plan is out, why don't we get to the killing?" Alphonse says.

"I don't know if I feel like killing any more... I'm so bored..." Willow says as she walks by a girl, sensuously running her hand through her hair - which it then gets tangled in. She awkwardly extracts it, "It would be like shooting fish in a barrel. Where's the fun?"

"With all due respect, boss, the fun would be the eating." Alphonse says.

"Maybe we should let everyone go, give them a thirty second head start –" Willow says.

"Wait a minute!" Anya says as she gets it.

"No, I like my plan." Willow says.

"Oh, nice try." Anya says.

"Okay, let's get to the killing." Willow says. "Why don't we start with her?"

"Why don't we start with you?" Anya says. "If she's a vampire, I'm the creature from the black lagoon."

Willow looks at Alphonse and the other vamps. Tries not to be nervous. She subtlety backing up under the inspection of Alphonse and Anya.

"I'm just so tired of being around humans and all their baggage, I don't care if I ever get my power back, I think he should eat you." Anya says.

"This girl has a history of mental problems dating back to early childhood. I'm a blood sucking fiend! Look at my outfit!" Willow says.

"A human. I should have smelled it right away." Alphonse says.

"A human? Oh yeah? Could a human do this?" Willow says and she SCREAMS at the top of her lungs.

There is silence for a moment. Anya and Alphonse look at each other. Talk at once.

"I'd say - yeah, human could do that." Alphonse says.

"Uh huh. Most humans could, yeah ..." Anya says.

They both look back at Willow.

Which is when, thankfully, Buffy, Prue and Angel burst in.

Buffy squares off with Alphonse. Asskicking abounds in the pool table region.

Angel fights vamps over by the counter.

Backstage Giles, Piper, Phoebe and Xander rush in, fight the vamp there. Xander, Piper and Phoebe holds, Giles kills.

Most of the Payson's customers cower. Some flee out the now unguarded door.

Anya it's time to go. Turns to run - right into Willow.

A moment, then Willow punches her. She falls, unconscious as Willow grabs her poor hand. "Ow! Ow! It's all happy but OW!"

Oz grabs her, heads for the stage. "Come on. Devon! let's go!"

Devon is trying to climb up the ropes. He's not getting very far, and he abandons the effort, following Oz toward the back door.

Oz reaches it first - and finds himself thrown back by Vampwill. He hits Devon on the backwards fly and they both go down.

Vampwill faces off with Willow once again. "No more snuggles?" She launches herself at Willow, and easily overpowers her, Willow hitting the stage on her back and Vampwill coming in for the throat

Buffy sees Willow's plight. She powers up a fireball and throws it at Alphonse dusting him. She bolts for the stage as she powers up another fireball, she comes up behind VampWill and raises her hand ready to throw the fireball.

"Buffy, no!" Willow says.

Vampwill looks about her. Her men have fled. Angel approaches, as do the others. She's licked. She lets go of Willow, stands up. So does Willow.

Willow turns to Vampwill.

Vampwill looks about her, and back at her counterpart. "This world's no fun..."

"You noticed that too." Willow says.

Later at the plant Prue, Piper, Phoebe, Oz, Giles, Angel, Buffy, Willow, Xander, Vampwill and Anya are there. Anya grouchily preps a returning spell, with Giles's help. The Willows are back in their own outfits.

Xander sidles up to Vampwill. "So, in your reality I'm like this bad ass vampire, huh? People afraid of me?" She gives a withering look. "Oh yeah. I'm bad."

"I'm not sure about releasing this thing into the wild, Will. It is a Demon." Buffy says.

"I can't kill her." Willow says.

Piper steps up next to Buffy and puts a comforting hand to her shoulder.

Buffy looks at Piper and nods, "No, me neither."

"I mean, she's not me - we have a big nothing in common, but - still. There but for the grace of gettin' bit. We send her to her world, she has a chance. It's the way it should be anyway." Willow says.

Giles nods, "I think we're ready." He looks to Anya. "Now, no tricks, dear."

"I don't need tricks. When I have my powers back you will all grovel before me." Anya says.

Both Willows roll their eyes.

"Willow, if you'll complete the circle..."

Willow moves to sit, then goes back to Vampwill. "Good luck. Try not to kill people." She can't help herself: she embraces Vampwill in an awkward hug. Vampwill smiles, returns the hug. Willow pulls away suddenly – "Hands! Hands!" – and glares at Vampwill, who grins wickedly.

Willow sits, completing the circle.

The next day Willow and Buffy sit in front of the school on a bench.

"You wanna go out tonight?" Buffy asks.

"Strangely, I feel like staying home. And doing homework. And flossing. And dying a virgin." Willow says.

"You know, you can O.D. on virtue." Buffy says.

Willow nods, "Between me and my evil self, I've got double guilt coupons. I see now where the path of vice leads. She messed up everything she touched. I don't ever wanna be like that."

Percy comes up to Willow and Buffy, carrying a load of books and papers. "Hey, Uh, hi."

"Oh, hi. Listen, I didn't have time to –" Willow says.

"Okay, so I did the outline for the paper on Roosevelt –" He hands it to her, "— but, uh, it turns out there was two president Roosevelts and I didn't know exactly, uh, which I was supposed to do, so I did both –" he hands her another. "I know they're kind of short but I can flesh 'em out, here's my bibliography," he hand it to her. "I can retype that if, uh... So just let me know what I did wrong, and, and, I'll get on that." He exits, leaving Willow completely nonplussed. A beat, and he returns. Puts an apple on top of her books. Exits again.

The girls sit for a moment.

"You wanna go out tonight?" Buffy asks.

"Nine sound good?" Willow asks.


	69. Chapter 69: The Demon Who Came In From

**Chapter 69: The Demon Who Came In From the Cold**

At Payson's, Buffy, Prue, Piper and Leo are standing around the bar.

Phoebe walks up to them. "I don't think we're gonna be able to pull this off."

"We have to." Leo says.

Prue nods, "We've been in tighter jams than this before."

"But we're running out of time, I don't think we're gonna make it." Phoebe says.

Buffy shakes her head, "Phoebe, we can do this, okay? I mean, if we just get a quick bite to eat at Red's, we can still make the 9:30 Faithless at the Avalon."

"The foreign film? I thought we were gonna go see a thriller." Leo says.

"No, Leo, I wanna stop thinking about Cole and his demon dodging, not be reminded of it." Phoebe says.

"Piper?" Leo says.

"Leo, it is three votes for Faithless." Buffy says.

"Well, a thriller would be okay." Piper says.

"Okay, wait a second, the vote's two against two?" Prue says.

Phoebe nods, "That's new."

Piper looks to Buffy, "Looks like you're the deciding vote."

Buffy shrugs, "I think I will just abstain."

Cole comes down the stairs.

"Something tells me you're not gonna wanna see either movie now." Leo says.

Phoebe goes over to Cole. "Hey."

Cole smiles, "Hey."

Phoebe hugs him. "I was so worried."

"I know, I'm sorry. I couldn't come back until it was safe." Cole says.

"Is it safe now?" Phoebe says.

"I think so. For the moment." Cole says and Phoebe kisses him and they walk over to Buffy, Prue, Piper and Leo.

"Hey, welcome back." Prue says.

"Thanks. Glad to be back." Cole says.

Piper smiles, "Love to chat but we're late for a movie."

"Wanna go? We could use the tie breaker." Leo says. "Buffy abstained."

"Actually, I was hoping Phoebe and I could catch up, alone." Cole says.

"Works for me. Chao!" Phoebe says smiling as they leave.

"Look at Phoebe and Cole trying to be a normal couple." Piper says.

Leo nods, "You know what that means."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, we're gonna go see the thriller. As if we don't have enough scary bad guys in our real life." Phoebe says.

Buffy smiles, "Yay. I really didn't want to see a foreign film."

Later back at the Manor Cole and Phoebe walk into the conservatory.

"You know, Cole, there's plenty working against us. I just thought at least I could count on you being honest with me." Phoebe says.

"I am." Cole says.

Phoebe sighs, "Okay, so you just forgot you had a brother?"

Cole shakes his head, "He's not that kind of brother."

"How many kinds of brothers are there?" Phoebe asks.

"It's complicated." Cole says.

Phoebe shakes her head, "You know, I hate that word."

Buffy and Prue flame in as Piper and Leo orb in.

"Alright, we were just about to find out who the real killer is and the pager goes off, so this better be a really good emergency." Prue says.

"Well, I'm the real killer. I just vanquished Cole's brother." Phoebe says.

Buffy blinks, "Whoa, this is so much better than the movie."

"I didn't want him to see me." Cole says.

Phoebe sighs, "And we lost an innocent because of it. Some poor street prophet. He was ranting about the brotherhood."

"Brotherhood? Of the thorn?" Leo asks.

Cole nods, "Yeah. I was a member... am a member."

Piper frowns, "What does that mean? What does he mean?"

"You should have told us." Leo says.

Cole nods, "I've done a lot in the last hundred years, it's gonna take a while to catch you up."

"Okay, so who are they?" Prue asks.

"They're a lead gang, they answer directly to the Source. He selects the members himself. Then they take a blood oath, life long pledge of loyalty." Leo says.

"Oh, that kind of brother." Buffy says.

Cole nods, "All that matters now is that they're surfacing. They must have something big in the works."

"So why kill a crazy old street preacher?" Piper asks.

Cole nods, "Because not all of them are crazy, or human. Some of them are magical sears who can pre-see actual events. But they're loud, dirty, so people ignore them. If you call Inspector Morris, I bet he'll tell you other prophets have been killed too."

"For what? Just by talking about your... this gang?" Phoebe asks.

"The brotherhood can't risk anyone figuring out what they're up to." Cole says.

"Okay, so what are they up to?" Prue asks.

Cole shakes his head, "I have no idea. I'm not exactly a member of good standing anymore."

"The Prophet that I was trying to save was talking about Lockserom." Phoebe says.

"The Internet provider? What, the demons want their own website now?" Buffy asks.

Prue shakes her head, "No, there must be more to it than that. Alright, Phoebe, you check the net, Piper and Buffy, you got the Book of Shadows."

Cole sighs, "Save it. You can't stop the brotherhood with a little research and your kick, freeze, magical move. No offence intended."

"Some taken." Piper says.

Leo shakes his head, "No, he's right. They're way beyond anything you've dealt with before."

Buffy shakes her head, "So we can't just let them go. There's gotta be a way to find out what they're planning."

Cole nods, "There is one way. For me to go back."

"Cole." Phoebe says.

Cole sighs, "If you want to know what they're up to we have no choice."

Phoebe shakes her head, "Okay, but you'll be exposing yourself to the Source. They'll kill you."

"Maybe not. They've probably already surfaced, set up camp in this world. I won't have to go under completely." Cole says.

Prue nods, "It does kind of make sense."

"Well, if course it makes sense to you, Prue, you're always looking for a way to get Cole out of our lives." Phoebe says.

"Phoebe." Piper and Buffy says.

Cole shakes his head, "This isn't about her, Phoebe, it's about me."

"No, it's about us." Phoebe says and leaves the room.

Later Buffy, Prue, Piper and Leo walk down the stairs.

"I'm worried, and not just about Cole but also Phoebe. I mean, sending him back under is like sending an alcoholic to a kegger. It's just setting him up to fall." Piper says.

Leo nods, "I agree."

They walk into the conservatory.

"Alright, this whole voting together thing would be really really cute if it weren't so annoying. I mean, maybe you guys vote should just count as one for now on." Prue says.

Buffy shakes her head, "I bet you wouldn't mind if they were voting with you."

Prue gives Buffy an evil stare.

"I mean, what if we lose him, Prue, you don't want that responsibility, do you?" Leo says.

Prue sighs, "Okay, look, the only votes that count are Phoebe and Cole's, and Cole has already volunteered."

"Well, then maybe Phoebe can talk him out of it." Piper says.

Prue nods, "Right, which is why we need another plan. So you guys work on the Book of Shadows together and I will call Morris and see what he knows."

Phoebe and Cole are in the attic. Phoebe is getting some ingredients together.

"Phoebe, I have to go." Cole says.

Phoebe shakes her head, "Nope, you can't."

Cole sighs, "Phoebe."

"Remember that power stripping potion you asked me for, like an hour ago, and everything was still wonderful? Well, I have an idea, I just need some time." Phoebe says as she stirs some ingredients together using a mortar and pestel.

"Phoebe, I have to go. And I'll need my powers while I'm gone." Cole says.

Phoebe shakes her head, "Why? What are you gonna do?"

"Just blend in. That's it. I won't do anything evil." Cole says.

Phoebe sighs, "Well, let me make sure you can't." She continues to stir the ingredients quickly.

Cole stops her and puts the mortar and pestel down. "I'll be smart, and careful. I'll check in with you every two hours."

"How? They'll track your shimmer." Phoebe says.

Cole shakes his head, "Not if we meet in the mausoleum. That's the second safest place I know."

"What's the safest?" Phoebe asks.

Cole smiles, "With you." Phoebe sighs. "I thought you'd be proud of me."

"Of what? Being suicidal?" Phoebe asks.

Cole shakes his head, "I am coming back. I always have."

Phoebe sighs, "Yeah, how can you be so sure that you're gonna come back this time? Cole, you've been hiding from them for months. And I don't understand, there's a price on your head and now all of a sudden you're willing to expose yourself? For what?"

"For good. You taught me not to walk away and let evil win, to fight the good fight. That's all I wanna do." Cole says.

"They'll kill you." Phoebe says.

"I have a plan, don't worry. This is the right thing to do, Phoebe. You know that, we both do. Mausoleum, two hours, okay?" Cole says and he kisses her hand and shimmers out.)

Later downstairs in the conservatory Piper looks at her watch. "Poor Phoebe, she must be going out of her mind."

Prue shakes her head, "It's only been three hours."

Buffy shakes her head, "Three and a half. Way past the time he said he would check in with her. Maybe I or Leo should go to the mausoleum and see if she's heard from him."

"Well, she said that she would call if she had." Prue says.

"Besides, I think I should stay here till we figure out what the brotherhoods plan is." Leo says.

Piper frowns, "Oh, and now you're voting with her."

"Um, Lockserom, that's what the Prophet said, right?" Prue says as she shows them an article in the newspaper.

"Merger talks between Lockserom and meta satellite faltered over the weekend." Buffy reads.

"Wait a minute, so Cole is risking his life to preserve stock portfolios?" Piper asks.

Prue shakes her head, "No, it's much bigger than that. According to this, if the merger goes through, the world's affirmation flow will wind up in the hands of one company."

"Well, that sounds evil by itself." Buffy says.

Leo shakes his head, "Except for one of the CEO's, Frank Pirelli, is apparently getting cold feet about it."

Prue nods, "Yeah, what do you wanna bet the brotherhood wants this merger to go through so they can take over the company?"

"Which means they're gonna have to somehow force Pirelli to vote for it." Leo says.

Prue, "Yeah, or kill him. It sure would be nice to be able to compare notes with Cole."

"Well, we could if someone would orb or flame to the mausoleum." Piper says.

Buffy sighs, "I'll go." She flames out and into the mausoleum, "Phoebe, anything?"

"I'm sure it's not as easy to break away from there as he thought. He'll show." Phoebe says.

"It's okay to be scared." Buffy says.

Phoebe shakes her head, "No, I'm not scared. Concerned maybe, a little. We shouldn't have let him go."

"We didn't. He choose to." Buffy says.

Phoebe sighs, "I know, and for what? To prove to me that he's good? He doesn't have to prove anything to me." Cole shimmers in. "Cole." She runs over and hugs him. "Are you okay? Did they buy your story?"

"For now, but I gotta get back. They're suspicious enough as it is." Cole says.

"Well, then maybe you shouldn't go back." Phoebe says.

Cole shakes his head, "I want to, to stop them. Look, I don't have much time. All I know is they're after someone who's gonna be at Pier and Pescadero at 8am. But I don't know who."

"We might. Frank Pirelli runs Lexserom but he doesn't want a big merger to happen." Buffy says.

"The brotherhood does. Makes sense, explains why they've taken over investment banking firm." Cole says.

Phoebe shakes her head, "How does it explain that?"

"The best way for evil to get a foot hold in the human world is to take over their businesses. Work from the inside out." Cole says.

Phoebe frowns, "You just learn that, did you?"

Cole shakes his head, "No."

Buffy nods, "So we need to safe guard Pirelli, till the merger vote at 11:00, and the brotherhood loses."

"Yes, but if you intevene, they might think I had something to do with it. You could blow my cover." Cole says.

Buffy shakes her head, "We can't let them kill Pirelli."

"But you can let them kill me?" Cole asks.

"That's not what I said, Cole." Buffy says.

Phoebe shakes her head, "No, no, Cole, look at me. We're gonna find a way to protect you. You'd better get back."

Cole touches Phoebe's face. "Alright. I'm looking forward to seeing you in your cap and gown." He takes the bottle of water Phoebe is holding. "Mind if I borrow this?" He shimmers out.

Later at the Corner of Pier and Pescadero. Tarkin walks up to Cole. "Nervous?"

"Hmm? Me? No, I was just thinking." Cole says.

Tarkin nods, "Been a while since you've seen this kind of action hasn't it? It'll come back to you. It's in our blood."

"Yeah. I know." Cole says.

Tarkin smiles, "Just execute the plan, Belthazor. No confusion, no consequences. It's no more complicated than that, okay?"

On a nearby street Buffy, Prue, Piper, Phoebe and Leo are nearing the intersection.

"Wouldn't it be nice to save the world at a descent hour?" Piper says.

Phoebe nods, "Okay, well, we have to focus here because if we don't pull this off just right, Cole is screwed."

"Well, as long as we wait until the last second, Cole should be fine." Prue says.

"Well, let's just hope that killing Pirelli isn't all they want." Leo says.

Buffy shakes her head, "Well, if it wasn't he would've told me and you, right? I mean, unless you think he's holding something back."

"You know, this is amazing. First Prue can't sacrifice Cole fast enough, and now you can't wait to sell him out as a traitor." Phoebe says.

"She was just asking a question, Phoebe." Leo says.

Phoebe sighs, "That she should know the answer to. We all should. Cole is risking his life for this. The least we can do is trust him."

Back at the intersection Vornac looks at his watch. "Go." A demon gets in his car. Klea appears beside Vornac. "Well?"

"I haven't been able to prove Belthazor's story one way of another." Klea says.

"That's alright. We're about to find out if he's telling the truth or not." Vornac says as he and Klea walk over to Cole and Tarkin. A black limo drives out of a building car park. The demon drives in front of the limo.

The limo driver stops the car, honks his horn and angrily gets out of the car. "I've got it, Mr. Pirelli." He storms over to the demon's car. "What the hell's the matter with you? Move your car now!"

"What are you waiting for? Kill. Or be killed." Vornac says.

Cole moves onto the road. The demon gets out of the car and moves out of the way.

"Hey, where are you going? Where you going, damn it!" Limo driver says.

Cole throws an energy ball at the limo. Buffy, Prue, Piper, Phoebe and Leo come running around the corner and Piper freezes the energy ball in mid-air. They run over to the limo.

"Alright, Leo, go, go, go!" Prue says.

Leo gets in the limo and orbs out with Pirelli. They head back past Cole.

"Maybe we should take Cole with us." Phoebe says.

Buffy shakes her head, "No, he has to look innocent after the fact. He's gotta figure out a way to get out on his own. Come on."

Buffy, Prue and Piper walk away. Phoebe slips a note in Cole's pocket. She touches his face and then runs off. Piper peeks around the corner of a wall and unfreezes everything. The energy ball hits the limo and it blows up. The driver dives to the ground.

"Go get the body." Vornac says.

Klea disappears.

Cole walks back over to Vornac. "What do you want the body for? There won't be much left."

"But even a trace could alert the humans to the switch." Vornac says.

"What switch?" Cole asks.

Vornac changes into Pirelli. He disappears and reappears down the street. A car drives out of the car park. Men get out of the car and help Vornac/Pirelli into it. The car drives off.

"Feels great doesn't it, Belthazor? Welcome home, brother. You've been missed." Tarkin says and shakes Cole's hand. Klea appears. "Where's Pirelli's body?"

"It wasn't there." Klea says.

"What do you mean it wasn't there?" Tarkin asks.

Later back at the Manor, Leo walks in the living room. "Pirelli's in the basement. He's fine. Phoebe's sleeping potion worked perfectly."

"Name my potions, they solve everything." Phoebe says.

Prue turns on the TV.

"Didn't have any problems?" Leo asks.

Piper shakes her head, "No, Phoebe wanted to bring home a souvenir, but otherwise no."

Buffy looks at the TV, "I wonder is the kidnapping made the morning news?"

"What do we do now?" Phoebe asks.

"Well, I don't know, that's up to Cole. He's gotta let us know what the demon's next move..." Prue says as Frank Pirelli shows up on the TV. "…is."

"It's no coincidence that just last night I changed my mind and decided to support this merger. Now someone's trying to kill me. That convinces me I've made the right choice. This merger will happen. Thank you."

"What was that about Cole telling us everything?" Piper asks.

Later Prue and Piper are sitting on the couch. Buffy and Phoebe walks in and sits down.

"If Cole had knew about the switch he would have told us." Phoebe says.

"I have to agree with Phoebe." Buffy says. "I don't think he knew."

"Are you sure? He's back with his brothers now, maybe he's switched too." Piper says.

Phoebe shakes her head, "Come on, why all of a sudden are you off his band wagon? What's changed?"

"The plan blew up in our faces, that's what's changed." Piper says.

"And Cole is responsible for that?" Buffy asks.

Piper sighs, "Buffy, Phoebe, not knowing the switch is a pretty big detail to miss, don't you think? Aside from the whole he originally tried to kill us thing that's coming to mind right about now."

"Okay, but Piper, Cole's done a lot of good since then. We have to give him credit for that." Prue says.

"Thank you." Phoebe says.

Prue smiles.

"Come on, Phoebe, you have to admit you're a little worried about him." Piper says.

Phoebe nods, "About his getting killed, yes, but not about his betraying us."

"I have to agree, his getting killed is more worrisome than his betraying us." Buffy says.

Leo walks in. "Pirelli's still out cold in the basement. How are things up here?"

"Getting colder by the minute." Phoebe says.

"Okay, uh, we need to work on a plan, alright? And we need to be smart because Cole is counting on it. So the merger voting is at 11:00, that gives us two hours to figure out a way to get the demon imposter out of there." Prue says.

Phoebe nods, "Anything we do could point Cole out as their leak. So we have to let him know what we're up to."

"Do we?" Piper asks.

Phoebe nods, "Yeah, he deserved to know that. Let me tell him to get out of there."

"How are you gonna get him to meet you?" Leo asks.

Phoebe smiles, "I slipped him a note at the attack asking him to meet me at the mausoleum. Let me try."

Prue nods, "Okay, be careful and be fast. And take Buffy with you. And if for whatever reason Cole doesn't meet you there, get back here right away, okay, so we can start working on plan B."

Phoebe nods, "Okay." She and Buffy stands up.

"Okay, be safe." Prue says.

Buffy takes Phoebe's hand and flames out.

At the the mausoleum Buffy and Phoebe have been waiting for a while when Cole shimmers in.

"Cole. Oh my god, I've been so..." Phoebe says.

"No, don't. It's too dangerous." Cole says.

"What do you mean? What's the matter?" Buffy asks.

"Just trust me. Where's Pirelli?" Cole says.

Klea appears near by, but only her eyes are visible.

"At the manor, in the basement." Phoebe says.

Cole nods, "So you do have him?"

"Yeah, of course." Buffy says.

"What's your plan?" Cole asks.

"Our plan is to vanquish the demon that took his place, before the merger vote." Phoebe says.

Cole shakes his head, "No, you can't. That will be a huge mistake."

"Why? Cole, you're scaring me." Phoebe says.

"You should be scared. You have no idea who you're up against." Cole says.

"Oh, don't I? Cole, what's happening to you? What aren't you telling me?" Phoebe asks.

Cole nods, "I'm telling you to stay out of this, alright? Don't do anything. Just go back home, wait to hear from me. I mean it." He shimmers out. Klea disappears.

"That was weird," Buffy says as she takes Phoebe's hand and flames out and into the Manor.

"Hey, how did it go?" Prue asks.

"I'm not sure, actually." Phoebe says.

"What does that mean?" Piper asks.

Buffy shakes her head, "It was strange. He was strange."

Phoebe nods, "Almost mean. But he doesn't want us to go after the demon, he wants us to wait here."

"What? Why?" Prue asks.

Buffy shakes her head, "He didn't say. It doesn't make sense, the whole thing doesn't make sense."

Phoebe nods, "I think he's in trouble. Either that or..."

"Or he's turned." Piper says.

Phoebe shakes her head, "No, I don't believe that. There's gotta be a good reason why Cole's doing what he's doing."

Three men appear and one throws an energy ball at the girls. Prue deflects it back with her power and one of the men go up in flames. He disappears. The two remaining men go for the girls. Phoebe kicks one, and Prue uses her power on the other and crashes into the piano. They get up and Piper freezes them.

"Whoa, whoa." Piper says

"How do they know where we live?" Phoebe asks.

"How do you think?" Piper asks.

"Leo!" Prue calls out as Leo runs in with two bottles of potion. He gives them to Prue and Piper.

"What is that?" Buffy asks.

"Demon be-gone." Piper says.

Prue and Piper throw the potion at the demons and vanquishes them.

"You're right, the potion worked." Leo says.

"What potion?" Phoebe asks.

"Okay, that was way too easy. Oh my god, Pirelli, Pirelli." Prue says.

They run down into the basement. Cole and Tarkin have a hold of Pirelli.

"Cole!" Phoebe says.

Cole and Tarkin shimmer out with Pirelli.

"What do you think now?" Piper asks.

Moments later Phoebe is there staring out the window. Buffy, Prue, Piper and Leo walk in.

"Alright, Phoebe, we need to get going. The merger vote is in less than three minutes." Prue says.

Phoebe shakes her head, "Why didn't you tell me you kept some of the potion to kill Cole with?"

"Well, it's a good thing she did, it came in pretty handy." Piper says.

Prue sighs, "Look, Phoebe, I'm sorry I didn't tell you, but the truth is until recently I didn't really trust Cole. I mean, I sort of felt like I had to protect us just in case."

"Just in case what? He tried to kill us?" Buffy asks, shocked that Prue had done that.

"It wouldn't be the first time." Piper says as Phoebe looks away. "Well, it wouldn't. Look, I know you love him, and we all know that he loves you, but sending demons to kidnap our innocent kind of speaks for itself."

"You're right, we never should had let him go under." Leo says.

"I still think this is all part of some plan of his, it has to be." Phoebe says.

Buffy nods, "I have to agree with Phoebe."

"Okay, but right now we need to stick to our plan, which is to vanquish the demon imposter." Prue says.

"Cole said not to, he said it was a huge mistake and I believe him." Phoebe says.

"Okay, but we don't." Piper says.

"Come on, you guys, we really have to get going." Leo says.

Buffy moves over to Phoebe.

Prue sighs and nods. Out of all of them she knows that Buffy understands better than she or Piper what Phoebe is going through. They both love a demon, or in Buffy's case a vampire, "That's three to two, Pheebs, Buffy. You two coming?"

Later in an office building the door flies open and Buffy, Prue, Piper and Phoebe walk in.

"Vote's in, demon guy, you lose." Phoebe says.

A chair swings around and Cole's sitting in it.

"Piper, wait. Cole." Phoebe says.

"Surprised." Cole says.

Prue shakes her head, "What are you doing here? Where's the demon?"

"He sent me instead. It might be a test. I think he's onto us." Cole says.

"On to us? You make it sound like we're working together." Buffy says.

"Aren't we?" Cole asks.

"Hmm, who you kidding? We should vanquish you on the spot. Where's Pirelli?" Piper says.

"He's safe." Cole says and he stands up.

"Cole, where is he?" Phoebe asks.

"Where else would he be?" Cole asks.

"The safest place you know. The mausoleum." Phoebe says.

"Isn't that what we agreed to?" Cole asks.

Buffy shakes her head smiling, "No, unfortunately, it isn't."

Phoebe throws the potion at Cole.

"Phoebe!" Prue says.

Cole starts yelling. He changes into Vornac. Vornac is vanquished.

"But how did you know? Did you know?" Piper asks.

Buffy smiles, "The safest place that Cole knows is with Phoebe. He said so."

Cole shimmers in. They spin around ready to throw the potion. "Easy, easy. I know I'm not very popular right now but let the condemned man have his last words. I had no choice but to play it this way. They were so suspicious of me I had to make everyone especially you believe I was evil. Or I was dead."

"Some of us still think you're evil." Piper says.

"Alright, so why did that demon impersonate you?" Prue asks.

"He didn't trust me. Wanted to find out whose side I was really on. I knew you wouldn't fall for it." Cole says.

"What about Pirelli?" Piper asks.

"I had to make you think I'd actually betrayed you, to give you motivation to kill Vornac and me." Cole says and then looks to Phoebe. "Forgive me."

Phoebe smiles, "I never doubted you." She goes over to him. "Well, maybe just a little."

"I didn't doubt you, either." Buffy says.

Phoebe and Cole kiss. Klea's eyes are watching near by. They then disappear.

"You'd better get Leo to the mausoleum, get Pirelli back here before the merger." Cole says.

"Can't you get Pirelli?" Piper asks.

Cole shakes his head, "No, I have to get back."

"You can't go back now." Phoebe says.

"Just to cover my tracks. I don't want those guys hunting me down." Cole says and he kisses Phoebe. "I'll be out before your graduation party tonight, I promise." He shimmers out.

That evening at Payson's its Phoebe's graduation party. Phoebe hugs someone and then walks off looking worried. Buffy, Prue, Piper and Leo are watching her near by.

"Why can't we ever throw a party or have a wedding or just live our lives without evil screwing it up?" Piper asks.

"She'll start celebrating as soon as Cole shows up." Prue says.

Piper shakes her head, "What if he doesn't?"

Buffy sighs, "What if he can't?"

They walk over to Phoebe.

"Hey. Look, whatever happens, he did the right thing. He helped get Pirelli back in time to cancel the merger, he helped us stop the brotherhood." Prue says.

Piper nods, "He proved he was good."

"Yeah, but at what cost?" Phoebe asks.

"You can't really think of it like that." Buffy says.

Phoebe sighs, "Why not? Shouldn't I get to protect one part of my life and say this magic doesn't screw with, this I get to keep."

Prue nods, "Yes, you should."

"Last night Cole was back and he wanted to strip his powers, and I was graduating. Yesterday everything was perfect, and today it's all fallen apart. Where is he? What happened to him?" Phoebe says.


	70. Chapter 70: Enemies

**Q/A: Sikanda - **I'm sorry Riley like Angel and Spike are canon pairings and will be in the story. The final season 8 pairing is an Buffy/OC - Not, Riley, Spike or Angel. Reason being we know Riley gets married to Sam, Spike is dead and Angel well I'm doing a Buffy/Angel pairing for my other Charmed story and I don't want to repeat myself. Anyways season 4 and 5 pairing is Buffy/Riley. But don't you worry, Riley still leaves.

**Author's Note - **For those of you who had asked about Hope. I told you the big reveal on who Hope is would be tomorrow when that chapter was posted. I made a slight miscalculation it will be Sunday when that chapter is posted.

* * *

**Chapter 70: Enemies**

The doors to the Roxie theater open up and out pours the twenty-something crowd who've just seen a movie. One couple's kissing. The next couple's kissing and groping - clearly this was a steamy pic. The third couple of Buffy and Angel are shell-shocked. Standing a full foot apart, arms folded tightly, two walking stiffs.

"Well." Buffy says.

Angel nods, "Well."

"That was... well it was very artistic." Buffy says.

"Yeah..." Angel says.

"Not quite what I'd expected... I'd never actually seen - well from the title I thought it was about food." Buffy says.

"There was food..." Angel says.

"Right. The scene with the... food. Do you feel like getting some hot chocolate? Or some cold shower?" Buffy says.

"I'm sorry. I wanted to take you out somewhere fun. It's been awhile since I've been to the movies. They've changed." Angel says.

"Little scary." Buffy says and Angel nods. "And a little not, which is also scary." She stops, turning to him. "I'm just sorry to get you worked up like that. We can't do any of that stuff; you'd lose your soul, and besides I don't even OWN a kimono."

"Buffy, you don't have to worry about me." Angel says.

"I just don't like to rub your nose in it." Buffy says perplexed. "Suddenly wondering where that phrase comes from..."

Angel smiles, "I don't need to see movies to get worked up. Just being around you does that just fine. It doesn't mean I'm gonna lose control. Or that I'm only frustrated around you. It feels nice just to feel."

"It doesn't drive you crazy? Even when we're... close?" Buffy asks.

"Watch this." Angel says and he kisses her. "See? Safe as houses."

Buffy kisses him back.

"Check out the lust-bunnies." Faith says.

Buffy and Angel part, embarrassed, and turn to face Faith, standing between them.

"Patrol?" Buffy asks.

Faith nods.

"The council has you back on active duty?" Angel asks.

Faith nods, "Finally. They want us down by Mercer."

"Okay." Buffy says. "G'night..."

"I'll see you soon." Angel says.

Sadly, Buffy leaves Angel, starts off with Faith - but lingering, not letting go of Angel's hand.

"Don't worry, big guy. Just keeping her warm for you." Faith says as she gives Angel a big juicy wink.

Later in a cemetery Buffy and Faith patrol, unaware that they're being followed.

"Gotta tell you, B., with the willpower thing - nice job." Faith says.

"Thanks, and... huh?" Buffy says.

"The close but no cigar deal with Angel. I don't know if I could handle, you know, the way you're... not handling it?" Faith says.

Buffy sighs, "Faith, when it comes to Angel, do me a favor?" Unseen, an ominous shadowed figure rises up behind them... "Duck."

Faith ducks as Buffy punches the shadow figure full in the face. It crashes into a tomb wall and the two Slayers, stakes out, pin it to the wall. This is Skyler, a Demon in a coat and hat.

"Ow! What are you, nuts? Going around punching people." Skyler says.

"People?" Buffy asks.

"So, what, I'm a demon that makes it okay?" Skyler asks as Buffy and Faith pull stakes back to STRIKE… "Hold it! Whoa! Stake me now, you never find out what I got for you. Think about it, demon seeks Slayers, highly unusual ..." They lower the stakes, listening for now... "Plus you ruin a perfectly good suit."

"Talk fast. My partner's crazy. Don't know how long I can hold her back." Faith says.

Buffy gives Faith a look, then plays along.

"How'd you like to get your hands on the Books of Ascension?" Skyler asks.

"Never heard of 'em." Buffy says.

"Books of Ascension. Very powerful works, and I am not talking about the prose." Skyler says. "They deal with some dark stuff, and the Mayor would hate it if someone got ahold of them before he... you know."

On hearing "Mayor," Buffy's interested. Faith's edgy.

"No, I don't know. Before the Mayor what?" Buffy says.

"Hey, read 'em and weep. That's all I got to say. Tomorrow I get the books. Meet me here. If the price is right, I give the Books to you." Skyler says.

"I'm not looking to trade with a demon." Buffy says.

"And if this were still a barter economy, that would be a problem. I want cash, princess. Five large, for the whole set." Skyler says.

"So you can buy... and I'm guessing here, skin care products?" Faith asks.

"Plane ticket out of the Hellmouth before it's adios, Slayer Loco. So. Five Gs. What do you say?" Skyler says.

Faith shakes her head, "I think "Die, fiend" kind of sums it up. Wouldn't you say?"

Skyler bolts. Faith is ready to give chase, but Buffy stops her.

"Let him walk. I don't think he falls in the 'deadly threat to humanity' category." Buffy says.

"Demon's a demon." Faith says.

"I wouldn't mind knowing about this Ascension thing. Anything that can pin the Mayor down would be cool." Buffy says.

Faith nods, "Yeah. It'd be cool."

Buffy is looking where Skyler went. So she doesn't see the dead expression in Faith's eyes.

Next day in the library Wesley, looking more than a little puzzled, paces before Buffy. She sits with Phoebe, Willow and Xander. Giles stands by his office door, leafing through a thick old book.

"And you say this demon wanted cash? That's very unusual." Wesley says.

Giles nods, "Demons after money. Whatever happened to the still-beating heart of a virgin? No one has standards anymore..."

"He said the books were worth the price." Buffy says.

"So what's this Ascension mean?" Xander asks.

Giles shrugs, "I'm not sure..."

Wesley nods, "Not really a common term in demonology..."

Phoebe nods, "We looked for it in the Book of Shadows. There was no mention of it there."

"Ooh! Ooh! The Merenshtadt Text! I think the section on genocide has something about ascension." Willow says.

"Wow. We have a winner." Buffy says.

"And more importantly, two losers." Xander says.

"Where did you find that volume?" Giles asks.

"In the top of your book cabinet, with the stuff you try to keep hidden." Willow says.

Giles scowls, but goes to retrieve the book.

"Hidden? Any engravings I should know about? Frolicking nymphs of some kind?" Xander says.

Phoebe rolls her eyes.

"No, just magic secrets Giles doesn't think I'm ready for." Willow says.

Phoebe shakes her head, "Willow we're teaching you. You don't need to be going through Giles books learning things before your ready."

Giles returns with the book.

"Anything?" Buffy asks.

"Yes, quite. There's reference here to the journal of Desmond Kane, pastor of a town called Sharpsville. "May 26th, 1723. Tomorrow is the ascension. God help us all." That was last anyone heard." Giles says.

"Of Kane?" Wesley asks.

Giles shakes his head, "Of Sharpsville. The town more or less disappeared, it seems."

"So, ascension possibly not a love-in." Buffy says.

Giles nods, "I think you'll want to meet with this demon, Buffy."

"Yeah. Anybody got five thousand dollars?" Buffy says.

Cordelia enters, moving towards Wesley. "Can I ask something important?"

"Cordelia? Important? Let's starts calculating those odds, people." Xander says.

"What are you doing Friday night?" Cordelia asks.

"As always, my sacred duty as Watcher prevents me from... why?" Wesley says.

"I have to write a paper. For English. And you're English, so I thought..." Cordelia says. The group just watches, slack-jawed. "What? Is it so wrong to be getting an insider's perspective? I study best in a good restaurant. Around eight-ish. Think it over." She leaves.

Wesley tries hiding his joy from the group's collective stare.

"And on the day the words "flimsy excuse," were redefined, we stood in awe, and watched." Xander says.

Wesley snaps out of it. "Right. Books of Ascension. Mayor. Slaughter. Bad. Tell you what: Why don't we try to find this demon sooner rather than later. Perhaps persuade him to lend us his books free of charge."

"I think Faith might be useful in the persuading part." Buffy says.

Wesley nods, "I imagine so. Where is Faith, anyway?"

At the mansion Angel is alone. Preparing for bed. He turns to see Faith standing in the doorway before him. "Faith."

"Angel." Faith says. "I got nowhere else to go." Angel hesitates for just a second. Faith looks like she's about to lose it. "Look, I hate asking for help. But I'm asking. 'Cause I... I'm in trouble. Like the real kind."

"It's okay." Angel says.

"Nah, it's... a couple of county lines over from okay, believe me." Faith says.

"I believe you." Angel says and lets her in. She sits on the bed, eyes staring forward, in her own world of fear. "Just talk. Start at the beginning."

"Mind if I skip past the "Mom never loved me" part and get right to it? I'm scaring myself." Faith says.

"I know the feeling." Angel says.

"That's why I came to you. I don't want to get all twelve-steppy, but remember, you told me that killing people'd make me feel like some kind of God?" Faith says as Angel nods. Faith shows him her hands. Blood. "Think I just came down to Earth." Angel examines her hands, concerned. "It's not human, if that's what you're thinking. Not that that makes me feel any better. Or this guy any less dead."

"Faith. You need help. And you can't do it alone." Angel says.

"I know. For real now, I'm scared. Scared of what I am, what I'm turning into. Cold blooded, straight-up killer. Like you." Faith says.

"No. You're not like me. I didn't have the choice." Angel says and he looks in her eyes, driving the point home. "But you do. You can stop this."

Faith nods. He's getting through to her. "Hey, believe me. I don't want to end up the way everybody said I would – dead or alone or a loser."

"You don't have to." Angel says.

"But, I don't know, maybe it's too late for me." Faith says.

Angel shakes his head, "It's not."

"Angel I'm so scared..." Faith says as she clings to him, near tears. He puts his arms around her. Pats her, consoling.

Faith buries her face in his neck. He holds her. After a moment her face is against his cheek and she is gazing into his eyes. Swept up, she brings her lips to his. It takes him a tiny split-second to figure it out.

"Whoa. Faith, no. I can be here for you..." Angel says as he takes her hands in his. "But not like that. I'm with Buffy."

"Buffy. Yeah. I didn't mean it like that. Maybe I did, but I wouldn't press it. I got my flaws, I'm aware, but... that ain't one of them." Faith says as she isn't going in for more kissing, but she isn't pulling that far away, either. And she won't break eye contact. "You love her, don't you."

Angel nods, "I love her."

"Good for you. She's my friend too, you know. Might not have guessed it just now, but it's true. The two of you – you're lucky. We friends?" Faith says and she gives him a hug. He returns it.

"We're friends." Angel says.

"Then I'm lucky, too. I better go." Faith says.

"Where?" Angel asks.

"I need to cool down, spend some time alone. Don't worry about me. You've been a big help. Just knowing someone cares..." Faith says as she lingers a moment, looking at him with real affection. Then stands to go. Angel sees her out. "You know, maybe I shouldn't be asking this, but do you think, if things were different, that things with you and me'd be different, too?"

"We'll never know." Angel says.

"Right. How could we?" Faith asks.

"Take care of yourself." Angel says.

Faith nods, "Lifetime of practice." She gives him a kiss on the cheek.

Out in the garden Buffy stands watching Angel and Faith talk. From where she's standing, they could be saying anything. Anything intimate.

Buffy turns and leaves, her face showing confusion and heartbreak.

The next day at the library Giles and Wesley are in research mode. Giles comes from his office, somewhat beleaguered.

"Find anything?" Wesley asks.

Giles shakes his head, "A six course banquet of nothing. With a scoop of sod all as a palette cleanser."

"I've had no better luck. There must be something about this Ascension somewhere." Wesley says.

"Perhaps I should contact the Council, run a search through the main branch –" Giles says.

Wesley shakes his head, "No, I don't - It should be I that... The council knows you work with the Charmed Ones. But they don't know I'm letting you work with me."

Giles nods, "I'm not about to burst into glorious song about it myself. But why don't you give them a call."

"I think the most expedient plan –" Wesley says as Buffy walks in through the doors. "—is to get the Books of Ascension themselves. Buffy, you and Faith must find that demon. And soon."

"I'll go back to the scene, see if I can track him." Buffy says.

"Wait for Faith." Wesley says.

Buffy shakes her head, "That could be hours. The girl makes Godot look punctual. I'll just –"

"Buffy, this is a job that requires the both of you. This demon could be anywhere, and if these books are as important as he says he has good reason to hide. Finding him is going to be extremely difficult."

Xander enters. "Found your demon."

Wesley stares.

"Fashion tip, Wes? The mouth looks better closed." Buffy says.

Xander hands Buffy a piece of paper. "Got the address. Beat it out of Willy the Snitch personally."

"You beat up Willy?" Buffy asks.

"Sure. Well, actually, let's just say I applied some pressure. Or, more accurately, that I asked politely. And then, okay, I bribed him." Xander says.

"How much?" Buffy asks.

"Twenty-eight bucks." Xander says. "Does the Council reimburse for that stuff?"

"Did you get a receipt?" Giles asks.

"Damn." Xander says.

"I know this. It's down by the bus station. Not the nicest part of town." Buffy says.

Giles nods, "Again, you see? No standards. Any self-respecting demon should be living in a pit of filth or a nice crypt."

Buffy rises to go. "I'll be sure to mention that."

"Mention what?" Faith asks. Buffy turns to see Faith has entered, looking saucy. Faith slips her arm through Buffy's. All chummy. "Where are we going, girlfriend?"

Buffy slips her arm out, "Think I can handle this one solo."

"Why should you get all the fun? Share share, that's fair." Faith says.

Buffy nods, "Right. We found our demon."

"Oh. Well, let's go look him up." Faith says.

Buffy walks out the library. Faith shrugs to the group, follows Buffy out.

Later at an apartment, the apartment door creaks open as Buffy and Faith enter. It's dark. Buffy's on guard, slow and cautious. Faith leads the way, not caring.

"Faith. Careful." Buffy says.

"Right." Faith says and catches herself, acts careful.

"Missed you last night." Buffy says.

"Yeah, well, I was uh, patrolling. No shortage of scum you gotta watch in San Francisco, right?

"So I've heard. Hold up." Buffy says as she stops Faith. There, in the darkness, is a silhouette of something. Could be a body. Could be alive.

Faith, without looking, reaches behind the refrigerator and flips on the light switch. Buffy does a double-take. The switch can't be seen from their angle.

But Buffy's attention quickly turns back to what they see before them: Skyler's dead body. "Somebody got here first."

"Bettin' they got the Books, too. Some hit." Faith says.

"This wasn't just a hit. This was someone's idea of a party." Buffy says.

"Maybe the guy put up a fight." Faith says.

Buffy nods, "Could be..."

"We gotta get gone. Come on. Nothing we can do here now." Faith says and turns to go. "You coming?"

Buffy comes along. Faith closes the door behind them.

The next day Buffy sits with Willow, trying to concentrate on a book. Clearly distracted.

"Are you okay?" Willow asks.

"Huh?" Buffy says. "Yeah. I can't stop thinking about that demon."

Willow nods, "'Cause of him being chopped up into little bits and all?"

"Yeah, Will, let's keeping bringing up visuals." Buffy says.

"Are you sure that's all?" Willow asks.

"It really was plenty..." Buffy says.

Willow sighs, "Yeah, but you seem a little on edge lately. Is anything..."

"It's nothing." Buffy says as Willow looks at her. "It's nothing." Willow looks at her. "All right, all right, stop with the third degree! It's Faith."

"What about her?" Willow asks.

"It's just... I went to Angel's last night and Faith was there. They seemed kind of... intimate." Buffy says.

"No way. I know what you're thinking and no way." Willow says.

"You're right. Faith wouldn't do that." Buffy says.

"Faith would totally do that! Faith was built to do that! She's the do that girl!" Willow says.

"Uh, comfort, remember to comfort..." Buffy says, almost hyperventilating.

"Please! Does Angel come up to Faith's standards for a guy? Let's see... is he breathing?" Willow says.

"Actually, no." Buffy says.

"Wow, she doesn't even have that standard. But Buffy: Angel. There's no way he'd do that. You're the only thing in the world to him." Willow says.

Buffy sighs, "Sometimes I wonder... I guess he and Faith have a lot in common. There's so much he doesn't tell me."

"Oh, but it's so clear. The way he feels... Buffy, I too know the love of a taciturn man. You gotta look at their actions." Willow says.

"I was." Buffy says.

"Well, what did he say?" Willow asks.

"Say? You mean when I straightforwardly asked him what was going on?" Buffy says, sheepishly.

"So ya bailed?" Willow asks.

Buffy nods, "I just couldn't deal... not right there, what if..."

"Enough. Stop with the crazy, go talk to Angel." Willow says.

"But I –" Buffy says.

"Go! I give you leave to go." Willow says as Buffy tries to speak. Willow, not even looking in her direction, imperiously points.

Buffy stands. "Thanks." She goes.

Willow smiles, a tad pleased with herself.

Later Buffy, Giles, Wesley, Cordelia, Oz, Xander and Willow are at the library.

"Our enemy has us at a disadvantage. We seem consistently to be one step behind him. Now he has the Books of Ascension. We need to take definitive action." Wesley says.

"You have the greatest voice. Have you ever though about doing books on tape?" Cordelia says.

"Way to focus, CC." Xander says.

"Yes, let's, let's stay on track. We'll need everyone working together here. Where are your cousins?"

Buffy nods, "I'll call them."

"Where is Angel?" Wesley says.

"I don't know. I went to the Mansion, he wasn't there." Buffy says.

"And Faith?" Wesley asks.

"She's missing too." Buffy says.

"Which means nothing. Two unconnected events." Willow says.

Buffy looks to Giles. "What do we do?"

"Buffy, I think you should try to retrieve the Books of Ascension. Try the Mayor's office, but be damned careful. Don't confront the Mayor; we don't know a thing about him." Giles says.

Buffy nods, "I'll go home and stock up on weapons. Slip into something break-and-enterish."

"Excuse me, I believe Wesley is running this meeting." Cordelia says.

"That's quite all right. Willow?" Wesley says.

"It's all bad news. By the time I got through the encryptions the files were empty. He musta seen me coming." Willow says.

"What about the Hall of Records? Go to the source." Oz says.

Wesley nods, "Good idea. There must be information on the Mayor there."

"Wesley, why don't you take the group there and start looking." Giles says.

"Right." Wesley says.

"I'm in Wesley's group!" Cordelia says.

"There's just the one group." Giles says.

"Yes, and I'm in it." Cordelia says.

The group starts to disband.

"Anyone mind if I skip the trip? I'd rather cruise town, keep my ear to the ground. And I think five's a crowd." Xander says.

"It really is." Cordelia says.

"Anyone finds out anything, they check in with me." Giles says. "Buffy can you send Prue, Piper or Phoebe here to help me with research?"

Buffy nods, "Sure, Giles."

"I'll drive." Oz says.

"They all liked your plan." Oz says.

Wes, Cordy, Oz and Willow exit. Xander does as well, a bit behind.

Buffy and Giles share a look.

"Be careful." Giles says.

Buffy flames out.

At the Manor the doorbell rings. Phoebe answers the door. Sees Angel and Faith stand there. "Faith. Angel."

"Hi Phoebe. Nice to see you. Buffy home?" Angel says.

Phoebe nods, "Upstairs. Vampire?"

"Only vampire here's me, Phoebe. Say. You... change your hair?" Angel says.

Phoebe nods, "Stupid spell a bit back decided get rid of the dye for me."

"It looks nice though." Angel says and he gives her a winning smile as he follows Faith up the stairs to Buffy's room.

Buffy's packing stakes into her weapons pack, slings her crossbow over her back when Angel and Faith enter.

"Knock knock." Faith says.

"Where've you guys been?" Buffy asks.

"Looking for you. Good thing we found you before you left." Angel says and gives Buffy a kiss on the forehead - while keeping eye contact with Faith.

"We got the Books." Faith says.

Angel nods, "They're at the Mansion."

"We'd take 'em to Giles ourselves, but I think strength in numbers is the way to go. Come on." Faith says and she leaves.

Buffy slings her weapons over her shoulder.

"I can take those for you." Angel says, smiling and he takes Buffy's weapons away from her.

Moments later Buffy walks off, away from home, into the night with Angel and Faith.

"Sure you don't need a sweater?" Prue calls after them.

"Prue." Buffy says.

"Don't worry, Prue. We'll have her back before you know it." Angel says.

Prue waves from the porch, sipping tea. As Buffy, Angel and Faith walk out of sight she smiles. She turns to Phoebe, "Think Faith bought it?"

Later Buffy, Angel and Faith enter the Mansion together. Angel sits on the table, idly starts playing with the heavy chains coiled upon it, swinging them lazily. Faith circles around and stands behind Buffy.

"Okay. Let's get the books somewhere safe. Where you keeping them?" Buffy says.

"Actually, there's been a slight change in plan, Buff." Angel says.

"Buff? Did you just call me... Angel, what's the matter with you?" Buffy says.

"Nothing. Matter of fact..." Angel says as he looks up at Buffy, suddenly in full vampface. "I haven't felt this good in a long time."

"Angel?!" Buffy says.

"You know, I never properly thanked you. For sending me to Hell." Angel says.

Buffy registers shock, shakes her head slowly, taking it in... "No..." She backs away.

Angel springs at Buffy, grabs her. She's too freaked to fight yet. She's holding back tears, holding herself together... "Yeah. And I'm just wondering. Where do I start? A card? Fruit basket? Evisceration?"

"Angel..." Buffy says.

"I know what you're thinking. Maybe there's still some good, deep down inside of me, that still remembers, and loves you, if only you could reach me. Then again... we have reality." Angel says.

Buffy breaks away. "I'll kill you before I let you touch me." Never taking her eyes off Angel, Buffy backs away, grabbing a stake. "Faith, we gotta get out of here. Now."

"Speak for yourself, B. Me? I like it here." Faith says.

Buffy can't believe what she just heard. She turns to face the smiling Faith. A look of questioning on her face.

And the second she turns, Angel clocks her in the back of the head. Buffy goes down, unconscious. "One thing I learned about Buffy..." He puts his arm around Faith. "She looks so cute when she's sleeping." He lifts the chain and bends down to Buffy with it.

At the Hall of Records batches of books lie open. Willow and Oz flip pages. Wesley reads. Cordelia's leaning all over him.

"Hey! I know a way to make investigating the Mayor even more boring." Cordelia says. They all look at her. "Oh second thought, no. I don't."

Oz spots something in his book, shows it to Willow. "Hey."

"Whoa. Big hey whoa. Guys. Check this out." Willow says as they gather around the book Willow spreads open. "Wow. Like father like son." She's got one book with a sepia-toned PHOTOGRAPH of Richard Wilkins I, circa 1907. "Says Richard Wilkins founded Acme Brewing Company in 1907. Sold it to Leopold Schmidt in 1935."

**_(A/N Acme Brewing Company was or is a real company in San Francisco founded in reality by Leopold Schmidt in 1907.)_**

Oz slides a color photo, early fifties, next to it. In this one is Richard Wilkins II, it's obviously the same guy. Same face. Different clothes. "How about "like exact same guy like exact same guy"?"

"Mayor Wilkins is over one hundred years old. He's not human." Wesley says.

"I hate to spoil the mood..." They all look up to see Xander. Standing, if wobbly, at the hallway entrance. The left side of his face is one big welt. "...But it is so much worse than you think."

"Xander! What happened to you?" Willow asks as she rushes to him.

Xander waves her off. "You know how some people hate to say "I told you so?" Not me. I told you so. Angel is back. In the really bad sense. And I told you so."

"Angelus has turned? Xander this is terribly serious. Are you sure?" Wesley says.

"Gee, let me think. Kinda hard to tell, the last thing I saw was his fist." Xander says.

"We must contact Giles immediately." Wesley says.

"Good thinking! Let's waste time with a lively debate, leave Buffy alone and see how dead she gets!" Xander says.

"Slow down, Xander. This isn't Wesley's fault." Cordelia says.

"Actually, it is." Xander says. "Faith was your responsibility. And guess who's Angel's new playmate."

"Faith and Angel - together?" Willow asks.

Xander nods, "Imagine the possibilities."

At the Mansion Buffy opens her eyes. Sees Angel there before her, a look of pure love on his face. "Angel?"

"Morning, sleepyhead. You know what I just can't believe? All our time together, and we never tried chains." Angel says as he is chaining Buffy to the wall. Faith watches. "But you can't dwell on the past. Especially with the future we have ahead." He yanks the chain, tightening it.

Buffy lets out a small cry of pain, but doesn't lose it.

"Bondage looks good on you, B. The outfit's all wrong, but hey." Faith says.

"Faith, you don't know what you're doing." Buffy says.

"Really? Weird. 'Cause something about all this just feels so right. Maybe it's one of those unhappy childhood things." Faith says and she goes to the table, unwraps a black silk cloth. "See, when I was a kid, I used to beg my mom for a dog. Didn't matter what kind, I just wanted, you know, something to love. Especially after I found out the reason my mom got drunk was because she was trying to forget about my sister being kidnapped."

Faith strokes her hand down Angel's chest with her free hand. Gives him a great big kiss in the manner of French people, which he hungrily reciprocates. "A dog's all I wanted after that. Well, that and toys." She finishes unwrapping the cloth. Inside lie a row of glistening metal surgical tools. Torture devices. "But Mom was so busy, you know, enjoying the drinking and passing out parts of life, that I never really got what I wanted."

Faith holds up a set of twisted, not-for-humans scalpel in one hand, keeps caressing Angel with the other. "Until today."

"Faith, listen very closely. Angel is a killer. When he's done with me, he'll turn on you." Buffy says.

Faith looks at Angel.

Angel shrugs, admits it. "She's right, I probably will."

"Yeah? Huh. Guess we'll just have to keep you around awhile, then." Faith says as she approaches Buffy, instrument in hand, runs it lightly over Buffy's jawline, down her neck... "Before we get started, I just want you to know: if you're a screamer? Feel free."

"Why, Faith? What's in it for you?" Buffy says.

"What isn't? You know, I come to San Francisco, I'm a Slayer, I do my job kicking ass better than anyone, and what do I hear about, everywhere I go?" Faith says and she leans in close. "Buffy. So I slay, and behave, and do the good-little-girl routine, and who does everyone thank? Buffy."

"That's not my fault." Buffy says.

"Everybody asks, "why can't you be more like Buffy," but did anyone ever ask if you could be more like me?" Faith says.

"I know I didn't." Angel says.

Faith nods, "You get the Watcher, you get the family, you get your little Scooby Gang, what do I get? Jack squat! This was supposed to be my town!"

"Faith. Listen to me..." Buffy says.

"Why? So you can impart some special Buffy wisdom? That it? You think you're better than me? Do you? Say it! You think you're better than me!" Faith says.

"I am." Buffy says. Whoa. Everything stops. Faith slowly turns to face Buffy. Buffy's face remains clam. Cool, direct eye contact. "Always have been."

"Uh... maybe you didn't notice - Angel's with me." Faith says.

"And how'd you get him, Faith? Magic? You cast some kind of spell, because in the real world, Angel would never touch you, and you know it." Buffy says.

Faith hits Buffy. Buffy's head turns, but she comes right back. The calm in her voice remains.

"You have to tie me up. It's the only way you could ever beat me. There's a word for people like you, Faith. It's "loser."" Buffy says.

That does it. Faith rushes Buffy and stabs the scalpel an inch from Buffy's face - stops. "Uh-uh - you're just trying to make me mad so I'll kill you - but I'm too smart for that. Stick around." She puts her arms around Angel.

"For what? You and your boss's lame "Ascension?" Like I couldn't stop it." Buffy says.

"You can't." Faith says.

"I will." Buffy says.

Faith shakes her head, "Keep dreaming. No one can stop the Ascension! Mayor's got it wired, B. Come Graduation day, he's getting paid. I'll be sitting at his right hand - assuming he has hands after the transformation, I'm not too clear on that - and all your lame ass friends'll be kibbles and bits. Think about that while your boyfriend's cutting into you."

"I never knew you had so much rage in you." Buffy says.

"What can I say? I'm the world's best actor." Faith says and she turns to Angel and smiles.

Angel smiles back at her. "Second best."

After a moment Faith's smile falters. She looks from Buffy to Angel, horror growing on her face.

"Graduation day. Think she left anything out?" Buffy asks.

"I think we know everything she knows." Angel says.

"Can I say one thing?" Buffy says and she drops her chains, "Psyche."

"You played me? You played me?!" Faith says.

Just then, CRASH! Wesley, Cordelia, Xander, Willow and Oz enter the Mansion through the front door.

"Buffy - Faith's bad!" Xander says.

"Yeah, and you're annoying." Faith says and she grabs Angel and throws him into Xander.

Xander topples over, scrambles to his feet, pulls out a cross, and repels Angel with it.

Faith grabs the scalpel and hurls it with deadly accuracy at Buffy. Buffy does not flinch. She catches the scalpel, and in the same motion, hurls it back at Faith, landing it deep in Faith's shoulder. Faith pulls it out, enraged, and rushes Buffy. Buffy grabs a knife from the set of tools.

Faith slashes at Buffy. Buffy ducks, comes up with her free hand and punches Faith square in the face.

Faith kicks Buffy's legs out from under her. Buffy rolls, springs to her feet, kicks Faith backward.

Both Slayers roll toward each other, landing, each with a knife held under the other's chin, each holding the other's wrist. Locked together.

The gang, looking on, dares not get in the way.

"What are you going to do, B? Kill me - you become me. You're not ready for that..." Faith says and she surprises Buffy by jerking her head forward - not to head-butt her, but to give her a quick kiss on the lips. Faith pulls back. "Yet."

Faith bolts for the door. Buffy does not move as Faith bounds up the stairs.

"Are you all right?" Willow asks.

Buffy looks to Angel.

The next day in the library. The lights are low casting eerie shadows. Giles faces the Shaman.

"The task is finished." The Shaman says.

Giles nods, "Yes. Thank you for coming to me. And for that rather effective light show you put on."

"This restores the balance between us, Rupert Giles. My debt to you is repaid now in full. Do not call upon me again." The Shaman says.

"I shan't. Peace with you." Giles says.

"And with you." The Shaman says and he fades into the dark.

Giles turns to the group, who have been watching curiously.

"His debt to you is repaid? What did you do?" Willow asks in awe.

"I introduced him to his wife." Giles says.

"Well I for one protest. You pitted Slayer against Slayer in a dangerous charade that could have gotten both killed. Without informing me. I'm telling the Council." Wesley says.

Giles nods, "Yes, I think you should. We have a rogue slayer on our hands. I can't think of anything more dangerous."

"At least now we know..." Buffy says.

Giles nods, "And we know a little more about the Ascension."

"Graduation Day... That's a big scary un-fun, but at least Angel's not bad. And that's good, right?" Willow says.

Xander shakes his head, "Yes, I feel so much better knowing he broke my face in the "good" way. It's a "good" bruise!"

"He was only acting, Xander." Buffy says. She looks to Giles, "There is something else. Possibly a way of redeeming Faith if we can do it that is."

"What?" Giles asks.

"She mentioned she had a sister that was kidnapped." Buffy says. "We find that sister…"

Giles nods, "Maybe she can reach Faith in a way none of us could ever do."

In Faith's apartment, the Mayor is talking to Faith. "Well, you win some, you lose some. From where I'm sitting, it's batting average that counts. So, you lost some friends."

"Wouldn't exactly call them friends." Faith says.

"So then what are you worried about? Chin up. You don't see me looking disappointed, do you? Heck no. Know why?" The Mayor says as Faith just looks at him. "Because I know you'll always have me, Faith. I'm the best and most important friend you'll ever have." Faith's still downcast. "Besides, once the Ascension starts, that "in crowd" you're so concerned about? Hoo! They'll be lucky if there's enough of 'em left to fill a pothole. Promise."

Faith still looks sad.

The Mayor thinks hard, then has a thought. "Still unhappy? Okey-doke. I've got two words that are going to take all the pain away." He leans in close to her, barely containing his glee, and whispers, "Miniature. Golf." He wiggles his eyes brows, "You like?"

Faith shakes her head, "You know what would make me happy?"

The Mayor sighs and nods, "I'm looking Faith. I'll find her for you. I promise."

At the Mansion Buffy enters and picks up and studies one of the chains which held her the night before.

"How you doing?" Angel asks.

"Been better." Buffy says.

Angel nods, "Not hard to believe. You were a real soldier last night, Buffy."

"That's me. Just one of the troops." Buffy says.

"I know how hard it was for you." Angel says.

"I doubt that." Buffy says.

Angel nods, "If there's anything I can do to make it better..." He looks to her, hopefully.

"Angel. I know you only did what I asked you to. And we got what we wanted." Buffy says.

"I never wanted it to go that far." Angel says.

"I know. It's not even a question. But after all that... I just need a little break." Buffy says. Angel is hurt by this news. But he says nothing. "Please."

Angel nods. She starts to go. "You still my girl?"

"Always." Buffy says and she leaves. Angel watches her go.


	71. Chapter 71: Exit Strategy

**Q/A: Randyzoopurple - **Sorry Randy, Riley is not being skipped. Even if I wanted to I'm already writing season 5. I would have to go and rewrite everything in season 4 to exclude Riley. So the season 4/5 pairing of Buffy/Riley is still happening. As I posted in my previous Q/A he won't be staying. In fact I have his leaving tied partially into a plot point that involves Buffy herself.

* * *

**Chapter 71: Exit Strategy**

Buffy flames in with Prue into the Mausoleum.

"Phoebe? Phoebe, are you in here?" Prue asks and they see Phoebe asleep next to a crypt. "Hey, sweetie, wake up."

Phoebe wakes up. "Cole?"

Buffy shakes her head, "No, it's just us."

Prue nods, "Come on, let's go home."

"No, I have to wait here for Cole." Phoebe says.

Prue sighs, "Phoebe, you can't just wait here, alright. He will know where to find you. Come on."

Phoebe stands up. "I don't understand. He was supposed to go back under so that they wouldn't be suspicious of him, but it's been over a week."

Buffy nods, "He probably just hasn't found a safe way out yet, that's all."

"But what if he can't? What is the brotherhood found him out?" Phoebe asks.

"Look, even if they did, he would put some sort of a spin on it to, you know, get out of it. Come on, you know Cole, he knows what he's doing. You don't make demon of the century without having a few tricks up your sleeve." Prue says.

"I just hope he's okay." Phoebe says.

Buffy holds out her hands and Phoebe and Prue latch on before she flames out.

In the kitchen at the Manor Piper is sitting at the table. She pours dozens of books and and papers from a box onto the table, and starts looking through them. "Okay."

Leo walks in holding a French/English dictionary. "Oú est l' tour Eiffel. That is 'Where is the Eiffel Tower?'"

"In my dreams if we don't get you a passport." Piper says.

"Honey, we don't need a passport to honeymoon in Paris. With a blink of an orb, we can be sipping champagne at the Champs Sel Seasay." Leo says.

Piper giggles. "Yes, as romantic as you make that sound, I would rather fly Air France, than Air Leo. Just like every other normal newlywed."

"Well, great, except that we're not." Leo says.

"Well, a passport for you could change all that, if I could just find... voila! Birth certificate." Piper says and she holds it up.

Leo frowns, "Where did you get that?"

"From Dan's old file, the one he put together when he was suspicious of you. You remember him, don't ya?" Piper says.

"Let's see, perfect hair, cleft chin, tried to steal you away from me? Vaguely, vaguely." Leo says and snatches the birth certificate off of Piper. "This isn't gonna work, I was born in 1924."

Piper shakes her head, "No, you weren't." She snatches it back. "Okay, off-white background, black ink... Little trick I learned in high school."

"You're gonna forge my birth certificate." Leo says.

"No. Just going to change one little number." Piper says as she white outs the number. "So, 1924 becomes 1974. And just like that, you are fifty years younger." She writes in the seven. "Wait a minute, that makes you 25. That's younger than me. Maybe I should change another number."

"Piper, this is completely illegal." Leo says.

Piper sighs, "Yeah? Well, so is marrying a dead guy, okay?" She holds up his death certificate. "Let's not get technical now."

Buffy and Prue walks in.

"Morning. What's up?" Prue asks.

"Well, probably three to five years jail if we're lucky." Leo says.

Buffy and Prue look at each other, confused.

"Never mind. Were you up late working again?" Piper says.

Prue shakes her head, "No, we were looking for Phoebe. Three guesses where she was."

"Hmm, the mausoleum?" Piper asks.

Buffy nods, "Yeah, it's become like her second home."

"Still no word from Cole?" Leo asks.

Prue shakes her head, "No, and you know what? You would think he could take three lousy seconds just to shimmer and let all of us know that he's okay."

"Maybe he can't, maybe he's afraid he'll get caught." Leo says.

"Maybe he already has." Piper says.

Later Phoebe runs down the stairs. "Prue? Buffy?

Buffy and Prue runs in.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Prue asks.

"Cole's in trouble, I need your help." Phoebe says.

Buffy nods, "Anything."

"We need to scry for a witch, fast." Phoebe says.

"Alright." Prue says and they run up the stairs.

An hour later Prue, Buffy and Phoebe walk in to a Wicca shop. They look around.

"Anything?" Phoebe asks.

Prue shakes her head, "No."

"Ditto." Buffy says.

"Do you think maybe we scryed for the wrong witch?" Phoebe asks.

"I don't think so." Prue says.

Buffy sees burnt curtains and black marks on the wall. "Guys."

Phoebe frowns, "Scorch marks. Oh my god, do you think she's dead?"

"Unfortunately, I don't know what else to think." Phoebe says.

"That doesn't make any sense. Cole said she wouldn't get hurt." Phoebe says.

Buffy sighs, "Yeah, well, somebody sure fired an energy ball in here."

"Somebody like Cole, you mean?" Phoebe asks.

Prue shakes her head, "Phoebe, we're not saying that it was Cole, okay? All that we're telling you is what we see, what we all see. For what it's worth, I don't think it was Cole."

"I don't think it was either," Buffy says.

Phoebe smiles, "Thank you."

"Alright, but if he didn't do it, who did?" Prue asks.

"Well, Cole said that he thought he was being set up by his mentor. So maybe he is, maybe they're trying to frame him." Phoebe says.

Buffy shakes her head, "Why?"

"I don't know, but if it's true, that means his cover's blown and we gotta get him outta there." Phoebe says.

Prue nods, "Yeah."

Leo orbs in.

"What are you doing here?" Phoebe asks.

"Looking for you. The Elders called me because a powerful amulet has been stolen." Leo says.

Buffy nods, "Yeah, we know."

"You do?" Leo asks.

Prue nods, "Yes, and the witch that had it has been killed."

"It's supposed to protect her, that's why they gave it to her. Only the most evil of demons could have had the power to take it away." Leo says.

"And why would a demon want that amulet so bad?" Phoebe asks.

"Because it's one half of an ancient charm. Whoever connects the two amulets together, more than doubles, it protects your power. With it they become invincible." Leo says.

"Oh, that certainly explains why the brotherhood wanted Cole to get it." Buffy says.

"Cole?" Leo asks.

"Forget it. Who's got the other half?" Phoebe asks.

Leo sighs, "Another witch. The amulets were divided between two local covens for safe keeping, but the bearers have always been kept secret, guarded even from them."

"Well, obviously that's why the brotherhood wants them both." Buffy says.

"Only to destroy them so good can never use them. The amulet won't protect anyone evil." Leo says.

"Alright, we need to find that other witch before they do." Prue says.

"Okay, well, Prue you go with Piper and Buffy and I can work on Cole's potion." Phoebe says.

"Yeah. Speaking of, where's Piper?" Buffy asks.

"Uh, she's at the manor recovering from a little problem we had at the passport office." Leo says.

"What problem?" Prue asks.

Leo sighs, "Uh, well, she sorta blew some of it up."

Buffy grabs Prue and Phoebes hands and flame out as Leo orbs behind them.

"Alright, I'll start scrying." Prue says as they flame into the Manor.

"I don't think it'll work. The amulet wards off magic, all magic." Leo says.

"That must be why we didn't find the first witch in time. We didn't get a read on her until after the amulet was stolen." Phoebe says.

"Okay, but what happens if we don't find her before..." Buffy says.

They hear a loud noise coming from the kitchen.

Piper is in the kitchen covered in pieces of watermelon. Prue, Phoebe, Buffy and Leo walk in.

"Piper?" Phoebe asks.

"Uh, okay, was it a demon?" Prue asks.

Piper shakes her head, "No, it was watermelon!"

"Why did you vanquish watermelon?" Buffy asks.

"I didn't vanquish watermelon. I threw it up in the air and I tried to freeze it and it exploded." Piper says and she throws her hands up in the air and a pot plant explodes. She panics and the glass on the cupboards smash.

"This is the little problem I was telling you about." Leo says.

Phoebe nods, "Okay, Piper, slowly put your hands down and no one will get hurt."

Piper puts her hands down. "Honey!"

"Sweetie, it's gonna be okay, we're gonna figure it out." Leo says and walks over to her.

"No-no-no! Don't come near me, I don't want anybody to get hurt." Piper says.

Prue nods, "Okay, put these on." Prue puts oven mitts on Piper's hands. "Maybe this will help. Put these on and... Okay, now try the teapot. Try the teapot." Piper blows up the teapot. "Whoa!" Prue quickly pushes her hands down. "Okay, okay, it wasn't that bad."

"Alright, just relax, okay, just calm down because I think your emotions are making this worse." Buffy says.

"I'm gonna go check with the Elders, and see if they know what happened to your powers." Leo says.

"Hurry!" Piper says.

Prue nods, "Hey, and ask them how we're supposed to..." Leo orbs out. "…find the second witch."

Cole shimmers in. "I know where to find her."

Phoebe smiles, "Cole."

"I didn't kill her, Phoebe. I swear." Cole says.

Phoebe goes over to him. "It's okay, I know. We believe you. You don't look so good. Are you okay?" She touches his face and he pulls her hand away.

"I'm not sure." Cole says.

"Come on." Phoebe says.

Cole and Phoebe walk into another room.

At a park seven witches are sitting in a circle, around a small fire.

"The birth and rebirth of all nature. The passing of winter and spring, we share in the life universal. Rejoice in the magical ring. I'll see you all next week. Blessed be." Jenna says.

"Blessed be." The others reply.

They all stand up. Cole looks on from the bushes near by. Tarkin shimmers in beside him. "What are you doing here?"

"Just watching your back." Tarkin says.

"Yeah, well, watching it's one thing, stabbing it's another." Cole says.

"What's the matter? Don't you trust me?" Tarkin asks.

Cole shakes his head, "I don't trust anyone."

Tarkin nods, "Never did. That's probably what made you so great. No legences, no conscience, no hesitation." All the witches leave, except one. "You know what Raynor wants. Just give it to him. You'll feel better after you kill the witch."

Jenna kneels down and starts to pack up her stuff. She hears a noise. "Who's there?" Cole comes out and changes into Belthazor. The witch stands up and holds out the amulet. "You can't hurt me."

Belthazor walks towards the witch and the protective shield from the amulet surrounds her. Belthazor reaches through the shield. Buffy, Prue, Piper and Phoebe arrive.

"Cole, don't!" Phoebe says.

"Piper, freeze him." Prue says.

Piper shakes her head, "I might blow him up."

Prue uses her power on Belthazor.

Buffy runs over to Jenna. "It's okay, we're witches too." Tarkin gets ready to throw an energy bolt. "Piper!"

Piper blows up a tree.

"Okay, that was good, that was, that-that was fine." Prue says.

"Kill them." Tarkin says.

Phoebe frowns, "No."

Belthazor throws an energy bolt at Buffy and Jenna. The amulet protects them and they are thrown into the bushes. Prue uses her power on Belthazor and he flies against a rock. Tarkin gets ready to throw an energy bolt and Prue uses her power on him. They stand up. Belthazor looks at Phoebe and then he and Tarkin shimmer out.

Back at the Manor. Prue, Piper, Phoebe and the witch walk in the living room.

"Leo!" Piper says.

"Uh, he's our Whitelighter." Prue says.

"And our brother-in-law." Phoebe says.

"Well technically cousin-in-law for me. But none of us think of me as a cousin just the littlest sister." Buffy says.

"I don't know what is up with me. Every time I try to freeze, I flame." Piper says.

"Uh, Leo!" Prue says.

Phoebe is holding her wounded arm, "I'm fine, really, it's no big deal."

"As much as I hate to say it. Phoebe, it's a huge deal, Cole tried to kill you." Buffy says.

Prue nods, "He's the demon."

Jenna nods.

"And her boyfriend." Piper says.

"We have very complicated lives." Phoebe says. "Just ask Buffy who she's dating."

Buffy rolls her eyes, "Vampire."

Jenna nods, "I'm just thrilled to meet you. I mean, I've heard of the Charmed Ones and the Charmed Slayer, of course, but I just thought I'd never dream I'd..."

"Nearly die with us? Yes, well, welcome to our lives." Phoebe says.

"You saved me, and the amulet. That's enough." Jenna says. "May I?" She looks at Phoebe's arm. "Well, the wound isn't deep. A salve would cleanse it and ease the pain. Would you allow me entrance to your herb cupboard?"

"Kitchen, she means kitchen." Prue says.

"Hmm? Oh, right, sure, follow me." Piper says as she points.

"Oh, hands down, hands down." Buffy says.

Piper and Jenna go into the kitchen.

"Come on, sit down, take it easy." Prue says.

Prue and Phoebe sit on the couch. Buffy sits on the coffee table opposite them.

"I'm fine, Prue, Buffy, really. And Cole would not try to kill anyone. He knew that the amulet would protect Buffy. He could've fired at you Prue, me or Piper but he didn't. With the other demon there, he made the only choice he could."

"And you really believe that, right?" Buffy asks.

Phoebe nods, "Yeah, I know it. I saw his eyes. They were filled with pain, not evil. Buffy, Prue, we've gotta get him outta there before it's too late."

"Alright, then we better figure out a way to finish that power stripping potion fast. Come on." Prue says.

Buffy, Prue and Phoebe walk into the kitchen. Jenna is mixing ingredients in a bowl.

"Check her out. Whipping it up like it's Tollhouse Cookies. Maybe after she fixes Phoebe she can fix me." Piper says.

"Piper, you don't need fixing." Buffy says.

"Uh, if it's taking the Elders this long to tell Leo what's wrong with me, then I definitely need fixing." Piper says.

"This will feel a little warm." Jenna says and she spreads a paste on Phoebe's wound.

"That is amazing. It doesn't hurt at all. Hey, how are you at making potions?" Phoebe asks.

"Well, what do you need?" The witch asks.

"We need to de-tox a demon." Prue says.

"Yeah, we need something called billings root." Phoebe says.

"Well, you have that. It's on the bottom shelf." Jenna says and she takes a jar out of their cupboard.

"No, that's ginger." Buffy says.

Jenna nods, "Now that's what it's called. In the old covens they called it billings root."

"Jenna, you have healed me twice." Phoebe says and hugs Jenna. "Piper, do you think you can help Jenna with the potion? Just not point at anything."

"Only one way to find out." Piper says.

Phoebe looks to Buffy, "Can I get you to flame me?"

Buffy nods, "Sure where?"

"Were going to get Cole back here. If I'm right about what I saw in his eyes, he'll go to the mausoleum." Phoebe says.

"And what if you're wrong?" Phoebe says.

"Well, then he'll be back here with his buddy to get the amulet." Piper says.

"I'm not wrong. Cole's not the enemy. He's the victim. And I'm gonna save him." Phoebe says as she takes Buffy's hand and they flame out.

Later at the mausoleum. Phoebe is pacing up and down. Buffy lays back on one of the tombs. Cole shimmers in.

"Cole. Surprised to see me?" Phoebe says.

Cole shakes his head, "I hoped but why'd you come after what I did?"

Buffy sits up, "Because you need us. Besides, it's not like you haven't tried to kill us before. A little energy ball isn't going to stop me, or Phoebe, or Prue, or…"

Cole nods, "You know, I didn't have a choice, I didn't mean to hurt you."

"I know, I know, I know, it's okay. I just need to get you back to the house, get that potion and you will be safe." Phoebe says.

"It's too late for that." Cole says as he coughs.

"What do you mean?" Buffy asks.

Cole's hand changes into Belthazor's hand. His face starts to change.

"We have to hurry." Phoebe says.

"Maybe I should shimmer us there." Cole says.

Phoebe shakes her head, "You can't use your demonic powers, it's too much temptation. Buffy will flame us there."

Buffy takes Cole and Phoebe's hands and flames over to the attic in the manor.

"Hey." Phoebe says.

Cole sits in a chair.

"You look like hell." Prue says.

"You have no idea." Cole says.

"Is the potion done?" Buffy asks.

"It still has to cool and turn blood red." Jenna says.

"I'll get some ice." Piper says.

"Oh, uh, I'll help. So you don't melt it." Prue says and she and Piper walk out of the attic and down the stairs. "Well, look on the bright side, at least you got a new power. I mean, you've been bitching about it long enough."

"Yeah, well, careful what you bitch for." Piper says.

Tarkin shimmers in. Piper uses her power and breaks the pot plant.

"Uh..." Tarkin throws an energy ball at them and Prue deflects it with her power. She goes over and kicks him in the stomach, then his head, then his stomach. He flies against the wall. "Try again!"

Piper uses her power and a shelf falls on top of Prue, knocking her unconscious.

"Oops." Piper says as Tarkin gets up. "Phoebe, Buffy, help!" She hits Tarkin over the head with a vase. "Phoebe! Buffy! Phoebe, Buffy, help!" Buffy and Phoebe stands at the top of the stairs. "Watch out!" Tarkin throws an energy ball at Phoebe as Buffy throws an fireball at Tarkin and they collide in mid-air exploding. "Oh, please, please, please." She uses her power and Tarkin explodes. "I did it! I did it!"

Buffy smiles, "Very good."

"Of course I meant to freeze him." Piper says as she looks to Prue, "I don't think Prue's gonna be grateful."

Phoebe nods, "Wake her up, I've gotta get back to Cole." She turns and goes upstairs.

"Um..." Piper says.

In the attic the potion, sitting in a chalice, turns blood red.

"It's ready." Jenna says to Leo.

Raynor shimmers in and throws an energy ball at Leo. He is knocked unconscious. Jenna gasps. She turns to Raynor and holds her amulet.

"Leave her out of this, Raynor." Cole says.

"I serve with every breath, even my last." Jenna says.

"I'll have to take you up on that. But I think I'll save that pleasure for my brother." Raynor says as he throws an energy ball at Jenna. The amulet protects her, but she still gets thrown back into some boxes. She falls to the floor and the amulet falls off her neck.

Phoebe gets to the top of the stairs and tries to open the door but Raynor has blocked it. "Cole?" She bangs on the door.

"I've come to take you home." Raynor says.

"I am home." Cole says.

"Cole!" Phoebe says.

"You will be when you kill the witch. Stop fighting it, Belthazor. You're a demon. Embrace it. Let evil make you strong again, give into it." Raynor says.

"Cole? Leo?" Phoebe says before she turns and hurries back down the stairs, "Buffy!"

Buffy looks to Phoebe as she comes running down the stairs. "What?"

"Flame, attic. Now!" Phoebe says.

Buffy takes Phoebe's hands and flames out and into the attic.

"Is she really worth sacrificing your father's soul for?" Raynor asks.

"Cole, no, don't do it." Phoebe says.

Cole yells and he changes into Belthazor. He throws an energy ball at Jenna. She disappears. Raynor shimmers out.

Prue outside is awake and uses her power to open the door. She and Piper run over to Leo. Buffy and Phoebe stares at Belthazor.

"Phoebe." Belthazor says.

"What did you do to him?" Piper says.

Belthazor changes back into Cole.

"We saw what you did." Phoebe says.

Cole shakes his head, "It's not what it looks like. It wasn't..."

"Jenna is dead, and Leo is unconscious. What else could it be?" Buffy says.

"Raynor forced me, I had no choice." Cole says.

"There's always a choice, Cole." Phoebe says.

Cole sees the potion. "The potion." He reaches for it but Phoebe grabs if before he can. "Before it's too late."

"It's already too late. You killed an innocent woman. There is no turning back from that." Phoebe says.

Cole shakes his head, "I didn't wanna kill her. You've gotta understand that, I can still be good."

"There's nothing good in you anymore." Phoebe says.

Buffy sighs, "Maybe there never was. You have to read the spell to activate the amulets, right? I mean, Cole, maybe that was your plan all along, to get the book."

"But evil can't use the amulets or the book." Piper says.

"He could've if we'd stripped his powers. Is that why you wanted the potion, Cole? So you could get the spell and use the amulets against us?" Phoebe says.

"Phoebe, you've gotta believe me." Cole says.

Buffy shakes her head, "I think she's believed you one too many times. I think we all have."

Cole frowns, "Stay out of this! This is between me and her."

Buffy steps in front of Phoebe and powers up a fireball, "Shall we go at it, Cole?"

Phoebe steps from behind Buffy, "There's nothing between us anymore."

"Phoebe, don't let Raynor take this away from us, don't let him win." Cole says.

"Raynor didn't set you up, you set me up. What am I supposed to do?" Phoebe says.

"Please, save me." Cole says.

"Save yourself." Phoebe says and throws the potion on the floor.

Cole shimmers out.

Later in the living room Piper is repotting the plant.

Buffy and Prue walks in.

"Sorry about knocking you out. Nothing personal." Piper says.

Prue picks up some books. "Yeah, well, at least you didn't blow me up."

"Yeah, I was kinda relieved too." Piper says.

Buffy nods, "Piper, the control will come."

"Mm-hmm. Yeah, tell that to the Ficus." Piper says.

"Well, you sure told it to Tarkin." Prue says.

Piper smiles, "That was kinda cool."

Buffy nods, "So, see, we can celebrate. You know, I mean, you got a new power and you beat a demon with it."

Piper sighs, "I wish I could've done more. For Jenna, and Cole. I mean, vanquishing one bad guy and losing three good guys is not exactly a winning score."

"Yeah, so we are still counting Cole as good, right?" Prue says.

Piper nods, "Yeah, I mean, I actually finally understand how he feels, having something inside of you that you can't control, which is capable of hurting the people that you love even if you don't want it to."

Phoebe walks in holding three candles. "Oh, I'm sorry guys. I didn't mean to stick you with the morning after clean up."

"How you doing?" Buffy asks.

"I'm not sure." Phoebe says as she sits down on the couch and places the candles on the coffee table.

"Well, you have a lot to sort out." Prue says.

Phoebe shakes her head, "No, not really. I lost my soul mate to evil, end of story."

Piper sighs, "Pheebs, I think he really tried but..."

Phoebe nods, "It wasn't enough. I wasn't enough. I thought we could do a blessing for our two fallen witches, and for Cole."

Buffy, Prue and Piper kneel in front of the table. Phoebe lights a match and hands it to Prue.

"For Liza, a lost sister, may her spirit sore." Prue says and she lights a candle, then hands the match to Piper.

"For Jenna, our lost friend, may we meet again." Piper says and she lights a candle and hands the match to Phoebe.

"For Cole, a lost love." Phoebe says as she lights the candle. "May he find peace." She blows out the match.

Leo walks in. "Piper, we're going..." He sees what they're doing. "…to have plenty of time to talk later."

Phoebe shakes her head, "No, that's okay, Leo. We could actually use some good news, and it seems like you have some."

"Well, I don't have news but I do have a passport." Leo says and he shows it to them.

Piper gasps as Prue holds Piper's hands down. "You went back?"

Leo nods, "Yeah, well, I was thinking with everything that's happened and you're new power, making life a little crazy, alright, crazier, I figured the least I could do is make it somewhat normal."

"Are you sure?" Piper asks.

Leo nods, "Anything that it takes to get you on a plane to Paris."

"Ah, you know what? I think we should wait on that." Piper says as she goes over to him. "I wouldn't want to sneeze at 40,000 feet and have a whole bunch of people explode, that would be bad." She kisses him.

In a cave in the underworld. Cole shimmers in.

"I knew you'd come back, I've been waiting for you." Raynor says.

"My father's soul, where is it?" Cole asks.

A bright glowing ball appears in Raynor's hand. Cole carefully takes if off him.

"Of course, now that you're evil, what can you do with it?" Raynor asks.

"That's not your concern." Cole says.

"True. You're my only concern." Raynor says.

"How'd you get me to do it? A spell?" Cole asks.

"Does it really matter? But you enjoyed it, didn't you, killing the witch?" Raynor says.

Cole shakes his head, " Not as much as I'm going to enjoy this." He stabs Raynor in the stomach. "You killed Phoebe's love for me. Now I'm gonna watch you die."

"I feel your heart, it's racing even as mine slows. You're enjoying this, I can feel it." Raynor says as Cole digs the knife in deeper. "This is what I hoped for. Your inner-demonic nature finally showing itself for all its glory." Cole pushes him away. "You're truly evil now, Belthazor. Welcome home."

Raynor falls to his knees. Fire surrounds him and he disappears. Cole kneels on the ground.


	72. Chapter 72: Choices

**Q/A: RHatch - **After this chapter there is exactly 2 Charmed (Look Who's Barking and All Hell Breaks Loose) and 2 BTVS (Prom and Graduation) chapters left and then we move on into season 4 starting with Charmed Again.

* * *

**Chapter 72: Choices**

Buffy's at the counter in the kitchen, breakfasting on toast and juice, as she peruses the newspaper.

"Buffy!" Piper calls out. Buffy stiffens as Prue, Piper and Phoebe walk into the kitchen. "When were you going to tell us?"

Buffy reaches up to the earrings she's wearing. "Okay, busted. Didn't think Prue'd miss them. Here's me taking them off."

Piper holds up an open piece of official looking mail. "You were accepted to Northwestern University?" She, followed by Prue and Phoebe, hug Buffy. "Buffy, we're proud of you. That's wonderful."

Buffy sighs, "Oh. Right. Wonderful."

Piper nods, "I mean, it isn't cheap, but I know we can make it work with the money your mom left you for college and if your Father pitches in. Not that Northwestern's your only option; it's a great school, though."

Prue nods, "We're proud of you. Maybe one of us can have a life outside demons and warlocks."

Buffy sighs, "Prue, Piper, Phoebe, you know I can't."

"Buffy yes you can. It's only for a couple years." Prue said as she looked at her cousin. "Phoebe, Piper and I can patrol for you in your absence. You should consider taking this opportunity to get away for a while."

Over at Willow's house… Sheila sits in the living room, "Willow."

Willow walks in to the living room, "Yeah, mom?"

Sheila pats the couch, "There is something I need to tell you."

Later at school Buffy, Willow and Oz sit on the lawn; Xander, under a shady tree, reading a book.

"Sounds like Prue, Piper and Phoebe are in a state of denial." Willow says.

Buffy nods, "More like a continent of denial. They got to realize I can't leave. U.C. San Francisco. At least I got in."

"Well, maybe not now. But soon. Maybe." Willow says. "Or maybe I too hail from Denialland."

Buffy sighs, "Faith's turn to the dark side of the force has pretty much put the proverbial kibosh on any away school plans for me. But, you... I can't believe you got into Oxford!"

Willow smiles, "It's pretty exciting..."

"You're into some deep academia there." Oz says.

"That's where they make Gileses!" Buffy says.

"I know! I could learn and have scones! Although I don't know how I feel about going to school in a foreign country." Willow says.

"Everything in life is foreign territory." Xander says as the others look at him. He holds up a copy of 'On the Road', "Kerouac. That's my teacher. And the open road is my school."

"Making the open dumpster your cafeteria." Buffy says.

"Go ahead, mock me..." Xander says.

"Think she just did." Oz says.

Xander nods, "We Bohemian, anti-establishment types are used to being persecuted."

"Well, sure. You're all so weird." Oz says.

Cordelia passes by them just then.

"I think it's neat, you doing the back-packing, trail mix, happy wanderer thing." Willow says.

"I'm aware it kind of scores a bit high on the hokey-meter, but I think it'll be good for me. Help me to find myself." Xander says.

"And help us to lose you. Everyone's a winner." Cordelia says.

The others look up at her.

"Well, look who just popped open a fresh can of venom. Hey, Cordy, hear about Will gettin' into Oxnard?" Xander says.

"Oxford." Willow corrects.

"And MIT and Yale and every other college on the face of the planet? As in your face I rub it..." Xander says.

"Oh, whoopie. Oxford. Four years in Tea Bag central sounds like a thrill. MIT is a clearasil ad with housing, and Yale's a dumping ground for people that didn't get into Harvard." Cordelia says.

Willow smirks, "I got into Harvard."

"Any clue what college you'll be attending? So we can start calculating minimum safe distance..." Xander says.

Cordelia shakes her head, "None of your business. Certainly nowhere near you losers."

"Remember to breathe between insults, guys." Buffy says.

Cordelia shakes her head, "I'm sorry, Buffy. This conversation is reserved for people who actually HAVE a future."

Buffy powers up a fireball. Willow frowns and grabs Buffy's hand forcing her to extinquish it.

"Angry young woman." Oz says as Cordelia walks away.

"Buffy, she was just being Cordelia. Only more so. Don't pay any attention to her." Willow says.

Xander nods, "She's definitely got a chip going."

"Well, if you didn't goad her so much-" Willow says.

"I can't help it. It's my nature." Xander says.

"You need a better nature." Willow says before she turns to Buffy. "Can I see you for a moment, Buffy. Privately?"

Buffy nods and they walk away from the group, "What is it Will?"

Willow looks at Buffy unsure how to proceed, "I wanted to tell you first before I told the others."

"Tell me what?" Buffy asks.

Willow sighs, "Mom decided I was old enough now to know the truth about me."

"What truth?" Buffy asks.

"I was adopted." Willow says. "I was adopted when I was a year old."

Buffy's eyes go wide, "That's big."

"There's more Buffy. This part you may not like." Willow says. "You know how we were looking for Faith's sister."

Buffy nods, "Yeah."

"You're looking at her." Willow says. "Mom showed me my adoption records. I was born Hope Willow Lehane in Boston. I'm Faith's sister."

"Wow, Will. You're sure?" Buffy says.

Willow nods, "I got on the internet and hacked into adoption agency records and they corroborate the records I have. Proving they aren't forged. I also found an internet article talking about my parents bringing me home."

Buffy nods, "What do you want to do?"

"I know Faith went bad and all. But If I really am her sister like all the evidence says I want to try and reason with her." Willow says. "I seriously think finding her missing sister will bring her back to our side. That Faith is only the way she is because she refused to stop looking and anything that got in her way…"

"Alright." Buffy says. "We'll talk to Giles."

Later in the library Wesley and Giles face Buffy.

Wesley is perturbed - Giles, pensive. "I don't understand."

"I don't think I can talk any slower, Wes. I want to leave." Buffy says.

"What - now?" Wesley asks.

Buffy shakes her head, "Not now - after I graduate! College!"

"But you're a Slayer." Wesley says.

"I'm also a person! You can't just define me by my slayerness or my Charmed status; that's... something." Buffy says.

"Buffy, I know we talked about your going away—" Giles says.

Buffy smiles, "I got into Northwestern."

"That's wonderful news. Good for you." Giles says, warmly.

Wesley shakes his head, "All right, everyone: Monsters, Demons, world in peril..."

"I bet they have all that stuff in Illinois." Buffy says.

Wesley sighs, "You cannot leave San Francisco. With the power invested in me by the Council, I forbid it."

"Oh, yes. That should settle it." Giles says.

Wesley nods, "With Faith gone bad, and the Mayor's Ascension coming up—"

"I know it's complicated. I'm aware that my graduation may be, among other things, posthumous. But what if I stop the Ascension. And I think I have a plan for Faith that actually might bring her back to our side." Buffy says.

"I very much hope you will, but—" Giles says.

"I do that, then all you two have to do is keep the run-of-the-mill unholy forces at bay through mid-terms. I'll be back here in time for homecoming, and every school break after that... Can we at least think about it?" Buffy says.

Wesley makes a conciliatory attempt at sympathy. "Perhaps if circumstances were different..."

"I'll make them different." Buffy says.

"What?" Wesley asks.

"I'm sick of waiting for Mayor McSleaze to make his move, while we sit on our hands counting down to Ascension Day. For once, let's take the fight to them." Buffy says.

"No, no... Much too reckless. We're at a distinct disadvantage. We don't know enough—" Wesley says.

"She's right." Giles says. Wesley shoots a look at Giles. "Time is running out. We need to launch an offensive. So, what's your plan?"

Buffy's satisfied grin disappears in a microsecond. "I gotta have a plan? Really? I can't just be pro-active with pep?"

Giles can't help a small smile. "You want to take the fight to them. I suggest the first step would be to find out what exactly they're up to."

"I actually knew that. I thought you meant a real specific plan, you know, with maps and stuff. So. Great. Find out what they're up to. Before I go, Willow!" Buffy says.

Willow walks into the library. "I found out something." She hands Giles the paperwork proving she is Faith's sister.

Giles looks over it and then takes his glasses off and cleans them, "Dear lord."

"What?" Wesley says and looks over the paperwork. "Is this right?"

Willow nods, "I believe so. I'm Faith's sister. I believe I can reach her bring her back to our side."

That evening at City Hall, stepping out from the shadows, across the street, is Buffy, who watches as a limousine pulls up in front of city hall and comes to a stop.

Faith gets out of the car, carrying an ornate box. She tucks it under her arm, takes a quick look around, then climbs the steps and enters the building. The limo then pulls into an adjoining alley-way.

Buffy quickly checks the coast and starts off across the street.

The limo pulls into a parking space. As the vamp-lackey shuts off the ignition, he hears a noise behind him and whips his head around to find...

Nothing. After a beat, he turns to face front again and...

SMASH! A fist comes punching through the window, grabs the Vamp-lackey by his tie and yanks him halfway out of the car. He looks up to see Buffy, stake-in-hand, poised to strike.

"So, what's in the box?" Buffy asks.

The next day Buffy, Wesley, and Xander stand around the table in the library on which are strewn various research books.

"The Box of Gavrok. It houses some kind of great demonic energy or something which His Honor needs to chow down on when A-Day rolls around." Buffy says.

Giles and Willow enter, unrolling a floor plan, which Giles lays out on the table, weighting the corners with textbooks.

"What's that?" Wesley asks.

"Maps and stuff." Giles says.

"Plans for city hall. They were in the Water and Power mainframe." Willow says.

Buffy nods, "The box is being kept under guard in a conference room on the top floor." She scans the blueprints and points. "There. Unfortunately, that's all I could get out of my informant before his aggressive tendencies forced me to introduce him to Mr. Pointy."

"Well, now ... Here's what I think we should—" Wesley says.

"I figure best to hit it from the roof. I'll take Angel with me." Buffy says. "And have Prue, Piper and Phoebe in place as backup."

"Agreed." Giles says.

"There's a fire-ladder on the east-side of the building of the building." Xander says.

"Yes, fine. But you'll still need—" Wesley says.

"It won't be enough to simply gain possession of the box." Giles says as he starts to look through a book.

"Right. We have to destroy it. Not just physically, but magically." Buffy says.

"Hang on, we don't know what such a ritual would require—"

Giles shows the book to Wesley. "I think the breath of the Entropics is standard for this sort of thing. Fairly simple recipe." Wesley starts to look, but Giles hands the book to Xander. "Xander..."

Xander takes the book, "I know. I'm ingredient-gettin' guy." He starts to exit.

"All right. Stop! I demand everyone stop this instant." Wesley says. Xander stops and looks at Wesley, as do the rest. "I am in charge here! And I say this is all moving much too fast. We need time to fully analyze the situation and devise a proper and effective stratagem."

Buffy gets nose to nose with him. "Hop on the train or get off the tracks."

"The Mayor will most assuredly have supernatural safeguards protecting the box. Oh, we all forgot about that." Wesley says.

Buffy nods and looks to Willow, "Want to help me out with that?"

Willow smiles and nods, "You think I'm ready?"

Buffy nods, "Yeah, I think you're ready. Let's get to work." They disperse.

That evening behind City Hall an unmarked van and a car pulls into the alley. A door slides open and Buffy, Willow and Angel get out of the van as Prue, Piper and Phoebe get out of the car. They approach the front passenger window where Giles is sitting; Wesley, next to him, at the wheel.

"Remember, if something should go awry, Wesley and I will try to create a diversion." Giles says.

Prue nods, "And don't hesitate to call for us, Buffy."

"I won't." Buffy says.

"Let's synchronize our watches. I have exactly eleven six..." Wesley says and he stops when he notices Buffy, Willow and Angel holding up their wrists, illustrating that none are wearing watches. "Yes. Typical."

"Maybe we can just count one-one thousand, two-one thousand..." Willow says.

"Be careful. All of you." Giles says.

Prue, Piper and Phoebe get back in their car and drive around to the otherside of the building.

Buffy nods as Angel pulls down the ladder to the fire escape and gives Willow a boost.

They climb up on the roof and crouch around a skylight, looking down.

The box is directly below them, sitting in the middle of a conference room table.

Angel opens the skylight and then helps Buffy into her rigging. Willow kneels, book in hand, she sprinkles a fine powder down through the opening...

The powder settles on some invisible force field encircling the box, causing soft blue sparks to shoot off it.

Buffy moves over next to Willow and together they read from the book, "Sis modo dissolutum exposco, validum scutum! Diutius nec defende a manibus arcam, intende!"

With a FLASH, the field vanishes and the powder falls onto the box and table.

Buffy shakes her head, "I hate trying to cast spells written in Latin. Someone needs to update some of those books. Okay Wil. Take off. And if you see Faith. Wait till you have backup before confronting her. I know she's your sister. But it's better safe than sorry."

Willow nods, "I will, Buffy." She heads for the ladder and climbs down as Buffy and Angel make their way to the lip of the skylight.

Buffy slowly repells down into the room below.

As Buffy's feet are about to touch down on the table, she lets herself fall forward, effectively hanging upside down. Inches from the box, she carefully moves to touch it, anticipating an alarm to be triggered. She grips the box, lifts it off the table, and...

WHOOP WHOOP WHOOP, an alarm blares!

"Got it!" Buffy says. Angel starts to pull her up until the rigging jams. Angel struggles with it as Buffy continues to hang upside down. "Angel?!"

"It's jammed." Angel says.

Buffy hears running footsteps, approaching, getting louder. "Like very much to come up now, please." She hears a jangle of keys, as the door is hurriedly unlocked. "Angel!"

"I know!" Angel says.

WHAM! Two vamp-guards burst into the room and momentarily freeze at the sight of the strung up Slayer. After a moment of awkward silence...

"Don't suppose you want to help get me down." Buffy says as the vamps SNARL... "Didn't think so."

Angel, lands, feet first, on the table in front of the vamps. He gives one vamp a kick to the head, sending him sprawling into the other. He turns to Buffy, who, in one moves, tosses him the box, deftly pivots her body right side-up and unhooks herself from the cable.

Buffy and Angel square off with the vamps in a big-ass fight, all the while passing off possession of the box.

Finally, Buffy manages to tip the huge conference table on top of the vampires. Angel grabs her hand and they run out.

The two of them careen around a corner and down the twisting hallway. After a beat, the vamp-guards appear, in pursuit.

Angel and Buffy emerge from the front entrance and immediately escape into the shadows. As they hear the screech of tires. They turn to see Wesley and Giles peeling out with the vamp-guards running after it.

Diversion successful, Buffy and Angel retreat further into the darkness as Buffy pulls out her cell phone, dialing Prue. "Got it, flaming back to the library."

Back inside the city hall the Mayor, in street clothes, stands amid the debris, looking up at the shattered skylight, addressing the two chagrined vamp-guards. He's not happy. "Well, this is VERY unfortunate. I just had this conference room redecorated, for Pete's sake. At taxpayers' expense!" He straightens a tipped over chair and slumps into it. "And, oh, yeah... THEY'VE GOT MY BOX!"

"Yeah. They do." Faith says as the Mayor swivels to see her standing in the doorway. "But lookee what we got." She roughly yanks a captured Willow into view.

At the library Wesley, Prue, Piper, Phoebe, Giles, Buffy, Xander, Angel. All in mid freak. Oz totally silent, watching them.

"How did you - you - how did this happen?" Buffy asks.

"We thought she stayed with you." Giles says.

"Prue?" Buffy asks.

Prue shakes her head, "She didn't come around our side of the building."

"They must have grabbed her when she hit the ground. Buffy, I'm sorry –" Angel says.

Buffy shakes her head, "It's nobody's fault; we just gotta focus and deal. Oz, I swear I won't let them hurt her."

"We go back. Full on assault." Xander says.

"They'll kill her." Giles says.

"We're assuming they haven't already." Wesley says.

Buffy shakes her head, "No. They know what she means to us. She's too valuable, and as long as we've got the box – The box. We trade."

"We can't." Wesley says.

"It's the best plan, it's the safest way, right?" Buffy says.

Prue nods, "I think so, Buffy. In this instance Willow is an innocent and it's our duty to protect her."

Giles nods, "It might well be –"

"We call the Mayor, arrange a meeting." Buffy says.

"This box must be destroyed." Wesley says.

"I need a volunteer to hit Wesley..." Xander says.

"Giles, you know I'm right about this." Wesley says.

"Wes, you want to duck and cover at this point." Buffy says.

"Dammit, you listen to me!" Wesley says. "This box is the key to the Mayor's Ascension. Thousands of lives depend on our getting rid of it. Now I want to help Willow as much as the rest of you but we will find another way."

Phoebe shakes her head, "I think the Charmed Ones are all in agreement." Prue and Piper nods. "There is no other way."

Wesley frowns, "You're the one who said take the fight to the Mayor and you were right. This is the town's best hope of survival - it's your chance to get out!"

"You think I care about that? Are you made of human parts?" Buffy says.

"All right, let's deal with this rationally –" Giles says.

Which naturally, sets every one off. They speak over each other, voices rising:

"I can't believe you're taking his side!" Buffy says.

"Nobody said I was taking his side!" Giles says.

"None of this is helping." Angel says.

"I'm still for the "let's hit Wesley" movement, if anybody cares—" Xander says.

Wesley's voice is the last heard, "Listen to you people! You'd sacrifice thousands of lives - your families, your friends? It can all end right here! We have the means to destroy this box—"

Piper raises her hands and the pedestal explodes.

Oz smiles, "Piper that was my thinking."

"Giles, make the call." Buffy says.

In City Hall Willow, struggles to unlatch a window that's obviously sealed tight. Failing, she backs away, eyeing the glass. Can she break it?

She crosses to the desk and begins pulling out drawers, looking for something, anything, to use. Pulling too hard on one, the drawer falls to the floor, a few paper-clips, rubber bands and a pencil spill out of it. She continues looking until she hears someone unlocking the door.

One of the Vamp-guards enters. "What are you doing?"

"Oh, um, just looking for a sucking candy. My mouth gets dry when I'm nervous, or held prisoner against my will..." Willow says as the guard licks his lips and moves in on her. "...and I'm suddenly thinking that "sucking's" not a good word to use around vampires."

Terrified, Willow backs away until she's pressed up against the wall. The vamp's almost on her.

"Hey, did you get permission to eat the hostage? I don't think so. You're going to be in some trouble when the Mayor—" Willow says as the Vamp-guard grabs her. "No!"

"Just a little taste." Vamp-guard says.

Willow can feel his hot, stinky, undead breath. She closes her eyes tight. Willow opens her eyes, staring dead into his as she uses her power to levitate a pencil.

The pencil slams into his back. He explodes into dust, the pencil exploding with him. Willow stumbles back, breathing hard, overwhelmed by what she just did. A moment of this, then she makes for the door.

Willow runs to a door. It's locked. She is forced to go down the lit hallway. She moves quickly but casually, trying to look like she belongs there.

Willow stealthily creeps through the hallway.

"They're not going to be brain-damaged enough to come back here tonight."

Willow ducks into a darkened doorway and sees Faith and the Mayor exit an office.

"Ever have a dog?" Mayor asks.

"What?" Faith asks.

"I did. Rusty. Irish setter. Swell little pooch. A dog's friendship is stronger than reason, stronger than its own sense of self-preservation." May says, rhapsodically. He and Faith exit down the hall, the Mayor's voice fading. "Buffy's like a dog. And, hey, before you can say "Jack Robinson", you'll get to see me kill her like one."

The coast clear, Willow crosses to the Mayor's office and she peers inside. Finding it vacant, she quickly slips inside, and almost completely closes the door behind her.

Her eyes search the room, his desk. She notices the wood cabinet and carefully opens it, revealing its macabre display. Willow stares at it all, dumbfounded. "Whoa."

In the midst of this, she notices a small lever in the inside of the cabinet. She reaches up to pull it down and a panel in near the base of the cabinet falls open. Crouching down, Willow can make out the bindings of five large books. Excitedly, she starts pulling them out, knowing she's found... "The Books of Ascension. Yay."

She immediately opens the tomes and scans its pages, absorbing whatever she can.

A few minutes later she hears Faith behind her. "Check out the bookworm."

Willow swings around to look up at... "Faith!"

"Anybody with brains, anybody who knew what was going to happen to her, would be trying to claw her way out of this place. But, you, you just can't stop Nancy Drewing, can you?" Faith says and she slams the open volume, narrowly catching Willow's hand in it. "I guess now you "know too much." And that kinda just naturally leads to killin'."

Faith takes a step closer.

"Faith, I want to tell you something..." Willow says.

"Oh, yeah, please give me the speech again: "Faith, we're still your friends, we can help you, it's not too late."" Faith says.

Willow thinks about what to say to get through to her sister. "It's way too late. It didn't have to be this way, but you made your choice. I know you've had a tough life. I know some people think you've had a lot of bad breaks, and that you've hardened your heart to protect yourself from the pain."

Faith softens, listening. Then Willow moves in and attacks.

"Well, boo-hoo. Poor you. You had a lot more in your life than some people. You had friends like Buffy. Now you've got no one. And you were a slayer! One of the Chosen. Now you're nothing. Just a selfish, worthless, waste. Hope would be so disappointed." Willow says.

This stops Faith cold as she stares at Willow, "How do you know about Hope. I told no one her name."

Willow smiles, "I know where she is."

"How could you know where she is?" Faith asks. "Mom, told me she was taken from me when I was two years old and she only a year old. It was the reason my mom started drinking."

Willow smiles, "Help me Faith and I'll reunite her with you."

"Girls?" The Mayor says. Willow notices he is standing behind Faith. "Something's come up..."

Faith doesn't move as she glares at Willow. Trying to decide whether to trust Willow or not.

"Faith, you know I don't like repeating myself." The Mayor says.

Faith complies. "I got someone. I got him."

Willow shakes her head, "You could so have your family back."

Faith crosses away as the Mayor crosses in to Willow.

The Mayor plops Willow into an easy chair and grins at her. "I just received a heck of an interesting phone call."

Xander and Oz are checking the side doors of the Cafeteria - they're locked. Buffy stands by the kitchen, facing the front doors opposite her. Angel beside her with the box, Giles and Wes to one side. Prue, Piper and Phoebe stand behind Buffy.

"The place is locked down, except for the front." Oz says.

"Gives me that comforting 'trapped' feeling." Xander says.

"One way out means one way in. I wanna see them coming." Buffy says.

At that moment, the lights go out.

"I guess they're shy." Xander says.

"I can see all right." Angel says.

Xander and Oz pick up a couple of weapons.

They wait.

"Be careful," Prue whispers to Buffy.

The front doors swing slowly open as two vampires enter, steeping aside to allow the Mayor in. He is followed by Faith, who holds Willow.

The two groups eye each other from across the room. They are laid out almost identically, chess pieces waiting for the first move.

The Mayor takes a step forward - Buffy mirrors him. "Well, this is exciting, isn't it? Clandestine meeting by dark of night, exchange of prisoners, I just, I feel like we should all be wearing trench coats."

"Let her go." Buffy says.

"Not till the box is in my hands." The Mayor says looking Buffy over. "So you're the little girl who's been causing me all this trouble. She's pretty, Angel. Little skinny... Still don't understand why it couldn't work out with you and my Faith... Guess you kinda just have strange taste in women."

"Yeah. I like 'em sane." Angel says.

Faith grips the knife to Willow's throat.

Oz registers this. "Angel, chill."

"Well, I wish you kids the best, I really do. But if you don't mind a bit of fatherly advice, I, well gosh I don't see much of a future for you two. I don't sense a lasting relationship, and not just because I plan to kill the both of you. You have a bumpy road ahead." The Mayor says.

Buffy shakes her head, "I don't think we need to talk about this."

"You kids, you don't like to think about the future, don't like to plan but unless you want Faith to gut your friend like a seabass you'll show a little respect for your elders." The Mayor says.

"You're not my elder. I gotta lot of years on you." Angel says.

"And that's just one of the things you're gonna have to deal with. You're immortal, she's not. It's not easy. I married my Edna Mae in aught three and I was with her right until the end. Not a pretty scene. Wrinkled and senile and cursing me for my youth, it wasn't our happiest time." The Mayor says.

Buffy and Angel both stare steely-eyed at the Mayor, neither admitting that he is making sense. He moves slowly toward Angel.

"And let's forget the fact that any moment of true happiness will turn you evil. What kind of life can you offer her? I don't see a lot of Sunday picnics in the offing. Skulking in the shadows, hiding from the sun - she's a blossoming young girl! You want to keep her from the life she should have till it's passed her by and by God I think that's a little selfish. Is that what you came back from Hell for? Is that your greater purpose?" The Mayor says and he's face to face with Angel now, and dead serious. Nobody says anything. Angel stares at him but has no comeback. Nor does Buffy. He's hit the mark, and in front of everyone.

"Make the trade." The Mayor says.

Faith steps forward, bringing Willow. Angel steps past the Mayor and meets Faith in the middle. She passes Willow off to Buffy and Angel hands her the box. Lots o' eyeballin'.

"Well, that went as smoothly as could be –" The Mayor says.

BAM! The side door opens and Snyder strides in with two security guards. One locks the door behind them as a third enters from the front and locks those doors.

The Mayor takes a step into the shadows.

"Nobody moves. I knew you kids were up to something." Snyder says.

"Snyder, get out of here." Buffy says.

"You're not giving orders, young lady." Snyder says and he goes up to Faith and takes to box. She looks to the Mayor, not sure what to do. "I suppose you're going to tell me I won't find drugs in this box." He hands it off to the guard with him.

Faith pulls out her knife—

"Wait." Buffy says.

"Boss?" Faith asks.

"Principal Snyder, I think we have a problem..." The Mayor says as he steps out of the shadows.

"Mr. Mayor, I... I had no idea you were - I'm terribly sorry." Snyder says.

"It's I who should apologize, coming here at night, what must you think..." The Mayor says. Unnoticed by anyone, the guard opens the box. "See, I just needed to – Oh. Don't do that."

Everyone turns to look at the guard as he peers into the box.

A black spidery thing comes shooting out of it and attaches to his face.

For a second nobody can move. The guard drops to the ground, spider on his face. The box also falls to the ground, remaining open. A second later the spider skitters off the guard into the shadows.

The guard is very dead.

"Oh, God." Wesley says.

"Where did it go?" Xander asks.

"Get that door open." Snyder says.

"No! We can't let that thing out of here." Prue says.

The guard fumbles for his keys, dropping them in his panic.

"I still want to know where it went..." Xander says.

"Piper." Buffy says.

"I don't want to try and it either not work on the creature or I accidentally hit someone." Piper says.

Buffy nods, "Listen." She cocks her head. Then slowly looks up.

It's too dark to see if there is something crawling up there.

The Mayor looks up at the ceiling. The spider lands full on his face.

"Boss!" Faith says and she runs to him, wrenches the spider off his face and throws it to the ground. It skitters into the corner where Wesley and Giles stand. They scramble to high ground.

The mayor stumbles back against the table, his face also having been ripped off.

A moment and it begins to reform.

Snyder is completely wigged and takes a step back, unable to speak.

Everyone is looking around for the spider again. Another spider is about crawl out of the still open box.

The Mayor shakes off the experience and looks at the box. "I wouldn't leave that open..."

Buffy turns and dives for the box. Slamming it shut as the second spider is about to crawl out. She severs two legs in the process.

The first spider climbs up the wall behind Wesley.

Faith sees the spider and throws her knife directly at Wesley's face. Wesley manfully screams like a woman and ducks, the knife pinning the spider against the wall.

The security guard finally gets the front door unlocked, the vampires bolt out taking the guard with them.

"Is that all of them?" Phoebe asks.

The Mayor grabs the box. He holds it, ready to open it. "Not really. There's about fifty billion of these happy little critters in here. Would you like to see?" Buffy makes a move for him - and he cracks open the box. "Raise your hand if you're invulnerable... Faith. Let's go." Faith throws a glance back to her knife. "Faith!

"Faith!" Willow says suddenly. "Do you want to see Hope?"

Faith suddenly stops and turns to Willow.

Willow smiles, "Your sister, Hope?"

"Your sure you know where she is?" Faith asks.

"Faith!" The Mayor says. "Now!"

"Yes I do." Willow said. "You held a knife to her throat just now."

Faith's eyes go wide, "Hope?"

Willow nods, "Yes Faith. I'm Hope… Hope Willow Lehane. My mom told me I was adopted and showed me the adoption records. I'm your sister, Faith."

Faith looks between Willow and the Mayor unsure. "Prove it."

Willow smiles and nods. "Come with me to the library. If you don't like what you see then you can leave, we won't stop you."

Faith nods and looks at the Mayor, "Boss, I have to see if she's telling the truth. If she is my sister I have to know."

The Mayor nods, "Don't take too long Faith. If I don't hear from you in an hour then I will be coming back for you."

Faith nods, "Gotcha, Boss."

The Mayor walks out with the vamps.

Buffy looks over at Snyder, sees a man in mental crisis. "Snyder... you alive in there?"

"You... all of you... why couldn't you be dealing drugs like normal people?!" Snyder says as he takes off.

Willow leads Faith out the door and they head towards the library.

Buffy crosses to the knife. She pulls the knife out of the wall and looks at it.

"Well, that went swimmingly." Wesley says.

"We did all right." Buffy says.

In the library Faith and Willow walk over to Willow's book bag. Willow pulls out a large envelope and hands it to Faith.

"I did some research after mom showed me the adoption records." Willow said.

Faith opens the envelope and looks at the adoption paperwork. She looks at it her eyes wide. "Mom told me I had a sister who was kidnapped when we were babies. Said she would be a year younger than I am."

Willow nods, "I am a year younger than you, Faith."

Faith looks at internet articles that Willow has printed off corborating the adoption records. Finally she comes to a picture. "Where did you get this picture?"

"Mom took it when she brought me home." Willow said. "Why?"

Faith pulls out a locket from under her shirt. "No one other than I have seen what's in this locket." She takes it off and hands it to Willow. "Sis."

Willow opens the locket and her eyes go wide as she looks between the locket and the picture her mom gave her. It's obvious that the baby in her picture and the baby in Faith's locket are the same one. Willow smiles, "So?"

"I'm staying." Faith says.

"That's good to hear." Buffy says from behind Faith. "We can use you, Faith."

Faith looks to Buffy, "I don't know. I've done a lot of things B. Things I don't think Hope will forgive me for. Or you can forgive me for. Shoot I don't know I can forgive myself for them."

Giles nods, "Faith you are the only one with information on what the Mayor is planning." Wesley inches towards the phone. "Wesley, stop. If you call them we could lose our only lead into what happens."

Wesley frowns, "They will have to be notified."

"No they don't." Willow says angrily.

"I'm in agreement with Willow." Buffy says. "If you tell them I will flame you back to England."

"It's ok, Hope, B." Faith says and she turns to Giles. "What do you need me to do."

Giles smiles, "Tell us everything you know."

Willow smiles, "Before I forget I have a few pages that looked interesting from the Books of Ascension, but I didn't have time to read them fully." She glares at her sister, then she pulls ten or so torn pages out of her pocket. "See what you can make of 'em."

Giles takes them eagerly.

"This is your night for suave. You should get captured more often." Buffy says.

Willow looks to Faith and they say together, "No!"

Wesley nods, "Well, let's hope that Faith has something useful and that those pages are useful also. The Mayor has the Box of Gavrok. As of now we're right back where we started. Wouldn't you say?"

Faith looks to Willow and smiles, "We have, Hope."

Willow laughs as she hugs Faith. For a moment Faith stands there unsure of what to do and then she places her arms around her younger sister, and holds her never wanting to let her go.

The next day Buffy sits in contemplation as Willow joins her.

"Deep thoughts?" Willow asks.

"Deep and meaningful." Buffy says.

Willow sits. "As in?"

"As in I'm never getting out of here. I thought maybe if I stop the Mayor... but... I'm kidding myself. There's always gonna be something. I'm a San Francisco girl. No other choice." Buffy says.

"It must be tough. I mean, cause here I am, I can do anything I want, I can go to any college in the country, and four or five in Europe if I want." Willow says.

"Please tell me you're going somewhere with this." Buffy says, somewhat appalled.

"Nope." Willow says and she holds a letter of acceptance in front of Buffy's face. "I'm not going anywhere."

Buffy takes the letter. "U.C. San Francisco?"

"I will be matriculating with the class of 2003." Willow says.

"Are you serious?" Buffy asks.

Willow smiles, "Say, isn't that where you're going?"

Buffy throws her arms around Willow, tackling her with joy. "I don't believe it!" She stops, sits up again. "What am I saying? You can't."

"What do you mean, I can't?" Willow asks.

"I won't let you." Buffy says.

"Of the two people here, which is the boss of me?" Willow asks.

"But there's better schools –" Buffy says.

"U.C. San Francisco's not bad. And I can design my own curriculum." Willow says.

"There's safer schools. There's safer prisons. I can't let you stay here because of me." Buffy says.

"Actually, this isn't about you. Although I'm fond, don't get me wrong, of you. The other night, getting captured and all... things just got kind of clear. I mean, you've been fighting evil here for about three years, and I've been helping out some, and now we're supposed to be deciding what we wanna do with our lives and I realized that's what I want to do. Fight evil. Help people. I think it's worth doing, and I don't think you do it 'cause you have to. It's a good fight, Buffy, and I want in. "

Buffy looks at Willow a moment. "I kind of love you."

"Besides, I've got a shot at becoming a bad ass wicca, and I have a great teacher!" Willow says as Buffy blushes at the compliment. "Also Faith is here, and I want to be close to her. She made mention this morning of turning herself in after we deal with the Mayor. If she does I want to be here for her. I don't want her to lose me again."

"I know what you mean. If it were Prue, Piper or Phoebe; I would be doing the same thing. You know I feel the need for more sugar than the human body can handle." Buffy says.

"Mochas?" Willow asks.

"Yes please." Buffy says as they rise and start to walk off. "It's weird. You look at something, you think you know exactly what you're seeing, and then... you find out it's something else entirely."

"Neat, huh?" Willow asks.

Buffy nods, "Sometimes it is. So how is Faith after you know everything?"

Willow smiles but says nothing.


	73. Chapter 73: Look Who's Barking

**Q/A: Leana - **The chapters were layed out when I first started doing season 3. But I am happy to report that Graduation is before All Hell Breaks Loose.

* * *

**Chapter 73: Look Who's Barking**

Phoebe is sitting on the couch with the Book of Shadows. She is gluing pictures of Cole in the Book of Shadows. She writes "Cole's human form" on the page. Buffy stands at the window watching Prue as she walks in the manor.

"Why didn't you invite him in?" Phoebe asks.

"Who?" Prue says.

"Your date. The guy you've been smooching on the porch for the last ten minutes." Buffy says.

"Eavesdropping were you?" Prue asks.

"I don't know about Buffy. But, I'm single again, so I have no choice but to live vicariously through your love life." Phoebe says.

Buffy smiles, "Yep you caught me I was eavesdropping." Prue looks at her. "Hey I can't worry about my big sister?"

Prue walks in the living room. "Wow, I'd forget about my love life if I were you, lately mine's been rated PG for pretty grim."

"That's because no one ever makes it through the threshold, Prue. And don't get me wrong, I'm glad that you're out there looking, but you can't keep saving yourself for Mr. Right. I need more vicarious thrills than that." Phoebe says.

"I am not saving myself for Mr. Right. I mean, Mr. Interesting would do, or Mr. Personality, or even Mr. Take-My-Breath-Away. I don't care." Prue says.

"Ooh, be careful with the last one. They tend to surprise you in all the wrong ways." Phoebe says.

Prue reads the page Phoebe's making. "Cole likes walks in the park, jazz and fine wine. Phoebe, what are you doing?"

Buffy sighs, "Well, Cole's a demon. We write about demons in the Book of Shadows, don't we? And that's what Phoebe's doing."

Prue nods, "Right, but this kind of stuff? Do you really think that's necessary?"

"Yeah, if it prepares future witches in case he attacks. Absolutely. I mean, the more that they know about Cole, the better chance they have of hurting him before he hurts them." Phoebe says.

"Do you wanna talk about it?" Prue asks.

Phoebe shakes her head, "No, there's nothing to talk about. I loved, I lost and now I'm moving on."

They hear an explosion.

"What was that?" Prue asks.

"Piper." Buffy says as they go into the kitchen.

"Where is she?" Prue asks.

"In the bunker formerly known as the basement." Phoebe says.

"I thought she was getting a handle on her new powers." Prue says.

Buffy nods, "Yeah, that was before her new powers got a handle on her." She knocks on the basement door. "Piper!"

"What?" Piper says.

"Are you okay?" Buffy asks.

"I'm fine. The Christmas decorations are not." Piper says.

"Can we come down?" Prue asks.

"No. Stay away from the door. It's not safe." Piper says.

"Piper, that's ridiculous, we're your sisters." Phoebe says. "Maybe we should back up just a little."

They move away from the door. Dogs start barking from outside.

"Geez, who let the dogs out?" Prue asks.

"You can't stay down there forever." Buffy says.

"Yes I can." Piper says.

Buffy sighs, "No, you can't. You have my club to run and a husband who can't stand to live without you."

Prue nods, "That's right, and-and three sisters who need you to cook for them and fight evil with them."

"Okay, do you want her to come up or do you want her to stay down there?" Phoebe asks.

"Oh." Prue says.

Kit hisses.

"What is going on?" Phoebe asks.

Kit runs through the kitchen knocking over the bin. She runs past Phoebe and Phoebe knocks over some utensils.

"What was that? What happened?" Piper asks.

"Uh, nothing, just relax. It was only Kit, don't blow anything up." Buffy says.

"What the hell is going on out there?" Prue asks.

The next morning in the kitchen Phoebe is there writing in the Book of Shadows as Buffy and Prue walks in.

"Morning." Buffy and Prue says.

"Morning." Phoebe says.

"Uh, you're not still writing in there about Cole are you?" Buffy asks.

Phoebe shakes her head, "Nope."

Prue smiles, "Good."

"I'm actually writing about his demonic half now." Phoebe says.

Buffy and Prue sits down at the table. Prue has a cup of coffee and the paper.

"Phoebe, I'm-I'm starting to get a little worried about you." Prue says.

"Oh, don't worry about me, worry about Piper." Phoebe says.

Buffy shakes her head, "Why? She still locked in the basement?"

Phoebe shakes her head, "No, she's locked herself in her bedroom now."

"Well, at least somebody's improving." Prue says as she sees an article in the newspaper. "Huh, looks like we weren't the only ones annoyed by the dogs barking last night. It says that there was a record number of noise complaints."

"Mm-hmm." Phoebe says.

"It says here at the exact same time there was a man murdered in our neighborhood." Phoebe says.

"Do you mind?" Phoebe asks.

"No motive, nothing stolen, nothing that suggests how he was killed, lots of shattered glass everywhere." Prue says.

Phoebe shakes her head, "You know this isn't gonna work, you trying to distract me with…" She touches a page in the Book of Shadows and has a premonition. In it, there is a girl in a phone booth. The glass smashes. She covers her face and blood trickles down her face.

Buffy looks at Phoebe recognizing that look. A look she shares every time she herself has a premonition, "What?"

"I saw a little girl. She couldn't have been any older that fourteen or fifteen. Did you mention something about shattered glass?" Phoebe says.

Prue nods, "Yeah."

"I think you're right. I think a demon was responsible for that man's death." Phoebe says and she stands up with the Book of Shadows. "And I think I know which one."

Phoebe walks into the living room and puts the book on the chair. She clears the table. Buffy and Prue follows her.

"Uh, Pheebs, what are you doing?" Buffy asks.

Phoebe turns the table onto its side. "We'll use the magic to magic spell to summon Cole and then we vanquish him."

"Okay, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, wait. What makes you think that Cole's responsible?" Prue asks.

Phoebe nods, "Because I was holding the Belthazor page when I got the premonition."

"Uh, okay, but shattered glass, and old man, a teenager? That's not exactly his mo." Buffy says.

Phoebe sighs, "Then why else would I get the premonition?"

Prue shakes her head, "We don't know, Phoebe, but I think that you're barking up the wrong demon. Look, I know that he hurt you but that doesn't necessarily mean that he's…"

"Buffy, Prue, I can do this with you or without you. Just please, get the vanquishing potion." Phoebe says.

Buffy sighs, "And what if the potion doesn't work?"

"It'll work. It has to." Phoebe says.

Phoebe flips through the book and finds the spell.

"Magic forces black and white. Reaching out through space and light. Be he far or be he near, bring us the demon Belthazor here." Phoebe, Prue and Buffy chant. "Magic forces black and white, reaching out through space and light, be he far or be he near, bring us the demon Belthazor here."

A tunnel of wind appears in the centre of the room.

"Here he comes." Phoebe says. The wind tunnel disappears. "Wait a minute, what happened? Why didn't it work?"

Prue shakes her head, "I don't know."

They walk into the middle of the room.

"Damn it!" Phoebe says.

"Uh, alright, we're just gonna have to find the girl another way. Was there anything in your premonition that might help?" Buffy says.

Phoebe shakes her head, "Dark alley, late at night, phone booth. I mean, there's not much to go on."

Prue nods, "Okay, so we'll have to go to the first victims apartment and see if there's anything there."

"Should we get Piper?" Phoebe asks.

Buffy shakes her head, "No, let's not put her anymore on edge then she already is. Come on."

Later Buffy, Prue, Phoebe and an Inspector are at the Man's apartment. Prue, Buffy and Phoebe are looking around.

"So what kind of specialists are you anyway?" Inspector asks.

"Inspector Morris didn't tell you?" Phoebe asks.

"No, he didn't." Inspector says.

Prue sees a photo album on the floor. "Can I pick this up?"

Inspector nods, "Sure, Forensics is done here." Prue picks it up. "Are you those psychics we keep hearing about he was working with?"

Buffy laughs, "Psychics. Right, that's a good one."

"Is this the victim's wife?" Prue asks.

"Yeah. She died a couple of months ago. Sad to say the poor guy never got over it." Inspector says.

"Any suspects?" Buffy asks.

Inspector shakes his head, "All we know is whoever did it busted through that window. Although, three stories up, nobody can figure out how."

"Do you see any scorch marks by where the body was?" Phoebe asks.

"No, I don't think there would have been a body if…" Prue says as the Inspector looks at her, "…that particular weapon had been used."

"Are you from Arson?" Inspector asks.

Buffy shakes her head, "Uh, no, she was just curious of how he died."

"He drowned in his own blood according to the M.E. All his blood vessels just burst. No reason. Are you Feds?" Inspector says.

"Actually, Inspector, we're witches, okay? We actually think a demon might have done this. Probably my ex-boyfriend and if he did do this then we have to find him and vanquish him. Satisfied?" Phoebe says.

"That's very funny." Inspector says and he leaves the room.

"Okay, are you out of your mind?" Prue asks.

"Well, it got rid of him didn't it? So what do you think?" Phoebe says.

Buffy nods, "Definitely supernatural, but was it Belthazor?"

Later back at the manor, Buffy, Prue and Phoebe are sitting on the couch looking at the Belthazor page in the Book of Shadows.

"I'm telling you, it's gotta be Cole." Phoebe says.

"Phoebe, just because you want it to be him doesn't necessarily make it him." Prue says.

"This isn't about me and Cole, this is about what I saw. My premonitions are always directly connected to what I'm touching at the time." Phoebe says.

Buffy nods, "Oh, okay, well, wait a minute. What if the back of your hand was touching…" she turns the page, "…this page? Right, a Banshee, whatever that is."

Leo and Piper comes down the stairs.

"It's a demon who feeds on souls and great pain." Leo says.

"Hey, stranger, long time, no see." Phoebe says.

"Well, like you said, I can't hide forever. Although you guys should be wearing asbestos suits." Piper says.

Buffy shakes her head.

"Oh, I think we'll risk it." Prue says.

"I just don't want anybody to get hurt." Piper says.

"Well, since you can't freeze us, you probably can't blow us up either." Buffy says. "Though let's not try it anyways."

Piper sits down beside them.

"Just keep your hands where we can see them." Phoebe says.

"Alright, so the Banshee." Prue says.

"Well, they're pretty rare. What they do is hunt for their victims with a high pitched call. Something beyond our range to hear." Leo says.

"Okay, so then how do they find their victims?" Buffy asks.

"By hearing the inner cry by zeroing in on the waves of pain that emanate from the stricken." Phoebe says, reading from the Book.

"Then their call turns into a scream that kills." Leo says.

"Well, that explains the broken blood vessels and the shattered glass. Looks like it's not Cole after all." Prue says.

"So what do we do? Wear earplugs?" Piper asks.

"Uh, there is no spell to vanquish the Banshee but there is one to track a banshee. Okay, so all we need is a designated tracker." Phoebe says.

"I'll do it." Buffy says.

"No I will." Prue says.

Buffy sighs, "Why don't we both do it."

Moments later in the attic Buffy and Prue are standing in a circle of candles. Piper, Phoebe and Leo are there outside of the circle. Piper is holding a piece of paper.

"Are you two sure about this?" Phoebe asks.

Prue nods, "Well, with everything that you and Piper are going through right now, Buffy and I don't really have much of a choice. Besides, it's just a tracking spell, what's the worst that could happen?"

"With our history, don't go there." Piper says.

"Agreed." Buffy says.

"Yeah, well, it's almost night and that's when the girl in Phoebe's premonition was attacked. So let's just do it." Prue says.

Piper and Phoebe read from the piece of paper. "The piercing cry that feeds on pain, and leaves more sorrow than a gain, shall now be heard by one who seeks, to stop the havoc that it wreaks."

They hear thunder and a bright light surrounds Prue and Buffy. They disappear.

"Prue? Buffy?" Phoebe says.

"Oh my god." Piper says and they look down, Buffy and Prue have turned into two large white dogs. "Prue? Buffy?"

Moments later in Prue's room Phoebe is looking under the bed trying to get Prue out. Buffy lays next to Phoebe watching Prue.

"Come on, Prue. Come on, come on out. We're still your sisters, you know." Phoebe says.

'How could this happen to me' Prue thinks as she whimpers.

'Prue?" Buffy thinks.

'Buffy?' Prue thinks.

'Wow we can hear each other. Must be something to do with the spell.' Buffy thanks.

"Oh, gee, honey, don't sound so sad, it's gonna be okay." Phoebe says.

"How? How is this gonna be okay?" Piper asks.

'My question, exactly,' Prue thinks.

"Hands in your pockets." Phoebe says.

Leo walks in.

"What did you find out? Why did the spell backfire?" Piper asks.

Leo shakes his head, "I don't think it did."

'Of course it did, Leo,' Buffy thinks. 'Prue and I are dogs, how could it not have?'

"What are you talking about, Leo? Prue and Buffy are walking around on all fours and barking. If that's not a backfire, then what is?" Piper says.

'I don't want to be stuck as a dog,' Prue thinks as she whimpers.

'They'll find a way to fix it, Prue,' Buffy thinks.

"Shh, you're scaring her." Phoebe says.

"Alright, all I'm saying is that you guys cast a tracking spell, and since dogs can obviously hear a Banshee's call, what happened makes sense. Prue and Buffy should be able to track it now." Leo says.

Phoebe sighs, "Yeah, if Prue ever comes out." She looks under the bed. "Prue, honey, okay, you can't stay under there all night. Okay, if you won't come out for you, will you at least come out for an innocent? We can't save that teenage girl without you." They wait and Prue finally comes out. That's a good girl! That's a good girl. Who's a good girl?"

'Really, Pheebs,' Buffy thinks. 'We maybe dogs but were not dumb.'

"Well, at least we know she understands what we're saying." Piper says.

"Oh, they're such pretty dogs." Phoebe says.

"What else did you expect?" Piper asks.

"A Doberman for Prue at least?" Leo says as Buffy and Prue growls and barks at Leo. "Easy."

"Oh, honey, watch your orbs." Piper says.

"So what do we have to do to get our real sisters back?" Phoebe asks.

'Good question,' Prue thinks. 'I don't want to be stuck like this.'

"Once the Banshee is vanquished, the spell should reverse itself." Leo says.

Buffy and Prue runs out of the room.

"Well, what if the Banshee doesn't show up until like next year? Then what do we do then?" Piper says.

"I don't think you'll have to wait that long. Banshee's have an insatiable appetite for pain. They feed every night." Leo says.

Phoebe nods, "Okay, what do we do once they find the demon? I mean, there's no vanquishing potion, there's no power of three augmented."

Buffy and Prue barks and they hear a crash.

"Oh my god, Prue! Buffy!" Piper says.

They run out of the room.

Downstairs Buffy and Prue are chasing Kit around the house. Kit runs up the stairs and Piper, Phoebe and Leo come down the stairs. They stop Buffy and Prue.

"Prue, Buffy, no! No-no-no-no, very bad, Prue. Very bad, Buffy. Very, very bad Prue. Very, very bad Buffy." Buffy and Prue growls. "Hi, Cujo, who you two growling at?"

'You,' Buffy thinks. 'Who else.'

"Maybe I'd better go check with the elders and see if they know how to vanquish a Banshee." Leo says.

"Wait a minute, don't tell me you're afraid of Prue and Buffy." Phoebe says.

Leo nods, "Well, yeah."

"Well, wait a minute, hold it. What if we find the Banshee in the mean time?" Piper says.

"Well, you blew up the last demon you fought, didn't you?" Leo asks.

"Yeah, but I was trying to freeze him." Piper says.

"Just remember what we talked about. Just try and relax." Leo says and orbs out.

"I really wish everybody would quit telling me to relax." Piper says.

Buffy and Prue runs over to the front door.

"What is it? What is it, girls?" Phoebe says.

They follow them into the foyer.

"Do you think they hear the Banshee?" Piper asks.

Buffy and Prue bark. Phoebe opens the door and they run out.

"Wait." Piper says as she and Phoebe grab their coats and follow Prue and Buffy.

Sometime later Phoebe and Piper are standing outside.

"This is worse than I thought." Phoebe says.

"I never imagined anything like this could ever happen to us." Piper says.

'How do you think we feel,' Prue thinks. 'This is so degrading.'

'I have to agree with you there,' Buffy thinks.

"All I know is this can't go on much longer." Phoebe says.

"So what are we gonna do?" Piper asks.

"Rock, paper, scissors?" Phoebe asks.

Piper shakes her head, "No way, you already lost."

"Two out of three." Phoebe says, hopeful.

Piper shakes her head, "Na-uh."

Piper hands Phoebe a plastic bag as Buffy and Prue comes out from behind the bushes.

"This is so humiliating." Phoebe says.

'Tell us about it,' Prue thinks.

The dogs down the street start barking.

'Do you hear that?' Buffy thinks.

'Yeah,' Prue thinks, 'Banshee?'

'I think so.' Buffy thinks as she and Prue bark.

"Phoebe? Does this mean what I think it means?" Piper asks.

Buffy and Prue run off.

Phoebe drops the plastic bag and they run after Prue and Buffy. "It means I'm off the hook! I'm off the hook!"

"Buffy, Prue, wait!" Piper says.

In an alley a teenage girl is in phone booth. "Mom? Dad? Are you there? Pick up please, it's me. Mom? Oh, thank God. I'm so sorry, I never should have went away. I want to come home." She hears the Banshee's call getting closer. "I don't know. Somewhere in San Francisco." The Banshee jumps on top of a dumpster and screams. The glass on the phone booth smashes. The Banshee jumps on the ground and lets out a high pitched scream. The girl covers her face. Buffy and Prue runs around the corner and attacks the Banshee. Piper and Phoebe come around the corner.

"Buffy? Prue?" Piper says as she goes over to the girl. "It's okay, it's okay. Run, run." The girl runs away. Buffy and Prue barks. The Banshee jumps up and Phoebe reaches up and pulls her down. Piper goes over and the Banshee hits her. She lands on some wooden crates. The Banshee screams and faces Phoebe.

"Piper, now?" Phoebe says.

Piper tries to freeze the Banshee but blows up the dumpster. The Banshee falls back. Buffy and Prue barks. Piper goes over to Phoebe.

"Are you okay?" Piper asks.

Phoebe nods, "I think so, yeah."

The Banshee runs off and Prue and Buffy follows.

"Buffy, Prue, no, wait!" Piper says.

The Banshee runs into the street and jumps on a car. She leaps across the street onto another car. Buffy and Prue runs onto the road. A horn beeps and a car runs into Prue. A guy stops and gets out of the car. He goes to Prue. Buffy stands there looking at Prue.

'Prue,' Buffy thinks. 'Are you alright?'

"Oh, God. You stay there, baby. You're alright. Good girl. Shh. Can somebody give me a hand here? It's alright, good girl, good girl. Can somebody help?" Guy says.

Later in the guy's apartment. Prue is asleep on the couch. Buffy's head is on the couch watching Prue. Prue opens her eyes and looks around and sees Buffy. The guy is on the phone.

'Buffy.' Prue thinks.

'Yeah Prue, I'm right here. You got hit by this guy's car. He took us to the vet and then brought us both back here. I guess he assumed since we both looked alike we probably belonged to the same person.' Buffy thinks.

"Are you kidding? I'd love to go but I can't. The vet said someone has to keep an eye on one of the dogs. I have a soft spot for animals. Sue me. No, no tags on either of them. Maybe I should write an article about irresponsible pet owners, make them feel like dirt." Guy says as Prue moves around on the couch. "Hold it. I've gotta go." He hangs up and goes over to Prue. "Hey, what are you doing? You're supposed to be resting." She tries to get off the couch. "No, no, you're not going anywhere. Not until you're better."

'Prue, maybe he's right. We don't know how badly you were hurt.' Buffy thinks.

Moments later Prue is drinking beer from a beer bottle.

"Oh, you like the imported stuff? That's my kind of girl." Guy says. He looks to Buffy, "You want some?"

'I wish he could hear us,' Buffy thinks. 'I would tell him no thanks.'

Buffy and Prue hear a high pitched scream. The guy doesn't hear it.

'Do you hear that?' Prue thinks.

'Yeah. Do you think it's the banshee?' Buffy thinks

'Only one way to find out.' Prue thinks and she gets up and runs over to the door. A moment later Buffy moves to join her.

"What is it? What's the matter?" Guys asks as Prue and Buffy bark. "Shh, you're gonna wake the neighbors." Prue and Buffy bark again. "Okay, you want out, I get it." He opens the door. Prue and Buffy runs out. "Hey!" He grabs his keys and goes outside. "Come here!"

At the Manor Leo and Piper are walking down the stairs. Piper is carrying the Book of Shadows.

"Piper, think this through, please." Leo says.

"You were the one that told me to trust my instincts." Piper says.

Leo nods, "Yes, that was before you said you were gonna summon Cole, though."

"Well, believe me, it was not my first idea." Piper says.

"Well, then what was your first idea? Let's do that instead." Leo says.

"That won't work, this will." Piper says.

Leo shakes his head, "The last time Cole was here he killed a witch, remember?"

Piper holds up the potion. "That is what this is for."

"Well, what if he makes his move before you get a chance to vanquish him?" Leo says.

"I'll freeze him." Piper says.

"Now you're confident in your powers?" Leo asks.

Piper shrugs, "Okay, so maybe I'll blow him up."

They walk into the conservatory.

"But what if he blows us up first?" Leo says.

Piper sighs, "Well, you're already dead, what's the difference."

"The difference is that I don't want you to join me." Leo says.

Piper nods, "Leo, I love you, and it's because of you that I have the courage to even attempt this but we don't have any other options. Now, the Banshee's target people who are in pain, that's why it went after Phoebe, and Cole is the source of Phoebe's pain. So if we can get him to find her and eliminate that pain, then we might be able to get Phoebe back."

"Do you really think he'll help us?" Leo asks.

"Feelings like theirs don't go away. We should know." Piper says and turns to the spell in the Book of Shadows. "Magic forces black and white, reaching out through space and light, be he far or be he near, bring us the demon Belthazor here."

A tunnel of wind appears in the room and Cole appears.

"You rang? Piper, not the sister I was expecting." Cole says.

"Phoebe's in trouble. She's been turned into a Banshee." Piper says.

"A Banshee? Well, that's different." Cole says.

"It happened because she was hurting, over you. And I think you're the key to turning her back." Piper says.

"Sorry, I don't do good anymore." Cole says.

Piper sighs, "Not even for somebody you love?"

"Love-d. Past tense." Cole says.

"I think we've heard enough." Leo says.

Piper shakes her head, "Feelings like that don't just die, Cole."

"Wrong. They died when Phoebe gave up on me. Now all I can do is return the favor." Cole says.

"You've helped us before, and we've helped you." Piper says.

"Oh, is that what you were doing when you called me this morning. Helping me? Or trying to vanquish me?" Cole says.

"Piper, the potion." Leo says.

"Phoebe loves you, Cole. And I know that you love Phoebe. All I'm asking you to do is find her and tell her." Piper says.

"It's over, Piper. In more ways than one." Cole says.

"Throw the potion." Leo says.

Piper nods, "You're right, Cole, it is over." She throws the potion and nothing happens.

Cole smiles, "Surprise!" He laughs.

"But…" Piper says.

"Did you really think that I would come here without magical protection? Question is, do you have any protection for yourself?" Cole says.

"Don't threaten her." Leo says.

"I suggest you orb her out of here, Whitelighter, before there's nothing left to orb." Cole says.

Buffy and Prue runs in and barks.

"Prue? Buffy?" Piper says.

'Come on Piper,' Buffy thinks. 'Banshee incoming, get the message.'

"Prue? Buffy?" Cole asks as the house starts to shake. "What's going on?"

"Phoebe's home." Piper says.

All the windows smash and Phoebe flies in. She dives on Cole and screams. He changes into Belthazor and shimmers out, taking Phoebe with him.

Moments later Leo is patting Prue. "You think she's alright?

Piper shakes her head, "No, I don't. Either way, Phoebe's screwed."

"No, I mean Prue... and Buffy. They seem kind of down." Leo says.

"Well, they would be. We're about to lose a sister." Piper says.

Leo nods, "I thought you said Cole would never hurt her."

"In self-defense he would. Did you see her? She was pissed off. On the other hand, if she kills hem then she's a Banshee forever." Piper says.

'Do you hear that.' Prue thinks.

'Loud and clear.' Buffy thinks. 'How do we let them know.'

Buffy and Prue runs over to the door.

"Oh, this is all my fault." Piper says as Buffy and Prue barks. "She zeroed in on Cole's pain for her, I led her to him."

"We found Prue and Buffy, we will find Phoebe." Leo says.

Buffy and Prue continues to bark.

'Come on guys,' Prue thinks.

"But how? What if it's too late? Buffy, Prue would you two be quiet." Piper says.

"Maybe you should try scrying." Leo says as Prue walks over and pulls on Leo's pants. "Ow, hey!"

Buffy and Prue jumps through the window.

"They hear Phoebe. Hurry, hurry! Go-go-go-go!" Piper says as they run outside and follow Prue and Buffy down the street.

Prue and Buffy suddenly changes back.

Prue holds her hip in pain. "Ow, ow, ow, ow."

"Prue! Buffy!" Piper says as she and Leo catch up to them. "Prue? Buffy? You're back!"

"Ow! Ow, ow, ow, my hip." Prue says.

"What happened?" Piper asks.

Buffy shakes her head, "Prue got hit chasing that banshee."

Prue nods, "Hey, Leo, not that I'm complaining, but why are Buffy and I human again?"

Leo nods, "The spell must've played itself out. Phoebe must not be a Banshee anymore."

"So does that mean Phoebe's alive, or…?" Buffy asks.

Leo tries to sense Phoebe, "I sense her. Phoebe's alive."

"So, Phoebe/Banshee…" Prue says.

Leo nods, "Is Phoebe, Phoebe. Looks like your plan worked after all."

"Yeah, but if she had to vanquish Cole then she's probably not doing very well. Why don't you go get her?" Piper says.

Leo orbs out. Buffy and Prue scratch their heads. Piper touches Prue's hair.

"What are you doing?" Prue says.

"I think you've got fleas." Piper says.

"You know what? That's so not funny because I think I do." Prue says.

"Yeah same here." Buffy says.

Piper looks to Buffy and nods, "I think you both do."

Prue sighs, "Okay. You have no idea how hard it was being a dog, okay. I mean, peeing outside, eating everything and anything and just smelling everything."

"Must have been 'ruff'. No pun intended." Piper says.

Buffy laughs, "Ha, ha."

Piper giggles.

"At least I got to meet a really cute guy." Prue says.

"You met a guy?" Piper asks.

Buffy nods, "Mm-hmm."

"As a dog?" Piper asks.

Prue nods, "Mm-hmm."

"How?" Piper asks.

Buffy looks to Prue and smiles, "Well, he ran her over."

The next day at Payson's Piper is serving at the bar. Buffy, Prue and Phoebe are sitting at the bar.

"Here you go." Piper says serving two drinks to some guys. "Thank you."

"You know, you might wanna raise the drink prices." Phoebe says.

"Why?" Buffy asks.

Prue hold up a piece of paper. "The bill, from the window repair guy."

Buffy looks at it and then nods, "I think she's right Piper."

Piper looks at it. "Oh, ouch."

"Yeah, we really keep that guy in business, don't we?" Phoebe asks.

Prue looks around.

"Are you expecting someone?" Piper asks.

Buffy smiles and knows who Prue's looking for.

"A certain journalist with an empty fridge and a soft spot for two of man's best friend." Prue says.

"He hit you, you hit on him, it's only fair." Phoebe says.

Prue nods, "Hey, how could I resist a guy who put up fliers to find me and Buffy." She stands up. "Excuse me." She walks over to the guy. "Hi." She and the guy walk away.

"It's good to see you out. It's been a while." Piper says.

Phoebe nods, "Yeah, I guess we're both out of hiding. You know, I've been wanting to thank you."

"For?" Piper asks.

"Calling Cole. I mean, if you hadn't I'd probably still be screaming." Phoebe says.

Piper smiles, "Yeah, well, nothing like trusting your instincts."

"I know what you mean. I think I'm gonna act on some of my own." Phoebe says.

"Do we even wanna ask?" Buffy asks.

Phoebe smiles, "I think I made a mistake giving up on Cole. I now know why he did what he did."

"Phoebe." Piper says.

Phoebe nods, "He loves me, which means that there's still good in him. I can bring him back. I know I can."

Buffy nods, "I believe you."

Phoebe walks away.


	74. Chapter 74: The Prom

**Chapter 74: The Prom**

The mansion is dark, quiet. Buffy and Angel, still clothed, lay on Angel's bed. Buffy is covered with Angel's comforter.

Angel's awake before Buffy. Watching her sleep, his expression both loving and thoughtful. After a long beat she stirs. Eyes open. She sees him looking at her. Smiles. "What? Do I have funny bed hair or something?"

"Or something." Angel says.

"Guess we got carried away with the post-slayage nap thing." Buffy says as she sits up - a little groggy. She pats her hair - feels that she does, in fact, have a funny bed do. "Oooh. Not good." She starts to get up but Angel holds her back.

"Where are you going?" Angel asks.

"To kill the cat on my head." Buffy says.

Angel shakes his head, "No mirrors."

Buffy mock pouts. Smoothes her hair with her hand. "You know. This place is not girl friendly. No mirrors. No natural light."

Angel just smiles and pulls her back into his embrace. She gives in easily. "I think you look perfect."

"Perfect? Come on. I mean, that's really- Okay." Buffy says. They lie for a moment. "Still, we could think about getting a couple of mirrors in here. And maybe a drawer, for stuff of mine. I mean, that's what couples do, they have drawers."

"That's right." Angel says.

Buffy continues, her enthusiasm ever so slightly forced. "'Cause I figure sometimes I could spend the night. After the prom, it'd be great to come back here and just be together..."

"The prom?" Angel asks.

Buffy nods, "Yeah. You know, the big "end-of-high-school-rite-of-passage" thingy? Imagine a cotillion with spiked punch and the electric slide."

Angel looks uneasy at the turn this conversation is taking. "Right."

"Don't worry, it's at night. And lots of girls have older boyfriends. You'll blend." Buffy says.

"I guess maybe you should get home." Angel says.

"Ah, there's gotta be a few hours before sunrise –" Buffy says as she goes to the curtains throwing them open, flooding the room with a ray of sunshine which hits Angel dead on. Angel bolts for a dark corner. Buffy whips the curtains closed again. Then Buffy turns to Angel, sheepish. "I guess it's later than we thought."

Later in the quad at school Xander sits with Buffy, Willow and Oz. He's smiling, if still a little confused.

"Anya, huh? Interesting choice." Oz says.

""Choice" is kind of a broad term for my situation. It's either Anya or the sock puppet of love for this boy." Xander says as he makes a little talking face with his fist. "I love you, Xander, I will never leave you."

"Well, if Anya tries to get you killed, put me down for a big "I told you so"." Willow says.

"Who is this Anya? Is she prettier than me?" Xander says, pretending the sock puppet is the one talking.

"She just better not cross me, that's all I'm saying." Willow says.

"At least now we've all got someone to go with. Some us are going with Demons, but that's a valid lifestyle choice. More importantly, I've got the kick dress." Buffy says.

"The pink one?" Willow asks.

Buffy nods, "Oh yeah. Angel's gonna lose it. But not his soul. I mean, lose "it." His "it"."

Xander is lost in hand puppet land, and now she is bitter, "Why don't you let your demon make dinner for you! I don't even know you anymore!" He stops when he realizes everyone is staring at him. Smiles sheepishly and puts his hand down.

Buffy turns to Willow, "So is Faith going?"

Willow shakes her head, "Faith said heck no would I catch her in a dress."

At the Mansion Angel is picking up some things when he finds one of Buffy's notebooks.

On the notebook there are doodles on the cover in Buffy's scrawl. Hearts, flowers - and "BUFFY & ANGEL - 4-EVER"

Angel takes this in. Touched by the innocence of it. But also further troubled by a growing uneasiness. A knock at the door rouses him. He goes to it and opens it and finds Prue there. "Prue."

"I'm sorry to... I would have called but I don't have your number." Prue says as Angel steps back to let her in.

"Please. You, Piper and Phoebe are always welcome here. Can I get you something? I don't have any coffee or I'd..." Angel says.

Prue shakes her head, "No thank you." She decides to get to the point. "I understand Buffy spent the night."

Angel nods, "I'm sorry about that. We came back after patrolling and-"

"Buffy filled me in on the details already. That's not why I'm here." Prue says.

"Okay." Angel says, wary.

"I'm here because I'm worried about you two. In general." Prue says.

"I understand. And I promise you, what happened before? When I changed? It won't happen again." Angel says.

Prue nods, "It better not. But that's not all I'm concerned about. I mean, I don't have to tell you that you and Buffy come from different worlds."

"No. You don't." Angel says.

"And Buffy's had to deal with a lot. Grow up fast. Sometimes even I forget that she's still just a girl." Prue says.

Angel nods, "And I'm old enough to be her ancestor."

"She's just starting out in life." Prue says.

Angel nods, "I know. Believe me. I think about it. More now that she's staying in San Francisco."

"Good. Because when it comes to you, Angel - Buffy's not a Slayer or a Charmed One. She's just like any other young woman in love. You're all she can see of tomorrow. But I think we both know there's gonna be some hard choices ahead. If she can't make them, you're going to have to." Prue says as Angel says nothing. "I know you care about her. I just hope you care enough."

Angel, pained, takes this in. He knows she's right.

At the library Faith, Buffy, Xander, Oz and Willow hang around the table - Willow sitting happily on Oz' lap.

Giles, in research mode, enters from his office.

"So - what? It was blue and sort of short?" Buffy asks.

"Not too short. Medium. And it had this wild sort of fringy stuff on the arms-" Willow says.

"What's this? A demon?" Giles asks.

Faith rolls her eyes, "Their talking about prom dresses, G."

Buffy nods, "That Will was thinking about buying. Can't you ever get your mind out of the Hellmouth?"

"I'd be delighted to. However - the day of the Mayor's Ascension is rapidly approaching and we don't know what to expect." Giles says.

"What about the pages Will stole from the Mayor's book? Or the information Faith gave us. Don't tell me all that was useless." Xander says.

"On the contrary. We know Ascension refers to a human transforming into a demon. Becoming the living embodiment of an immortal. Graduation day, our Mayor Wilkins is scheduled to do just that." Giles says.

Now Wesley approaches from the stacks, carrying an armload of books. Cordelia trails behind him, also toting tomes. "The trouble is, we have no idea which demon he's going to become. Even Faith wasn't sure on that detail."

Faith smiles, "Sorry but he didn't lay out that much detail on me. I just know the general stuff."

Giles looks to Faith, "It's alright. The information you gave us was still helpful. Anyways there are thousands of species."

"So it's safe to say we should not waste time on trifling matters such as a school dance." Wesley says.

"That's too bad. 'cause I bet you'd look way "double oh seven" in a tux." Cordelia says.

"Except of course on the actual night of the event when I will be aiding Mr. Giles, Ms. Halliwell, Ms. Halliwell and Ms. Halliwell in their chaperoning duties." Wesley says.

"You - ? Excuse me?" Giles asks. But Wesley and Cordelia are too busy mooning at each other to pay him any mind. Giles lets it go. "Fine. You're all suffering from a touch of Spring Madness, if you ask me."

"Mine is more space madness. But I'll feel better once I get used to the weightlessness." Oz says.

"Promise me you'll never be linear." Willow says.

"On my trout." Oz says as he smiles at Willow and they nuzzle a bit.

"Dang Hope," Faith says. "I swear your just as bad as I am."

Giles is losing patience.

"We'll find you a dress, Will. We should check out April Fools." Buffy says.

"Don't go there! I shop there!" Cordelia says.

"I myself am dipping into my hard earned road trip fund to procure a shiny new tux, so look for me to dazzle." Xander says.

"And I won't be getting a dress. No way no how." Faith says.

Giles jumps in again - rather too emphatically. "And I of course will be wearing pink taffeta as the chenille does nothing for my complexion and can we PLEASE talk about the Ascension?"

Everyone just looks at him.

"Giles. We got it. Miles to go before we sleep. But, especially if we're going to vaporize or something on graduation day? We should be able to have a little prom-y fun. One night of glory; not too much to ask." Buffy says.

That night Buffy and Angel drop down into the sewers - and Buffy's none too happy about it. They talk softly - moving forward and looking around cautiously.

"Oh Goody. I always say patrol's not complete without a trip to the sticky sewers." Buffy says.

"I'm sure I saw him come down here." Angel says.

"Can't we let this be the vamp that got away?" Buffy asks. "We can tell everybody he was thiiiis big."

"What can I say? I need closure." Angel says walking off and Buffy follows after him.

"And clothes. You don't have a tux, do you?" Buffy says.

"Since when did patrolling go black tie?" Angel asks.

"For the prom, silly." Buffy says.

Angel stiffens at this. "We have more important things to think about right now than a dance, Buffy."

"Oh. Sorry, Giles. I'll just be quiet." Buffy says.

"Come on. Don't be that way-" Angel says.

But he doesn't get to finish because the vamp they were after drops down from a pipe he was hiding on, attacks.

Buffy - in no mood - grabs him in one swift motion and whips out a stake. "Not now." BOOM. She dusts him. Looks back to Angel - not missing a beat. "I'm not being that way. I say 'prom' and you turn all grouchy."

"I'm sorry. I'm just worried that you're getting too... invested in this whole thing." Angel says.

"In what "whole thing?" This is the stuff I'm supposed to get invested in. Going to a formal. Graduating. Growing up." Buffy says.

This hits Angel hard. His expression darken even further. "I know." He moves away from her.

Buffy follows, growing alarmed. "Then what? What's with the dire?"

"It's... Nothing." Angel says.

"No. You have a something face." Buffy says.

Angel knows he's cornered. "I think we need to talk. But not here. Not now."

"No. If you have something to say - then just say it." Buffy says.

"I need some time. I'm not even sure." Angel says.

Buffy frowns, "About what? You'd better cut the cryptic, Angel. You're scaring me." She does look scared. Afraid of what's coming.

Angel moves to her - speaks gently. "I've been thinking. About our future. And the more I do, the more I feel like us - you and me being together - is unfair to you."

Buffy can barely speak. "Is this about what the Mayor said? He was just trying to shake us up."

"He was right." Angel says and mentally adds, 'So is Prue.'

"Oh, come on! He's the bad guy! We both know that..." Buffy says.

"You deserve more. You deserve something outside of... demons and darkness. You should have someone who can take you into the light. Someone who can make love to you-" Angel says.

"I don't care about that." Buffy says.

"You will. And children-" Angel says.

"Children? Can you say jumping the gun? I kill my goldfish." Buffy says.

"Today. But you have no idea how fast it goes, Buffy. Before you know it, you'll want it all - a normal life." Angel says.

Buffy shakes her head, "I'll never have a normal life."

"Right. You'll always be a Charmed One and a Slayer. But that's all the more reason why you should have a real relationship instead of this... this freak show." Angel says. This hits Buffy like a slap in the face. Angel regrets it the moment he says it. "I didn't mean it that way-"

"I - I'm gonna go-" Buffy says, hurt and confused. She starts to leave - but Angel grabs her arm. Holds her fast.

"I'm sorry. Buffy, you know how much I love you. It kills me to say this-" Angel says.

"Then don't! Who are you to tell me what's right for me!? You think I've never thought about this stuff?" Buffy says.

"Have you? Rationally?" Angel asks.

"No, I'm just a swoony little schoolgirl, right?" Buffy asks.

Angel sighs, "I'm trying to do what's right here - I'm trying to think with my head instead of my heart –"

"What heart?" Buffy asks as she hits his chest. "You have a heart? It isn't even beating!"

"Buffy, please don't." Angel says, stung.

"Don't what? Don't love you? I'm sorry, nobody told me I had a choice! I can't just change - I'll never change. I want my life to be with you." Buffy says.

Angel realizes that this is the moment. What Prue was talking about. He' going to have to make the hard decision. "I don't."

"Don't - want to be with me?" Buffy says, devastated. He says nothing. The cold truth begins to settle in her. "I can't believe you're breaking up with me..."

"It doesn't mean I don't –" Angel says.

Buffy makes an abrupt gesture, no more. He stands, uncertain what to say. "How am I supposed to stay away from you?"

"I'm leaving. After the Ascension, after it's finished with the Mayor. If we survive, I'll go." Angel says.

"Where?" Buffy asks.

"I don't know." Angel says.

Buffy sighs, "Angel?"

"Buffy..." Angel says.

"Is this really happening?" Buffy says, lost."

They just stand there looking at each other - numb with pain. The dripping of the sewer the only sound.

Later Faith has caught up to Buffy and they are patroling in a deserted grave yard. Buffy stops and rests, leaning against a headstone. It's like it takes too much effort to keep moving.

Faith looks to Buffy, "Is something wrong, Buffy?"

Buffy looks at Faith, "You promise not to tell Will, till I tell her myself."

Faith nods, "Sure, Buffy."

"Angel dumped me. After were done with the Mayor. He's leaving town." Buffy says.

Faith looks at Buffy and then nods, "Why is it our lives always try and tear the ones we love away from us. I lost Hope for 16 years. Your mom passed away. You said your cousin's boyfriend turned evil leaving her. And now Angel."

Buffy shakes her head, "I don't know."

Later that evening at the Manor Buffy sits in the garden outside the conservatory in a lawn chair. Her knees hugged to her chest.

Across town at Willow's house. Faith knocks on the door as Sheila opens it.

"Hello Faith. I didn't expect to see you tonight." Sheila says.

Faith smiles, "Is Hope in?"

Sheila nods, "Sure she's in her room. Can I ask why do you call Willow, Hope?"

Faith smiles, "It's her name. Well it is to me. It's what my mom named her."

Sheila nods, "Of course. You can go on in."

Faith nods and heads into Willow's room, "Hey Hope."

The next day at the Manor in Buffy's room Buffy's beautiful prom dress hangs on the back of the closet door...

"So... That's it?" Willow asks.

Buffy nods, "That's it. Assuming we survive this Ascension thing. He's leaving."

"Well. He's a fool. He's just a big, dumb jerk person if you ask me. And, I mean, he's a super-maxi-jerk to do it right before the prom." Willow says.

Buffy sighs, "That's not his fault. He's 243 years old. He doesn't get the prom."

"But he should. If he-" Willow says.

Prue listens to the conversation outside the door. While she is glad Angel broke up with Buffy. She hates seeing Buffy this way. She wonders if she made the right choice talking to Angel.

"Will. It's okay. You don't have to make him the bad guy." Buffy says.

"But - that's the best friend's job. Vilifying and grousing." Willow says, at a loss.

"Usually yeah." Buffy says. "But he's right. In the long run – I think maybe he's right."

Willow digests this and then nods. "Yeah. I think he is. I mean - I tried to hope for the best, but... I'm sorry. It must be horrible."

Buffy smiles, weakly, "Oh. I think "horrible" is still coming. Right now it's...worse. right now - I'm just trying to keep from dying." She tries to power through it - but ends up crying despite herself.

Willow goes to her. "Oh, Buffy..."

Prue sighs and walks into the room and sits down next to Buffy.

Buffy sinks her head into Prue's lap - scared, gasping through her tears. "I can't breathe. I feel like I can't breathe."

Prue strokes Buffy's head. She and Willow are beside themselves at seeing Buffy in so much pain.

Later at the library a black and white security tape plays. On it a terrible monster attacks people in a dress shop.

Xander and Cordelia are showing the tape to Giles, Buffy, Wesley, Oz, Willow, Faith, Prue, Piper and Phoebe.

Giles turns to them "And you say the beast just - stopped?"

Xander points to the tape. "Yeah. See there? It's like he suddenly realized he forgot to put money in the meter or something."

"The other part that totally weirded me out? That thing had good taste. I mean, he chucked Xander and went right for the formal wear." Cordelia says.

"That's right. And he left behind his copy of Monster's Wear Daily." Xander says.

"I'm serious! Look at Xander's outfit. Now look at the kid the monster went after. Very smooth lines, till he was shredded." Cordelia says as she moves to rewind the tape.

Buffy moves away. "I... I don't want to see it again."

"I know it's horrible, Buffy. But you and Faith will be hunting this creature - you should study it." Giles says.

"B, G has a point." Faith says.

Buffy settles in a chair across the room, listless. "I think I got it."

The gang exchanges worried glances at her apathy.

Willow quickly pipes up. "She's right. I mean, you've seen one big, hairy death bringer of death - you've seen 'em all."

"Not really. If I'm not mistaken, this is a Hell Hound." Wesley says.

Giles nods, "Yes. Particularly vicious foe. It's a type of demon foot soldier, bred during the Mahkash wars. Trained solely to kill, they feed on the brains of their foes –"

Cordelia cuts him off, seeing something on the tape. "Look! Right there. Zoom in on that."

"Zoom in? this is a video tape." Xander says.

"So? They do it on TV all the time." Cordelia says.

"Not with a regular VCR they don't-" Xander says.

Wesley is clearly growing uncomfortable with Xander and Cordy's familiarity with each other - jumps in. "Perhaps we could stay on topic for once. What were you doing with Xander?"

Cordelia stammers - not wanting to say why. "What? Um. I was..."

"Burning a hole in daddy's wallet as usual. I just bumped into her on my tuxedo hunt." Xander says.

Oz notices something on the tape. "What's that?" Everyone looks at the monitor. On the screen something moves in the window. But it's gone in a flash. "Pause it."

"Guys, it's just a normal VCR, it doesn't - oh wait. It can do pause." Xander says. On the monitor with the image paused – they can see a guys peering through the window, transmitter in hand. "Hello Hellhound raiser."

Later Oz has a yearbook open to Tucker Wells yearbook photo. Willow's at the computer. Everyone else is in high research mode. Buffy sits slightly apart from the group - working but very much in her own bubble.

"Tucker Wells. I had chem with him." Oz says.

"Let me guess. He was quiet, kept to himself - but always seemed like a nice young man?" Wesley asks.

Oz nods, "Didn't seem like the murderous type, anyway. Something must have happened."

"How's it going over there, Buffy?" Piper asks sensing her little sisters mood.

Buffy doesn't even look up from her book. "Fine."

"Are you sure, Buffy?" Piper asks looking at her sisters with concern. Prue had told them that Angel had broke up with Buffy.

"I'm fine, Piper." Buffy says, even though she clearly isn't.

Willow pipes up - excited. "Ooooh! Ooooh! I got into Tucker's e-mail account –"

"Cool." Xander says.

Prue walks over to Willow, "What do you got?"

"Listen to this message Tucker sent to this kid, David Metz, at school last week. The Gateway High lemmings have no idea what awaits them. Their big night will be their last night."

"So. We have a threat against the students on "their big night..." A hell hound - trained to attack people n formal wear." Giles says.

"Oh, are we all catching up now?" Cordelia says.

Prue nods, "This Tucker is planning an attack on the prom tonight."

Everyone takes this in. Bummed.

"Once again - the Hellmouth puts the "special" in special occasion." Oz says.

"Why do I even buy tickets for these things - I ask you?" Xander asks.

"I wonder if I can take my dress back." Willow says.

Faith shakes her head, "Heck no, Hope. You deserve tonight."

Buffy raises her head from her book, as if awoken from a numbing sleep. She turns to Willow, intense. "Faith's right, don't you dare."

"But Tucker's going to-" Willow says.

Buffy stands - cutting her off. "No. You guys are gonna have a prom. The kind of prom everyone should have. Faith and I will give you all a nice, fun, normal evening... if we have to kill every single person on the face of the Earth to do it. Right, Faith?"

Faith nods, "Right, B."

"Yay?" Xander says.

Buffy - galvanized - addresses Prue, Piper, Phoebe, Giles, Wesley, Oz, Xander, Cordelia and Willow.

"Wes, go to his house. Probably not there, but it's worth a shot." Buffy says.

"All right. Perhaps strength in numbers is –" Wesley says.

"You can take Cordy and Prue." Buffy says.

Wesley nods, "If that's your plan, all right... and the others?"

"Oz - you said you know this David kid Tucker e-mailed. You, Piper and Will go track him down. Find out what he knows - if he's involved." Buffy says.

"We're on it." Willow says as she Willow, Piper and Oz bail.

Buffy turns to Wesley, Prue and Cordelia. "Maybe you guys should stop by the magic shop too."

"Magic Shop?" Wesley asks.

"The one by the dress store." Buffy says.

Xander eagerly volunteers before Wesley can. "I can swing that one. What's the mission?"

"Ask if anybody's been in buying supplies to raise a Hell Hound. Take Phoebe with you."

Xander nods and gathers his stuff motioning for Phoebe and they head out. "Got ya. Or who's been stocking up on Hell Hound Sausages. I hear those pups will do anything for a tasty snack treat."

"Giles, you said they eat brains. Any brains?" Buffy asks.

"I suppose..." Giles says.

Faith sees where Buffy's going, "Well, Tucker's gotta be feeding that thing, right?"

Later at a Meat Processing Plant, Faith and Buffy waits while a heavy-set guy - Harv - finishes writing something down on his clip board. He rips the piece of paper off - hands it to Buffy.

"Yeah. This kid orders cow brains a couple times a week. Goes to this address." Harv says. "Weird kid."

"Thanks. Thanks a lot." Buffy says as she and Faith turns away from him. Buffy is stunned when she sees Angel at the other end of the loading dock. He's passing some money to another worker, who hands him a bag with a few sealed containers in it.

Angel spots Buffy. He closes the distance between them. They each block an impulse to touch. Instead they just stand there. The tension pretty much unbearable.

"I'll be right over here." Faith says and she moves away.

"What are you two doing here?" Angel asks.

"Hello to you too." Buffy says.

"Sorry. It's just - I'm surprised." Angel says.

"Me too. Even though I shouldn't be. I mean - where did I think you got your blood? McPlasma's?" Buffy says.

Angel softens. "How are you?"

"As Faith would say, five by five. Whatever that means." Buffy says. Angel just looks at her - not buying it. "Don't give me that look . I can lie to you if I want to now. We're "ex" - remember?"

Angel nods, "If it means anything, I miss you-"

Buffy cuts him off - but not unkindly. "Could we - not? Truth is, when I think about us I have a tendency to go sort of catatonic. And I can't do that right now. I've got to stop a crazy person from pulling a "Carrie" at the prom."

"You're still planning to go?" Angel asks.

"Strictly in the chaperone capacity." Buffy says. Angel clearly feels terrible. Buffy covers her own sadness. "It's cool. I'm fine with showing up stag. I'm over the whole "Buffy gets a perfect high-school moment" thing. But no way am I going to let some subhuman rob the entire senior class of theirs." She starts towards Faith.

Angel stops her. "Let me help you two."

"No. I'm okay." Buffy says.

"You know I'll always help you whenever –" Angel says.

Buffy shakes her head, "I'm okay. Thanks."

And Buffy moves off joining Faith and they disappear into the night.

Angel watches her - heartbroken.

Back at the library Faith and Buffy returns to find Piper, Phoebe, Oz, Willow, Xander and Giles. They all look a little bummed.

"Zeroes all round, Buff." Oz says.

"Sorry." Xander says.

"Make not with the long faces. Faith and I got the address. " Buffy says. "Now. The prom starts in a little while. You guys go on. I'll catch up with you as soon as Faith and I put a lid on this jerk."

"What? No way." Xander says.

"We can't just leave you and Faith, Buff-" Willow says.

"Buffy, they're right. You may need more than just Faith." Giles says.

"I want to see tail lights. Hit the door. Faith and I've got everything under control." Buffy says.

"Buffy, it makes sense to –" Oz says.

"Have… A… Nice… Time." Buffy says.

Willow, Xander and Oz know better than to argue with that.

"Okay then." Willow says.

"See ya." Xander says.

They take off, leaving only Phoebe, Piper, Faith and Giles - who looks at Buffy questioningly.

"Phoebe, Piper, Giles I want you at the gym. Keep an eye on them till I get there." Buffy says. "When Prue gets back I want her there also."

"I don't need to tell you you're being rather rash. Getting an address hardly adds up to "case closed"." Giles says.

Buffy goes to the book cage - starts to arm herself.

Faith sighs, "Look. It's done. You want to run after them and tell them that they can't go? I know I don't want to tell Hope that all her planning and dreaming was for nothing."

Buffy nods, "That they can't be with their honeys on tonight of all nights?"

Giles takes this in. Gets it. "Angel's not taking you, is he?"

Buffy holds it together. "He's leaving me. Leaving town."

Piper and Phoebe move to Buffy and hold her for a moment.

"I'm sorry, Buffy." Giles says. "I don't really know what to say. It's my understanding that this is the sort of thing that requires ice cream of some kind."

Piper nods, "Don't worry she'll have more ice cream than she can stand later."

Buffy nods, "I feel like taking out psycho boy."

"You're sure?" Giles asks.

Faith laughs, "Great thing about being a Slayer. Kicking ass is comfort food." She turns to Buffy, "I do need to make a quick stop. And I believe so do you."

Buffy nods and she takes Faith's hand and flames out.

At Tucker's lair Buffy flames in with Faith. Faith is holding Buffy's weapons bag. They see Tucker about to open the hellhound's cage.

Buffy grabs him hard. Slams the door to the cage shut again and locks it. "Sorry. New plan. The prom is go and you're pathetic."

"Maybe..." Tucker says and manages to grab an electrical cord and yanks a heavy lamp off a tall shelf and onto Buffy.

"B!" Faith says.

Buffy's more surprised than hurt - but enough of both that Tucker's able to break her grasp. He scrambles away from her.

Tucker grabs a screwdriver - holds it out in a menacing fashion. "Maybe not."

Buffy and Faith advances on him undaunted. They Note the video monitor in front of the Hell Hound's cage. A few discarded video boxes... CARRIE. PRETTY IN PINK.

"So that's it? You brain-washed the hound to go psycho over all things prom?" Buffy asks.

Tucker grins, "Neat, huh?"

Buffy can't believe this guy. "I don't get. What kind of sicko would want to destroy the happiest night of a senior's life?"

"I have my reasons." Tucker says .

Faith and Buffy closes in on Tucker.

"Whatever. Every maladjust has a reason. Lucky for me you're an incompetent maladjust." Buffy says.

Tucker lunges at Faith with the screwdriver. A brief fight ensues, but Faith easily disarms and overpowers him. She pins him.

Buffy takes some rope from her weapons bag that Faith dropped and quickly ties him up. Now she and Faith drags him over to what appears to be a utility closet. Grabs the door.

"Now. We're just going to lock you up in here - and then I'm going to party like it's-" Buffy says as she opens the door. She can't believe what's behind it.

There are three more hellhound cages and three more video monitors. All have clearly been occupied until very recently.

Tucker grins, "Gotta have a redundancy system. Any "incompetent" knows that. My three fiercest babies are on their way to the dance right now. You think formal wear makes them crazy? Wait till they see the mirror ball."

Later outside the gym Buffy and Faith flames in. They see the hell hounds heading toward the building.

Faith pulls a crossbow from Buffy's weapons bag - takes aim on one of the hounds. WHOOSH! She lets her arrow fly. It hits one of the hounds only seconds before it enters the gym. It BELLOWS - falls down dead.

The remaining two hellhounds stop to check out their felled companion. Properly alarmed, they turn and see Faith preparing to launch another arrow their way as Buffy powers up a fireball. Then they take off toward Buffy and Faith, snarling - their teeth bared.

Buffy and Faith tries to get the drop on another hound. But they are coming at them too fast. They turn and runs - away from the gym. The hounds follow in hot pursuit.

"That's right, follow Buffy and Faith... good dogs..." Buffy says.

Faith shakes her head, "Not one of your best."

Buffy nods.

Faith and Buffy seem to be leading the hounds away from the prom and their objective. But a moment later a popular dance tune can be heard starting up in the gym the prom-goers issue a happy cry of approval - which stops the Hell Hounds dead.

Faith and Buffy sees this and tries to distract the hounds.

"Oh - come on! That song sucks!" Buffy says.

"Who picks these songs anyways?" Faith asks.

The Hell Hounds are no longer interested in them. They turn tail and head back toward the prom. Buffy and Faith runs after them. Faith is trying to take aim with the crossbow.

But it's no use. The hounds disappear into the building - with Buffy and Faith hot on their heels.

The Hell Hounds are just about to hit the doors into the main area of the gym when Faith and Buffy enters. They quickly spy some decorative drapes that hang over the doors and Faith leaps for them, pulling them down over the hounds and stopping them.

One of the hounds immediately gets out from under the drapes - but the other is fairly entangled. Not wasting a moment, Buffy powers a fireball at the hound vanquishing it.

Faith manages to get the other hound in a head lock and snaps its neck. It collapses in a breathless heap.

Faith gets up, "Go get your dress. I'll take care of these guys. Besides I want to make an entrance. Surprise Hope."

Buffy laughs, "And she will be surprised. Who would have thought you in a dress."

"Definitely not me." Faith says.

Buffy runs outside to her weapon bag and retrieves one of two garment bags from within it.

Faith drags a dead Hell Hound into some bushes next to two others that are already hidden away there. She then goes to Buffy's weapon bag and retrieves the other garment bag from it.

In the Gym, the prom is in full swing as Buffy enters, looking breathtaking. A beat as she surveys the scene. Likewise, guys and girls eye the beautiful late-comer.

Now Buffy sees Giles, Prue, Piper and Phoebe. Catches their eyes. Nods. It's all taken care of. Giles nods back, quietly pleased.

Prue, Piper and Phoebe nods, smiling.

Willow and Oz are dancing. Then Willow spots Buffy - points her out to Oz. They move to her.

"Buffy! You look awesome." Willow says as she hugs Buffy.

"Everything cool?" Oz asks.

Buffy nods, "Coolest. Devil dogs are history. How's the prom?"

"Strangely affecting. I teared up when they played "We Are Family."" Oz says.

"Everything's perfect, Buffy." Willow says, beaming.

Buffy takes this in. Pleased.

And then the doors to the gym open and in walks Faith looking radiant. Willow's jaw drops at the sight of her sister.

Faith makes her way towards Willow and smiles, "Thought I'd surprise you, Hope."

"You definitely did that, Faith." Willow says as she takes a look at her sister in a prom dress. "You look beautiful."

Faith smiles, "So do you, Hope."

Later the class award presentations are in progress. A number of students stand, lined up at the mic with various plaques and trophies in hand.

Buffy stands by herself at the punch bowl table. A bit removed, a bit forlorn, but still glad for the warmth she is not sharing.

"And the award for Sunnydale High's "Class Clown" for 1999 goes to..."

A spotlight finds a goof with a balloon animal on his head.

"Jack Mayhew!"

Jack reacts to his triumph and runs up to the stage - mugging and doing "wild and crazy guy" type stuff.

Xander rolls his eyes - disgusted. "Please. Anybody can be a prop class clown. You know, none of the people who vote are funny."

The student who was at the mic turns and looks around, there is a little shuffling as he beckons Jonathan to come forward. He steps to the mic.

"We have one more award to give out... Is Payson Halliwell here tonight? Did she, uh..." Jonathan says.

Minor confusion ensues as a spotlight looks for Buffy.

Buffy has turned away, is getting punch as the spotlight finally finds her. She turns, looking confused.

"This is actually a new category, first time ever, I guess there were a lot of write in ballots... and, uh, the prom committee has asked me to read this." Jonathan says and he produces a piece of paper, reads a little stiffly, "We're not good friends. Most of us never found the time to get to know you. But that doesn't mean we haven't noticed you. We don't talk about it much, but it's no secret Gateway High isn't really like other schools. A lot of weird stuff happens here."

There are murmurs, chuckles.

"Zombies!"

"Hyena people!"

"Snyder!"

Several of the students laugh.

Jonathan waits a moment, continues, "But whenever there was a problem or something creepy happened, you seemed to show up and stop it. Most of the people here have been saved by you, or helped by you, at one time or another. We're proud to say that the class of '99 has the lowest mortality rate of any graduating class in San Francisco history."

There is big applause.

"And we know at least part of that is because of you. So the senior class offers its thanks, and ... gives you, uh, this..." Jonathan says as there is some fumbling about between the kids as they pass Buffy's award to the front. It's a small umbrella, decorated and gold spray-painted. Jonathan takes it, opens it. "It's from all of us, and it's got written here, "Payson Halliwell. Class Protector.""

Buffy is stunned. Near tears as she steps toward the stage, and the kids make big with the clapping.

Despite the fact it could be considered exposure. Prue, Piper and Phoebe look at Buffy with pride.

Buffy reaches the stage and Jonathan hands the umbrella down to her. She takes it and faces the crowd, no idea what to do.

Giles, Willow, Oz and Xander begin to clap and whistle.

Then Prue, Piper and Phoebe join them clapping also.

Then more people both chaperones and students begin clapping.

Even Faith is clapping.

Later Wesley moves to Giles, clearly anxious. "Mr. Giles. I'd like your opinion. While the last thing I wish to do is model bad behavior in front of impressionable youth - I wonder if asking Ms. Chase for a dance would –"

Giles, clearly fed up with the whole matter, cuts him off. "For God's sake man. She's eighteen and you have the emotional maturity of a blueberry scone. Have at it, would you, and stop fluttering about."

Chastened and pleased in equal measures - Wesley nods. "Right then. Thanks for that." And moves off toward an eager Cordelia.

A slow song plays. Oz dances with Willow. Xander dances with Anya. And now Cordelia dances with Wesley.

Prue and Giles sees Buffy from opposite ends of the gym, standing alone with her award. Watching her friends dance. They move to her.

"You did good work tonight, Buffy." Giles says.

"You did, Buffy." Prue says.

"Yeah, and I got a toy surprise." Buffy says.

Giles nods, "Yes. I really had no idea that children - en masse - could be gracious."

Prue nods, "I agree."

"Every now and then, people surprise you." Buffy says.

Prue and Giles sees something behind Buffy. Giles smiles.

Prue looks at him and nods. She was wrong she knows that now. She will talk to Angel later see if she can fix it.

"Every now and then." Giles says.

Buffy follows their gaze as she turns to see Angel in a tuxedo. Walking towards her.

Giles steps gracefully away as Prue takes the umbrella from Buffy. Prue then steps away as Buffy stands there, eyes locked on Angel.

Buffy and Angel meet on the dance floor. They just stand there - not dancing.

"I never thought you'd come." Buffy says.

Angel nods, "It's a big night. I didn't want to miss it. It's just tonight. It doesn't mean that—"

Buffy nods, "I know. I mean... I understand."

There is a greater meaning to that that is not lost on Angel. They look at each other, their burdens lifted slightly, their pain not gone but mellowing. Words unsaid.

"Will you dance with me?" Angel asks.

He has to ask? Buffy folds into his arms, head on his breast. Closes her eyes as they dance.


	75. Chapter 75: Graduation

**Chapter 75: Graduation**

Prue knocks on the door of the mansion and Angel opens it.

"Prue." Angel says.

"Can I come in?" Prue asks.

Angel nods and motions her inside. "What can I do for you? Is Buffy okay?"

Prue sighs, "Buffy's fine considering the circumstances. Angel I was wrong to ask you to do what you did."

Angel nods, "But you were right to ask it. I will always love Buffy. But you were right she should have a normal life. I thought about it after you left. What kind of life would she have with me? She could never have any children with me. I will never age, and she will grow old and die and I will have to watch it. She deserves so much more. She deserves someone who can take her into the light. Who can when she's ready give her a son or a daughter."

Across town Buffy and Faith have snuck into the apartment the Mayor gave Faith. Clothes and weapons are laid out on the couch - there are packing boxes everywhere. A cat jumps onto the bed.

Buffy looks at it. "Who's gonna look after him?"

Faith crosses behind Buffy, "It's a she. And aren't these things supposed to take care of themselves?"

"A higher power, guiding us?" Buffy asks.

Faith shakes her head, "I'm pretty sure that's not what I meant. Seriously though Hope gets her. Something to hold on to while I'm in jail, assuming we survive that is." She turns to the window.

"What about you?" Buffy asks. "Seriously, how are you doing?"

Faith turns back to Buffy and sighs, "It's hard. I won't say it's not. To have found Hope after so long. To have done the things that I did. To tell her I'm going away. I have to do it for her though. I have to show her that I'm not going to revert back. And paying for what I did is the best way I can do that."

"Faith never think for one second that Willow wants you to do that. She's your sister she'll stand by you no matter what. Believe me I know." Buffy says.

Faith nods, "Yeah those cousins of yours are wonderful women. And I know Hope will stand beside me. But this is something I have to do."

Buffy smiles, "I understand Faith. And you know what I'll be waiting with Willow when you get out. I know we had a falling out. But I'd like to think were friends."

"Sure Buffy, were friends. The Chosen Two." Faith says.

Buffy is taken back by the use of her name, "You called me Buffy. You've never called me anything other than B before."

Faith smiles, "True. But I think I owe that much to you. It's the same reason I don't call Hope, Red anymore." She pauses for a moment. "I just thought of something."

"What?" Buffy asks.

Faith moves toward Buffy. "Human weakness. It never goes away. Even his."

"Human weakness? What would be his human weakness?" Buffy asks.

"Me of course. He treated me like the daughter he never had." Faith said. "If he sees me standing next to you we might be able to play it."

"So what are you going to do with all this stuff?" Buffy asks.

Faith shakes her head, "No use to me in prison. Take it home its yours. Well except for the cat, that's Hope's."

Buffy shakes her head, "I can't use all this."

Faith stands before her, looks at her with quiet regard. "Just take what you need. Give the rest to Hope then." Buffy nods. "You ready?"

"We'll come back for the rest after we deal with the Mayor." Buffy says.

Faith nods, "Sounds like a plan."

They each grab a box or two and head out the door.

Later in the library Faith and Buffy are addressing the gang – Xander, Willow, Oz, Cordelia, Angel, Giles, Prue, Piper and Phoebe. The gang is a tad non plussed, staring at the girls.

"That's the basic plan. So. Are we crazy?" Buffy says.

"Well, "crazy's" a strong word –" Willow says.

"Hope!" Faith says.

Giles shakes his head, "Let's not rule it out though."

"You don't think it can be done." Buffy says.

"I didn't say that. I might, but I haven't yet." Giles says.

Cordelia nods, "Okay, well, I personally don't think it's possible to come up with a crazier plan."

"We attack the Mayor with hummus." Oz says.

"I stand corrected." Cordelia says.

Oz smiles, "Just keeping things in perspective."

"Thank you. My point, however, is crazy or not, it's pretty much the only plan. Besides, it's Buffy and Faith's and their slay-gal, you know. Miss Like-to-Fight, so..." Cordelia says.

Willow glares at Cordelia.

"I think there was a 'yea' vote buried in there somewhere." Xander says.

Buffy nods, "Well, we need you all on board. Especially you, Xander and Prue. You two are kind of the key to this figure here."

"Key? Me? Okay, pride... humility... and here's the mind numbing fear." Xander says.

Prue rolls her eyes, "What do we have to do?"

"Xander do you still remember any of your military training from when you became soldier guy?"

"Ooh! Rocket launcher?" Xander asks.

Faith shakes her head, "Rocket launcher's not gonna get it done."

Buffy nods, "Took a volcano to kill one of these things last time."

"Buffy, Faith, all of this is dependant on your being able to control the Mayor. How do you plan to do that?" Giles asks.

Buffy looks to Faith, "It's your show."

Faith sighs and nods, "We're going to play on his human weakness. That's the way we're gonna get to him."

"The Mayor's weakness." Giles says.

"Right." Buffy says.

Giles nods, "Which is what?"

"Me." Faith said. "I'm his weak link. Ever since I started working for him. He always saw me as the daughter he never had."

"Neither of you have an enormous amount of time." Wesley says having entered unnoticed.

"Hey, it's Mister States-the-Obvious!" Xander says.

Buffy shakes her head, "I think Faith and I are in agreement here that the Council isn't welcome here. We got no time for orders. We need someone to scream like a woman, we'll give you a call."

"Buffy's right we don't need you." Faith said. "Plus I don't trust you. If Buffy hadn't stopped you from calling them. You would have had me taken from my sister."

Wesley sighs, "I'm not here for the Council. Just tell me how I can help. "

"Oh, you are SO classy. Isn't he just so classy?" Cordelia says.

"It's a start." Buffy says.

Wesley nods, "So there is something I can do? Besides scream like a woman?"

"There's plenty. Chores for everyone. Okay, this is how it's going to lay out..." Buffy says.

Later Wesley walks over to Faith carrying an envelope.

"Faith I want to apologize to you. You and Buffy are right. What good is it to be in this war if whole families are ripped apart. It's why I got this for you." Wesley hands her an envelope. "It's what I found out about Willow's kidnapping when she was a baby."

Faith opens the envelope and looks at the contents. "They took Hope from me? The Watcher's Council took my sister?"

Wesley sighs and nods, "Yes. They thought she was you."

Faith growls, "Those no good…"

"Faith!" Willow says. "It's okay we're together now."

Faith looks to Willow and smiles, "Your right, Hope."

Later Everyone has divided into sections, talking about their plans. Wesley is reading to Faith, Buffy, Prue, Xander and Angel, "Darkness will follow, the day become night..."

"An eclipse." Buffy says.

Wesley nods, "Standard procedure during an Ascension."

"That puts me back in the game." Angel says.

Buffy nods, "Yes it does. I'll need you, Prue and Xander working in sync here. Can you guys handle that?"

Prue nods, "No Problem, Buffy."

"Prue and I are still Key Guy, right?" Xander asks.

Buffy nods, "Right."

"Great, then Angel - in his non-Key Guy capacity - can work with us." Xander says.

"What fun." Angel says.

Prue shakes her head. "You got that right."

Later Faith and Buffy approaches Oz and Willow. "How are we on volcano detail?"

"I think we can work it." Oz says.

Willow nods, "Fun with chemistry."

Faith shakes her head, "Dang Hope. You could give me a run for my money."

Willow laughs, "Well."

Giles joins them.

"Xander should be able to locate the materials." Buffy says.

Oz nods, "Who's gonna stoke it up?"

Buffy turns to Giles. "Feel up to it?"

"I suppose it should be I. It's fitting, in a grotesque fashion." Giles says.

"Okay." Buffy says as she looks around at everyone. "You guys start reaching out." She looks to Giles. "Giles, weapons weapons weapons." She looks to Prue, Phoebe and Piper. "Time start thinking Power of Three."

Later in Oz's van Faith, Oz and Willow are hoisting sacks of fertilizer, handing them over to Jonathan and Larry. They put them in a shopping cart with a bunch of others.

"Put these with the others. And don't touch anything." Oz says.

Larry nods, "We got it."

"What do we do then?" Jonathan asks.

Faith shakes her head, "Nothing. Wait for Graduation to start."

Willow nods, "Faith's right just relax, have a good time."

"Uh, okay..." Jonathan says nervously.

Larry looks around conspiratorially. "It's clear. Let's move."

The two of them drive the cart off.

"I guess that's it. Won't be long now." Willow says.

Oz nods, "Nervous?"

Willow nods, "Only in a terrified way."

Faith smiles, "It's good to be scared though. Helps to make sure you stay alive. Belive me Hope. If you die I'm going to raise you from the dead and kick your rear from here to eternity."

Willow smiles, "Sure, Faith."

Faith moves towards the van's doors.

Oz comes close to Willow. "We'll make it through this."

Willow shakes her head, "Are you sure?"

Oz nods, "I sound pretty sure, don't I?

Faith grins and gets out.

Willow nods, "Yeah..."

"Then I must be sure." Oz says.

"Was that just a comforting way of not answering the question?" Willow asks

Oz stops her, hand to her face. They kiss. It becomes passionate.

Faith shakes her head, "Don't do anything I wouldn't do, Hope." She slides the van door closed as Willow blushes.

In Giles office Angel is there, stocking weapons, when Buffy walks in carrying something wrapped in an old rag.

"You get what you needed?" Angel says.

Buffy nods as Faith walks in, "I did." She unwraps the knife and hands it to Faith, "Just what you ordered."

Faith looks at the knife and nods, "One of the few toys he gave me that I like. It looks wicked don't it."

Buffy smiles, "Yeah." She looks over the weapons, brushing past Angel. "We're gonna need more than this."

Faith turns and leaves heading over to Buffy's cousins.

"Giles is on it." Angel says.

Buffy nods, "Have you, Prue and Xander worked out your timing?"

"I'm not saying goodbye." Angel says. Buffy stops, drops the businesslike demeanor. "We make it through this, I'm just gonna go. Do you understand?" Buffy nods. "There's just too much to –"

Buffy holds up her hand. No more. He nods, turns to collect some weapons. She watches him, keeps watching as he exits the office.

Later the ceremony is underway. The students file into their seats as the band plays some processional.

Buffy is the last into her seat, in front near the middle. Willow's seat is next to hers, and conspicuously empty. And Faith sits on the other side of Willow's seat.

The music stops, and Snyder, who sits on the podium with the Mayor and a few teachers, steps up to the microphone. "Congratulations to the class of 1999. You've all proved more or less adequate. This is a time for celebration, so sit still and be quiet." He looks to a student. "Spit out that gum. Please welcome our distinguished guest speaker, Sunnydale's own Mayor, Richard Wilkins III." He looks back at the gum chewing student. "I saw that gesture. You see me after graduation." He sits by the diplomas as the Mayor takes the podium.

Buffy eyes the Mayor from her seat. Waiting.

Willow scurries into her seat between Faith and Buffy. Buffy looks at Will, whose hair is luxuriantly mussed.

"Am I late? Did we fight?" Willow asks.

Buffy and Faith shakes their heads, looks back to the stage.

The Mayor pulls out some 3x5 cards, looks over them. "Well. What a day this is. Special day. Today is our centennial, the one hundredth anniversary of the founding of Sunnydale. And I know what that means to all you kids. Not a darn thing. 'Cause today something much more important happens. Today you all graduate from high school. Today all the pain and the work and the excitement is finally over, and what's a hundred years of history compared to that?"

Something horrible dawns on Buffy. "My god... he's gonna do the whole speech."

"Oh, man... just ascend, already!" Willow says.

"Evil." Faith says.

"But you know what, kids? Maybe the two things are connected. Maybe you have a place in Sunnydale's history, whether you like it or not. It's been a long road getting here, for you, for Sunnydale... there's been achievement, joy, good times... and there's been grief. There's been loss. Some people who should be here today, aren't." The Mayor says.

Faith notices he is looking right at her. She smirks and waves.

"But we are. Journey's end. And what is a journey? Is it just distance traveled? Time spent? No. It's what happens on the way, it's the things that shape you. At the end of the journey, you're not the same. Today is about change. Graduation doesn't just mea your circumstances change, it means you do. You ascend to a higher level. Nothing will ever be the same. Nothing." As the Mayor speaks this last, the sun disappears in an eclipse - the Mayor, Buffy and all the students looking up as night falls suddenly upon them.

The Mayor feels the change start. It's painful, but he struggles to continue, "So as we look back on..." There is a murmur along the students as he goes on... "...on the events that have brought us to this day... we..."

"Come on..." Buffy and Faith says.

"We must all... AHH. It has begun. My destiny. Little sooner than I expected –" The Mayor says as he messes with the 3x5 cards "—I had a whole section about civic pride, but..." He looks up, death in his eyes. "I guess we'll just get to the big finish."

And he transforms, suddenly, horribly - his clothes ripping off him as he grows too big for them, too big by far as he transforms into this unholy big-ass snake thing.

The students clamor to their feet, looking up in awe and terror.

Snyder looks up as well, reason slipping away from him. "This is simply unacceptable."

The parents turn tail and run. All but three – the most power witches, the Charmed Ones.

Twenty vamps form a line, looking up the steps at the hapless class.

The Mayor roars in triumph.

Buffy and Faith looks up at the Mayor - and then calls out, "NOW!"

As one, the class drops their robes. Every single class member has weapons underneath.

"Flame units!" Buffy calls out.

At either end of the front row are guys - one of them being Larry - with flame throwers. They fire up at the Mayor, causing him to recoil.

Buffy turns to Xander, nods.

Xander looks to Prue who nods and they call out, "First wave!"

Other students in the front row have harpoon guns, spears, crossbows - they aim at the Mayor.

The Mayor swoops down, avoiding the flames, and grabs a kid, makes a meal of him.

"Fire!" Prue and Xander says.

Assorted projectiles fire at the Mayor, some of them striking true.

"Xander! Prue!" Oz says from where he's watching the line of vamps, as a couple of students try to flee down the stairs and get eaten for their troubles.

"Bowmen!" Prue and Xander calls out.

Piper moves over next to Oz.

A row of ten arrows is raised, tips all aflame.

"Fire!" Piper calls out.

A volley is fired.

A couple of vamps take hits - one in the arm, one right in the chest. Others stumble back, shield themselves in confusion.

Another row of flaming arrows is raised.

Amidst the second volley, the vamps turn tail.

Angel is behind them. Flanked by Wesley, Percy, and six other heavy looking fellows.

The vampires stop, trapped.

Angel smiles... and charges. He hits them - and easily engages a few, while his companions do their best with stakes.

Larry's flame thrower putters out. "Dammit!" He drops it and picks up a fallen spear - but the Mayor's tail lashes out and slams into him, sends him flying. His neck cracks sickeningly as he hits the ground.

"Fall back!" Faith and Buffy call out.

Snyder is looking up at the Mayor - and at the kids - becoming increasingly irritated. "This is not orderly. This is not disciplined. You're on MY campus, buddy, and when I say I want quiet—"

The Mayor eats him.

"Fall back! Get back!" Buffy calls out.

Faith looks to Willow, "Hope, go."

Willow nods, "Good luck. And Faith, you don't die."

Faith laughs, "Not without your approval little sis."

Willow smiles, "And you will never have it." She turns to follow Xander.

"Xander! Take 'em down." Buffy says.

Xander nods, "Everyone! Hand to hand!"

The class drop their bows and harpoons, pulling out stakes, axes, bats and the like. Prue, Piper and Phoebe each pull out stakes and crosses.

"Ready!" Xander and Prue says.

Angel is just kicking ass.

The vamps are torn - finally one calls out, "Get the kids!" And heads up the steps. The others follow - and are met by a wave of students, the entire graduating class pouring down on them, yelling, weapons in hand, they meet on the stairs and fuggin Braveheart ensues.

Amidst the carnage; Prue, Piper, Phoebe, Willow, Oz, Cordelia are all engaging vamps. Jonathan also managing to hold his own.

Harmony is pulled aside as a vamp bites her.

Wesley gets knocked on his ass and landing painfully.

Xander socks a vamp down the stairs, calling out, "Right flank! Close on them! Close! Jason, Doug, you guys are the right flank! Prue you got left flank?"

Prue nods, "Got it, go Xander."

Xander goes to help right flank.

The Mayor swallows the last of Snyder.

"Hey!" Buffy and Faith calls out.

The Mayor looks around. Buffy and Faith are standing alone, the rest of the kids still booking down into the field of play below.

"Remember ME?" Faith says as she holds the knife the Mayor gave her. "You gave me this when you thought of me as your daughter. Newsflash old man, I'm not your daughter. In fact I have a family and it aint you, Dick!"

The Mayor lunges at Buffy and Faith and they run, runs through the arches, down the corridor, away from the students.

Buffy and Faith runs in to the student lounge - and a moment later the Mayor crashes through the window, shooting down the hall after them. They run toward the library, he follow and gets stuck in the door way. Smashes his head into it and breaks it off the walls, bringing it with him as he follows them.

Buffy and Faith runs into the library and through, jumping to the second level and out the back door, running through the empty stacks and BURSTS through a window, landing in a roll at Giles' feet.

Inside the Mayor snakes in after them, bursting through the library doors and into the room, stopping to see the many big metal drums, many bags of fertilizer, many sticks of dynamite strapped to the railings, and many wires leading out the back of the room.

Outside Giles hits the plunger.

And the school goes boom as each square inch of it goes up in flames barbequing the Mayor.

Giles, Faith and Buffy step back, light and wind playing on their faces.

Faith smiles, "Now isn't that a pretty sight. Buffy I can see why you like blowing things up."

Buffy laughs, "I'm never going to live burning the gym at Hemery down, am I?

Faith shakes her head.

Later in front of what's left of the school Fire trucks and ambulances have arrived, the smoking ruin of the school just hidden by them. People are helping the wounded into ambulances, milling about in postwar shock, leaving, talking, hugging, crying.

Wesley is in a gurney, being loaded into an ambulance. "If I could just get something for the pain, it's rather a lot of pain... an aspirin.. anyone... if I could just be knocked unconscious..." He is loaded up and roundly ignored.

"We got off pretty cheap, considering." Xander says.

Buffy nods, "Seems like we did." Her eyes are elsewhere, searching.

Xander understands. "He made it through the fight. Guess maybe he took off after."

Buffy nods. They part ways. Buffy running into Giles and Faith.

"How are you?" Giles asks.

"Tired." Buffy says. "How are you Faith?"

"I could sleep for like a week." Faith says.

Giles nods, "I'd imagine so. Quite a couple of days."

Buffy nods, "My brain hasn't processed everything yet. It's not really functioning at the higher levels; it's pretty much, "fire bad, tree pretty". Anything more complex..."

Giles nods, "Understandable. Well, when it starts working again, congratulate it on a good campaign. You did very well. In fact you both did very well."

"Don't go getting sentimental on me, G." Faith says.

Buffy nods, "Thanks."

Giles reaches into his pocket, "I uh, I ferreted this out of the wreckage for you. You may not have any interest, but..." It's Buffy's diploma. He hands it to her. "I'd say you've earned it." Buffy takes it gratefully. He looks out at the wreckage of the school. "There is a certain dramatic irony in the way things turned out. A synchronicity that almost borders on predestination, one might say."

Buffy nods, "Fire bad. Tree pretty."

Giles nods, "Right. Sorry. I'd best check on Wesley, see if he's still whimpering. Faith, say the day after tomorrow? I meet you at the police station like we discussed. "

Faith nods, "See you there, G."

Giles nods, "Tell Willow I said hello. Oh and Buffy you do the same for me with Prue, Piper and Phoebe."

Buffy and Faith smiles as they say together, "Will do."

Giles goes over to the ambulance.

Buffy looks at her diploma, looks around her. She feels Angel before she sees him. She turns to see Angel stands some twenty yards away, looking at her. People coming and going in between. They stare at each other. Angel turns and walks away.

Buffy stands and watches him.

"A little anti-climactic in a way. No long goodbyes." Faith says.

"Getting sentimental, Faith?" Buffy asks.

Faith smiles, "I think Hope's rubbing off on me."

The gang (Oz, Willow, Xander, Cordelia) is together by the curb. Buffy joins them.

"Well, that was the most fun you can have without having any fun." Cordelia says.

Willow nods, "What about the part where we kicked demon ass? I didn't hate that."

Faith shakes her head and smiles at Willow. She pulls her sister into an embrace.

"Guys, we blew up the school! It's the best day ever!" Xander says.

"Why do demons even come here anymore?" Willow says. "Don't they know how bad we are?"

Buffy nods, "I think we've done pretty much everything we can."

"Oh I think there is more damage we could do, you know other schools we could burn down." Faith says.

Buffy laughs, "You guys wanna take off?"

Cordelia nods, "I'm for it."

"You okay?" Willow asks Buffy.

Buffy considers the question. "Yeah. I'm okay. I just... I could use a little sleep."

"You and me both, Buffy. You and me both." Faith says smiling.

Willow smiles and hugs Faith again, "Yeah."

"If somebody could just wake me up when it's time to go to college, that'd be great." Buffy says.

"Guys. Take a moment to deal with this. We survived." Oz says.

Faith nods, "It was a hell of a battle."

Oz shakes his head, "Not the battle. High school."

"Yeah you did. Makes me think about getting my GED." Faith said.

Willow smiles, "You should."

"We're taking a moment." Oz says as they do indeed take a moment of reflection over the events of the last few months. "And we're done."

They head off.

"You know what the best part of high school was?" Xander asks.

"When we blew it up?" Faith and Buffy says.

Xander nods, "Yeah! That ruled. 'Cause you know the thing that made it so special..."

"Was that the school blew up?" Buffy asks.

Xander smiles, "Exactly!"

Buffy shakes her head, "I begin to find you troubling."

"Oh, come on, you know you're all thinking it." Xander says.

"Well..." Buffy says.

Faith smiles, "X is right. You were all thinking it. Shoot so was I."

"I was." Willow says as she looks at her sister.

Cordelia nods, "Pretty much."

"Uh huh." Oz says.

"Yeah." Buffy says.

Two days later Willow and Faith stand outside a San Francisco Police station.

"You don't have to do this you know." Willow says. "There is no evidence pointing towards you."

Faith nods, "Just my confession. I have to do this, Hope. I doubt they will throw the book at me. I was underage when it happened. Besides I have the best lawyer money can't buy. G is going to represent me, he's going to get it so I spend a couple years in Juvie and I'm out when I turn 21. Then we will have our whole lives to be sisters."

Willow sighs and nods, "You'll have them add me to your visitor's list."

Faith nods, "Sure thing, you and Buffy get an all access pass."

"Buffy? You said Buffy not B." Willow asks.

Faith nods, "Yeah I did. Just before the fight with the Mayor we talked. And not only about how to defeat the Mayor. I think we made up. I think were friends. Only people I know who aren't close friends tend to get nicknames, which in the past was just about everyone. Friends and family don't. It's why I call you Hope now instead of Red."

"So I'm never going to get you to call me Willow?" Willow asks.

Faith shakes her head and smiles, "Nope. Hope was the name our mom gave you."

"Well technically she named me Hope Willow." Willow said.

Faith nods, "True. But Hope is your first name not Willow. So I'm always going to call you Hope. Even though you go by your middle name now." She looks at the Police Station and notices Giles is waiting for her. "Well looks like it's time for me to go. Want to walk me inside?"

Willow nods, "Of course." And they walked across the street and join Giles as they make their way inside the Police Station.


	76. Chapter 76: All Hell Breaks Loose

**Chapter 76: All Hell Breaks Loose**

Buffy, Prue, Piper, Phoebe and a doctor walk in through the front doors.

"Okay, I think we made it. I'm sure we made it. Do you think we made it?" Piper says.

"I don't know." Prue says.

"I think he would've attacked by now if we hadn't." Phoebe says.

"Who? Who would've attacked? Why won't you tell me what's going on?" Doctor asks.

Buffy shakes her head, "Because we're busy trying to save your life."

"From who?" Doctor asks.

"Uh, unfortunately we're not quite sure." Prue says.

Piper nods, "That's because Phoebe did not give us time to figure it out."

Phoebe sighs, "Well, I didn't have a lot of time, I mean, I can't control how far in the future my premonitions take place. I saw the attack, we kicked butt, what more do you want?"

"I would like to know more about who we are up against." Buffy says. "I wish we could share premonitions with each other."

"Okay, Phoebe, maybe you should check the Book of Shadows, see if you can find anything else on this demonic hit man, okay?" Prue says.

"Excuse me, demonic?" Doctor asks.

"And how to vanquish him, that would be a good thing to know, and do not get side tracked with the Cole potion thingy because the only ones we are concerned about saving right now is ourselves." Piper says.

Phoebe turns and heads up the stairs.

"Ah, okay, what Cole potion?" Prue says.

"Ah, he told her that he only killed because some demon cast a spell on him. How naive is that?" Piper says.

"I thought she was over him?" Prue says.

"Apparently not." Piper says.

"What the hell are you talking about? First you tell me my life's in danger, then you abduct me from my work, now you're talking about demons and witches. Who the hell are you people?" Doctor says.

Buffy shakes her head, "Look, we know that this all sounds incredible, but it doesn't make it any less true. Alright, you're a healer, you do good, now either you have saved too many lives or you're about to save a life that they don't want you to save."

"They?" Doctor asks.

Prue nods, "Yeah, demons. Uh, more specifically, Shax. He was the Source's assassin."

"Hold it, I get it. This is a practical joke, right? Do you have a hidden camera here? My second wife put you up to this? Ah, it's just like her." Doctor says and he laughs.

"O-o-okay, Dr. Griffiths, listen to me, this is anything but..." Buffy says, before she stops.

"What?" Piper asks.

"My spidey sense is going off." Buffy says. "Phoebe?"

"Alright, alright, I'm coming!" Phoebe says as a tornado of wind twists through the front door.

"Phoebe!" Prue, Piper and Buffy yells.

The tornado flies through the foyer and knocks Buffy, Prue and Piper to the floor. A clap of thunder is heard, and the tornado calms down and Shax appears. He is a tall demon and is gray all over. Gray long hair, gray skin, gray unbuttoned shirt and gray long pants.

"Dear god." Doctor says.

"No!" Prue says as she gets up off the floor and pushes the Doctor out of the way. Shax throws an energy ball at Prue and she literally crashes straight through a wall.

"Prue!" Piper and Buffy says.

Piper gets up and Shax throws an energy ball at Piper, sending her crashing through a wall.

Buffy gets up powering a fireball as Shax throws an energy ball at her. She throws the fireball and the explosion throws her back into the dining room.

Shax turns to the Doctor.

"What are you?" Doctor asks.

"The end." Shax says.

Phoebe comes down the stairs, holding a piece of paper. "Evil wind that blows, that which forms below, no longer may you dwell," Shax groans, "death takes you with this spell." Shax turns back into the wind and disappears outside. Phoebe sees Buffy, Prue and Piper. "Oh, no." She goes over to them. They are unconscious and bleeding. "Oh, god. Leo! Leo!" Leo orbs in. "Hurry, it's bad."

Leo kneels down beside them and places his left hand above Prue and his right hand above Piper. He starts to heal them. After a moment the blood disappears and they are completely healed. He then quickly moves over to Buffy and does the same. They wake up and groan in pain.

"Ahh, what happened?" Piper asks.

"You guys almost died, that's what happened." Leo says.

"Again?" Buffy asks.

"Yeah, well, what else is new?" Piper asks.

"Oh, where's Shax?" Prue asks.

Phoebe nods, "Well, I tried to use the vanquishing spell on him but I think it just wounded him. He turned into the wind."

"Maybe the spell needs more than one witch to have it's full impact." Buffy says.

"Okay, come on." Prue says as she gets up and then helps Piper up.

"Come on? Where?" Piper asks.

"To find him so we can finish him off while he's still hurt." Prue says as she looks to Buffy and Phoebe, "Look, you two just stay here with Griffiths, alright. If Shax comes back, say the spell, okay? Ow. Come on."

Prue and Piper go outside. Leo looks at the Doctor, who's in shock.

Later Buffy, Prue, Phoebe and the Doctor are sitting on the cane chairs. Piper walks in holding a glass of water, and hands it to the Doctor.

"Thank you." Doctor says and takes a sip.

"Now you understand why you have to keep this a secret? Why you can't tell anyone about us, about what you saw today." Phoebe says.

Prue nods, "If others knew, we wouldn't be able to do what we do anymore. We wouldn't be able to help future innocents like we helped you."

"No, I understand. I mean, I don't understand everything. Demons, witches, the Source. So much for being an atheist. Your secret is safe with me." Doctor says.

Buffy smiles, "Thank you."

"No, thank you. You saved my life, the least I can do is protect yours." Doctor says.

"Okay, I'll walk you to the door." Phoebe says.

Phoebe and the Doctor stand up.

"Bye." Prue says.

They leave the room. Leo walks in. "How'd it go?"

"We dodged another bullet." Piper says.

Prue nods, "Yeah, with him maybe."

"What do you mean?" Leo asks.

"I don't know, I mean, something still bothers me about the way that we vanquished Shax. Like, I'm not so sure we really did." Prue says.

"What do you mean?" Buffy asks.

Piper nods, "He screamed, he went poof, just like they all do. Third demon in a row, by the way, that I vanquished with my new power, but who's counting?"

Phoebe walks back in.

"Right, but if that's all that we needed, then why was there a vanquishing spell in the book? I mean, hasn't that always meant that our individual powers weren't enough?" Prue says.

"Except the book was written by witches with less powers than you guys have. They needed the spells." Leo says.

"Plus, I think if he was still alive, he probably would've attacked us again by now." Phoebe says.

"Ah, you know, Leo, can you just check to make sure, please? With the Elders?" Prue says.

Buffy nods, "Yeah just to be on the safe side."

Leo nods, "No problem." He orbs out.

"If you ask me, I think you're being paranoid. We kicked Shax's ass. We bad." Piper says.

Prue nods, "Yes, you're probably right."

"Then I'm hoping you won't need me around here for a while. I wanna try a new potion on Cole. One that'll reverse the spell that turned him bad in the first place." Phoebe says.

Buffy looks at Phoebe. After Angel leaving she is torn between wishing Phoebe the best or telling her to forget it, that it could probably lead to heartache.

"Phoebe..." Piper says.

"I'm not looking for your approval, Piper, just your support." Phoebe says.

"Well, Phoebe, it's sort of hard to give you support when you're just setting yourself up to get hurt again." Prue says.

Phoebe sighs, "Cole is good inside, I know it. And if dark magic did this to him, then how come white magic can't save him? I can't just turn my back, I have to try."

Buffy nods as she holds up her hand intending to silence any objection Piper has, "What do you want us to do?"

Phoebe smiles, "I want you to use the magic to magic spell to send me down there. I reworded it to make it work."

Phoebe hands Buffy a piece of paper.

"Uh, Phoebe, that's awfully dangerous. If something goes wrong we won't be able to contact each other." Piper says.

Phoebe nods, "I'll be safe, I'll be with Cole. And he'll bring me back, so don't worry about that."

"You're banking a lot on that little potion of yours, you know." Prue says.

"No, I'm not. I'm banking on Cole." Phoebe says.

Later outside the manor. Buffy, Prue and Piper are on the sidewalk. Prue is crouching down looking at the ground.

"What did you expect to find?" Piper asks.

Prue stands up. "I don't know, something though."

"Well, demons don't usually leave footprints, remember?" Piper says.

Prue nods, "No, but sometimes they leave a residue when they've been vanquished. Like vampires do when they dust. Something otherwise innocuous. Look, I just don't understand how we could vanquish such a powerful demon without a spell."

"But frankly I'm more worried about Phoebe than Shax. We shouldn't have let her go." Piper says.

"I have to agree with Piper. Even with Angel leaving me. I do hold a little hope Cole can be redeemed for Phoebe. But I still have my doubts. And if it doesn't work she's trapped with him." Buffy says.

Prue sighs, "Phoebe can take care of herself, Dr. Griffiths can't." They start walking up the street. "Look, Buffy, Piper, I've had a bad feeling about this. I've had one all day. If there's one thing I've learned since becoming a witch, is to trust those feelings."

They walk past a little girl standing in front of her house.

"Hi." Piper says.

The little girl's mother goes up to her and quickly pulls her inside.

"Come on, sweetie, stay away from them." the Mother says.

Piper looks back at them.

"Hey. That's rude." Buffy says.

Later back in the Manor the TV is on. Piper and Buffy are there.

Prue walks in. She's on the phone. "No, I understand. How long will he be in there? Okay, just have Dr. Griffiths call me as soon as possible. Alright, thanks. Bye." She hangs up. "Okay, well, at least Griffiths is in surgery, for now. No way Shax will attack him in there."

"Okay, but what do we do then? We can't protect him indefinitely." Piper says.

"Well, if I'm right we won't have to. I mean, Shax will attack sooner rather than later. We should go." Prue says.

Buffy shakes her head, "No, we should wait, for Leo. To see what he found out, especially with Phoebe gone. I mean, what if we need the power of three? You both know I can't match it even augmenting."

The phone rings.

"Oh, maybe that's Griffiths." Prue says as she picks up the phone. "Hello? No, Darryl, just wait, slow down, okay. What?"

"Have you seen the TV yet today? It's all over it." Darryl says.

"What's all over it, Darryl?" Prue asks.

"Just turn on the TV, okay?" Darryl says. "I told the captain I would handle it."

Buffy, Prue and Piper looks at the TV in the kitchen. It's showing the footage of Prue and Piper vanquishing Shax.

"Oh my goddess!" Buffy says.

"Prue? Prue?" Darryl says.

The footage changes to Elana and her cameraman in a car. "Here we are approaching the home of where they allegedly live."

"Oh!" Prue says and she drops the phone and covers her mouth in shock.

On TV Elana is now standing in front of the manor. "Prue, Piper, Phoebe and Payson Halliwell. And you're gonna meet them live right here on KCSF."

"What are we gonna do?" Piper asks.

Later outside the manor Dozens of cameramen, reporters, etc. are standing on the sidewalk. Two vans are parked on the street. Darryl pulls up in his car and gets out. Reporters race over to him.

"Have you come to arrest them? Do you consider them dangerous?"

"No comment." Darryl says as he heads for the steps and the reporters follow. "I said no comment." He walks up the steps where Elana and a woman named Alice are.

"Hey, hey, I can help. I know who they are, I know what they are. They're witches just like me. Just like I am." Alice says.

Darryl approaches the door. "Yeah, Prue, I'm at the door, open it up."

"Would you like to make a statement?" Elana asks.

Prue opens the door.

"I said no comment." Darryl says.

"Ms. Halliwell..." Elana says.

"Back off!" Prue says.

Darryl goes inside and Prue shuts the door.

Buffy and Piper walks in the foyer.

"Isn't that illegal? Can't you do something about that?" Piper asks.

"Hey, killing somebody on live TV is pretty illegal too, you know." Darryl says.

Prue shakes her head, "Okay, it wasn't somebody, Darryl, it was a demon. And we're pretty sure we didn't kill him anyway."

"Do you wanna try telling them that?" Darryl asks.

Buffy sighs, "Ugh..."

"Look, I've called for backup, but that's not gonna help for long. This thing's gonna get ugly fast." Darryl says.

"We shouldn't have followed Shax into the street." Piper says.

"We didn't have a choice, Piper." Prue says.

"Didn't we?" Piper says.

Prue nods, "Sure, we could've let him kill our innocent. That would've been better, you think? Alright, you know what? Let's not let this thing get between us, okay? We have enough problems as it is, please."

"More than you know. The captain wants me to bring you in for questioning." Darryl says.

Buffy shakes her head, "Right, Darryl, and what do they tell him? The truth?"

Darryl sighs, "What are you gonna tell them?" Darryl's cell phone rings. "Captain? " He walks in another room.

"You know, maybe when Phoebe's done saving Cole, she can come back and save us." Prue says.

Leo orbs in.

"Hello, Leo, nice of you to orb in. Where have you been?" Piper says.

"Trying to figure out how to get you out of this mess. It's pretty big news up there." Leo says.

"Well, in case you hadn't noticed, it's pretty big news down here too. Any suggestions?" Buffy says.

Leo shakes his head, "No, we're still working on it."

"Oh, well, by all means, tell them to take their time." Piper says.

"Well, they're not the ones that screwed up." Leo says.

Piper frowns, "Excuse me, screwed up? We've been busting our wiccan butts for three years without getting caught. Don't we get credit for that?"

"Piper, you've been exposed. If we can't fix this it could undermine all the good that you've done and all the good that you're still destined to do." Leo says.

"Well, maybe this is our destiny, maybe it's just not meant to be." Piper says.

"You don't believe that." Leo says.

"Don't I?" Piper asks.

Buffy shakes her head, "I don't."

Prue nods, "I don't, either. I mean, look, this whole year has just been a series of tests, right? To see what we're made of. Well, maybe this is one more test. Which means we can't give up, alright? So while the Elders are figuring out what we're supposed to do, we still have work to do, okay?"

"Dr. Griffiths?" Piper asks.

Prue nods, "Yeah, if we don't catch him before he gets out of surgery, Shax will." She looks to Leo. "Unless you know something we don't?"

Leo shakes his head, "No, you're right, your powers aren't enough to vanquish him. You'll need the power of three to say the spell."

"Yeah, well, we only have two of the power of three. Don't ask, just orb us to the hospital, okay?" Prue says.

Leo shakes his head, "I can't. The Elders won't let me. They don't wanna risk exposing Whitelighters too. In fact Buffy you can't flame either. They don't want to risk exposing you anymore than possible as it would expose the Slayer."

Buffy sighs and nods.

Darryl comes back in.

"Cowards!" Piper says.

"Fine, we'll just save him without your guys help. Let's go." Prue says.

"Whoa, Prue, Prue. Even if you can save your innocent, that still doesn't save yourselves." Darryl says. "Right now only Phoebe and Buffy are safe since they weren't seen on national TV."

Prue nods, "Yeah, I know that, Darryl, but first things first, alright? Try and buy us as much time as possible with your captain as you can." She looks to Leo. "And you, why don't you get back up there and White light a fire underneath your bosses butts."

Buffy, Prue and Piper head for the back door.

Outside Elana is talking into the camera her cameraman is holding. "Whether or not any arrests have been made at this time..."

Alice sees Buffy, Prue and Piper coming down the driveway. "Hey! I need to talk to you."

Buffy, Prue and Piper run to Prue's car and quickly get in.

Elana races over to them. "Ms. Halliwell..."

"Don't leave, don't leave." Alice says.

"Ms. Halliwell." Elana says.

Alice jumps up and down waving her arms. "Please take me!" They drive off. "Come on, please, take me with you. Oh, man."

At San Francisco Memorial Hospital Dr. Griffiths comes out of a room and throws a surgeon cap in a hamper. He walks over to the reception desk and the receptionist hands him the phone. "Dr. Griffiths."

Buffy, Prue and Piper race up to him.

"Hi!" Prue says as she takes the phone off of him.

"He's still after you, come on." Piper says.

Buffy nods, "Lets go."

They pull him away from the desk.

Buffy, Prue, Piper and Dr. Griffiths leave the hospital and head for Prue's car.

"I thought you said you got rid of this thing." Dr. Griffiths says.

Prue smiles, "Yeah, well, we don't think that anymore, okay?"

"Where are we going?" Dr. Griffiths says.

"Just somewhere safe." Buffy says.

"Look, I'm not cut out..." Dr. Griffiths says.

Prue shakes her head, "Get in the car."

They get in Prue's car. Elana and her cameraman pull up near by. A strong wind pushes Dr. Griffiths out of the car and falls on the grass. A woman screams. The wind turns into Shax. Buffy, Prue and Piper get out of the car. The news crew look on.

"Evil wind that blows, that which forms below, no longer may you swell, death takes you with this spell." Piper, Prue and Buffy chant.

Shax blows up and disappears. The people watching gasp and let out little screams.

"Now that was a vanquish." Piper says.

The people clap and cheer. Buffy, Prue and Piper look around and notice Elana and her cameraman filming them. Elana has a big grin on her face.

"Dang, now I'm exposed." Buffy says.

"Oh. News at eleven." Piper says.

Prue nods, "Oh, that's bad."

Later outside the manor. There are now hundreds of people standing outside, holding cardboard signs. There are dozens of cameramen and news reporters. A helicopter flies above. Police are trying to get the crowd under control.

Alice is standing on top of a van. "Prue, Piper, Payson, I'm one of you! I'm the only one who understands! I can help. Hey! Prue! Piper! Payson!"

Inside Buffy, Prue and Piper are in the kitchen. Piper is looking through sheets of paper.

Darryl walks in. "Get those idiots off the driveway, get them back behind the tape."

"Alright, what I can't figure out is how they knew that we were at the hospital. I-I mean, they didn't follow us." Prue says.

"Reporter probably low jacked your car, followed you." Darryl says.

Prue shakes her head, "Forget it. You know, I really hope Phoebe's doing better down there than we are up here."

Piper nods, "Look at all these interview requests we're getting. Ted Coppell, Time Magazine, Jerry Springer... Sports Illustrated?"

"Yeah, they probably want you for the swimsuit edition." Buffy, Prue and Piper give him a dirty look. "Just kidding."

Buffy sighs, "You know what? This is a nightmare. Where is Leo?"

Prue sees Dr. Griffiths on the TV. "Uh, Piper? Buffy? " Buffy and Piper looks at the TV. "Is that who I think it is?" She turns on the volume.

"And then one of them said they needed a vanquishing spell." Dr. Griffiths says.

Piper frowns, "Dr. Griffiths?"

"She ran upstairs to get some book.I don't know, some witch-type book I guess. Something that told them how to kill that demon." Dr. Griffiths says.

Piper gasps, "Oh, so much for keeping our secret. Turn him off."

Prue changes the channel and a woman shows up.

"The sisters and their cousin were always a little strange if you ask me. I know for a fact that Prue once cast a spell to make my boyfriend break up with me. Evil."

Prue frowns, "Okay, Susie Johnson from tenth grade? They're interviewing her?"

Piper: I always wondered why they broke up.

Buffy shakes her head, "How does she even know me. I didn't live here when you guys were in school. I would have been like 5 or 6 years old and living with mom and dad."

Prue lightly hits Piper's arm. "Not funny, not funny. Ooh! Leo." Buffy, Prue and Piper walk into the conservatory. "Leo! Leo! Leo!" Leo orbs in. "Ooh. Alright, this thing has to end now, okay? The media is turning it into a freakin' circus."

Leo nods, "Now you know why the Elders have always been highly concerned about exposure."

"Okey-dokey, now we know. Do they have any solutions or not?" Piper says.

Leo nods, "One. But it's a long shot. You have to try and contact Tempus."

Buffy, Prue and Piper exchange looks.

"Uh, Tempus? T-Tempus, the demon?" Buffy says.

Leo nods, "He's the only one on the other side who has the power to manipulate time. To reset everything before this all started."

"Okay, you're, you're definitely right, that-that qualifies as a long shot." Prue says.

"We vanquished him." Piper says.

Leo shakes his head, "No, you defeated him, you didn't vanquish him. But that's not the real problem. The real trick is trying to contact him. He's an upper level demon who's well insulated."

Buffy sighs, "And why would he want to help us? I mean, we can't make a move without the whole world tuning in to watch. We're basically powerless. Why would he want to change that?"

Suddenly, Alice bursts through the conservatory door.

"Whoa!" Prue, Buffy and Piper says.

"Cool, I made it!" Alice says.

"Who the hell are you?" Piper asks.

"I'm Alice, Alice Hicks. I've been trying to contact you. I want to join your coven." Alice says.

Prue frowns, "Are you nuts? This is our home! Get out of here!" She uses her power on Alice and she flies outside.

Darryl runs in wielding his gun. "All you stay back, all you stay back!" Darryl stops, confused. Prue stares at him. "You guys okay?"

Prue nods, "Yeah, we got it, Darryl." She looks to Leo. "Alright, this has to end now or our lives are over!"

"Okay, so how do we contact Tempus?" Buffy asks.

"Through Cole. He's an upper level demon, isn't he?" Prue says.

Piper frowns, "Why would he help us?"

"Because helping us helps Phoebe. Are you allowed to orb down there?" Prue says.

"Yes, but I won't be able to find her until I'm down there. I can't track her from up here." Leo says.

Prue nods, "Alright, well, then you'd better hurry." Leo doesn't go. "Okay, what's the matter?"

"Well, once I'm down there you won't be able to contact me if you get in any kind of trouble." Leo says.

Piper sighs, "Honey, what more trouble could we possibly get in to? Besides, once time resets itself then everything should be fine. So go, and be careful."

"Yeah, you too." Leo says as he and Piper kiss

"Leo, take me with you?" Buffy says.

"What?" Prue asks.

"Like Leo I can come and go from down there. I just have no way of tracking Phoebe. I go with Leo. He takes me to Phoebe and then he can come back to you guys." Buffy says.

Prue sighs and nods, "Okay."

Leo takes Buffy's hand and orbs out.

In a Cave in the underworld. Phoebe's there.

Cole walks in. "Phoebe?" She walks over to him. "I have to get you out of here."

"You mean get us out of here." Phoebe says.

"Listen to me, this is serious. Something's happening, something big. I, it's too dangerous for you here." Cole says.

Phoebe frowns, "Why? What's happening?"

"I don't know, but whatever it is, it's important enough for The Source to have come." Cole says.

"What? He's here, now?" Phoebe says looking around.

Cole nods, "Which is why you have to go."

Leo orbs in with Buffy.

"Leo? Buffy?" Phoebe says.

Cole frowns, "Are you out of your mind? What are you doing?"

"Trying to save my family. Buffy, Prue and Piper have been exposed, Phoebe. The whole world knows you're witches."

"What? How?" Phoebe asks.

Buffy shakes her head, "It doesn't matter how. What matters is getting them out of it," she looks to Cole, "which requires your help."

"Come again?" Cole asks.

"You have to get Tempus, you have to get him to reverse time." Leo says.

"Ah, you've gotta be kidding. There's no way." Cole says.

Leo nods, "It's the only way there is, Phoebe, but we have to move fast."

Buffy nods, "I'm afraid Leo's right, Pheebs."

"I couldn't summon Tempus even if I wanted to, I don't have that kind of power." Cole says.

"But you know somebody who does." Phoebe says.

"Wait," Cole says laughing, "you want me to ask The Source to help witches?"

Leo shakes his head, "It doesn't just help witches. The demonic world has been exposed too, Cole, why do you think he's here? Resetting time solves everybody's problem. But make it your idea, pitch it like you're doing it to save him, not them. Whether that's why you're doing it or not."

Silence.

"This is suicide." Cole says.

Sometime later Cole walks into another cave. A demon guard steps in front of him. They stare at each other for a moment, then the guard steps aside. Cole pulls the hood from his robe over his head and continues walking. He stops when he reaches a dark place with a reddish glow. The Source is standing near by. He is wearing a red robe with a red hood covering his head. You can't see his face. He has large feathery wings attached to his back, and is wielding a sword. Flames shoot up in front of him as Cole enters. Cole kneels down and removes his hood.

"I've heard the rumours, I beg you, are they true? Have we been exposed?" Cole says.

"And what business is it of yours?" The Source says.

"I may have a solution. Tempus's power." Cole says.

The Source shakes his head, "And still weakened from when he last turned back time. Doing so again will destroy him."

Cole nods, "What other choice is there?" Silence. "Forgive me."

The Source frowns, "For your betrayal? Never." He rests the tip of his sword on Cole's shoulder. "I know of your struggles, Belthazor, of your witch. I know that's why you've come to me. I know everything about you. Tempus will do as you suggest if your witch crosses over, if your witch and the Slayer joins us."

"They'd never do that." Cole says.

"Not even to save one of their sisters lives?" The Source says.

"Has one of them been killed?" Cole asks.

"Wait." Source says.

At the Manor everyone is still outside, yelling and holding up cardboard signs. Prue and Piper are in the conservatory placing a table against the door.

"I don't know why we're bothering to do this." Piper says.

"In case time doesn't reset itself." Prue says as she puts a chair against the door.

"If time doesn't reset itself, this table against that door is not gonna help much." Piper says.

Prue nods, "Yeah, well, then we better start thinking about what would, okay? Because if Leo and Buffy doesn't succeed, we're gonna have to figure out what we're gonna do."

They walk into the living room.

"We're gonna do talk shows and book signings and movie deals," Piper says as Prue picks up the Book of Shadows, "and then taken by the CIA and dissected."

"Yeah, how can you be joking about this, Piper?" Prue says.

"Who's joking?" Piper asks.

"Well, I'm not. Alright, I'm scared. And you should be too. Okay, our lives, Piper, everything that we've worked for could be completely destroyed with-with one stupid mistake. Our entire future , our entire destiny could be wiped out just like that." Prue clicks her fingers and a gunshot goes off. Piper gasps. "What was that?" Piper looks down and sees blood on her shirt. Her hands are shaking. "Piper? Piper." Prue drops the Book of Shadows and grabs Piper before she falls. Prue looks at her hand and it has Piper's blood on it. "Oh!"

Piper is trembling.

Prue hold her presses a towel against Piper's wound. "I know, I know, it's okay." She starts to cry. "Leo! Leo! Okay, we have to get you to the hospital. Come on." She lifts Piper up.

Prue helps Piper outside to her car. "Leo!"

"Ms. Halliwell, please, what is going on?" Elana says as Prue opens the door to her car and helps Piper onto the back seat. "Ms. Halliwell, please."

"Leo!" Prue says as she gets in the car and starts the engine. She drives to the end of the driveway but everyone is blocking her way out. "Move!" She honks the horn.

"Ms. Halliwell, what is going on?" Elana says.

"Move!" Prue says as she continues to honk the horn. She gets back out of the car. "Move out of my way! I need to get her to the hospital, move! Move out of my way!" She gets frustrated. "What's wrong with you people?" She starts to get upset and very agitated. "Leo!"

Prue gets furious and uses her power on Elana and her cameraman. Everyone starts running away and she uses her power on anyone in her way. They land on cars and on the ground hard. Prue gets back in her car, drives down the driveway and tears off down the street.

At the Hospital Piper is on a stretcher and four doctors are racing her to a room.

Prue is running beside it. "Hang in there. Where's Dr. Griffiths? He should've been here by now."

Dr. Griffiths races up to them. "How'd this happen?"

"Some idiot in front of our house." Prue says.

They take her into a room.

"What do we know?" Dr. Griffiths asks.

"Pulse seventy, weak." Doctor says.

"I need some numbers, people." Dr. Griffiths says.

"One, two, three, go." Doctor says.

They lift Piper onto a bed. Prue holds her hand.

"Smaller entry wound, upper right back." Dr. Griffiths says.

"Larger exit wound, abdomen." Doctor says.

Dr. Griffiths listens to Piper's chest with a stethoscope. "Lungs failing. Start an I.V. - two units of O, stat."

"Right away." Nurse says.

"Leo!" Prue says.

"Get 40cc's of adrenalin." Doctor #2 says.

"Yes, sir." Nurse #2 says.

"He can't hear you, Prue." Piper says. "Something must have gone wrong."

"Piper, don't you dare die on me." Prue says.

"Prue, I'm cold. I-I-I can't feel my legs." Piper says.

"Pulse is dropping." Doctor says.

"Don't go. I love you." Prue says. The line on the heart monitor flattens out and Piper goes into full arrest. "Oh god."

"Full arrest. Paddles!" Dr. Griffiths says as two doctors bring over the paddle machine. Dr. Griffiths picks up the paddles. "Gel." The nurse squirts some gel on a paddle and he rubs the two together. Prue stands back and cries. "Clear!" He uses the paddles on Piper but it doesn't work. "Recharge."

"Recharging." Nurse says.

"Clear!" Dr. Griffiths says as he uses them again but still does not work. He stands back from Piper. Prue cries harder. Dr. Griffiths looks at Prue. "I'm sorry."

"No!" Prue says as she cries uncontrollably and puts her head on Piper. She then closes Piper's eyes. "Get out of here. Go!"

The doctors leave the room. A SWAT member stands outside the room and looks in.

In a Cave in the underworld. Buffy, Phoebe and Leo are there discussing something very quietly. Cole walks in and Phoebe goes over to him.

"Cole, where have you been? We've been worried. What's the matter?" Phoebe says.

Cole sighs, "He knows. About you, about us." He looks to Buffy. "He also knows your here."

"So, what does that mean?" Phoebe asks.

"He's offering a deal. He'll get Tempus to reset time if you and Buffy stay... here." Cole says.

Leo shakes his head, "What, down here? He's crazy."

"Hardly." Cole says.

Leo frowns, "Yeah, well, we're desperate but not that desperate."

"Why would he think that I or Phoebe would accept an offer like that?" Buffy asks.

Cole hesitates for a moment. "Because it's the only way to bring Prue or Piper back to life. One of them is dead."

"What?" Phoebe asks.

"It's a trick, he's lying." Leo says.

Cole shakes his head, "No, it's not."

Buffy sighs, "Leo go. We have to be sure."

Leo orbs out.

Sometime later Leo orbs in, crying.

"Piper." Buffy and Phoebe says and they hug Leo tightly.

"You two don't have to do this." Leo says.

Phoebe sighs, "Yes we do." She looks to Buffy who nods. She turns to Cole. "So, will resetting time affect us down here?"

Cole shakes his head, "No."

Phoebe smiles, "Good. I only have one condition." She looks to Leo, "You must warn Prue and Piper before the demonic hit man attacks. Otherwise they're dead anyway."

Leo nods, "I will."

Cole turns and leaves as Phoebe moves over to Buffy and they hug each other crying.

Cole walks into the Source's cave and kneels. "They have agreed to stay."

The Source nods, "Agreed." Cole stands up, bows and walks away. A guard walks in and kneels in front of The Source. "Once I have reset time, detain him. And then kill his witch and the Slayer. That way I won't have to worry about Belthazor anymore. Or the Charmed Ones or the Charmed Slayer."

The guard walks away.

At the hospital Prue has covered Piper over with a blanket. A SWAT member outside has a gun pointed at the room.

In the Underworld…

The Source nods, "It shall be done."

A crack of thunder is heard.

At the hospital the SWAT member fires his gun and the bullet goes straight through the wall, heading for Prue. It stops in mid-air and reverses. The whole day resets and Prue and Piper are back in the manor before Shax attacks.

"Look, I know that this all sounds incredible, but it doesn't make it any less true. Alright, you're a healer, you do good, now either you have saved too many lives or you're about to save a life that they don't want you to save." Prue says.

"They?" Dr. Griffiths says.

Prue nods, "Yeah, demons. Uh, more specifically, Shax. He was The Source's assassin."

"Hold it, I get it. This is a practical joke, right? Do you have a hidden camera here? My second wife put you up to this? Ah, it's just like her." Dr. Griffiths says, laughing.

Prue shakes her head, "O-o-okay, Dr. Griffiths, listen to me, this is anything but..." She stops.

"What?" Piper asks.

Prue shakes her head, "I don't know, I just felt a chill. Phoebe?" No answer. "Phoebe, are you there?" A tornado of wind twists through the front door. She notices that Buffy is missing also. She had been standing beside them moments before and now she's gone. "Buffy, Phoebe, where are you two?"

Piper looks around trying to find Buffy finally noticing that she is missing. "Wasn't Buffy right behind us?"

Prue nods as the tornado knocks Prue and Piper to the floor. A clap of thunder is heard, the tornado calms down and Shax appears.

"Dear god." Dr. Griffiths says.

Prue frowns, "No!" She gets up off the floor and pushes Dr. Griffiths out of the way. Shax throws an energy ball at Prue and she literally crashes straight through a wall. Piper gets up and Shax throws an energy ball at Piper, sending her crashing through a wall. Shax turns to Dr. Griffiths.

"What are you?" Dr. Griffiths says.

"The end." Shax says as he throws an energy ball at Dr. Griffiths and he crashes through a window. Shax looks around. He looks at Prue and Piper unconscious, near death, on the floor. Pleased with what he's done, Shax turns back into the wind and flies out the front door. The glass on the door smashes as it slams shut.


	77. Chapter 77: Charmed Again Pt 1

**Chapter 77: Charmed Again Pt. 1**

Buffy and Piper sit in the attic in tears, both of them flipping through both Books.

"Hear now the words of the witches, the secrets we hid in the night. The oldest of Gods are invoked here, great works of magic is sought." Piper and Buffy says. "In this night and in this battle, we call upon the ancient power."

Piper looks up and closes her eyes. "Bring back my sister. Bring back the Power of Three." She keeps her eyes closed for a prayerful beat, then she opens them, looks at the candle, but sees nothing."

Buffy flips to a page in her book, 'To Call a Lost Witch.' She expertly finds and mixes certain ingredients into a silver bowl as she chants from the book. "Power of the witches' rise. Course unseen across the skies. Come to me, I call you near. Come to me and settle here." Then, she finds an athame and slices the left finger of her left hand so that blood can symbolically spill directly from her heart and into the bowl. "Blood to blood, I summon thee. Blood to blood, return to me."

A faint gust of wind flickers the candle, but not much else.

"Piper? Buffy?" Phoebe calls out.

Piper looks up, hopeful. "Prue?" She looks at the candle.

Phoebe enters the attic from downstairs. "Sweeties, its 4 o'clock in the morning. What are you two doing?" Piper and Buffy don't answer, they just stare blankly at the Books. Phoebe notices Buffy's bleeding and gets a towel. "You're bleeding, Buffy." She finds a clean cloth, takes Buffy's hand and wraps the wound.

Piper shakes her head, "I don't understand why magic can't fix this. And why we can't bring Prue back."

"It's not like we haven't cheated death before. Heck I've died three times and come back. I don't understand why this time isn't any different." Buffy says.

Phoebe sighs, "Because Leo can't heal the dead, Piper, Buffy. You know that."

Piper shakes her head, "There's other magic, magic that we've used before." She and Buffy flip through the pages and fights the tears. "Scrying, calling a lost witch, reversing time. It's like the book just deserted us and deserted Prue, and I don't understand why."

Phoebe takes Piper hand, holds both Buffy's and Piper's hands as she shares their pain. "We lost our sister." She didn't bother correcting herself that Prue was actually Buffy's cousin. They had long since accepted Buffy as a sister even if she wasn't. "How can we ever understand that? We've tried every magical way to bring her back… but we can't. She's gone." Their eyes well up as they face the harsh reality, then they fall into a group embrace. "I just - I thank God that I didn't lose you both too." Phoebe gives both Buffy and Piper a little kiss. She breaks the hug. She sighs. "We have to get some rest. Prue will never forgive us if we look bad at her funeral."

Buffy smiles sadly, "No she wouldn't." She looks down at both Books of Shadows before closing both of them. She and Piper stand and she, Piper and Phoebe exit the attic arm-in-arm, closing the door behind them.

A mysterious wind suddenly blows through the attic. The triquetra, on the cover of both books begins to glow. The mysterious wind re-opens both books and magically turns the pages to the last spell Buffy tried to cast, "To Call a Lost Witch..."

The next morning Phoebe, dressed for the funeral, adjust some flowers on the table in the Parlor. She walks into the living room, where Victor, dressed in a dark suit, is sitting on the chair, staring vacantly at the floor bearing the kind of grief only a parent who's lost a child knows.

Phoebe gives her Dad a small kiss. "Can I get you anything?" She touches Victor tenderly on the shoulder.

Victor looks up at Phoebe. "Oh, no thanks sweetie."

Phoebe waters a plant and fiddles with a few plants. Phoebe looks up to find Leo entering the parlor with Cole. Both men are dressed in suits.

"Look who's back." Leo says.

Phoebe smiles, "Cole!" She runs to him and embraces him in her arms and then releases him. "I was afraid you weren't going to make it to the funeral."

Cole shakes his head, "Well, I - I can't make it… or, shouldn't anyway. The Source has got every demonic bounty hunter out there looking for me."

"Yeah. So what else is new?" Phoebe says.

Cole sighs, "This is different. Saving you makes it a different, makes me a traitor - and he not going to stop until he finds me and I don't want that happening at Prue's funeral."

Phoebe shakes her head, "So, we'll protect you."

"You can't protect me." Cole says.

Phoebe frowns, "Why not? We're still witches, aren't we?"

Cole shakes his head, "Yeah, but you're not the Charmed Ones anymore. Even with Buffy's augmentation you can't even come close to the power of three."

Phoebe finds herself at the partially repaired, unpainted wall where Prue died.

Leo steps in. "He's right, Phoebe. Without the Power of Three…"

Phoebe raises her hand. "I don't understand. Isn't it harder to track a demon in a cemetery, Cole? You have to go. I need you there."

Cole nods. Victor escorts Darryl in through the front door.

"Hey, how are you holdin' up?" Darryl asks.

Phoebe sighs, "Okay." She and Darryl hug and slowly step away from each other. "It's sweet of you to stop by."

Darryl smiles, "Had to. Besides, I thought you should know - they're assigning Prue's case to another inspector."

Leo frowns, "What case?"

Darryl sighs, "What case? Are you kidding? Prue and a prominent doctor were killed here, Leo. Made a lot of press. People want answers. Important people."

"So, what's this guy gonna find? That it was a demonic hitman? Gimme a break." Cole says.

Darryl nods, "He might. Look, you don't know him like I do. He'll keep looking until he finds something, believe me."

"I'm not worried." Cole says.

Leo shakes his head, "Well, I am. I saw what happened when they were exposed as witches. Time may have reversed itself, but it still cost Prue her life."

Victor frowns, "Would you people mind? For God's sake, we're burying my daughter today. Can't this wait?"

Phoebe moves over to hug her father, who's struggling to hold it all together.

Upstairs in Buffy's bedroom, Buffy's partially dressed, she is sitting in front of the mirror, lost in her thoughts, absentmindedly brushing her hair.

Victor eases open the door and enters. "Buffy?" She doesn't react, just keeps brushing. Victor approaches her. "Buffy, we have to go."

"I don't want to go." Buffy says.

Victor sighs and kneels down next to her. "Why not?"

Buffy looks at Victor. "Because if I go, that'll mean that Prue's really not coming back, and I don't think I can handle that. I've already lost so much, Uncle Victor. First my mom and now Prue."

Victor nods, "We can handle it together. We can be there for each other, Prue would have wanted that."

Buffy looks at the mirror again, "She's been there for me ever since I moved in to the manor. She was like the big sister, I never had. And I don't know how to live without her!"

Victor sighs and nods as he pulls Buffy into an embrace. "It'll be okay Buffy."

They hear Piper yell at Leo in their room, "I'm not angry. I am pissed off! Don't you understand? You healed the wrong sister! You saved me because I'm your damn wife, and you should've saved her because she was the best! Because she… you should… Why do they put us through so much for it to end this way?"

Buffy pulls out of Victor's embrace as she stands and makes her way out of her room and into Piper's. She walks over and the two fall into each other's arm as they cry.

Later at the Mausoleum. A beautiful ivory-colored coffin sits on a pedestal amongst the flowers. An ivory-dressed, Wiccan Priestess stands before a blue silk covered altar table, which is adorned with a ceremonial chalice. A tied, silver cord lays before the chalice, three lit candles surround it, symbolizing birth, death, and the rebirth. To the unaware mourners, however, the service comes across a part traditional, part New Age. Buffy, Piper, Phoebe, Leo, Cole, Darryl, and Victor are seated close to the priestess. Buffy, Piper and Phoebe dab at their eyes and Cole keeps his eyes peeled for any trouble. The funeral program, which bares the symbol of the triquetra above the name, read: "PRUDENCE HALLIWELL, 1970-1999; 'Forever in our Hearts.'

"That which belongs to fellowship and love. That which belongs to the circle, remains with us. The wheel turns. As life is a day, so our sister has passed into night. Nothing is final, and we who remain behind know that one day, we will once again share the bread and wine with our sister. O' blessed spirit, we bid you farewell, for you await a new destiny." The Priestess says.

With that, she unties the silver cord and gently lays it into the chalice. She blows out the candles. Darryl goes over to Buffy, Piper and Phoebe to hug them. He is followed by Giles, Willow, Xander, Oz, Angel (who was orbed in by Leo) and even Cordellia.

Giles looks to Buffy and whispers in her ear, "Take as much time as you need. We're all going to pitch in and take over for you."

Buffy looks to her friends and smiles sadly, "Thank you."

Other people begin to pay their respects. Phoebe thanks another mourner, then turns to the last of the mourners, whom she doesn't recognize –

Paige shifts over anxiously. "I'm so sorry for your loss."

Phoebe smiles sadly, "Thank you." Paige begins to leave. "How did you know Prue? From work?"

Paige shakes her head, "No. Just… just from around, you know."

"Have we met before?" Buffy asks.

Paige shakes her head, "No. I don't… I don't think so. Anyway, my condolences."

Phoebe smiles, "Thank you." Phoebe shakes Paige's hand - then gets hit with a powerful premonition: Paige is on a skyscraper rooftop helipad. She screams as she squeezes her eyes shut in fear as the demon Shax gestures and sends a concessive blast toward her to kill her. Phoebe stumbles to the floor after her premonition ends.

"Phoebe." Piper, Leo and Buffy say.

Buffy, Piper, Leo, Victor, and Cole rush over to her as Paige, oblivious, but not wanting to stick around, leaves. Leo and Victor help Phoebe stand up.

"Are you all right?" Piper asks.

Phoebe nods, "I saw him... the demon that killed Prue."

"Shax? What was he doing?" Leo asks.

Phoebe nods, "He was killing that girl."

"What girl?" Buffy asks.

Phoebe nods, "The one I was just talking to. Buffy the one you asked if you had met before. We've gotta go find her..."

Two Bounty Hunters suddenly materialize on either side of Cole and immediately fire lightning bolts at him. Cole dives, just barely avoiding the bolts, which blow up the altar.

"Go. Go." Leo says as he pulls Piper behind a pillar for safety. Victor looks on in disbelief. Buffy and Phoebe dive out of the way. Cole rolls, comes up firing, vanquishing one of the Bounty Hunters, but the second Bounty Hunter appears beside Cole. Before he can kill Cole, though, Phoebe runs up and knocks him to the ground with an expert martial arts move. She then hides behind a statue.

"Stop it." Piper and Buffy shout.

The Bounty Hunter spins to fire at Phoebe, but Cole fires an energy ball at the Bounty Hunter, blowing him up in a shower of fiery sparks.

Buffy and Piper lets out an irritated, angry yell. "Stop it! Stop it! Stop it!"

"Damn it! This is Prue's funeral, for God's sake!" Piper says. "Can't we at least bury her in peace?! Is that too much to ask?!" She knocks over a vase of flowers. She then storms out in tears, Buffy following behind.

Later back at the Manor for the memorial, Buffy walks down the stairs. It's obvious she's been crying.

"You sure don't recognize her from anywhere?" Cole asks.

Phoebe sighs. "Well, Buffy did say she looked familiar."

They turn to Buffy.

Buffy sighs, "I could've sworn I've seen her somewhere before. Now if you excuse me I really don't want to be saving innocents at the moment." She walks over to Piper.

Phoebe nods, "But somehow, we got to find her before nightfall, or else…" She slides a flower vase over an inch, then back again.

Cole gently grabs her arm with a concerned look. "Honey, what're you doing?"

"Uh, I'm cleaning." Phoebe says.

Cole shakes his head, "You don't clean. You hate cleaning."

Phoebe sighs, "I know... but it's better than falling apart, isn't it?"

"Maybe you should just try and focus on the girl. You said she was attacked on a rooftop?" Leo says.

Phoebe nods, "Yeah. One with a heli-pad… but it a tall building, although, there were a lot of taller ones around it."

"Okay, so we just need to figure out which building it was before Shax does." Leo says.

Piper walks up to them with Buffy. "And do what exactly? You can't defeat Shax, not without the Power of Three. And no amount of augmentation from Buffy will equal the Power of Three no matter how hard we try."

"But you and Prue did." Phoebe says.

Piper sighs. "That's because Prue was the strongest. Trying to do it without her would be suicide."

"Yeah, suicide. I don't know about Piper, but I really don't want to lose more family." Buffy said.

Phoebe nods, "Maybe so, but I got that premonition for a reason, Buffy, Piper. That girl is our innocent, so we have to try and save her."

"Says who? Why do we have to?" Piper asks.

"Piper…" Leo says.

Piper frowns, "What? Do you really expect us to keep doing this stuff after what happened? To keep risking our lives? Do they?"

"Yeah I'm tired of putting my life on the line and for what. The people I care about get taken from me. First Mom, now Prue." Buffy says

Leo sighs, "Buffy, Piper, keep your voices down…"

"No, Leo, we won't. I don't want to do this anymore, okay? I don't think Buffy does either to tell the truth. It-It's over! You can tell them that we buried their precious Charmed Ones when we buried Prue."

"Yeah you can tell them I quit. The Charmed Slayer is done. They can wait for another to be called in say 60 years." Buffy says.

They spin and stalk up the stairs. Leo starts to follow, but Phoebe stops him.

"No, leave them be. They both need to be alone. Look, I don't know where we go from here, but I do know that I can't let that girl die…especially not by the same demon that killed Prue."

"The question remains, how are you going to stop Shax without the Power of Three to say the vanquishing spell?"

Piper and Buffy walk into the attic and start placing five lit candles in a lose circle on the floor in front of the Charmed Book of Shadows.

"We're witches, damn it. We've summoned people before and we're gonna summon Prue now whether you like it or not! No more games, no more playing the good witch." Piper says as she and Buffy go to the Charmed Book, which is opened to the spell. "I want to talk to my sister. And Buffy is her cousin. We need to talk to her. At the very least, you owe us that."

Buffy and Piper takes a soul-cleansing breath, then glares at the Book as they chant together. "Here these words. Hear my cry spirit from the other side. Come to me, I summon thee. Cross now the Great Divide."

Inside the circle, white magical lights, ever-so-slowly begin to appear. Buffy and Piper looks up, their anger replaced by hopeful wonder as they step closer, anticipating Prue's appearance, but is, instead, surprised to see the ghost of Grams.

"Grams?" Buffy and Piper say.

Grams smiles, "Hello, my darlings. How are you?"

Piper shakes her head, "How are we? Are you kidding? Do you guys not get the news up there?"

Grams sighs, "I meant, how are you both holding up?"

Buffy shakes her head, "Not very well. We're both a little lost. Why didn't you come before? When we called after…"

"I couldn't, Piper, Buffy. I was… busy." Grams said.

"You were busy?" Piper asked.

Grams sighs, "I was with Prue."

"Oh." Piper and Buffy say.

"Of course you were. Right." Piper says.

Buffy nods, "Well, that makes sense. Is she okay?"

Grams looks to Buffy, "Your mother, Aunt Patty and I are helping her through this."

"But how is she?" Piper asks.

Grams sighs, "I'm not allowed to tell you now… just like you're not allowed to see her, at least not for a while anyway."

"But, why?" Buffy asks.

Grams nods, "Because seeing Prue right now, speaking to her, keeps her alive for both of you. Which keeps the both of you from being able to move on with your lives, to continue with your destiny."

"What destiny? Okay. It's over. It's done. Prue is gone. And I…" Piper says.

"Yeah I quit. I'm not going to be the Charmed Slayer anymore not when this is the cost." Buffy said.

Grams sighs, "I know, sweeties. I know… but if there's one thing you've both learned over the last three years, it's that there's a reason for everything… which means there's a reason for this, too. You're destiny still awaits. blessed be." She disappears in the same swirl of white lights that brought her to Piper and Buffy.

Piper looks to Buffy and sighs. They turn and walk out of the attic together.

Later Phoebe and Buffy sits next to the fireplace. Piper walks toward them and hands them both a teacup.

"Here, this should help. It's chamomile. I had three cups." Piper says takes a seat on the floor beside Phoebe and Buffy.

"Thanks." Phoebe says as she takes a sip and sets it aside. "Doesn't seem real, does it?"

Buffy sits there just holding the cup. "No."

Piper shakes her head, "No. What are we gonna do with all of her stuff? What are we going to do with her car?"

Phoebe shrugs, "I don't know. Sell it, I guess."

Piper nods, "Unless either of you want it."

"No." Phoebe and Buffy say.

Phoebe holds hands with both Buffy and Piper. "We're gonna get through this, you know. We just have to stick together." Leo orbs into the room. "Well?"

"Well, they don't know anything about her, so she's definitely not a Whitelighter." Leo says.

Phoebe shakes her head, "Then why can she orb, Leo?"

Leo sighs, "They can't explain it."

Buffy, Piper and Phoebe stand up.

"Then how is it possible that they don't kn…" Phoebe says.

Cole shimmers into the room. "Whew. Sorry I took so long. I had to dodge a couple of bounty hunters."

Leo nods, "Did you find anything out?"

Cole nods, "You have no idea what I found out. Turns out the Source doesn't think she's a Whitelighter at all." He sits on the arm of a chair. "In fact, he thinks she might be another… Charmed One. That's why he put Shax on it. He thought he ended the Power of Three. Now he's worried that this girl may somehow reconstitute it."

"No, but that's not possible. Is that possible?" Phoebe asks and Leo shrugs. Buffy and Piper begins to take off. "Piper? Buffy?"

Cole frowns, "Piper? Buffy?

They follow Piper and Buffy as they go up to the attic and over to the Charmed book.

"What's going on?" Phoebe asks.

Piper nods, "We're going to ask Grams what's going on, actually."

"Grams?" Phoebe asks confused.

Buffy nods, "Mm-hmm. Your destiny still awaits, she says. There's a reason for everything, she says."

Piper nods, "So, it's time to summon her transparent butt back here and find out exactly what that reason is."

Phoebe nods, "Okay, but what should…"

"Here these words. Hear my cry spirit from the other side. Come to me, I summon thee. Cross now the Great Divide!" Buffy and Piper chant.

Piper lets out a semi-satisfied sigh.

Grams appears in a bright light. "Piper? Buffy? Why are you two calling? P-Phoebe, wha-what's going on?"

"Grams, why does the Source think that the Charmed Ones can be reconstituted?" Buffy asks.

"I do - I don't know what you're talking about." Grams says.

Piper shakes her head, "You know what, Grams? You were a lousy liar when you were alive, and now as a ghost, you're worse."

Phoebe sighs, "If you know something, Grams, you have to tell us. We deserve to know."

"I can't. I'm sworn to secrecy." Gram says.

Phoebe frowns, "By who?"

"By me." Patty says as she appears right next to Grams in a bright light. "By me."

"Mom?" Piper says.

Buffy looks at Patty slightly confused, "Aunt Patty?"

Patty nods, "We didn't tell anybody because we were afraid that there would be reprisals, afraid that, you girls would be denied your powers. Your birthright. Patience was even worried Buffy might be denied hers when she was born. It happened after your father and I were divorced, when Sam and I were together.

"Sam?" Cole asks.

Leo nods, "Her Whitelighter."

Cole shakes his head, "Hmm. Apples don't fall far from the forbidden tree, I see."

Piper frowns, "Shh! Go on, mom."

Patty nods, "You and Phoebe were both toddlers, and of course Buffy wasn't born yet. You just thought Mommy got a little fat." She smiles. "You never knew I was pregnant."

"I was the only one who knew." Grams said.

Patty nods, "And Sam, obviously and of course Patience." She looks at Buffy. "I never hid anything from your mom."

Grams nods, "Right. Well, yes, of course."

"We wanted to keep the baby, of course. But mother –" Patty says.

Grams nods, "Well, I - I knew it would be disastrous. You know, before you and Leo, Piper, it wasn't just forbidden. It was unthinkable for witches to be with Whitelighters. I mean, let alone have children with them."

Patty nods, "So, that's why we had to - why we decided… to give the baby up. Sam and I took her to a local church as soon as she was born. And we asked the nun there to find a home for her, and she found one. A very, very good home."

"Yes." Grams says.

"Explains why the Elders didn't know about her." Leo says as he looks at the sisters.

"All right, hold it. Wait just one minute. Are you telling me, that that girl, our innocent, is really… our sister?" Phoebe says.

Patty nods, "Your baby sister."

"I have another cousin?" Buffy asks.

Grams nods, "Their baby half-sister. And yes Buffy you have another cousin."

"But by my half, which makes her a sister witch. Well, actually, not yet anyway. Not until all four of you are here together by the Book. Just like before." Patty says.

Grams nods, "Charmed. Again."

"And I thought my family was screwed up." Cole says as Piper gives him a look.

Buffy frowns, "Four? I'm not a Charmed One."

Patty smiles, "Actually you are Buffy. Oh in the beginning you weren't that's true. But the power of three has always been rooted in the bond Prue, Piper and Phoebe shared as sisters. Since you moved in you've formed a bond with them. You considered them your sisters even if they weren't. The magic latched on to that bond and made you a Charmed One."

"Then the power of three isn't broken." Phoebe says.

Grams shakes her head, "Power of Three is broken because it relied on the bond with Prue. The Power of Four existed because of the Power of Three. Without a Power of Three there is no Power of Four. You need your other sister for the Power of Three. And Buffy for the Power of Four."

Cortez walks into the attic, seeing the two ghosts there. Everyone is a bit stunned. Darryl is right behind him. "Well, I'll be damned."

"Darryl, do something!" Piper says.

"He's a cop, Piper. And he's got a search warrant." Daryrl says.

Cortez nods, "And believe me, I've found what I've been searching for." Cole moves slightly towards Cortez. He aims his gun at him. "Ah-ah-ah-ah. Don't move. I'll shoot."

"Then so will I." Cole says.

"Cole…" Buffy says.

Phoebe shakes her head, "Okay Inspector, just put the gun down. There is a very good explanation for all of this. Feel free to chime in anytime, guys."

"My whole life, I suspected evil magic was real, that there was something more. I've seem too many horrible things in the job to suspect otherwise, not the least of which are the two murders that happened here." Cortez says.

"Wait. Are you accusing us?" Piper asks.

Cortez nods, "I've just begun to accuse you, lady!"

"All right, fine. You caught us. Congratulations. So what are you gonna do about it? Shoot us?" Grams says.

"Easy, Grams. Not all of us are dead, remember?" Buffy says.

Leo nods, "All right, look, you can't arrest us, especially not them. Nobody will ever believe you."

"Maybe not at first. I'm putting this whole place under constant surveillance. I'm taping your every move. Sooner or later, I'll catch you doing something uh, supernatural, and then…" Cortez says.

Darryl knocks Cortez out with the but of his gun. Cortez falls to the floor. "I think you've been through enough today, huh?"

Piper nods, "Thank you."

Phoebe walks over to Darryl. "Darryl, go, get out of here. We don't want you to take the fall for this."

"No, it's okay." Darryl says.

Buffy shakes her head, "No, it's not. This is our problem. He wants to expose us, not you. Let us take care of this, please?"

Darryl nods, "If you need me, you know where to find me, huh?"

Phoebe nods and turns to Cole.

Darryl heads downstairs and leaves the manor.

"It doesn't solve your problem. He's gonna wake up eventually. You've just bought yourself some time." Cole says.

"What you're gonna need, especially if you're wanna save your…" Leo says.

"Sister?" Phoebe says.

Grams nods, "Well, what are you waiting for? Just write a spell. Get rid of him."

"Uh, get rid of him?" Buffy asks.

"Well, you know what I mean. Dump him somewhere. Anywhere. With all the witches in this room, we oughta be able to do something with him. I mean, just start rhyming. Uh, take him back, take him away. Remove him now. Don't let him stay." Grams says as she gestures to Phoebe.

"Oh. Uh. We call the spirits to help undo and send him off to… Timbuktu." Phoebe says as Cortez vanishes from the floor. "Whoa. It worked."

"Timbuktu? You sent him to Timbuktu?" Piper asks.

Phoebe nods, "All right, well, it was the only thing I could think of that rhymed with undo."

"Don't worry. Uh, I'll find him." Cole says and he shimmers out.

"Okay, well this is way too much for me to handle. Way too much." Piper says.

"Me too." Buffy says.

"Nobody can blame either of you for being angry." Patty says.

"Angry? Yeah, I'm angry. Um, I'm confused and you know what? This - this is just crazy. You cannot float in here after all these years and go, "Oh gosh, I forgot, by the way, you've got a sister." Especially not today of all days." Piper says.

"Piper's right." Buffy says. "This is just the worst day to be dropping revelations on us. Are you going to turn around and tell me I have a mystery sister also?"

Patty sighs, "I know it's a lot, sweeties. More than anybody should have to deal with, but you're going to have to deal with it the best way you know how. Losing Prue, learning about another sister... this is your, path. This is your destiny. Get angry at it, cry about it, but don't fight it. Or it'll consume you."

Grams nods, "Come on, Patty. The rest is up to them." She and Patty disappear.

Buffy, Piper, Phoebe, Leo head downstairs.

"I can't sense where she is because she's technically not a witch yet." Leo says.

Phoebe nods, "All right, so all we have to go on is that church that Mom mentioned and the nun."

Buffy sighs, "Okay, let's get one thing straight. I am only doing this to save her."

Piper nods, "Same here. Plus I'm not remotely interested in reconstituting...The Charmed Ones." She is cut off to find Paige waiting for them. The door is left open.

"I, the door was open. I'm sorry. I shouldn't be here." Paige says and turns to leave but Phoebe stops her.

"No, no, no. No, no. We were just coming to look for you." Phoebe says.

"You were?" Paige asks.

Phoebe nods, "Yep. Come on in. Welcome. I'm Phoebe. And this is..." Phoebe hooks her arm into Paige's and walks over to Buffy, Piper and Leo.

Paige smiles, "Piper. I know. I've been to your club. Pretty great." She turns to Buffy. "And this must be Payson, the cousin you renamed the club after."

Buffy nods, "You got it, I'm Payson. But my friends and family call me Buffy."

"Why?" Paige asks.

"It's a long complicated story." Buffy says.

"And you are?" Piper asks.

"Paige. My name is Paige." Paige says.

Phoebe smiles, "Hmm. Another P. Imagine that."

"It's nice to meet you." Piper says as she shakes Paige's hand. A bright blue shines over the girls.

"Okay. What was that?" Paige asks.

"I think that means you're supposed to be here." Leo says as the door slams open and a strong wind knocks Buffy, Piper, Phoebe, and Paige backwards. Leo is knocked down on the stairs. Shax materializes and walks closer. He is about to strike when Leo jumps on his back. "Run! Get upstairs!"

"Leo?!" Piper says as she, Phoebe, and Paige run upstairs. Shax throws him off his back and Leo is knocked out. Shax then looks upstairs.

Buffy, Piper, Phoebe, and Paige enter the attic and go to the Charmed Book.

"What are we doing? What is that thing?" Paige asks.

"We'll explain later." Buffy says.

Piper flips through the pages of the Book. "Okay, just say this spell out loud with us, okay?"

"Spell, what are you guys, witches?" Paige asks.

Phoebe smiles, "And so are you. We hope."

Buffy nods, "Well, we're about to find out." The strong wind breaks through the attic door and Shax materializes. The girls recite the vanquishing spell.

"Evil wind that blows, that which forms below. No longer may you dwell. Death takes you with this spell." Buffy, Piper, Phoebe and Paige says.

Shax moans in pain as he explodes, vanquished.

Phoebe shakes her head, "It's not enough. Shax was just the messenger. We gotta get the Source."

Paige frowns, "The Source of what?"

"Of all evil." Piper says.

Paige frowns, "What have you guys turned me into?" She turns and runs out the attic and out of the manor.

"Paige?" Buffy and Piper says.

"Wait." Phoebe says as she, Buffy and Piper start following.


	78. Chapter 78: Charmed Again Pt 2

**Chapter 78: Charmed Again Pt. 2**

Piper retrieves an ice pack from the freezer and places it gently on Leo's neck. Leo holds it against his sore neck. "I don't understand how you can keep healing innocents, but you can't figure out a way to heal yourself."

"It's kind of hard to heal myself when I'm knocked out." Leo says as Buffy and Phoebe walk in.

"Leo, how is it possible for an angel to even get knocked out? I mean, you are, after all, technically dead." Phoebe says.

"Three years together, and now you're asking these questions?" Leo says.

Buffy rolls her eyes. "Well Phoebe…"

"I think the more appropriate question is, how does a Whitelighter get somebody knocked up?" Piper says as Phoebe lets out a giggle.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Leo asks.

"What do you think it means?" Buffy asks.

Leo sighs, "If it's about Paige, I swear, the Elders had no idea that she even existed, or that she was your sister and Buffy's cousin."

"Sister." Buffy says.

"Cousin." Leo says, "You may consider them sisters but their still your cousins."

Phoebe nods, "Sister witch. Better?"

Piper nods, "Half-witch, half-Whitelighter. Let's not forget that little surprise." She helps Leo with the ice pack. "I still can't believe that Mom kept that secret from us."

Buffy shakes her head, "You can't believe that when my mom did the same thing with me. Let's see you all didn't know I was alive for 16 years."

Phoebe sighs, "Buffy has a point. We reacted to her better than we are reacting to Paige. Still, it sounded like mom didn't have much of a choice."

Piper nods, "We're her daughters. She could've found a way to share that information with us. And your right Buffy, Aunt Joyce should have told us about you also." The doorbell rings. "That better not be another long-lost relative." She goes to answer the door. Buffy, Phoebe and Leo follow. Piper greets Darryl at the door and lets him in.

"Hi Piper." Darryl says.

"Hi there." Piper says as she closes the door and Darryl looks around.

"Where's Cortez?" Darryl asks.

"Who?" Buffy asks.

Darryl frowns, "Inspector Cortez - the one I hit over the head, the one you said you would take care of. He's missing. Police inspectors are not supposed to be missing. Where is he?"

"Well, I kind of sent him to…" Phoebe says.

Piper sighs, "Timbuktu. It rhymed with undo."

"Timbuktu." Darryl says.

Leo nods, "It's okay. Cole went to get him."

"Cole?" Darryl says as Cole shimmers into the manor by the stairs.

Phoebe smiles, "Cole!"

"Wait." Cole says as he gets an energy ball ready and a bounty hunter appears suddenly and strikes. The bolt of blue lightning misses Cole barely and Cole kills the bounty hunter with his energy ball. Cole stands up. "Damn bounty hunters… they're like gnats."

"Where's the inspector?" Darryl asks.

Cole smiles, "Don't worry. I found him. Moved him to a place he can't tell a soul what he saw. Literally."

"What do you mean? Where'd you put him?" Leo says and Cole gestures below him.

"In the basement?" Phoebe asks.

Buffy shakes her head, "No. I think he means a little bit further down than that."

"Oh." Phoebe says.

Leo shakes his head, "Cole, he's a cop. He's one of the good guys."

"He's also the one who can expose them as witches. I think that you, above anybody, would want to avoid that at all costs." Cole says. "Especially after what happened when Prue died."

"Not at that cost. We have to save him." Leo says.

Buffy glares at Cole for even mentioning Prue. Though she can't blame Cole for Prue dying. He tried to make sure Leo could save Prue and Piper. He didn't know that the Source would detain him and then try and kill her and Phoebe.

"Save him? What do you mean, save him? Wh-what's going on?" Darryl says.

Phoebe sighs, "You know what, Darryl? We are going to take care of this whole mess."

"Wait a second. Hold…" Darryl says.

"You don't worry about it." Buffy says and she escorts Darryl out the door and then joins the others.

"Okay. Maybe you can talk to the Inspector, reason with him." Piper says.

Phoebe hugs Cole.

"And what if he can't? What if you three get exposed? What's to say the same thing won't happened to you that happened to Prue?" Cole says.

Phoebe sighs, "Well it's a risk we'll have to take, again."

"Yeah well, you know what? There's another risk you guys have to worry about. On the way back, I heard gargoyles." Cole says.

"Gargoyles? You mean like statues?" Buffy asks.

Cole nods, "That's only in they're in their resting state. They come alive to ward off evil. In this case, I think they're trying to ward off the Source. I think he's surfaced."

"Wait - what? He's here? Now? Where?" Phoebe says.

"I don't know. Could be anywhere. Or anyone." Cole says.

Leo frowns, "Probably came for Paige, but she doesn't stand a chance against him. She doesn't even know what her power is yet."

"Leo, we don't stand a chance against him. Not without Prue. Even with Buffy being a Charmed One now." Phoebe says.

Leo nods, "But you might with Paige - the new Power of Three. And then access the new Power of Four."

"Can you sense her?" Piper asks.

Leo shakes his head, "I don't think so. She's too new."

Piper nods, "Well then we just have to start with the church Mom was talking about."

Buffy nods, "Good idea."

Phoebe frowns, "Piper…"

"What? Phoebe, I'm not crazy about it, either, but we can't just do anything about it - now. Mom wouldn't want us to... and neither would Prue. And I have my doubts Aunt Joyce would either." Piper says.

Buffy nods, "Piper's right, Pheebs."

The next morning Piper is holding the Yellow Pages and looks into Phoebe's room.

"Phoebe, I think I found…" Phoebe's not there. "The church. Phoebe?"

Buffy comes out of her room, "Piper?"

"Do you know where, Phoebe's at?" Piper asks.

Buffy shakes her head. They go look into Prue's old room and find Phoebe standing there, facing the window. Piper sets down the phone book and she and Buffy walks up to their sister. "What are you doing in here?"

Phoebe turns around holding a leather jacket. Phoebe's face is tear stained. "You remember the time I borrowed this from Prue without asking?"

"Which time?" Piper asks.

"When my boyfriend's cat peed on it. Oh. She got so mad, I thought she was gonna have a stroke." Phoebe says and wipes her nose. "But the funny thing was, she got mad at you because she thought that you were the one that had borrowed it. And you never told her the truth. She never knew it was really me." Phoebe sobs and sits down on a red sofa. Piper comes over and sits beside her. Piper pulls Phoebe to her and embraces her sister. "I miss her so much."

Buffy nods, "Me, too."

Piper smiles, "Me, three. I was wondering when you were gonna let go."

Phoebe sighs, "I was just… I was trying to." Piper hands her a tissue. "Thanks. Stay strong, you know, keep it together for you two, and… then I put all my energy into trying to save… Paige because I figured only one or two of us could break down at a time. Otherwise, we'd all be useless." She sits up. "I'm scared, Piper. Buffy. I'm really, really scared. She always took the lead. She was… she was our big sister. How are we supposed to go on without her? How are we supposed to go up against the Source without her?"

Buffy sighs. "I don't know. But I do know that we can't let the bastard get Paige, either so, no matter what we think or feel, she is our sister. And sisters protect each other."

Later at the church Piper knocks on the door and she, Buffy, and Phoebe enters.

"Yes, may I help…" Sister Agnes says.

"Hi." Piper says and she freezes Sister Agnes. "Hey, what's up? We need to get you out of here."

"What did you do to her?" Paige says.

"Oh, she just froze her. She'll be fine." Phoebe says.

Buffy nods, "Yeah. Lucky she didn't blow her up. Her powers have been a little off lately."

"Piper." Phoebe says and points at the blanket Paige is holding.

Piper blinks, "Is that our blanket?" She tries to touch it, but Paige pulls it away.)

Paige shakes her head, "No! That's mine! Leave me alone!" She turns to leave.

Piper sighs, "All right! Gee."

Buffy, Piper and Phoebe follow Paige.

"Paige. Paige. Paige." Buffy says.

"Stop or I'll freeze!" Piper says as Paige stops and turns. Buffy, Phoebe and Piper stop as well.

"She's a witch. You can't freeze her." Phoebe whispers.

"She doesn't know that." Buffy whispers.

"Will you please just leave me alone?" Paige says and continues to walk towards the main exit.

Phoebe sighs, "Look, we know what you're going through. We went through the same thing when we first found out we were witches, too."

"Look. You just gotta trust us. Somebody very, very bad is after you." Piper says.

Paige stops and turns around. "Trust you? You just froze a nun? How do I know you're not the bad ones?"

Piper sighs, "Well if we are, then you are, sister."

"Piper." Phoebe says.

Paige turns to leave.

"What? Fine. Then you try." Piper says.

Phoebe nods, "You have a magical power, you know." Paige stops and turns. Buffy, Phoebe and Piper come closer to Paige to talk. "Mmm. At least, if you're really a Charmed One, you do. And the sooner you learn it, the sooner you'll be able to protect yourself."

"I have a power?" Paige asks.

Buffy nods, "According to the prophecy, the third sister has the power to move things with her mind. Like Prue could."

"How does it work?" Paige asks.

"You concentrate on an object like that candle right there." Phoebe says as she points at the candle a few feet away. "And then you just wave your arm at it." She Phoebe demonstrates and waves her arm.

Paige tries it, but nothing happens. She looks to Buffy, Piper and Phoebe.

"Or, uh, you could squint your eyes. She used to squint her eyes." Piper says.

"Yeah when we first got our powers, Prue squinted a lot." Buffy says.

Paige waves her hand at the candle and squints but nothing happens to the candle. She turns back to the others. "Well, maybe I'm not one of you after all if I can't even make that candle…" Paige raises out her hand in the candle's direction. The candle is surrounded by blue and white bright lights and disappears and reappears in Paige's outstretched hand. Paige hands the candle slowly to Phoebe. "Oh."

"So perhaps the whitelighter in her makes it work differently?" Phoebe says and blows out the candle and sets it aside.

"Half-breed." Piper says.

"Piper!" Buffy says.

Suddenly they hear a noise coming from outside.

"What is that?" Paige asks.

"I don't know." Phoebe says.

Suddenly the doors open, and they see Shane, Paige's boyfriend, on the ground outside. "Paige."

"Shane?" Paige says as shhe rushes to help him. "What's the matter? My god, what happened?"

"I don't know. Someone's after me." Shane says as Paige helps him up.

"Paige!" Buffy says as she, Piper and Phoebe run after Paige.

"Come on. Let's get out of here." Paige says.

"Paige! Come back!" Phoebe says as Shane turns and fires a red bolt at Buffy, Piper and Phoebe. Buffy, Piper and Phoebe scream and go flying backwards, sliding their way to the inside of the front of the church. "Whoo!"

"What the hell was that?" Piper asks.

"Good question." Sister Agnes says.

Later back at the Manor Buffy, Piper and Phoebe are sitting on the couch in the conservatory. Cole and Leo are pacing in front of them with their arms folded.

"So the Source was there, at the church?" Leo asks.

Phoebe nods, "Well, the gargoyles weren't exactly whistling Dixie, Leo."

"Plus, something pretty powerful knocked us on our asses." Piper says.

Cole sits down. "But if he was there, why didn't he try to kill Paige?"

"Maybe he didn't want to go up against the Charmed Ones." Buffy says.

Cole shakes his head, "No, that doesn't make sense. He knows that Paige is new to her powers. If ever there was a time to attack…"

"Wait a minute. What if he's not trying to kill her anymore? What if he's trying to lure her to his side?" Leo says.

"Translation please?" Phoebe asks.

Cole nods, "The mythological window."

"There's a window of opportunity, an opening." Leo says.

"48 hours." Cole says.

Leo nods, "Right, 48 hours where a nascent witch who hasn't chosen to use her powers for good or evil yet can be swayed either way." He sits down.

"Wait, so all he has to do is cast a spell on her?" Buffy asks.

Cole shakes his head, "No, he can't. It has to be her choice, but he can tempt her, entice her. If he gets her to use her powers for evil…"

Leo nods, "She becomes evil forever."

Phoebe sighs.

"Who makes up these cockamamie rules?" Piper says. Cole looks down and Leo looks up. "Oh, never mind…"

"Okay, so we have less than 24 hours to get to Paige and no idea how to find her." Buffy says.

Piper nods, "But I bet the Source does."

Later in the attic Cole is looking at Cortez, who's leaning against his car parked outside the Manor. Buffy, Phoebe, Piper, and Leo are looking at both Book of Shadows.

"Are you sure you don't want me to turn Belthazor loose on Cortez just for a minute or two?" Cole says.

Leo shakes his head, "No. He doesn't have anything on the girls yet. Besides, now is no time to be blurring the line between good and evil."

Phoebe closes the Charmed Book. "This is useless." She clears her throat as Buffy closes her Book. "We're never gonna find Paige without a little help." The books opens on their own and flips through the pages. They stop on one page. "Works everytime. Okay, an enchantment spell. Wait. How is this gonna help find her?"

"Well, maybe it's not to find Paige. Maybe it's so we can ID the Source. See the last line? It's, so she can reveal the evil within." Piper says/

"But that'll only help if we can find him?" Buffy says.

Leo nods, "Maybe we can, or at least, maybe you can." He looks at Cole.

"What does he mean?" Phoebe asks.

Cole walks toward them. He clears his throat. "Demons can sense the Source's aura. It's how he reminds us of his power, his reach. Maybe if I focus on it…"

"Then he'll know you're doing it. And he'll find you." Phoebe says.

Cole shakes his head, "Not if I was careful. It's your only chance at saving your sister." He goes back to the window.

"Okay. So we need something to enchant. " Piper says.

Buffy nods, "Right, um…" Everyone looks around. She spots something. "Oh!" She goes over to a shelf and finds a pair of pink kiddy sunglasses. "How about these?"

Piper shakes her head, "Oh Buffy."

Phoebe takes the sunglasses from Buffy, "What? They're perfect."

Piper sighs, "Oh great." She and Phoebe hold either side of the sunglasses. Buffy walks over behind them.

"Magic forces far and wide, Enchant these so those can't hide, Allow this witch to use therein, So she can reveal the evil within." Buffy, Piper and Phoebe chant.

The glasses lenses' glow.

"Hmm." Phoebe says.

"Okay. Better test 'em." Buffy says.

Phoebe puts the glasses on. She giggles a little as she looks at Leo.

"Well?" Leo asks.

"Nothing. You look the same." Phoebe says.

"How 'bout me?" Cole says as Phoebe looks at him and lets out a little scream. "What?" Through the glasses, Phoebe sees Cole as Belthazor as he walks toward the girls. "What do I look like?"

"You look like hell." Phoebe says as she takes off the glasses. "Enchanting." Cole smiles. Phoebe looks up. "Thanks for the magical assist Grams."

Piper nods, "How do you know it wasn't somebody else?"

Later Piper pulls up at Social Services in her jeep with Buffy, Phoebe, Cole, and Leo. They all get out and look around.

"I don't see Paige anywhere." Phoebe says.

Piper nods, "Are you sure this is the right place, Cole?"

"The Source is here. I can sense him." Cole says.

"Wait. There she is." Leo says

Phoebe puts on the sunglasses and sees a black aura around Paige.

"What is she doing?" Buffy asks.

"I don't know, but she's got a black aura around her." Phoebe says.

"The Source?" Leo asks.

Cole shakes his head, "No. It can't be. If Phoebe saw my demonic self, then she'd see his too."

"Yeah. Well, whatever it is, it's not good. Come on." Phoebe says and they go towards Paige as a small crowd gathers around Jake.

"Jake! Jake! No." Carol says.

"Paige? Paige? It's me, Phoebe. And Piper. And Buffy." Phoebe says.

"He's evil. He's hurting his child." Paige says.

"Oh God! Honey." Carol says.

Buffy shakes her head, "No. You're being seduced into doing this."

"No! No Jake!" Carol says.

"All right. You know what? Hi." Piper says as she pushes Paige's hand down. "Leo, take her. Go home. Go, go, go, go." Leo orbs out with Paige. Jake's pain lessens.

"Let's get out of here." Cole says and they walk away. They get back in the jeep.

"You three go ahead. I'm going to stay behind. Make sure the Source doesn't follow you." Cole says as he kisses Phoebe.

They drive back to the Manor.

Phoebe takes off her coat as they walk into the foyer moments later.

"Leo, where's…" Piper says as they enter, a knife is thrown, nearly missing Piper and Leo. Buffy, Phoebe and Piper let out a small scream.

"I'm having a hard time convincing her that she is not evil!" Leo says.

"I think we see that." Buffy says.

"Lamp." Paige says.

It disappears in white orbs and reappears. She telekinetically throws it toward Buffy, Piper and Phoebe, who duck after they scream. It smashes against the wall.)

"If she keeps this up. I'm going to start fireballing our own furniture just to keep us from being hit." Buffy says.

"Bright side - at least she's getting the hang of her new power." Phoebe says.

"That was Mom's crystal!" Piper says as she tackles Paige to the ground. Phoebe and Buffy joins her in holding Paige down.

"Okay. Relax. Relax." Phoebe says as Leo takes Piper's place in holding Paige down as Piper gets up. "All right. Now what?"

Piper sighs, "We just better hope there's some Wiccan exorcism in the Book of Shadows cause… yeah." She goes to the stairs, but stops when the lights flicker off and on. Shane/Source appears by the corner of the stairs. "Who are you?" His eyes turn all black and he telekinetically throws Piper through the stairs banister.

"Piper!" Leo, Phoebe and Buffy says.

Shane/Source throws an energy ball at Phoebe, but she levitates to avoid it.

Buffy powers up a fireball, "Two can play that game." She throws the fireball at Shane/Source and he disappears.

Shane/Source appears by the couch. Piper uses her power to blow him up. Paige stands up and Leo helps Piper up. Shane/Source reassembles.

Phoebe grabs the glasses and puts them on. She sees the Source. "Oh, Piper! Buffy! That's the… that's the…" She takes off the glasses and goes to Piper. Buffy makes her way to Piper also. "Loo…loo… loo… look!" Piper pushes her hand away.

"I know who that is." Piper says.

Shane/Source smiles, "Your powers are strong, but will they be enough without the Power of Three."

"Shane, what's going on?" Paige asks.

"It's okay. I'm here now." Shane/Source says.

"Stay away from me." Paige says.

Leo nods, "She still has free will. You can't force her to choose."

Shane/Source shakes his head, "Oh, but she's already chosen, haven't you? Come with me. You'll be safe forever. I promise."

Buffy shakes her head, "Don't listen to him. He's lying."

"They only want you for your power. You don't have to share it. It's yours." Shane/Source says and he turns into Mr. Cowan. "You've already seen what you can do with it. You do what nobody else can do." He turns into Carol. "You nearly saved my son from his father. From all the pain and suffering he's put him through." He turns into the little boy. "Please help me. Don't let him hurt me anymore. You're my only hope."

Paige takes his hand and starts to go with him.

"No!" Phoebe says as the boy/Source races his hand, suspending Phoebe in mid-air and shocking her with electricity. "Help me!"

Paige pushes Boy/Source down and Phoebe falls down. Buffy, Piper, Leo, and Paige go over to her to help her up. The clock chimes in the background.

"Phoebe? Okay. Come on. Come on." Piper says as the boy disappears and the Source repossesses Shane, who stands up. "I guess blood's a little thicker than evil." The Source/Shane looks at the clock and goes out of Shane, who falls to the ground, to reveal his true self.

"I've broken the Charmed circle before. I'll do it again." The Source says.

Buffy laughs, "Now that Paige is with us. You won't have a chance. Not with the Power of Four standing against you."

The Source frowns, the Power of Four? What is she talking about he wonders. "Besides, it wasn't a complete loss. Thanks to Belthazor."

"What did you do to him?" Phoebe says.

"Oh my God." Cortez says as the Source, Leo, and the sisters turn to see Cortez standing near the front door with a video camera. He's amazed at what he sees.

"Inspector, would you get out of here?!" Piper says as Cortez reaches for his gun, the Source fires an energy ball at him, knocking him on the coat rack. He screams. He's knocked on a hanger. Piper gasps. Cortez falls down, revealing blood on the hanger. The Source disappears in a blast of fire. The others race to Cortez. Leo kneels down beside him.

"Looks like evil wins again, huh?" Cortez says.

Leo shakes his head, "Not if I can help it." He heals him. Cortez is shocked.

"How'd you do that?" Paige asks.

Leo helps a shocked Cortez up. "That's what Whitelighters do. We heal good people."

Phoebe nods, "We have to go find Cole." All, except Cortez, leave. He checks his used to be wound and the video camera.

Near South Bay Social Services. Cole is lying on the ground, nearly dead.

"Cole!" Phoebe says as she spots him and runs over to him. She kneels down beside him. "Oh no. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no." She puts his head in his lap.

Piper freezes Cole. "Heal him."

Leo sighs, "You know that it's against the rules."

"Leo, screw the rules. The Elders owe us." Piper says.

Leo sighs, "Even if I could, I could only heal his human half and that… wouldn't be enough power to save him." He kneels down.

Paige smiles, "Aren't I half Whitelighter? I mean, couldn't I use my half to offset his half?"

Leo nods, "It's worth a try. Take my hand." Paige kneels down beside him and does so. "Hold your other hand over his wound."

Paige and Leo heal Cole. He unfreezes and gasps for air. Phoebe hugs him, happy he's alive.

"That was good, right?" Paige asks as Buffy and Piper help Paige stand up as Leo stands up too.

Buffy nods, "That was very good. Let's just hope it wasn't all for nothing."

That evening at Payson's Buffy, Piper, Phoebe, Leo, and Cole are sitting in the alcove. A waitress, Megan, brings Cole and Leo their drinks.

"Oh good, thank you." Cole says.

Leo smiles, "Thanks, too." She leaves. "Feels good be here again."

Cole nods, "Feels good to be anywhere again." He chuckles.

"I will drink to that." Phoebe says as they clink their drinks. "Don't ever scare me like that again."

"Promise." Cole says as Phoebe smiles as she takes a drink.

"You okay?" Buffy asks.

Piper shakes her head, "I'm not sure."

"Prue?" Leo asks.

Piper nods, "Yeah. We barely got through the funeral and then everything started to go crazy and we haven't had a chance to mourn yet. And that's just not right."

Buffy nods, "I agree, Piper. But I think we'll have the rest of our lives for that."

Piper nods, "I'm still not sure about continuing on with this destiny thing. I need some time to think about it. I hope you're both okay with that."

"Absolutely." Phoebe says.

Buffy nods, "I'm okay with it. I'm going to be doing a lot of thinking on that myself."

"And I hope you're okay with it too." Piper says

Leo nods, "They may not be, but I am." He takes her hand. Paige walks up.

Paige smiles, "So does this mean I get free drinks now?" Phoebe chuckles a little.

Buffy smiles and nods waving over a waitress, "Get Paige here anything she wants. On the house."

The waitress nods.

Paige shakes her head, "Oh, I didn't mean it like that. It's not that I really drink or… Okay. I'm just gonna go." She begins to leave, but Leo stands up and stops her.

"No, Paige. You belong here, remember?" Leo says.

"You sure? I don't want to intrude." Paige says.

Phoebe nods, "Mmm. Come on. Come sit right here." Cole goes over to stand next to Leo as Paige sits down next to Phoebe.

Cole nods, "Okay, so, uh, maybe Leo and I should go uh… pretend like we got something better to do."

Piper smiles, "Good idea."

"Yeah." Cole says and he and Leo leave.

"I won't stay long. I just wanted to, uh, come by and thank you." Paige says.

"For what?" Phoebe asks.

Paige smiles, "For what? You mean, beside from saving my life." She chuckles. "I feel like I should bake you a cake or something."

"Do you cook?" Piper asks.

Paige shakes her head, "No, no. Not really."

"So how's Shane?" Buffy asks.

"He's okay, I guess, except I'm not too sure he wants to see me anymore." Paige says.

Phoebe smiles sadly, "Oh, I'm sorry."

Paige shakes her head, "No. Can't say I blame him. You know? He doesn't know exactly what happened to him, but he knows its something bad and he knows it's somehow connected to me."

"Yeah, well, you're not truly one of us until you've dated a demon, so, welcome to the club." Piper says.

"Or a vampire." Buffy says.

"Can I ask you a question?" Phoebe says.

Paige nods, "Hm-mmm."

"Why did you come to Prue's funeral? I mean, you never even met her, right?" Phoebe says.

Paige shakes her head, "No. I never did. I don't want this to be taken the wrong way, but… I just feel like a part of me lost her too and I just… I felt drawn to her, to all you guys. I guess it was just a part of me trying to find out who I was."

Buffy, Piper and Phoebe look at each other.

"Come on. There's something we need to show you." Piper says.

"Show me what?" Paige asks.

Buffy smiles, "What good magic can do."

They get up and leave.

Later back at the Manor in the attic. Phoebe lights the last two candles in a circle and then join Buffy and Piper by the Charmed Book of Shadows as Paige watches on.

"Here these words. Hear my cry spirit from the other side. Come to me, I summon thee. Cross now the Great Divide." Buffy, Piper and Phoebe chant.

Patty appears in a bright light.

"There's someone here we thought you should meet." Phoebe says.

Patty looks at Paige. "Paige."

"Mom?" Paige asks.

Patty steps outside the circle and becomes real. She hugs Paige, who smiles after the hug. "Welcome home." She hugs her again as Buffy, Piper and Phoebe watch on the tender moment.


	79. Chapter 79: Hell Hath No Fury

**Chapter 79: Hell Hath No Fury**

Buffy, Piper, Phoebe and Cole are on the road in Piper's car. Cole is driving, Piper's in the passenger seat, and Buffy and Phoebe are in the backseat. The car screeches around the corner.

"Okay, turn left up here. And can you step on the gas a little?" Piper says.

Cole screeches around the corner, nearly hitting a taxi.

Phoebe lets out a yelp, and the taxi driver honks his horn. "Off the gas! Off the gas!" She pats Cole on the shoulder.

"Does somebody else want to drive here?" Cole says.

"Phoebe, the demon is not waiting around for us to come and vanquish him." Buffy says.

"We don't even know if we have enough power to vanquish him. Scrying for random evil tells us nothing." Phoebe says.

"It tells us where the demons are and since we vanquished two already this week, I say it's working pretty well." Piper says.

Phoebe nods, "Yeah, thanks to Cole for saving our butts. Three witches and half a demon is not the Power of Three make."

"So what are we supposed to do? Sit around and wait for them to pick us all off? If we weren't going after them, they'd be coming after us." Buffy says.

"They're coming after you anyway, Buffy. The Source is coming after you. Especially now that he knows that with Paige and you, that you can bring the Power of Four."

"And we won't be ready for him because instead of teaching Paige how to be a witch, we're out hunting for every Tom, Dick and Beelzebub in San Francisco." Phoebe says.

"Speaking of, do we have any kind of plan here or…" Cole says.

"The plan is to vanquish the demon." Piper says.

"Great. Any chance you've mastered your powers or are you still freezing and exploding at random?" Cole asks.

Phoebe hits him lightly on the shoulder.

"Random, but you know what they say, there's nothing like field practice. Turn here!" Piper says as Cole screeches around another corner and drives down an alley. "Stop!" Cole slams on the breaks. A bald demon is in the middle of strangling a man. Buffy, Piper, Phoebe and Cole get out of the car. "Hey! Big scary demon!"

The demon turns around and the man escapes from his grip and runs away. The demon's eyes glow bright red. Piper uses her power and the demon bloats up. His face turns red.

"He's gonna blow!" Cole says.

Phoebe and Cole quickly jump back in the car and shuts the doors. The demon explodes and green goo splatters on the front of the car. Cole turns on the windshield wipers. Buffy and Piper walks over to the car and opens the passenger doors.

"Next!" Piper and Buffy says and they grin as they get in the car. Phoebe and Cole look at each other, then at Piper and Buffy, who are still grinning.

Back at the Manor Buffy, Piper, Phoebe and Cole are in the attic. Buffy and Piper crosses out a page in both Book of Shadows while Phoebe looks on.

"Oh, I know that you two are happy that we got him, but is it entirely necessary to disfigure the Books?" Phoebe asks.

"Hmm, this one could incinerate human flesh with his eyes. That must sting." Piper says.

"You think that's funny? You two could have gotten yourselves killed. Do you understand that?" Cole says as he walks over to Piper and Buffy.

"Yes, Cole, We understand killed very well." Buffy says.

Cole nods, "Then why would you want to keep risking your lives and Phoebe's, not to mention mine? There's a legion of Bounty Hunters on my ass. I'm supposed to be laying low but instead, I'm out protecting you guys."

"You know what, Cole? Next time, you can stay home." Piper says.

Cole frowns, "If you insist on taking these suicide missions, you force me to be there because," the doorbell rings, "there's no way in hell I'm about to let Phoebe lose another sister."

Phoebe goes over to him and touches his shoulder. "Why don't you go see who's at the door for us, okay?"

"Sure. If it's the Source, I'll just ask him to come back later." Cole says. "We need to talk." He leaves the attic.

"Buffy, Piper, Cole's right. We have a system for fighting demons and it's worked pretty well for the last three years." Phoebe says.

"I think, uh, Prue being killed counts as a pretty big glitch in the system." Buffy says.

Phoebe sighs, "I know that you two are angry. I am angry too."

"Then w-why are you fighting us on this? What-what's the problem with getting a little proactive?" Piper says.

Phoebe shakes her head, "Because we're not ready to get proactive. That's what's wrong with it. We're barely ready for anything right now. I mean, just dealing with our everyday normal lives is hard enough."

"That is precisely the point. The faster we get rid of these demons, the faster we can get back to our everyday normal lives or at least what is left of them." Buffy says.

The attic door opens and Paige walks in. "Knock knock. I uh… I'm sorry to just drop by without calling."

"Uh, it's okay. Don't worry about it." Phoebe says.

"I don't know exactly why I'm here. I'm just kind of having a hard time being surrounded by people and…" Paige says.

"And not being able to tell them that you can move things with your mind?" Phoebe asks.

Paige nods, "It does not exactly roll off the tongue."

Piper picks up a map and a crystal.

"Yeah, well being a witch is tough on friendships. That's why the whole sister thing comes in so handy." Phoebe says. "What are you doing?"

"Um, it's a little chatty up here, so I'm going to go scry for evil in my room." Piper says. "Coming Buffy?"

Buffy nods, "Yeah Piper."

"Scry?" Paige asks as Buffy and Piper heads for the door.

"Yeah, uh, Phoebe will explain. We'll see you later." Piper says as she and Buffy leaves the attic.

"It's kind of like a, um, supernatural lojack." Phoebe says.

"Well, why don't you use that big book? I mean, it is a book of spells, right?" Paige says as she walks over to the Charmed Book. She notices Buffy's Book. "Two?"

"Oh, it's a lot more than that. It's kind of hard to explain." Phoebe says. "The other Book is Buffy's like our Book was handed down from mom and Grams. Buffy's Book was handed down from her mom, Aunt Joyce."

Paige nods, "Ours looks so old."

"Yeah. It has survived a lot. Fortunately, it protects itself from evil." Phoebe says.

"It protects itself. How?" Paige asks.

"Magic." Phoebe says.

"May I?" Paige asks.

Phoebe nods, "Yeah. I mean technically, it's yours too. I would walk you through it right now, but I have to go talk to Cole."

Paige nods, "Well, maybe I can just take it back to my office."

Phoebe shakes her head, "Oh, no, no, no, no. Neither Book leaves the house. But just feel free to thumb through it and then I'll be back in a few minutes." She heads downstairs.

Moments later Leo orbs in, "What? What is it? What's wrong?"

"You've got to talk to your wife and Buffy." Cole says.

"Okay, Cole, remember what I said about being gentle?" Phoebe says.

"What about my wife? Or Buffy?" Leo says.

"They're out of control." Cole says.

"Cole!" Phoebe says.

Leo frowns, "What?"

Phoebe sighs, "It's just, we're very worried about them."

"What happened?" Leo asks.

"They're very, very angry." Phoebe says.

"Well, of course they're angry. They're grieving." Leo says.

Phoebe nods, "Right, and if they were punching walls, I would happily call a repairman, but…"

Cole nods, "The problem is they prefer to punch demons.

Phoebe nods, "I've tried talking to them with no luck."

Leo nods, "Well, I'll talk to them."

Cole moves closer to Leo. "They have no regard for their lives or anyone else's. They're Charles Bronson cubed."

Leo sighs, "I said I'd talk to them."

Phoebe stands in between the two. "Guys, guys. Who is Charles Bronson?" Leo and Cole give her a look. "Never mind." She looks to Cole, "We - can we please just have a minute alone?"

Cole nods, "Sure."

"Thank you." Phoebe says as Cole leaves the room and she and Leo walk in the living room. "Uh, it's not just that they're violent, Leo. They're acting nothing like themselves. Piper and Buffy are completely dismissive of Paige and I don't know what to do anymore."

They sit on the couch.

"Strange isn't it? Now on top of everything else, you have to play the middle sister when you've always been the, uh…" Leo says.

"Screw up?" Phoebe says.

Leo laughs. "The youngest. Even after Buffy moved in you were still the youngest of the actual sisters."

Phoebe sighs, "Yeah. I look at Paige, Buffy and Piper and it makes me think back to all those times that Piper had to play mediator between me or Buffy and Prue."

"Not a lot of fun, huh?" Leo asks.

Phoebe shakes her head, "It's not a job I would have asked for. And I'm not sure it's a job I'm going to be any good at, but I just, I don't have time to really worry about it right now."

Leo nods, "I'll talk to them."

Phoebe smiles, "Thanks Leo." They hug. "And not to worse this tender moment, but Piper's already started scrying." Leo orbs out and Phoebe falls head first on the couch. "I didn't mean you couldn't use the stairs!"

Moments later in Piper's room. Buffy, Piper and Leo are there. Piper is scrying.]

"Look, honey, it isn't just that it's dangerous." Leo says.

Piper shakes her head, "Leo, Whitelighters are supposed to guide. Not judge. Just because I'm doing things a little bit differently doesn't mean that there is a problem." She drops the crystal.

"Piper, I'm your husband and Buffy's friend, not just you're Whitelighter. When you speak to me like that, there is a problem. I can't help you unless you talk to me." Leo says.

Buffy shakes her head, "It hurts to talk, Leo. It hurts to breathe. So unless you have some idea of how to bring Prue back, we don't want to talk right now."

Leo sighs, "Is that what you both don't want to say? Is that you both still blame me for not being able to bring her back?"

Piper shakes her head, "No, Leo. We don't blame you. We blame evil. Why-why do you think we're doing all this? For kicks?"

Leo sighs, "Honestly, I think you both are doing it because it's easier than confronting what you're really feeling."

Piper starts scrying again and the crystal points to a place on the map. "Demon."

"What?" Leo asks.

Buffy looks to the map and nods, "We have work to do." She and Piper walks out of Piper's room. "Cole, Phoebe! Let's go!"

Later Buffy, Piper, Phoebe and Cole are walking down an alley.

"Buffy, Piper. Cole and I do not support you in this. If you insist on doing it, you are going in alone." Phoebe says.

Piper nods, "Okay. We'll see you at home."

"I told you that wouldn't work." Phoebe says.

Cole nods, "It was worth a shot."

"Wait a minute. Do you smell smoke?" Phoebe asks.

They stop walking.

"It's in there." Buffy says and points to a large wooden door. There is smoke rising out from under it.

"What is that? What is it? Stop! Stop!" A Man inside says as Cole walks over to the door. "Who is th- What are you?"

"Get back, I'll blow it up. Go on." Piper says.

Cole backs away from the door and Piper freezes Cole and the smoke.

"Uh, Piper…" Phoebe says.

Buffy nods, "You froze."

"Yeah, yeah. Crap. Okay." Piper says and takes off her coat and throws it on the ground. She wiggles her arms to relax herself then uses her power. The door blows up, sending Cole flying across the alley, landing on a car and falling off on the ground.

"Piper!" Phoebe says and she runs over to Cole.

"What? Oh!" Piper says.

A man runs outside, knocking Piper and Buffy over. Four furies follow. Phoebe helps Cole up. Piper and Buffy gets ready to use their powers.

"Buffy, Piper, let them go!" Cole says.

Piper blows up a car in front of the furies. They turn around. "Uh-oh." Piper tries to freeze them but only freezes Cole. "They're-they're-th-th-they're immune to my powers."

Phoebe nods, " Unfortunately, Cole isn't." A fury attacks Piper but she dodges their hits. Another goes for Phoebe. And another goes for Buffy. Piper picks up a trash can lid and the fury puts a hole in it.

Buffy throws a fireball vanquishing her fury.

Phoebe levitates up and kicks the furies, knocking hers the ground. "Piper, unfreeze him."

"What if I blow him up?" Piper asks.

Cole unfreezes. A fury knocks down Piper and blows smoke in her mouth. She coughs. Another fury knocks Buffy down before she can throw another fireball and blows smoke in her mouth.

"Cole!" Phoebe says.

Cole throws an energy ball at Piper's fury and she is engulfed in flames. The other two furies disappear. Piper and Buffy continues to cough.

Later Buffy, Piper, Phoebe and Cole enter the Manor.

"I'm gonna take out those chain smokin' bitches if it's the last thing I do." Piper says.

"I'm in agreement." Buffy says.

"It might be the last thing either of you do." Cole says.

"That's very supportive, Cole. Who's side are you on?" Piper says.

"At the moment, I'm on Phoebe's side." Cole says.

Buffy and Piper coughs. Phoebe and Cole follow them into the kitchen.

"Well, the last time I checked, Phoebe was still our sister. Which technically puts her on our side. Why are we arguing?" Buffy says.

Phoebe shakes her head, "We're not arguing, we're discussing, Buffy. You and Piper are arguing. And look, you both are already hurt."

Piper shakes her head, "We're fine." She takes a water bottle out of the fridge and has a sip.

Buffy grabs a water bottle also.

"You two can't stop coughing." Phoebe says.

"And your control of your powers Piper seems to be getting worse, not better." Cole says.

They walk out of the kitchen.

"Oh, well, our powers are tied to our emotions, so it would make sense that they would be a little off right now." Phoebe says.

Cole nods, "All the more reason to lay low. These demons are dangerous."

"All the more reason to vanquish them, okay? That is what we do - eliminate evil." Buffy says.

They stop at the bottom of the stairs.

"Regardless of the consequence, you both sound like Prue." Cole says.

Piper shakes her head, "Okay, Cole. Buffy and I are going to vanquish the cancer girls with or without your help. So either tell us what you know or get out of the way."

Cole looks at Phoebe. She shrugs her shoulders. "They're called furies."

"Like from mythology?" Buffy asks.

"The dog-faced women from hell?" Phoebe asks.

Cole nods, "They're modern knockoffs. Their MO is the same though."

"They punish evil doers." Piper says.

Cole nods, "Exactly."

"Wait. Wouldn't that make them good?" Phoebe says.

Cole shakes his head, "Well, these furies are no temptress. They'll go after a shoplifter as soon as a murderer and they take great pleasure in the kill."

"Great. Then we'll take great pleasure in the vanquish." Buffy says.

Buffy and Piper goes up the stairs

Phoebe stands in front of Cole. "What aren't you telling us?" Cole sighs. "So they go after evil doers. Have they attacked you before?"

"When they focus their thoughts on you, they force you to hear the cries of all your former victims." Cole says.

Phoebe touches his face. "You're not the demon who did those things anymore."

Buffy and Piper screams from upstairs. Phoebe and Cole go up the stairs.

Buffy and Piper are standing in front of the empty Charmed Book of Shadows stand, mouths open in shock.

"Evil got the Book of Shadows. How did evil get the Book of Shadows?" Piper says.

"Though why didn't it take mine?" Buffy asks.

"Oh no." Phoebe says.

"Oh no, Phoebe? A demon has the Book of Shadows. Oh no doesn't quite cover it." Piper says.

Cole shakes his head, "Let me go see what I can find out." He turns to leave but Phoebe stops him.

"No, wait. Uh, Piper, promise me you're not going to overreact." Phoebe says.

"Is that even possible?" Piper says.

"I think that, uh, maybe… well, it-it might-might be feasible that uh, Paige borrowed the book." Phoebe says.

"Wait, why-why would you think that?" Piper asks.

"See? Now this is what I meant about overreacting. It's just that…" Phoebe says.

Buffy looks at her Book and then at the empty stand, "Make sense why mine would be here and yours isn't."

"You let Paige take the Book of Shadows out of the Manor?" Cole asks.

"Well, no, I did not let her. It's just she left pretty quick, and she looks like she might have…" Phoebe says and she looks at the open window.

"Out of the window?" Piper asks.

"Piper, I don't…" Phoebe says.

Buffy shakes her head, "Phoebe, why would you even leave her alone with it?"

"Well, because she's our sister." Phoebe says.

Buffy and Piper laughs.

"Not for long!" Piper says as she and Buffy storms out of the attic. Phoebe follows. Cole pulls up a chair and sits down.

Phoebe runs back in. "Are you coming?"

"To vanquish your sister? I think I'll sit this one out." Cole says.

Phoebe runs back out and Cole sits there twiddling his thumbs.

Later outside South Bay Social Services Buffy, Piper and Phoebe get out of the car and walk towards the building.

"I don't understand how someone can be that stupid." Piper says.

"I don't understand why you two haven't stopped ranting since we left the house." Phoebe says.

"You're right. You're right. I'm sorry." Piper says.

"I'm sorry," Buffy says.

"Yes, Paige made a mistake." Phoebe says.

"A mistake? She stole from us." Buffy says.

"She borrowed. Borrowed." Phoebe says.

Piper nods, "She-she threw our family heritage out of the window!"

"Well, that's because we never took the time to explain its significance. It was just a book to her." Phoebe says.

"Okay, Phoebe, it is not just a book. It's like, it-it-it is like a part of our family." Buffy says as she and Piper coughs.

Phoebe puts her arms around Buffy and Piper.

"Paige is not a killer. She didn't kill anyone. And she's not a demon that we're on our way to vanquish." Phoebe says.

"We get that Phoebe." Piper says.

"Do either of you?" Phoebe asks. "Because I don't think that either of you do." Buffy and Piper coughs. "You two alright?"

Donnie runs out of the building with a bunch of women following him. "Hey! Hey! Get away from me!" They surround him.

"What the hell is going on?" Buffy asks.

"Come on. Give Mama some sugar." Lila says.

Donnie sinks to the ground and they fall all over him. Paige comes out of the building holding her bag so it covers her chest. She goes over to Buffy, Piper and Phoebe.

"You are so…" Piper says as they notice something wrong and Piper opens Paige coat to reveal her very large breasts. "Busted?"

"Hello!" Phoebe says.

"You stole our sacred book so you could perform magical plastic surgery on yourself?" Buffy asks.

Paige shakes her head, "You think I did this on purpose? My body was perfectly fine just as it was. Thank you."

"I mean it! Get away from me!" Donnie says as Piper freezes the crowd.

"Piper, you could have just blown up a dozen innocent people." Phoebe says.

"I took a chance." Piper says.

"See? Are you listening to yourself?" Phoebe asks.

"What happened?" Buffy asks Paige.

"I don't know. They just… grew." Paige says.

"Oh, right. And you had nothing to do with that." Piper says.

"Did you cast any spells?" Phoebe asks.

"One." Paige says and Phoebe gives her a look. "Five."

"Five?" Buffy asks.

"Okay, what did you do just before you turned into Betty Boop?" Phoebe asks.

"Well, I cast a spell on this slimeball I work with so I could give him a taste of his own medicine." Paige says.

"Uh-huh. That the slimeball?" Phoebe says pointing at Donnie.

Paige looks at Donnie and nods.

"And that's the backfire." Piper says.

"Backfire?" Paige asks.

"You misused magic to make him the object of ogling, and the spell backfired and did the same thing to you." Phoebe says.

Buffy nods, "Which you would have learned if you had bothered to ask. But now instead of vanquishing demons, we're gonna have to spend the afternoon fixing your mess."

"Okay, Buffy flame this slimeball back home. And we have to protect him until we can figure out a way to reverse the spell. Piper head on home. Paige and I will grab the book and meet you there."

Buffy and Piper looks at Paige and shakes their heads. Piper and Buffy walks away.

Paige looks down at her breasts.

Later at the Manor Donnie lands on the couch.

"Easy, Buffy." Leo says.

"What, are you protecting him now?" Buffy asks as Piper walks in the front door.

"Wh-wh-what the hell is going on? And what's with the chicks? They've gone crazy." Donnie says.

"These chicks just saved your ass you sniveling ingrate." Piper says.

Donnie gets up. "Do you see what I mean?"

"Who said you could get up?" Buffy asks and she pushes him over the back of the couch.)

"What's the matter with you two?" Leo asks. "I don't know what's going on, but we really need to talk."

"Leo, you know what? I'm sick of talking." Piper says.

"As am I." Buffy says.

Piper tries to blow Leo up but Leo orbs out in time. She and Buffy goes over to Donnie.

Leo orbs back in. "Now we really need to talk." Buffy powers up a fireball. "Buffy, Piper, you do not use your powers on a mortal." He stands behind her. "Do you hear me?"

Cole stands at the doorway. "Back away slowly, Leo."

"What?" Leo asks.

"They've becoming a furies. Buffy and Piper grows large black fingernails. "There's no reasoning with them now." Cole says.

Leo stands in front of them. "Buffy, Piper, you're good witches. Do you hear me? Fight this."

Piper touches Leo's face, then pushes him over the couch.

"Oh God! Help!" Donnie says.

Buffy and Piper goes over and scratches Donnie. Cole gets an energy ball ready. Piper picks up Donnie and she and Buffy blows smoke. Cole throws an energy ball at Buffy and Piper which pushes them back. Phoebe and Paige walk in.

"Cole!" Phoebe says.

"I, well…" Cole says.

"That wasn't very nice." Buffy says as she and Piper disappears.

Later Phoebe is looking through the Book of Shadows in the living room, and Leo is kneeling beside Donnie, who is asleep on the couch.

"Cole hit them with an energy ball." Leo says.

"Leo, it was a low voltage. Would you prefer he'd let them kill an innocent?" Phoebe says.

Leo shakes his head, "I'd prefer that he wouldn't use his demonic powers on my wife. I can't believe that you let him go look for her or Buffy."

"Oh, this all my fault. I shouldn't have stolen the Book of Shadows." Paige says.

"You stole the Book of Shadows?" Leo says.

"Leo, Leo. Concentrate please." Phoebe says as Leo heals Donnie's scratches. "I just hope he finds them fast because if this is anything like the time I turned into a Banshee, they're gonna be hungry for a kill."

Leo stands up.

"I'm sorry. A Banshee?" Paige says.

Phoebe nods, "Yeah. Demonic screamer, kinda trampy, feeds on pain."

"I think I need to sit down." Paige says as she sits on the couch next to Donnie.

Donnie wakes up and sits up and stares straight at Paige's breasts. "Whoa."

Paige punches him in the face, knocking him out.

"Paige!" Leo says.

Paige stands up. "What? You only said I couldn't use magic to punish him."

Phoebe stands up. "Okay, Leo, you orb Donnie back to his office, heal him there, then make sure he doesn't nark us out for being witches."

"How?" Leo asks.

"I don't know. Be creative." Phoebe says.

"What about Piper and Buffy?" Leo asks.

"You have to do your job. And let us do ours. We'll get your wife and our baby sister back. I promise."

Leo touches Donnie and they orb out. Phoebe and Paige sit on the couch.

"Um, I hate to ask, but how are we going to get his wife and Buffy back? I mean, they're kind of… full on demon." Paige says.

Phoebe shakes her head, "No. They're not full on. They don't have the talons yet. That probably comes with the first kill. Besides, if we were able to save Piper when she turned into a Wendigo…"

"A Wendi-what?" Paige asks.

"Um, a Wendigo. It's kind of like a werewolf, only meaner." Phoebe says.

Paige nods, "Can I ask you something. I know Buffy is our cousin. But you called her our baby sister…"

Phoebe nods, "Aunt Joyce died 3 years ago, she's Buffy's mom. Buffy's dad, Hank couldn't take care of her, his work at the time took him all over the world. And he didn't want to drag her around with him. So he asked she be placed with us. Over the last 3 years we've come to love Buffy like she was our sister. And naturally we just started referring to her as such."

Paige nods, "And the name? I remember Piper renamed the club after her. But the name of the club is Payson's."

Piper nods, "Buffy was born Buffy Anne Summers. When she moved in with us she wanted to honor her mom and changed her name to Halliwell. Then because of a warlock we cast a spell that took us back to 1975. After that trip Buffy learned that Aunt Joyce had wanted to name her Payson Patricia, keeping to the family tradition of P names. But Hank wouldn't let her. When Buffy found out she changed her name to Payson Patricia. We still call her Buffy because it's what we and her are used to calling her. But it's just her nickname now. Oh and in case you're wondering. The club is Buffy's. Piper, Prue and I agreed last year that Buffy deserves something normal. She has it tougher than the rest of us because she's also the Slayer."

"Slayer?" Paige asks.

Phoebe smiles, "I'll let Buffy's Watcher, Giles tell you about the Slayer later. Anyways when Buffy turns 21 she gets the club." She finds the Instant Karma Spell in the Book of Shadows. "Is this the spell that you used?"

Paige nods, "Uh-huh." Phoebe picks up a notepad and pen. "Is there some sort of spell I could do, you know, in advance so I could, uh, not become maybe a Banshee or…"

"What word did you substitute demon with?" Phoebe asks.

"Dirtbag." Paige says.

Phoebe nods, "Dirtbag." She writes something down and scrunches up the paper up. She stands up. "Okay." She gets Paige to stand up. "Hand." They join hands. Phoebe burns the tip of the paper with a lit candle. "Guided spirits, hear our plea, annul this magic, let it be."

"Please let it be." Paige says as her breasts return to normal size. She looks down and groans. "Do you think it worked a little too well?"

In an Alley a man pushes another man against the wall. He holds a knife to his throat.

"Anything you want." Innocent Man says.

Man frowns, "Shut up."

Two furies come up behind him and one scratches his back. He spins around and the innocent runs away. The man hears voices in his head. He drops the knife and falls to his knees. The fury blows smoke in his mouth. He coughs and is engulfed in flames. He disappears. Buffy and Piper appears in a puff of smoke behind them. They turn around and make purring-like noises.

"We've been looking for you." Piper says.

Back at the manor in the dining room Phoebe is scrying. "Damn it."

"Why isn't it working?" Paige asks.

"Because Buffy and Piper aren't witches anymore." Phoebe says.

"Can't you just scry for evil then?" Paige asks.

"Do you have any idea how much evil is running around San Francisco?" Phoebe says as she stops scrying. "Damn it, Piper. Buffy." Cole shimmers in. He is bruised and scratched. "Cole. Thank God." She hugs him.

"Don't thank me yet." Cole says.

"You didn't find them?" Paige says.

Cole sighs, "I didn't get a chance to look. Every time I used my sensing powers, a bounty hunter sensed me. I fought off three of them." He sits down at the table. "I'm sorry."

"No, it's-it's okay. I mean, somehow everything's gonna be okay. I-I don't have even a little idea of how everything's gonna be okay." Phoebe says.

"Phoebe..." Paige says.

"You know why? Because nothing is okay."

"Phoebe." Paige says.

Phoebe sighs, "My sisters are furies, my boyfriend is a demon... Oh baby, you're bleeding." She kneels down next to Cole.

"Phoebe." Paige says and Phoebe looks at her. "Didn't you say you found me because Buffy cast a spell to find a lost witch?"

Phoebe nods, "Yes, but I also said that Buffy and Piper are not witches anymore."

"Yes, but if I can substitute the word 'dirtbag' for 'demon', why can't we substitute the word 'sister' for 'witch'?" Paige says. "It should at least lead us to Piper and Buffy will undoubtly be with her."

"Will that work?" Cole asks.

Phoebe shakes her head, "Well, n-no. Not if she's already looking for a kill. The call won't be strong enough."

"Why not?" Paige asks.

"Because of the pull of evil. When I was possessed by the Woogie, the blood lust was so strong…" Phoebe says.

"Woogie?" Cole asks.

Paige shakes her head, "Don't ask."

"The point is… I don't think they'll answer the call." Phoebe says.

"Then we'll add bait." Paige says and she glances at Cole, then looks at Phoebe.

Phoebe looks at Cole and he looks back. "No. No. Uh, no. Are you kidding me? No."

"The furies go after evil doers, right?" Paige asks.

Phoebe sighs, "Paige, we are not using the love of my life as bait."

"Oh, yes we are. It's perfect." Cole says and he stands up and goes near Paige.

"Cole, you have been a demon for over a century. That is a lot of victims. The pain of their cries alone can kill you." Phoebe says.

Cole nods, "Yes, but as you said, I'm not the demon that did those things anymore. And if facing my crimes helps save your sisters…"

Phoebe sighs, "Cole, I…"

"Phoebe." Cole says and he sits back down next to her. "I would do almost anything for you, you know that. But I will not be a coward for you. Please don't ask me to be."

Phoebe touches his face. "We'll need some of your blood."

"Right." Cole says.

"Knife." Paige calls out as a knife orbs from the table and into Paige's hand. She holds it out in front of Cole.

Later Phoebe and Paige are standing at the table. Phoebe is holding a knife above a lit candle.

"Power of the sisters rise, course unseen across the skies, come to us who call you near..." Paige and Phoebe says.

In the alley the furies are touching Buffy and Piper's hair. They are wearing fury clothes and have talons on their faces. They hear Phoebe and Paige chanting.

"Come to us and settle here. Blood to blood, I summon thee, blood to blood, return to me." Phoebe and Paige says.

"I know where evil dwells." Piper says.

"Yes he has done many evil deeds." Buffy says.

At the Manor Phoebe and Paige are waiting as Cole paces.

"Are you sure about this?" Phoebe asks.

Cole shakes his head, "I'm good at a lot of things. Waiting is not one of them."

Paige makes a noise and throws her arms down.

"Honey, what are you doing?" Phoebe says.

"I'm trying to do that orb thingy. I can't seem to get the hang of it though." Phoebe says as Cole yells in Paige's face and she orbs in and out.

"What happened?" Paige asks.

"You orbed." Phoebe says.

"I did?" Paige asks.

"It's a fear response." Cole says.

Phoebe nods, "So until you learn how to control it, you just have to…"

"Get scared?" Paige asks.

Phoebe nods, "Pretty much. Don't worry about it. Buffy can teach you how to control it."

"Assuming we save her and Piper. How though?" Paige asks.

Phoebe smiles, "Buffy does something similar to orbing called flaming."

"Oh." Paige says.

Phoebe nods, "Then we will orb, we will levitate, we will juggle knives if we have to, just to keep the furies distracted from Cole."

Paige smiles. "Okay, but what I don't get is how we un-demon Buffy and Piper when they get here."

"Well, we have to close the portal of unexpressed fury." Phoebe says.

"Unexpressed? I think they've been raging for days." Cole says.

Phoebe nods, "That's 'cause there's something they're not saying."

"Which is?" Paige asks.

Phoebe shakes her head, "I don't know, but I think I have an idea." Cole yells out in pain and drops to his knees. He hears voices. Phoebe kneels beside him. "They're close?" Paige gets scared and orbs out. Phoebe stands up. "Paige?"

Paige orbs back in. "I did it again."

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Cole says.

Two furies barge in through the front door. Phoebe levitates and kicks them, knocking them down. She gets up and attacks Phoebe. Phoebe blocks and kicks her back down. Buffy and Piper appear behind Phoebe near Cole. Phoebe spins around.

"Phoebe!" Paige says.

"Nice decoy, Buffy, Piper. Two points." Phoebe says and she levitates and kicks both Piper and Buffy, knocking them down. She sees Cole lying on the floor. "Cole. Come on. Come on." She tries to get him up. The furies surround them.

"Lamp!" Paige says and the lamp orbs out and it flies across the room hitting a fury. The furies turn around. "Sorry." The furies go over to her. "Really sorry."

Cole throws an energy ball at the two furies and kills them. Buffy and Piper pushes Phoebe out of the way and scratches Cole's chest.

"Cole is not your problem, Piper, Buffy, and you both know it." Phoebe says.

Buffy and Piper attacks Phoebe and Phoebe blocks their hits.

"Book!" Paige says and the Book of Shadows orbs to her. She starts flipping through it. "Please let there be something in here."

Phoebe kicks Buffy and Piper down. Cole gets an energy ball ready.

"Cole, don't!" Phoebe says and he stops the energy ball. "You both think I abandoned you. You both think it's my fault that Prue died. You both blame me. You should just admit it."

Piper sends Phoebe flying straight into a cabinet, smashing it.

Buffy goes over to Paige. Piper moves to join her.

"You don't want to kill me, Buffy, Piper, you don't even know me." Paige says as Cole goes over to Phoebe. "It's not about me. It's not about Phoebe, is it?"

"Leo!" Phoebe says.

Leo orbs in. Buffy and Piper tries to scratch Paige, but she orbs out and back in behind Piper and Buffy. Buffy and Piper spins around.

"Phoebe's not the sister who abandoned you. It's Prue, isn't it?" Paige says as Piper grabs Paige by the neck.

"Leo, do something." Phoebe says.

Leo grabs Buffy, Piper and Paige and orbs out.

"Where'd he take them?" Cole asks.

"To what Buffy and Piper's really angry at." Phoebe says.

Leo orbs in to the mausoleum with Piper, Buffy and Paige. Buffy and Piper backs away when they see Prue's plaque.

"Tell her, Piper, Buffy. It's alright to hate her." Buffy and Piper tries to get out but the doors are locked. "You both should hate her. When my parents died, I hated them for it. I was alone, and I hated them. It is okay to hate Prue."

Buffy and Piper looks at Paige.

"How dare you!" Piper says as she and Buffy runs over to Prue's plaque and bangs on it.

"How dare you leave us!" Buffy says.

"How could you go and die and leave us here all alone?" Piper says.

"Please come back. We need you." Buffy says as she and Piper start to cry.

"Please come back." Piper says.

Piper and Buffy scream and sinks down on the ground. They sit there and cry as they change back to normal.

Leo kneels down beside them. "It's okay. It's okay."

Piper shakes her head, "It's not okay. She risked her life every day and she never thought about what would happen to me, Buffy and Phoebe if she was gone."

Paige starts to cry for the sister she never knew.

"I know." Leo says.

"How did she think that we could live without her?" Buffy says.

Leo hugs them. Tears well up in Paige's eyes as she looks at Prue's plaque.

The next morning Piper is in the kitchen pouring three cups of coffee. Buffy is sitting on a stool as Phoebe comes in and sits on the other one.

Piper hands them a cup of coffee.

"Did either of you sleep?" Phoebe asks.

Piper nods, "Yeah, actually, better than I have in a while."

Buffy nods, "Yeah, what she said."

"Mmm. It's quiet, isn't it? Early and late. It's just really, really quiet." Phoebe says.

Piper nods, "Prue was always the first one up, and the last one down."

Buffy nods, "It's strange, the things that you miss. So, how scary were we?"

Phoebe laughs. Piper sits next to them.

"Heck, I've seen worse. I've been worse. But uh, but Paige…" Phoebe says.

Piper nods, "She completely freaked."

Phoebe shakes her head, "No, uh, she handled it… better than most people would, I think. She saved your lives. She definitely is a Halliwell, last name or no."

Buffy nods and looks at Piper, "We know we haven't been the most welcoming."

Piper nods and looks back at Buffy, "We just… we both miss Prue so much."

"It's hard to imagine opening up to someone else. With everything that happens in our lives, love just feels like an invitation for more pain." Buffy says.

"So maybe, um… maybe you don't start with love. Maybe you just start with thanks." Phoebe says.

Later at South Bay Social Services, Buffy and Piper walks in. Piper is holding a basket of muffins as they spot Paige at her desk and walks over to her. Piper puts the basket on Paige's desk.

Paige looks up at them, surprised. She looks in the basket. "Muffins. Thanks."

Piper nods, "Busy work. I'm best in the kitchen. Prue was the one that liked to, uh, chase demons."

Paige sees Donnie. "Man, he's like a whole new Donnie. What did Leo say to him?"

Buffy and Piper looks over at Donnie. He smiles and walks past them.

"Um, I don't know. He's a miracle worker, that husband of mine." Piper says.

Paige nods, "So, how are you two?"

Buffy sighs, "We've had, uh… bad hours." She and Piper sits down. "And hours that aren't quite so bad. I guess you know how it is."

Paige nods, "Yeah. When my parents died, there were some days I didn't think I'd survive the sadness."

Buffy nods, "I guess I was lucky when my mom died. I had Prue, Piper and Phoebe to help me through it. But this time …"

Piper nods, "We were all grieving."

Paige nods, "It'll never be okay that she's gone, Piper, Buffy. But I promise, it will get better."

Buffy and Piper see the scratches on Paige's neck.

"You know, Leo could fix that for you." Piper says.

Paige smiles, "It's my first war wound. I think I'll wear it with pride."

"Unfortunately in this family, it will not be the last." Buffy says. "And only I have accelerated healing. Part of the Slayer package."

Paige nods, "Well, every family has its pros and it's cons. A couple of demon battles in exchange for the power to clear up my friend's skin? I'd say it's worth it."

Piper frown, "The power to what?" They see Lila and Billy chatting across the room. Lila flirts a little.

"He's cute, isn't he? Well, you should have seen him yesterday." Paige says, laughing.

Piper nods, "Okay, uh, you saved our lives, so I guess we're even on the Book of Shadows swipe, but, um, Paige, there are rules to being a witch, rules that you will have to learn and follow."

Paige nods, "Well, not to be difficult, but… you're married to our Whitelighter and Phoebe's shacking up with a demon. So, on balance, maybe my friend could stay cute?"

"Okay." Buffy says, holding up a hand to silence any objections from Piper.

Mr. Cowan comes up to them. "My, my, my. That pile looks about the same size as it did about an hour ago."

Buffy and Piper stands up.

"Oh, that was our fault. We distracted her with muffins." Piper says.

"And you two are?" Mr. Cowan asks.

Buffy and Piper looks at Paige then back at Mr. Cowan.

"We're her sisters." Buffy says.

Mr. Cowan nods and walks off.

Paige looks at Buffy, "Buffy I've been meaning to ask. What is the Slayer. I've heard you mention being it and Phoebe did. She mentioned someone named Giles explaining but that's it."

Buffy pulls out her cellphone and dials, "Giles it's Buffy. I need a favor. Can you come by the Manor about 7pm tonight. I need you to explain about the Slayer. Who? She's my newest sister." She hangs up and looks to Paige, "Tonight about 7pm?"

Paige nods, "I'll be there."

Buffy and Piper smiles at Paige and leaves the office. Paige smiles a little to herself.


	80. Chapter 80: The Freshman

**Chapter 80: The Freshman**

Willow sits leaning against a stone, pouring over a U.C. San Francisco course book, trying to choose courses for Buffy.

Buffy stands, paces a bit, restless and a little unsettled by the thought of college.

Propped up on the headstone are a couple of crossbows. Stakes and crosses also lie about. Just behind Willow is a fresh grave.

"Anything?" Buffy asks as she looks out in the night as she says this.

"Ah! Introduction to the Modern Novel. "A survey study of twentieth century novelists...", open to freshmen... You might like that..." Willow says.

"Introduction to the Modern Novel. I'm guess I'd probably have to read the modern novel." Buffy says.

"Maybe more than one." Willow says.

"I like books, I just don't wanna take on too much. Do they have an Introduction to the Modern Blurb?" Buffy says.

"Ooh! Short story." Willow says.

"That's good." Buffy says.

"Oh, no, it conflicts. With Psych." Willow says.

"Maybe I shouldn't take Psych." Buffy says.

"Oh, you gotta! It's fun, and you can use it for your science requirement. Anyway Professor Walsh is supposed to be great, she's like world renowned." Willow says.

"How do you get renowned? Do you have to be nowned first?" Buffy asks.

"Yes, first there is the painful nowning process - wait. "Images of Pop Culture". This is good. They watch movies, shows, even commercials." Willow says.

"For credit?" Buffy asks and she scurries down next to Willow, looks with her.

"Isn't college cool?" Willow asks.

"How did I miss that one?" Buffy asks.

"Well, you did sort of leave your course selection to the last minute." Willow says.

Buffy sighs, "Sorry, Miss "I chose my major in playgroup." Sorry that I was grieving for my sister."

Willow nods and sighs, "I miss, Prue too. You know."

Buffy nods, "I know. "

"How are you doing?" Willow asks.

Buffy sighs, "Some days good and some days are blah. It'll take time. But at least I am beginning to move on. I know Prue, Piper and Phoebe are my cousins. But Prue was like the big sister I never had."

Behind them a hand shoots out of the grave. A vampire starts clawing his way out of the grave. Neither girl sees.

Buffy nods, "Anyways I haven't had a lot of time to think about life at UC San Francisco.

Willow nods, "It's exciting, though, huh?"

"Yeah. Gonna be an adjustment..." Buffy says.

"Uncharted territory." Willow says.

"Giles says I have to be secret identity gal again. If too many people know I'm the slayer, I'm a target blah blah blah... I've been secret identity gal for 3 years, because of being a witch." Buffy says.

Willow nods, "Yeah you don't want to risk exposure, bring back the witch trials."

"Still patrolling is gonna be tough. With a roommate..." Buffy says. "I've been debating just staying in the Manor. I know Piper would like it if I stayed in the Manor. But I told her I have to at least try living in the dorms just once."

The vampire pulls himself out of the grave and stands behind them. He approaches, grinning hideously. He sees the crossbows and whatnot. Stops, considering whether it's worth the fight. Still neither girl notices. He wanders off.

"I'm psyched for college, definitely. I'm just wondering how it's gonna work with my extracurricular activities. I gotta make sure it doesn't take the edge off my slaying or Charmed responsibilities. Gotta stay sharp." Buffy says as she looks back at the grave... "Is that guy ever gonna wake up?"

The next morning Buffy is loading her car with last minute stuff for college.

"Buffy, I really wish you would stay here." Piper says.

Buffy sighs, "Piper, we've had this conversation. Whether or not I turn around and do it a second semester. I want to at least do the dorm thing once, just to say I've done it. I'm not moving out of town. Plus I'm just a flame away if you need me for a Power of Four.

Piper nods, acceptance.

Later Buffy is looking about, her orientation package clutched to her breast. Just a bit overwhelmed.

There is a milling cacophony of students, shouting, greeting each other, running around, protesting this, leafleting about that, being college students. In the midst of it all, Buffy looks just about as small as she feels.

The voice of a student volunteer rings out to one side - Buffy turns to hear, or mostly hear, "Freshmen! We're doing this by folder color! If you're not holding a yellow folder, you're in the wrong group! You belong up by Wiesman hall."

Buffy, having caught most of this over the general noise, looks for her folder. There is a green thing that might be it, but no yellow. She looks about her for some guidance, but there's none, and she finally trudges in the general direction of where the student volunteer pointed.

To the other side, she sees a protest in progress, twenty or so kids and a guy and a girl - both alt-rock hippy types, both pretty pissed off about something. Behind them, an amateurishly painted banner that reads: IT HAS TO STOP! The girl shouts into a megaphone, "WHAT DO WE WANT?"

Twenty kids respond with twenty different answers, all rendered unintelligible in the din.

"When do we want it?"

"NOW!"

Buffy tries to get through the back of the crowd, is suddenly handed a leaflet as she clears. The earnest fellow - dark, wearing a turban - foists it upon her with, "Rally tomorrow night. We have to let the administration know how we feel."

"Okay. Right." Buffy says. She gets a few more paces and a conservative young woman hands her another leaflet.

"Have you accepted Jesus Christ as your personal savior?"

"Well you know I meant to, and then I was busy all day..." Buffy says. She is trying to keep going, but this is getting to be too much. Her third leaflet comes from an exceptionally nonserious guy.

"Party Thursday at Alpha Delt. Gotta be there - free jello shots for freshmen women. That's our guarantee."

"Right. Do you know where Wiesman Hall is?" Buffy says.

Willow comes bounding down to meet Buffy. Her hand is also full of leaflets and folders, but unlike Buffy, she's in heaven. "Buffy!"

"Hey, Will! Boy am I glad to see you." Buffy says as they fall into step together.

"Isn't it cool?! There's so much stuff going on!" Willow says.

Buffy nods, "Yeah!... Almost, one might say, too much..."

"I got all my courses, except I had to switch Modern Poetry for Ethnomusicology, but that's cool, West African drumming, I think it's gonna change everything for me. Have you met your roommate yet?" Willow says as Buffy shakes her head. "Me neither. Hope she's cool."

"I see you got ticketed too." Buffy says.

Willow nods, "Oh yeah! It's great. I've heard about five different issues and I'm angry about each and every one of them." She looks at Buffy's. "What'd you get?"

Buffy holds up the last flyer she got, "Jello shots."

"I didn't get jello shots..." Willow says looking through hers. "I'll trade you a Take Back the Night..."

Buffy hands over all of them, which Willow happily takes. "Are we headed anywhere near Wiesman? I need to get my I.D. Card."

"Oh, I got mine first thing. The lines are really long now. You should have gone early." Willow says.

"Well, I hope that I learn from this, and that I grow." Buffy says.

"I'm being annoying, aren't I?" Willow asks.

Buffy shakes her head, "No, it's nice that you're all excited."

"It's just... In high school, knowledge was pretty much frowned upon. You really had to work to learn anything. But here, I mean, the energy, the collective intelligence - it's like this force, this penetrating force, I can feel my mind just opening up, you know, letting the place just thrust into it and... spurt knowledge... into... that sentence ended up in a different place than it started out in." Willow says.

"I get it, though, I do. I'm all for spurty knowledge, really, I just... it's a little overwhelming, you know? Don't you feel that?" Buffy says.

"Well, I mean... Boyfriend!" Willow says as Oz wanders down to greet them.

"Hey, guys." Oz says.

Willow smiles, "It's my on-campus boyfriend!" She kisses Oz, passionately.

"Gee, I forgot to pick mine up. That line's probably really long now too." Buffy says.

"How are you doing?" Willow asks.

"Good. This is pretty much a madhouse, a madhouse." Oz says.

"Oh, isn't it overwhelming? I was saying that - aren't you just completely disoriented?" Buffy asks.

"Oz!" Paul says as he passes them.

"Hey, Paul!" Oz says.

"Finally matriculating with us, very cool. Tell me you guys are playing this week." Paul says.

Oz nods, "Thursday night. Alpha Delt."

"Ooh! I have that one." Willow says.

"I'm bringing the wrecking crew. Jello SHOTS! Do you know where they're distributing the work study applications?" Paul says.

"Back of Richmond hall, next to the auditorium." Oz says.

"Thanks. See you, bro." Paul says.

"Yeah." Oz says. He turns to Buffy, tries to find common ground. "The band's played here a lot. But it's still all new. I don't know what the Hell's going on." Another student passes. "Hey, Doug."

Buffy nods, "Your not playing Payson's?"

Oz nods, "Were still playing Payson's, Buffy, on Saturday. You don't have to worry were not going to give one of our best gigs up."

A little bit later The girls head for the library.

"Library..." Willow says as she picks an entrance. "Library! Come on."

They walk across the foyer and up the stairs.

"It's too bad Giles couldn't be librarian here. Be convenient." Buffy says.

Willow nods, "Well, he says he's enjoying being a Gentleman of Leisure."

"Gentleman of Leisure. Isn't that just British for unemployed?" Buffy says.

Willow nods, "Uh huh. He's a slacker now."

"Speaking of slack, have you heard anything from Xander?" Buffy asks.

Willow shakes her head, "Not since Prue's funeral. He's still doing his cross country see-America thing. He said he wasn't coming back until he'd driven to all fifty states."

"Did you explain about Hawaii?" Buffy asks.

"Well, he seemed so determined..." Willow says.

Buffy nods, "I hope he gets back soon. It'd be fun to get the gang together, you know, hanging out in the... library..."

They've entered the library, which is not exactly like their old high school haunt. It's somewhat more unbelievably gigantoid. Willow is clearly as excited by it as Buffy is unnerved.

"Wow." Buffy says.

"Isn't it amazing?" Willow says.

Buffy nods, "It's... cozy..."

"You know, I never wanted to hurt Giles' feelings, but occult books aside, our old library didn't have the greatest selection. But this..." Willow says.

"It's, yeah... it'll be great if we ever need a place for... the Nuremberg rallies..." Buffy says.

"It's like a REAL library!" Willow says. Someone shushes them. "See!?" She takes off with manic glee, leaving Buffy to look about her with somewhat less.

Later in the student store Buffy makes her way through the shelves of books, a bunch stacked in her arms. There is chaos here as well - it's thick with students.

Willow joins her with a basket. "Here."

"Thanks." Buffy says and gratefully dumps her books on top of Willow's.

"Introduction to Psychology. Up there." Willow says as she has found their psych textbooks. They are up high, too high for Willow to reach with her burden.

"Here." Buffy says as she stretches... "This store discriminates against short people."

"I think there's a protest next week." Willow says.

"Got it!" Buffy says as she grabs the bottom most one - it sticks out - and pulls, causing the whole pile on top to tumble off the shelf and on to the head of a kneeling student, Riley. "Oh! Oh god, sorry!"

"I'm okay. It's okay." Riley says as he stands, shaking his head. He smiles wryly at the diminutive pair. "Well. That was bracing."

"I'm so, I just... the books were too high, and then everything was bad." Buffy says as she scrambles to pick them up.

Riley kneels. "Let me give you a hand." He sticks a few books on a lower shelf. "Let's put a few down here. So, are you girls taking Intro Psych, or do you just want me dead?"

"Uh-huh. I mean the first one." Buffy says.

"Well, you'll have a lot of fun. Professor Walsh, she's quite a character." Riley says.

"You've taken it?" Willow asks.

Riley nods, "I'm a T.A. I'll be helping the professor out. I'm sorry, I've forgotten my manners in all the concussion. I'm Riley."

"Willow. And this is my friend Buffy." Willow says.

Riley smiles, "It's nice to meet you both."

"I'm nice to meet." Buffy says.

Before Buffy can work out what went wrong with that sentence, Willow continues. "Do you know if we're gonna cover operant conditioning in the first semester? I heard that was kind of Professor Walsh's specialty."

"Absolutely. You know her treatise on Dietrick's work?" Riley asks.

"I know of it..." Willow says.

Riley nods, "It's not on the syllabus but it's a fascinating read, if you're into that sort of thing. They have it here."

"Ooh! Where?" Willow says.

"I'll show you." Riley says as the three of them start off together. "I don't meet a lot of freshmen that know that much about psychology."

"Well, it's fascinating." Willow says.

"Yeah, 'cause... you know, everyone's got a brain..." Buffy says as Riley smiles politely at this lamest of comments. Buffy trails behind the other two, awed by her own ineptitude. "Or, almost everyone..."

At dusk Buffy makes her way through yet more students to get to dorm room. She enters to find her new roomie, Kathy, setting up her side of the room.

"Hello?" Buffy says.

"Oh! Are you Payson?" Kathy asks.

Buffy nods, "Yeah."

"Kathy." Kathy says.

"Yeah, it's nice to meet you." Buffy says.

"Yeah." Kathy says.

"So. It's a pretty nice room." Buffy says.

Kathy nods, "I was surprised, 'cause you hear horror stories about freshman housing. You took the right side."

"Uh, yeah, but if you wanted to be on the right..." Buffy says.

Kathy shakes herhead, "No no, I just wanted to make sure that was what you wanted. Are you excited for classes tomorrow?"

"Painfully." Buffy says.

"I bet there's a lot of parties to go to this week, too. Not that I'm a crazy partier - and I'm not always this hyper, either. I'm just excited." Kathy says.

Buffy nods, "I know. Me too."

Kathy puts up a Backstreet Boys poster. "I'm really glad they put me with someone cool. I can tell you're cool. I just know this whole year is gonna be superfun!"

Hours later Lights are out. It's two thirty in the morning. Buffy lies wide awake.

Kathy sleeps soundly, making smacking noises with her lips, plus the occasional snore and mutter. Superfun.

The next day Buffy takes a seat near the back of the lecture hall as Professor Riegert talks.

"The point of this course is not to critique popular American culture, it is not to pick at it or look down upon it. And it is not to watch videos for credit." Professor Riegert says.

The students laugh. Buffy turns to the students next to her and whispers, "Did he say if this course is full yet?"

"The point is to examine its structures, its schemata and recurrent themes and there are two people talking at once. I know that one of them is me." Professor Riegert says. Buffy stops, looks around her. "The other is a blond girl. You. Blond girl. Stand up." Buffy does, meekly. "I'm very excited to hear what you have to say that's worth interrupting my lecture for."

"Well, I..." Buffy says.

"Getting off to kind of a slow start." Professor Riegert says.

"I just didn't know if the class was still open, if we could still sign up..." Buffy says.

Professor Riegert holds up attendance sheet, "If your name isn't on this sheet then you are wasting everyone's time. Are you on the sheet?"

"No, but - I was told that –" Buffy says.

"Do you understand? You are sucking energy from everyone in this room. You are taking their time, their energy. They came here to learn. Get out." Professor Riegert says.

Buffy frowns, "Look. That was just rude. I was told I could sit in to see if I wanted to take this class. But you know what, I don't now. Also I will be reporting you to the Dean for your treatment of students." She turns and leaves.

Later Buffy makes her way down the hall to her next class. She pauses, not sure where she is, as Riley comes up from nearby.

"If you're looking for psych, it's through here." Riley says.

"Oh. Thanks." Buffy says as they walk a bit. "How's your head?"

"Sorry?" Riley asks, confused.

"Yesterday... in the store... You don't remember." Buffy says.

"Oh, no, sure I remember you. You're Willow's friend." Riley says.

"Yeah." Buffy says, crestfallen.

Riley nods, "My head's fine. It just stung for a bit and I lost most of my basic motor functions. No biggy." They enter the class. "We're here. I'm sorry, I'm trying to –"

"Payson, Payson Halliwell." Buffy says. "But my friends call me Buffy."

"Right. Have fun." Riley says.

Buffy turns to see Willow waving for Buffy to sit with her and Oz. As Buffy takes her seat, Professor Maggie Walsh sweeps into the room. She peers at her students a moment as they quiet down.

"How was Pop Culture?" Willow asks.

"I decided not to take it." Buffy says.

"Okay. This is Psych 105, Introduction to Psychology. I'm Professor Walsh. Those of you who fall into my good graces will come to know me as Maggie. Those of you who don't will come to know me by the nickname my T.A.'s use and think I don't know about, the Evil Bitch-Monster of Death." Professor Walsh says. "Make no mistake: I run a hard class. I assign a lot of work, I talk fast and I expect you to keep up. If you're looking to coast through this, I recommend Geology 101. It's where the football players are."

That evening Buffy walks looking around her, she's lost. She looks about her for a signpost or anything, she suddenly bumps into the innocuous figure of Eddie. She jumps back, startled, as does he. "Oh!"

"Oh. Wow. Sorry." Eddie says.

"No, I'm sorry. Wasn't looking." Buffy says.

"Did you, uh, lose your way?" Eddie asks.

"No, no, I'm just heading to Fischer Hall, it's right... uh, I know it's... on the Earth planet, I'm sure of that..." Buffy says, "Recently voted Most Pathetic, uh huh."

Eddie shows her map, "Well, I'm lost, and I have a map, so..."

"Ooh! I come in second." Buffy says as she comes next to him and looks at the map. "I'm Payson, by the way."

"Eddie. Edward. I mean - Edward. But I aspire to be Eddie." Eddie says.

"Okay, here's Fischer Hall..." Buffy says.

"Yeah, and this is Dunwirth, that's my dorm, but it's us I can't find." Eddie says.

"Are we the blue part?" Buffy asks.

"No. Yes." Eddie says.

Buffy smiles, "Yes. Okay, I came from here, so, we go... that way." She points. "To the bike path."

"You sound very certain. I'm in." Eddie says as they start walking. "Are you taking Psych 105 with Professor Walsh?"

Buffy nods, "Yeah. I mean, I'm gonna try. She's not afraid of the long words, is she?"

Eddie nods, "She's pretty intense. A lot of the courses are really tough."

"I'm a little upset. I had it on good authority this was a party school." Buffy says.

"I think it gets easier." Eddie says.

Buffy nods, "Yeah, I still feel like carrying around a security blanket."

"Of Human Bondage. Have you ever read it?" Eddie says.

Buffy shakes her head, "No, I'm not big on... porn... I mean I've cut way back."

"No, there's no actual bondage. It's just a novel. I've read it like ten times, I always take it everywhere. Security blanket." Eddie says.

Buffy nods, "Oh. I don't really have one – unless you count Mr. Pointy."

"Mr. Pointy?" Eddie asks.

"Hey, bike path!" Buffy says as they have come to the bike path. They stop and Buffy hands Eddie the map. "Thanks. It's nice to know I'm not the only entirely confused person on campus."

"I suspect there's a lot of us." Eddie says.

"I'll look for you in Psych." Buffy says.

Eddie nods, "Yeah, maybe we can help each other figure out what the hell they're talking about."

"Cool." Buffy says.

Eddie smiles, "Maybe even make it through the year."

They part ways, both somewhat reassured by the encounter. Eddie walks away, then turns back to look at the departing figure of Buffy. He turns around and bumps into someone else.

She's about the age of a senior, and has been for more than thirty years. Face very white, lips very red, attitude very dangerous. Punked out, schoolgirl style, and flanked by three big vamps. Her name is SUNDAY, and she leers at little Eddie with predatory glee. "I'm sorry..." Eddie steps back, terrified... "Did you lose your way?"

The next day in Professor Walsh's class. Maggie and Riley confer at her desk as Buffy cranes to find Eddie.

"Looking for someone?" Oz asks.

Buffy nods, "Yeah..."

"You've made a friend? Good for you." Willow says.

"Thanks, Mom..." Buffy says, distracted. Where is Eddie?

Later Buffy enters Eddie's room as his R.A. talks to her. "Yeah, Eddie just took off. Packed his stuff, left a note. It happens sometimes. Some people just can't handle it. There's always a few kids lose it early in the first semester and bail. The weak ones, I guess."

He wanders off. Buffy looks about at the empty room, feeling pretty weak herself. She sits on the bed. Something catches her eye. She leans over to the bedside table, reaches into the drawer. She pulls out Eddie's copy of Of Human Bondage. Turns it over in her hand, suspicion growing on her face.

Later Buffy is at Giles' apartment, the door is slightly ajar, so Buffy swings it open, "Giles?"

There is no answer. Music plays, a Van Morrison album that perhaps has drowned her out. She enters, looking up towards the bed area, and so does not notice Olivia in the kitchen until she actually speaks. "Rupert, is this blue cheese, or it is just cheese that's gone blue?"

Buffy turns as Olivia emerges from the kitchen, wedge in hand. The two women regard each other, surprise on both sides.

"You're not Giles." Olivia says.

Buffy nods, "You're not Giles either - unless he had a much more interesting week than I did." Olivia smiles at that. "The door was open, I just – Giles does still live here, right?"

Olivia nods, "He does." Giles emerges from the back room, wearing a dressing gown over his clothes - elegant, but decidedly casual. "He appears. Rupert, you have a guest."

"Buffy! Hello." Giles says.

"Is this a bad time?" Buffy asks.

Giles shakes his head, "No, uh, forgive me. This is Olivia. Old friend, stopping over for a few days."

"Couldn't pass through Sunny Cal without looking up old Ripper." Olivia says.

Buffy nods, "Uh huh..."

"Buffy is a... was a student of mine." Giles says. "And how is University?"

"Kind of like high school. In the sense of that I sort of need help." Buffy says.

"Ah. Help. Yes." Giles says.

"But this looks like a bad time." Buffy says.

Olivia shakes her head, "No, you guys talk. I'll go slip into something a little less comfortable." She exits into the back.

"So, trouble with your, uh, studies?" Giles asks.

"It's a bad time." Buffy says.

Giles sighs, "You keep saying that."

"Well, it looks pretty bad! I think someone has just a little too much free time on their hands." Buffy says.

Giles shakes his head, "I'm not supposed to have a private life?"

"No, because you're very very old and it's gross." Buffy says.

"Well, before I succumb to the ravages of age, why don't you tell me what brings you here." Giles says.

"There's a student missing." Buffy says.

Giles nods, "Yes?"

"Eddie. He's supposed to have left school, but I don't think he did. I met him outside last night - I went back there and right near where I saw him there was a struggle." Buffy says.

"You suspect vampire activity?" Giles asks.

"That was my first thought. Actually, that was my only thought." Buffy says.

"And?" Giles asks.

"What do you mean, "and"? And we need to stop them! Eddie's R.A. said kids disappear a lot. There could be a group of vampires working the campus. We need research, and charts and stuff." Buffy says.

Giles shakes his head, "I'm still not sure where I come in. You haven't described anything you can't do yourself."

"Okay, remember before you became Hugh Hefner, when you were a watcher?" Buffy says.

"Officially, you no longer have a watcher. Buffy, you know I will always be here when you need me. Your safety is more important to me than anything. But you are going to have to look after yourself. You're out of school now and I can't always be there to guide you." Giles says.

Buffy sighs, "Oh. Okay. I'm sorry to bug you."

"Buffy –" Giles says.

"No. You're right. I can deal. I was just... yeah. I'm on it. Thanks." Buffy says.

"I'm here if you need me." Giles says.

Buffy exits through the front door.

That evening Buffy is dressed for hunting, but there are quite a few people out. She wanders a bit, brow furrowed. "How am I supposed to hunt in this mob? Don't you people have homes?" She stops, sees Eddie off in the distance. He seems to spot her – "Eddie?" – and then takes off. Buffy gives chase."

Buffy turns a corner, easily catching up with Eddie. "Eddie, wait up! God, I was worried something had happened to you and yes of course did because you're a vampire." This last because she has spun him around and been confronted by a grinning vampface. "I'm sorry."

"I'm not." Eddie says and lunges for her.

Buffy easily throws him, powering up a fireball. "You will be."

Eddie rises slowly, a new appraisal of the girl in his eyes. He charges her again as she throws the fireball and he dusts. Buffy looks down at his ashes, alone.

Except for the five vamps who step out of the shadows, surrounding her. Sunday is directly behind, and it is she who guesses first. "The Slayer?" Buffy spins. "Wow, I heard you might be coming here. This is - well, I mean, what a challenge. A slayer."

Buffy just can't keep the boredom out of her voice. "And you are..."

"I'm Sunday. I'll be killing you in a minute or so." Sunday says.

"You know, that threat gets more frightening every time I hear it." Buffy says.

"Are we gonna fight, or is there just gonna be a monster sarcasm rally?" Rookie says.

"I'm in for a piece." Dav says.

Buffy smiles, "Everyone gets to play..." She's putting on an act - she's actually unnerved by the odds here. And Sunday can smell it.

"Guys. This is totally mine." Sunday says.

"Okay, but you gotta share the eatins', 'cause I'm thinking slayer blood's gotta be, whoah, like thai stick." Rookie says.

"I thought people in college were supposed to get smarter." Buffy says.

"I think you had a lot of misconceptions about college. Like that anyone would be caught dead wearing that." Sunday says.

Buffy looks down at her outfit, genuinely concerned - and looks back up to Sunday's fist smashing her face.

Buffy flies back, hits the ground. She scrambles back up but Sunday is on her, easily dominating with rain of well placed blows.

"Don't take this the wrong way, but –" Sunday says as she slams her fist into Buffy's face. "You fight like a girl."

Buffy comes back, gets a couple of good shots in - then Sunday grabs her arm and pulls it out, slams her hand on hears something splinter and she screams. Another blow and she drops to her knees, holding her useless left arm.

"Did you think you were gonna show up on my campus and just swing with the In Crowd?" Sunday says as she sends a kick to Buffy's face. Buffy rolls away, comes up breathing hard. Bloodied and broken. "Come on. What do you got?"

Sunday is all glee, waiting for Buffy's move.

Buffy looks around and then smiles, "Be seeing ya." She flames out and into her dorm room. Thankfully Kathy lies sleeping, occasionally snorting and making teethgrindy noises.

Buffy sits on her bed, tending her wounds. Her left arm is clearly in a lot of pain – she flexes it and winces, settling it gently in her lap. She looks out the window, saying nothing.

The next day Buffy walks slowly. She sees Willow and Oz across the quad. A moment's hesitation. She puts her hand to her bruised cheek. She takes off, making sure they don't see her.

At the Manor Buffy enters through the kitchen door. "Piper?"

There is no reply. Buffy moves through the kitchen, looking at everything, taking comfort from home.

She walks up the stairs just as Piper emerges from her bedroom.

"Buffy! Sweetie, how are you?" Piper says and gives Buffy a hug.

Buffy sighs, "Is Leo here?"

Piper shakes her head, "Leo!"

Leo orbs in, "Hey Buffy. How's University."

Buffy sighs, "Bad. Can you heal me. I got trashed by some vampires. I think my arm maybe broken."

Leo nods and moves to Buffy and holds out his hands and heals her arm.

"You had no one with you?" Piper asks.

Buffy shakes her head, "No I didn't."

Piper sighs, "Buffy you know we always want you to patrol with someone."

"I know, Piper. I know." Buffy says.

Piper nods, "Alright when Phoebe gets home we'll go out with you tonight. See what we can do about this vampire problem."

Buffy smiles, "Thanks, Piper."

Leo nods, "And you know you don't have to come home just for me to heal you."

"I know, Leo. I just wanted some time away. I didn't have classes today, so…" Buffy says.

"We'll meet you in your dorm room," Piper says. "7pm sound fine?"

Buffy nods, "That's fine."

They hear the phone ring. Out of habit Buffy moves to it and picks it up. "Halliwell Residence." Silence. "Hello?" The person on the other end hangs up. Buffy hangs up herself, "Must have been a wrong number."

Piper nods, "Okay we'll see you tonight."

Buffy nods, "Okay. And thanks, Piper." She flames out and into her dorm room. She sees her side of the room completely cleared out - in exactly the same manner Eddie's was.

Kathy is nowhere to be seen. Buffy takes a note off her bed, sits as she reads it. From her face, it's clear it's more or less the same as Eddie's.

In a fair approximation of Buffy's handwriting, it reads: This is all just too much for me. I have decided to take off. Sorry I didn't have time to say goodbye but I need to be by myself. Good luck this year. Buffy.

A little death sentence from Sunday.

Later Buffy is at Payson's. A sad, slow, Splendid song is being performed on stage as Buffy walks in.

She makes her way through the crowd, passively seeking a familiar face, or at least a familiar vibe. She takes a seat not far from the stage, looks at the crowd.

"The whole world in front of her, and she comes back to this dive." Xander says from behind her.

Buffy turns, "Xander! How dare you call my club a dive." She pulls him into a big ol' bear hug.

"Hey, Buff." Xander says.

"When did you get back?" Buffy asks.

"Couple of days ago." Xander says.

"You freak of nature! Why didn't you call?" Buffy asks.

"I knew you guys were starting the whole college adventure, I didn't want to, you know, help you move." Xander says.

Buffy hits him playfully. "I missed you. How was your trip? Is America nice? I hear it's nice."

"There was some purple mountains majesty, I'm gonna have to say." Xander says.

"What'd you do? What'd you see?" Buffy asks.

"Well..." Xander says.

"Come on, tell!" Buffy says.

"Grand Canyon." Xander says.

"You saw the Grand Canyon..." Buffy says, admiringly.

"Well, I saw the movie "Grand Canyon". On cable. Really lame." Xander says.

"Oh." Buffy says, confused.

"Basically I got as far as Oxnard and the engine fell out of my car. And that was literally, so I ended up washing dishes at the fabulous "Ladies Night" club for about a month and a half while I tried to pay for the repairs. Nobody really bothered me or spoke to me there until one night one of the male strippers called in sick and no power on this Earth will make me tell you the rest of that story. Suffice to say I traded in my car for one that wasn't made entirely of rust and came trundling back home to the arms of my loving parents and everything's exactly as it was except I sleep in the basement and I have to pay rent. How's college?" Xander says.

Buffy shakes her head, "Male strippers?"

"No power on this Earth." Xander says.

Buffy nods, "Okay. College is great."

"Uh huh. Once more with even less feeling." Xander says.

Buffy sits in the alcove, and he comes around and sits next to her. "No, really. Willow's in heaven – Oz got this great off-campus house with the band..."

"And you're sitting alone at your club looking like you were just diagnosed with cancer of the puppy." Xander says.

Buffy nods, "It's just... it's this vampire. She took me down, and I'm not sure how to stop her."

"Then where's the gang? Avengers assemble, let's get it going." Xander says.

"I don't want to bug them... just starting school, they don't need this... Piper and Phoebe are supposed to meet me later though." Buffy says.

Xander nods, "Okay, Buff. What's the what here."

"I don't know, I just... what if I can't cut it." Buffy says.

"Can't cut what? Slaying?" Xander asks.

"Slaying... everything." Buffy says.

Xander sighs, "Buffy, this is all about fear. It's understandable, but you can't let it control you. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to anger... no wait... Fear leads to hate, hate leads to the dark side... hold on... Hate... no First you get the women, then you get the money, then you get... okay forget that."

"Well, thanks for the dada-ist pep talk. I feel much more abstract." Buffy says.

"The point is, you're Buffy!" Xander says.

Buffy sighs, "Yeah, sure, in high school I was Buffy..."

"And what, in college you're Betty Louise?" Xander asks.

Buffy laughs, "No in college I'm Payson Patricia Halliwell. Hardly no one knows me as Buffy anymore."

Xander nods, "Buffy, I've been through some fairly dark times in my life. Faced some scary things, among them the kitchen of the fabulous "Ladies Night" club. Let me tell you something. When it's dark and I'm all alone, and I'm scared or freaking out or whatever, I always think, "What would Buffy do?" You're my hero." Buffy soaks this in, looks at him. "Okay, sometimes when it's dark and I'm alone I think, "What is Buffy wearing?""

"Can that be one of those things you never ever tell me about?" Buffy asks.

Xander nods, "It's a deal." He stands, all momentum. "Let's put this bitch in the ground, what do you say? Show Piper and Phoebe that you can do it with just us."

"I think I say thank you." Buffy says.

"And nothing says "thank you" like dollars in the waistband. Okay. What do we do first?" Xander says.

Later in the administration office a portion of the door has been punched out and it is ajar. By the light of a single lamp and a computer screen, Buffy and Xander work. Her at the computer, him at files and newspapers.

"Kids disappearing every year. Not too many. Just enough so everyone believes they up and left." Buffy says.

"I can't believe the vampires took your stuff. Murder I expect, but petty larceny just seems so... petty." Xander says.

Buffy nods, "Well, they have to be keeping it somewhere. On campus or real near by."

Xander sees something, "How far back do the disappearances go?"

"Seems like they weren't too common till like '82." Buffy says.

"Magic number. Check it out." Xander says.

Buffy comes to his side, reads, "Psi-Theta loses its charter, building to be closed for renovation."

"1982. And look here." Xander says. He pulls a later paper, "The former psi-Theta fraternity house lies dormant while zoning issues drag on before the city council... I think we have a winner."

"Looks pretty cherry..." Buffy says.

Xander nods, "You up for a little reconnaissance?"

"You mean where we all paint and sculpt and stuff like that?" Buffy asks.

"No, that was the renaissance." Xander says.

Buffy nods, "It's been a long week. Let's go look at the house."

Later they make their way to the outskirts of campus, come to an old boarded up building. They climb to the crest of the roof as Buffy climbs onto the skylight.

"Score." Buffy says. Down below the vampires go over her stuff. "Oh. OH! That's my skirt. You'll never fit in that with those hips!" Xander joins her. "We have to kill them."

"I need a weapon." Xander says.

"I don't see my trunk down there. It was beside my bed. If they missed it - Mr. Gordo! Get your filthy - ooh! Okay. Go to my room. If my weapons trunk isn't there, try Willow's. I'll keep an eye on these - my diary... that's so unfair..."

"I'll hurry." Xander says. "What do you want me to say to Piper and Phoebe if I see them?"

"Tell them to come." Buffy says.

Xander nods and takes off.

Buffy continues to watch as Sunday pulls a blouse out of a box and starts laughing, showing it to everyone. "Laugh all you want. This time, we play it my way, and the rules are just a little bit –"

The skylight collapses.

The vamps scatter as Buffy falls right in front of them in a shower of glass and wood. She lands badly on her left arm, pain shooting through her as she looks up helplessly at the five monsters.

"Ooh." Buffy says.

Buffy rolls over, tries to get up. Her left arm touches the ground and she winces, nearly screaming in agony. "And I just had Leo heal that."

Sunday approaches, flanked by vamps. "Who the hell..." She sees it's Buffy. "Say, don't I know you from beating the crap out of you?"

Buffy scrambles away, backed up against the wall. "Just thought I'd drop in... get it? Drop in? Boy. Tough room."

"I have to say, you've really got me now. This is a diabolical plan. Throw yourself at my feet with a broken arm and no weapons of any kind, how am I ever gonna get out of this one?" Sunday says.

"You've got a nice setup here." Buffy says. "But you made one mistake."

"Really? What was that?" Sunday asks.

"You messed with a Charmed One." Buffy says and powers up a fireball.

In Buffy's dorm room Kathy is talking with Piper, Phoebe, Oz and Willow, as they all puzzle Buffy's empty space.

"It seemed kind of weird." Kathy says.

"Weird's a pretty good word for it." Oz says looking over the note.

Piper nods, "Agreed. Buffy wouldn't have took off, especially when Phoebe and I were meeting her here tonight."

"Buffy?" Kathy asks.

"Payson's nickname." Phoebe says.

"I agree with Piper, Buffy would never just take off. It's just not in her nature except for that one time she disappeared for several months and changed her name but there were circumstances then. There's no circumstances." Willow says.

Kathy nods, "Does Payson have a history of emotional problems? 'Cause on my request form I was pretty specific about a stable non-smoker."

"I don't think this is her writing." Oz says and hands the note to Piper.

Piper looks it over and nods, "It's not her handwriting. It's a good approximation but it's definitely not her handwriting."

Xander smiles, "It's a prank!"

"Xander!" Willow says.

Xander comes in, hugs Willow. "How are my guys!?" He moves to Piper and Phoebe hugging them as well. He then moves to Kathy hugs her hard, suddenly realizing, "I don't know you, do I?"

Kathy shakes her head, "No."

"And this is very intrusive, isn't it." Xander says.

Kathy nods, "Little bit."

Xander pulls away. "Xander."

"Kathy." Kathy says.

Xander turns to Oz. "Do we hug?"

"I think we're too manly." Oz says.

"What's a prank?" Phoebe asks.

"Prank? Oh! The room! Some friends of Buffy's played a funny joke, they took her stuff and now she wants us to help get it back from her friends who sleep all day and have no tans." Xander says.

Piper frowns, "She was going to wait for us to help her with them."

Xander sighs, "We thought we could handle it." Xander looks beside the bed. Nothing there. "So they took the chest. Well, let's go then and go to our friend. It was nice meeting you, Kathy."

"You too. Stop by sometime." Kathy says.

They file out.

"Let's go to Will's, get supplies." Xander says.

Piper shakes her head, "Phoebe and I brought weapons. Be quicker to get them from our car, were parked just outside the dorm."

Willow nods, "Is Buffy in danger?"

"She's in a holding pattern. We've got some time." Xander says.

In the abandoned frat Buffy is slammed to the ground. She sees in front of her her weapons trunk. Under some of her other stuff. She crawls towards it.

Sunday steps between her and it and picks up something else: Buffy's Class Protector umbrella. "Oh, this is my favorite item. What better way to say, I am the very most of geek."

"You don't want to touch that." Buffy says.

Sunday drops it - and steps on the handle, breaking it as she grabs Buffy by her left arm. Buffy gasps in pain as Sunday jerks her to her feet. "This arm's not looking so good. It might have to come off."

Buffy is getting fed up. "You wanna know the truth?" Sunday waits. "I only need one."

And before Sunday can react Buffy decks her, spin kicks - starts a furious assault on the vampire. One solid kick sends Sunday to the ground. She comes back up in vampface and Buffy hits her again.

Dav attacks Buffy from the rear but Buffy is ready for her, flips her into the corner. Buffy powers up a fireball and throws it, dusting Dav.

"This is starting to suck..." Rookie says.

Sunday comes back up but Buffy is a one armed machine, sends her back. Buffy powers up another fireball as Tom, Jerry and Rookie edge towards the exit.

As the three vamps come toward it, it bursts open. Piper, Phoebe, Xander, Willow and Oz rush in and engage Jerry and Rookie. Willow puts a crossbow bolt into Rookie's heart as Xander and Oz take out Jerry. Tom makes it out the door at top speed.

Buffy approaches a shaken Sunday. "When you look back at this, in the three seconds it takes to turn to dust, I think you'll find the mistake was touching my stuff."

Sunday attacks, Buffy parries, Sunday grabs a hand before Buffy can power up a fireball - then viciously squeezes her other arm. Buffy blanches. "What about breaking your arm?" She squeezes harder. "How does that feel?"

"Let me answer that question with a headbutt." Buffy says and headbutts Sunday, sending her staggering back. "And for the record, my Whitelighter healed the arm. Though I did hurt it coming down." She punches Sunday with her left arm, sending Sunday literally across the room. She powers up a fireball.

Sunday lands in a pile of old freshman possessions. She slowly scrambles out.

Buffy turns to her friends and family as they come from the door.

"Hey, Buff. You need a hand?" Oz says.

Buffy shakes her head, "No thanks..."

Sunday rises behind her, several yards away.

Buffy backhand hurls the fireball across the room without even looking at her target. It hits Sunday in the chest, driving her back into the wall, into dust. "...I'm good."

A moment, as the group settles into victory.

Moments later the group exit the frat, all laden down with Buffy's stuff.

"So, all that other stuff in there, that's just gonna sit there, right? I mean, nobody owns it in the strictest sense..."

"Seems wrong somehow." Oz says.

"Dibs on the rowing machine." Xander says.

"Buffy!" Giles says as he runs up to her, out of breath, laden with weapons.

"Hi Giles." Willow says.

"What's with the arsenal?" Piper asks.

"Buffy, I've been up all night. I know I'm supposed to teach you self-reliance, but I'm not leaving you out there to fight alone. The hell with what's right! I'm ready to back you up. Let's find that evil and fight it together." Giles says.

"Great. Thanks. We'll get right on that." Buffy says.

They walk on, Giles joining them. "The evil is this way?"

Buffy shakes her head, "My car is." She looks at Piper. "You were right, Piper. When a vampire can enter a dorm room uninvited… Well I think I should just move back into the Manor. Where I don't have to worry about them stealing my stuff."

Piper smiles.

* * *

**Author's Note: **The scene with Professor Riegert always ticked me off. If a professor had treated me like that I would have dropped the class. That's why I changed the ending to that scene. Buffy had been told she could sit in and he was just rude to her, not letting her explain the situation. Of course though she should have talked to the Professor before sitting down.

**Author's Note 2: **I've had more than one person in either PM or Review mention Dark Willow. At this time I don't think there is a way to incorporate that story arc. Here is the reason... Willow and Tara moved into Buffy's house because of Buffy being dead so they can raise Dawn. Since in my story Buffy and Dawn (when she arrives) are living with Piper, Phoebe and Paige - Willow and Tara won't need to move in to raise Dawn. So that brings in how would I make the start of the Dark Willow arc work then? Willow goes Dark because Warren shoots and kills Tara when he's trying to kill Buffy in her back yard. If Willow and Tara are not upstairs in the bedroom overlooking the backyard then how does Tara get killed? At this time I just don't see a way of making that arc work.


	81. Chapter 81: Size Matters

**Q/A - RHatch - **I'm not going to destroy all of San Francisco in Chosen. I've been thinking the crater would be smaller maybe a few blocks around the school. As you pointed out there will be more story after Chosen as there will be the whole season 8 story arc. So San Francisco needs to survive.

* * *

**Chapter 81: Size Matters**

At Payson's, Piper and Buffy are talking to the new manager, Treat.

"White gauze curtains would give this place some flair. You know what I'm saying? Then we'll take out these tables over here. Replace them with mounds of pillows so people can lay back and get comfortable. You look worried, baby girl." Treat says.

Buffy nods, "Well – uh – Treat. I know we gave you the authority to make some changes in the club, but we thought they would happen gradually. You know, we don't want to shock the regulars."

"Well, I do. All right? You're place seems too safe. Now do you trust me? Do you trust the number one club promoter in all of San Francisco?" Treat says.

Piper looks to Buffy who sighs, "Yes, of course…"

"Good. All right, guys. Rip it all out!" Treat says as Phoebe enters.

"Wait a minute! What's going on? That's our table? Who told them that they could rip out our table?" Phoebe says.

"I did." Treat says.

"And who are you?" Phoebe asks.

Buffy sighs, "Phoebe, this is Treat Taylor. He's the new manager of Payson's.

"I-I-I'm sorry. The new what?" Phoebe says.

Piper nods, "We just hired him on a trial basis. With Buffy in college I needed someone to handle the day to day."

"Well, isn't that interesting. I need to talk to you two." Phoebe says as she pulls Piper and Buffy to the side.

"You look worried, baby girl." Piper says.

Phoebe nods, "Well, why didn't you two tell me about this?"

"It just happened yesterday. Which is why we asked you to come down here today." Buffy says.

"We said we weren't going to do this." Phoebe says.

"Uh, do what?" Piper asks.

"Make any major changes in our lives. All the books caution against it. After you've suffered a major loss. Do not sell the house. Do not get married. Do not quit your job." Phoebe says.

Buffy shakes her head, "Okay, but like it or not, there's been a lot of changes lately, and this is hardly the biggest." They see Paige.

"Oh, speak of the devil/whitelighter/witch." Phoebe says.

Paige walks up to them. "Hi, guys."

"Hi!" Phoebe says.

"I hope I'm not interrupting." Paige says.

Phoebe shakes her head, "No, no we were just talking."

Paige nods, "Well, I have a quick question, but it can wait. Continue."

Piper nods, "Buff and I were just explaining to Phoebe that the changes we're making in the club are not by choice. They are by necessity. Okay? Payson's has been struggling a little lately and we are now a single salary household."

"Oh, we don't have to be. I-I can get a job." Phoebe says.

Piper sighs, "Uh-huh. And if you could get a part-time entry level job that pays you about two hundred grand a year that would really make a difference. Otherwise, I'd rather you be free for other work. "

"About that other work." Paige says.

"But it's not fair. You shouldn't carry the financial burden." Phoebe says.

Piper sighs, "I will worry about the source of our income if you worry about the source of all evil."

"Speaking of evil—" Paige says.

"Besides, what kind of job would you get?" Piper aks.

"I am a college grad. I am sure I could find something." Phoebe says.

"I found something." Paige says.

Buffy sighs, "Okay, Paige. What is it?"

"Okay, have you guys ever walked by a house and just, uh, got a really bad creepy feeling from it? Okay, on my way to get coffee every morning I walk by this house and I get... this shiver." Paige says.

"A shiver?" Phoebe asks.

Paige nods, "Does it mean anything?"

"It's a shiver." Piper says.

Paige shakes her head, "No, I've always just dismissed it as a bad case of the creeps, but now that I'm a witch... I don't know. I think it might be something supernatural."

Buffy shakes her head, "I think I know what your asking. I get that kind of sensation but that's because I'm the Slayer." She looks to Piper, "Do you think it's possible a Whitelighter has some kind of sense like my spidey sense?"

Piper shrugs.

"Well, do you know anything about the house?" Phoebe says.

"Just that this cute guy named Finn lives there. We bumped into each other at the grocery store. Flirted a little. Done the are these melons ripe thing, okay." Paige says.

"Well, that sounds like you have the hots not the creeps." Piper says.

"Well –" Paige says.

Phoebe shakes her head, "Either way, I think it's a good idea that you stay away from this Finn guy."

"No, I don't get the shiver from him. Just the house. I think I'm on to something." Paige says.

"I really think that when you've been a witch for a few months, you'll know the difference between sensing evil and needing a warmer jacket." Piper says.

"So you don't want to check it out?" Paige asks.

Piper shakes her head, "Not any time soon." She leaves.

"Buffy, Phoebe, I'm not making this up." Paige says.

Phoebe sighs, "Oh, we know you're not sweetie. But you got to admit, it's not a lot to go on. I gotta run. I'll call you later."

"Okay." Paige says.

"Okay. Stay away from that Finn guy." Phoebe says.

"Buffy?" Paige asks.

Buffy shakes her head, "I have to agree with Piper and Phoebe on this Paige, I'm sorry."

Later Treat is showing Piper and Buffy the new waitresses uniforms with the name The Spot on it. "Woo, now that's what I'm talking about."

"You're changing the name of the club?" Buffy asks.

Treat nods, "Man, you know that's the plan. You know?"

Piper frowns, "What's wrong with Payson's?

"Well, you know we polled people and most of them thought it was a restaurant. Why is it named Payson's anyways?"

Buffy sighs, "It was named after me. I'm Payson, Payson Patricia Halliwell."

"Yeah, but check this out. The new image deserves a new name. Otherwise, no one will know what it is. You know what I'm saying? But look, if you're against it. Look, I can take it all down, change things around, whatever you want me to do baby girl."

Piper looks to Buffy, "It's your call."

Buffy sighs, "No, it's just – it's just another change. So, uh, do what you want."

"You cool?" Treat asks.

"Yeah." Piper and Buffy says.

"You cool?" Treat asks again.

"Yeah." Piper and Buffy says again.

"You cool?" Treat asks for the third time.

Piper sighs and Buffy nods, "Uh-huh."

"All right." Treat says.

Leo and Paige orb into a secure area.

"I can't get used to this orbing thing." Paige says.

Leo smiles, "You will. You've got in you. Took Buffy awhile to get used to flaming, and she was doing that from the moment she got that power."

"I feel like my stomach's going to come out of me." Paige says.

They find Piper and Buffy.

"Uh, what's with the white gauze? It's worse than up there." Leo says.

Piper sighs, "It was Treat's idea. What are you guys doing here?"

"We orbed in." Paige says.

"Together?" Buffy asks.

Paige nods, "Yeah, well we were worried about Phoebe. She was supposed to meet me at the creepy house, but she never showed so I thought maybe she got hung up. So I went to your place—"

Piper frowns, "Um, I thought we decided not to investigate the so-called creepy house."

"Well, I know you didn't think it was anything, but Leo..." Paige says.

Piper frowns, "Oh, so you went behind our back and asked Leo."

Leo shakes his head, "She didn't go behind yours or Buffy's back and I'm her whitelighter, too."

Piper sighs, "Uh-hmm, right. Well, it's a smart thing to do as a witch, but an annoying thing to do as a sister. So what happened to Phoebe?

Leo shakes his head, "I don't know. I checked my radar, but she dropped to the tiniest blip."

"And what would account for that?" Buffy asks.

"I don't know, but I don't like it." Leo says.

Piper nods, "Well, then we should probably get over there."

"See, I told you something was going on in that house." Paige says.

Buffy sighs, "Uh-huh, okay. Let's hold the congratulations till we find Phoebe." As they are leaving the workmen break the Payson's sign.

"Piper? Buffy?" Leo asks, concerned.

Piper sighs, "Doesn't matter. Payson's doesn't exist anymore."

Paige looks at the broken sign.

Later outside Finn's House. Piper's car is there with Buffy, Piper, Paige, and Leo in it.

"There it is. See? Oh, shiver." Paige says.

"Well, uh, Paige you don't have to be a super witch to know that that house is creepy." Piper says.

Buffy shakes her head, "Piper my spidey sense is going off. Something is majorly going on."

Leo nods, "I saw a motorcycle in the driveway. Somebody's home."

"Okay, so I say we go up to the front door. You knock and I will freeze." Piper says.

Leo shakes his head, "You don't always have control over your powers. You might be blowing up an innocent."

Buffy sighs, "Okay, so how about you orb in, check out the place, and tell us what we're up against."

"I have an idea –"

"Well, the problem with that is what if what we're dealing with is not supernatural. Then I've orbed into somebody's living room and we've risked exposure." Leo says.

"I mean if I just –" Paige says.

Piper nods, "This is why I say we go with the freeze."

"I have to agree with Piper. Freeze who ever opens the door is the simplest of solutions." Buffy says. "Without risking exposure."

"I can get Finn out of the house." Paige says.

"How?" Piper asks.

Paige smiles, "Well, I know the guy. I'll just go in, lure him out, and you can go in and snoop around."

"No. We can't let you go off with a potential demon. It's too dangerous. Right, Leo?" Buffy says.

"Actually, it sounds like our best bet." Leo says.

Piper frowns, "Are you siding with Paige now?"

Leo sighs, "Hey, there's no sides. And, yes."

"Huh!" Piper and Buffy says.

"Look, I know I'm new to magic, but the only way to change that is to allow me to get some experience." Paige says.

Buffy sighs, "And we're just trying to protect you."

"That's nice, but both of you protecting me may be hurting Phoebe. Look, I got her into this. Let me help get her out of it." Paige says.

Piper nods, "Okay, fine. Go. But until we know who this Finn guy is and what he does, I do not want you alone with him. Take him to Payson's, er – I mean, The Spot."

"Got it." Paige says and gets out a lollipop.

"What is that for?" Piper asks.

Buffy rolls her eyes, "It's a lure. Right, Paige?"

Paige nods, "Right, Buffy." She gets out of the car.

"Do not go into that house. Did you hear me? I said do not go in!" Piper says as Paige leaves. "It is like talking to a wall."

Leo nods, "She's got the Halliwell hearing."

Buffy sighs, "Was I that bad?"

Piper laughs and nods, "Sometimes."

At the front door Finn opens it.

"Hi!" Paige says.

"Hi!" Finn says.

Paige smiles, "Remember me? The girl with the melons... from the supermarket melons."

"Yeah, I remember. What brings you here?" Finn says.

Paige smiles, "Let's just say I got tired of waiting for you to show up on my doorstep."

"I'm sorry?" Finn asks.

"Look, if we're going to go out, the first thing you need to know about me is that I don't play games. I see what I want and I, uh, go for it. Do you have a problem with that?" Paige says.

"Are you always this aggressive with guys?" Finn asks.

"Just the ones I like." Paige says, smiling.

"Why don't you come in?" Finn asks as Paige hesitates. "Is something wrong?"

"Oh, just the old cliché. My mother told me never to go into stranger's houses. That thing." Paige says.

"Come on. What are you afraid of?" Finn says.

In the car Piper, Buffy and Leo are watching Finn and Paige.

"Piper: Don't do it." Piper says.

Paige starts to enter the house.

Finn and Paige leave the house.

"The lure worked."

Paige and Finn drive away on his motorcycle. She waves at them.

"Barely." Piper says.

Inside Finn's house. Gammill goes to Phoebe and a woman. "Now where were we?"

Leo and Piper orb in and Gammill hides.

"Piper! Buffy!" Phoebe says in a voice too low for them to hear.

"Leo, you go that way. Buffy and I'll go this way." Piper says.

"In here!" Phoebe says.

Buffy and Piper looks around and finds the demon's collection of small dolls.

"Oh, weird." Buffy says.

Piper nods, "You can say that again."

Leo nods, "What a bizarre collection. I wouldn't touch. We should look for Phoebe. I'll check upstairs."

"Piper! Buffy!" Phoebe says.

Buffy and Piper can't hear Phoebe's cries.

Leo comes back in "There's nothing upstairs. I mean nothing. Anything down here?"

Piper shakes her head, "No, nothing but a bunch of clays."

Leo nods, "I think we should get out of here. Check the Book of Shadows. I-I want to know what we're dealing with."

Buffy nods, "Well, whatever it is it better not require the Power of Three to vanquish it." Piper and Leo orb out as Buffy flames out.

Gammil goes over to Phoebe. "Well, well the Power of Three. So you're not just a witch, but a Charmed One. Nothing will make happier than to collect you all."

Later at the Manor Buffy, Piper and Leo are looking in both Book of Shadows.

"Found him! Gammill a.k.a. The Collector. He's known for his passion of collecting one of a kind figurines. Wonder what he gets out of that?" Leo says.

"Well, speaking for my great-aunt Sylvia, who collects Hummels, when they have a hard time dealing with real people figurines can be their best friends." Piper says.

"Great Aunt?" Buffy asks. "Grams or Grandpa Allen's?"

"Grandpa Allen's." Piper says.

"Yeah, but being socially awkward doesn't land you in the Book of Shadows." Leo says.

"So what does?" Buffy asks.

"Well, apparently he went up against a witch sometime in the seventies. A spell was cast to make as hideous on the outside as he was on the inside. Like this I suppose." Leo says.

"Does it say what he did to deserve that?" Piper asks.

Leo shakes his head, "No, it doesn't make any sense either. I mean we saw this guy and he's still looks the same."

"So what does that mean? That Gammill found a way to break the curse and changed his name to Finn?" Buffy asks.

Leo shrugs, "I don't know, but I'm guessing whoever the guy Paige is with does."

Piper nods, "Well, then we need to find Paige and hope that she's not in trouble so we can find Phoebe and hope that she's not in trouble."

"Well, I wouldn't worry about Paige. I mean she's in a public place. Nobody's going to hurt her at The Spot." Leo says.

At the club formerly known as Payson's Buffy flames in as Piper and Leo orb into a secure area. There is loud music and the waitresses are dancing on the bar.

"I got just got, uh, got a creepy shivers myself." Piper says.

"Now I'm glad you two changed the name." Leo says.

Piper sighs, "Oh! Look at the waitresses! Oh, no! Don't look! They're practically removing their spots."

Leo frowns, "Can you do that in public?"

Buffy sighs, "Leo go look for Paige. Okay? Go. I think Piper and I need a word with the new manager." She and Piper walks toward the back of the club where a bouncer stops them.

"Hold it! You can't go in there." Bouncer says.

"Excuse me?" Piper asks.

"It's the VIP area." Bouncer says.

Buffy shakes her head, "Oh! You're assuming because we not tall, tattooed, or big breasted that we're not important. That's a bad assumption because I own this club. And this is the General Manager. You know Treat's boss. Which makes us a V. ."

Treat comes out to meet them. "Piper! Payson! Piper! Payson! They're good, man. What's up girls?"

"Hi." Piper and Buffy says.

"We got a fly crowd." Treat says.

Piper nods, "Uh-huh."

"I told you all it needs is a little danger." Treat says.

"Yeah, that's exactly what this place lacked. Um, listen. Have you seen my sister Paige?" Piper says.

Treat nods, "Yeah, she was here, but she left. She said it was too noisy."

"She said what?" Buffy asks.

Treat sighs and repeats himself, "It was too noisy."

Buffy nods, "Treat. Your fired. When I gave you permission to change the club. I didn't mean like this. We cater to both adult and teen clientele. Teenagers wouldn't come here. Your ruining the business because you neglected to include half of our clientele."

Piper nods, "I will have your pay for the day ready first thing in the morning." She and Buffy leaves him and finds Leo trying to get through the crowd, but is caught in between two dancing waitresses. He doesn't seem to mind too much. "Excuse me! Hi! Having fun? Let's go. Paige took Finn to her loft. Let's go." They go behind a sofa and Leo and Piper orb out as Buffy flames out.

Moments later Piper and Leo orb in as Buffy flames in outside Paige's apartment. They go inside and find Paige kneeling in front of Finn.

"Paige!" Piper says.

"What are you doing here?" Paige asks.

Piper shakes her head, "This is ridiculous. It's like dealing with a teenager."

"Hey," Buffy says. "I resent that. I wasn't that bad."

Piper looks at Buffy, "Need I remind you Buffy what you did on your 17th birthday."

"Ok so I was that bad." Buffy says.

"Hey, I'm just examining him." Paige says.

"Okay! First of all, you should not have left the club." Piper says.

"Piper –" Paige says.

"Second of all, you should not be playing doctor with the demon boy." Buffy says.

"Buffy –" Paige says.

"Third of all –" Piper says.

Paige sighs, "Buffy! Piper! He has no bellybutton. I can explain. First of all, we left the club because it sucks now. Okay, anytime you try to be that hip. It ain't hip."

Buffy nods, "I already regret my decision in hiring him. In fact I already fired Treat."

Paige smiles, "That's good, Buffy. Now second of all, Finn has no bellybutton because he wasn't born."

Finn nods, "I was created out of clay."

"In Gammill's own image. He must be a golem." Leo says.

"I don't know the technical term, but I do know that he needs protection from the demon that made him." Paige says.

"Okay. Hold up! Where is Gammill now?" Buffy asks.

"At the house, I think." Finn says.

"We were just there. We didn't see him." Leo says.

Finn nods, "That's because he has his own secret hiding place."

Piper nods, "Could he be hiding our sister Phoebe there?"

"No, he probably shrunk her." Finn says.

"I'm sorry. He probably what?" Buffy asks.

Finn nods, "Oh, that's what he does. He takes his wand and shrinks the women for his collection."

"Oh god. The figurines, that's why they're each one of a kind. Okay, we have to get back there. We have to find Phoebe." Piper says.

"Careful. If Gammill's at the house waiting for you, he'll shrink you all. I don't know why he didn't before." Finn says.

"Does he still trust you?" Buffy asks.

Finn nods, "Yeah."

"Okay, then you come with us. You go in first and distract him." Piper says.

Paige shakes her head, "No, Piper… Buffy, we can't use Finn as a minesweeper. And besides, isn't he an innocent? "

"Actually, Paige innocents tend to be real." Buffy says.

Paige sighs, "Listen. We have to go get Phoebe. First, we should go by your house, check the Book of Shadows to see if there's a spell to undo shrinking. We'll bring Finn with us."

"We don't have time for that." Piper says.

"Well, we can't go in there unprepared." Paige says.

"Unprepared might be our best shot right now. Leo, what do you think?" Buffy says.

Leo shakes his head, "I think you need to stop turning to me. Start trying to figure out a way to listen to each other. Piper… Buffy, you both don't listen to Paige's ideas." Paige smiles. "And Paige, you don't listen to Buffy and Piper's advice. I think you guys need to figure out a way how to work as partners."

"We're partners." Piper says.

Leo nods, "Equal partners."

Paige nods, "Well, listen. Can we do that tomorrow? Right now we actually need your help."

Leo sighs, "All right, well I think the best that I can help is by this." Leo orbs out.

"Leo! Great!" Buffy says.

"What now?" Paige asks.

"Well, Buffy and I are just going to have to convince you that we're right." Piper says.

"Well, we don't have all day. Why don't we just flip a coin?" Paige says.

"Phoebe's life is at stake." Buffy says.

"All the more reason to make a decision quickly." Paige says.

Piper sighs, "Fine flip."

"Piper?" Buffy says.

"Call it." Paige says.

"We don't have time to argue over it, Buffy. Heads."

Paige throws the coin and orbs it to tails. "Tails. I win. Fair and square." She looks at Buffy. "You want to flip, too?"

Buffy shakes her head, "No."

Later Buffy, Piper, Paige, and Finn enter through the foyer of Gammill's house.

"It's okay. You'll be safe here." Paige says.

Finn nods, "Can I get a glass of water? My skin feels a little dry."

"Oh, yeah. Sure. Uh, the kitchen's just down there to the left." Paige says as Finn walks into the entranceway Gammill shatters him with his wand then shrinks Buffy, Piper and Paige.

"Uh-oh!" Buffy says.

Gammill lines up all five women; Buffy, Piper, Phoebe, Paige, and the innocent woman, Claudia, encased in clay on a shelf. "Time to fire up the kiln. You're next." He takes Claudia to the kiln.

"At least we came for you." Piper says as Phoebe groans. "Phoebe; Buffy, Paige and I are here now. We have the power of four. Can you say a spell?" Phoebe moans. "Okay. We'll figure this out. Paige, Buffy, let's go over our options."

"Options? We have two: We're screwed and we're more screwed." Paige says.

"We don't need negativity. We need solutions." Buffy says.

Paige sighs, "Well, I'm sorry. I've never been shrunk and covered in clay before."

"Hey! You wanted to be partners so work with me here. Okay? Or your right. We are screwed." Piper says.

Paige sighs, "Can't you blast your way out of it?"

"I tried. I can't move my hands." Piper says.

"Buffy?" Paige asks.

Buffy shakes her head, "While I could probably power up a fireball or flame out. I don't want to risk it in case I do nothing more than harden the clay faster."

Paige sighs, "I could call for something, but what would help? What's the point of having powers if you can't use them."

"What about orbing?" Piper asks.

"Would Leo hear us?" Paige asks.

"No! You can orb!" Piper says.

Paige sighs, "Only in the same place."

"Well, that might work. The clay is still wet enough so it might collapse if you leave for a second." Piper says.

"Uh-huh. Uh-huh." Phoebe says.

"Yeah. Only one problem, I've never been able to orb at will before." Paige says.

Buffy smiles, "But that doesn't mean that you can't. Just concentrate and relax. Remember what I told you about when I flame out."

Paige sighs, "Relax? Are you kidding?"

Buffy nods, "Paige, just close your eyes. Take a deep breath. Feel the magic rising from a place of strength. Feel it building and building. Paige, you're our only hope."

Paige orbs and her clay breaks. "It worked. How cool was that?" Phoebe, Piper and Buffy moan. "I know. I know. I'm coming." Paige breaks Buffy, Piper and Phoebe's clay.

"He's about to put Claudia into the kiln. Piper freeze him." Phoebe says as Piper tries, but nothing happens.

"Oh, he's way too big for my tiny magic." Piper says.

"Do you think I can call for his wand?" Paige asks.

"I don't know. Try it." Piper says.

"Just keep your voice down. If he hears us, we will be cooked." Phoebe says.

"Wand. Wand." Paige says.

"Go for it." Phoebe says.

Buffy sighs and takes Paige's hand, "I'll help. I'll augment you."

Paige nods as she and Buffy calls out, "Wand!" The wand half orbs, half flames to Paige and Buffy as Gammill hears.

"We need a spark." Paige says.

Piper nods, "Got it!"

They shrink Gammill.

"Uh-oh!" Gammill says.

"Can you freeze him now?" Phoebe asks.

Piper freezes him. "Yup."

"What do you say we take him out Charmed Ones style?" Phoebe asks.

"Don't we need a spell for that?" Paige asks.

"That was the good thing about being stuck in clay all day. I had time to think of one. Repeat after me. Small of mind." Phoebe says.

"Small of mind." Piper, Phoebe, Paige and Buffy says.

"Big of woe." Phoebe says.

"Big of woe." Piper, Phoebe, Paige and Buffy says.

"The pain you caused." Phoebe says.

"The pain you caused." Piper, Phoebe, Paige and Buffy says.

"You now will know." Phoebe says.

"You now will know." Piper, Phoebe, Paige and Buffy says.

Gammill disappears and the girls are transformed back to normal size.

"That's it? That's the spell you spent all day working on?" Paige asks.

Phoebe smiles, "Well, it worked. Didn't it?"

"Oh, my gosh. How did you do that?" Claudia asks.

Phoebe smiles, "The power of four."

Piper laughs, "The power of point four."

Later at The Spot formerly known as Payson's. David Navarro is singing as Buffy, Piper, Paige, Phoebe and Leo enter.

"What do you guys think of the Spot?" Piper asks.

"Well, the club scored David Navarro. That's pretty impressive." Phoebe says.

Leo nods, "I still can't get used to the white gauze."

Buffy smiles, "Well, you don't have to. I told Treat that this just drives away half our clientele. Have you noticed there is no one here under 21? So I fired Treat. Besides Paige is right. It's trying way too hard to be hip. Which means it is five minutes away from being five minutes ago."

They go and sit down on a couch. Phoebe raises a glass to make a toast. "Okay! To the old!"

Paige looks downcast.

"What's the matter honey?" Piper asks.

"The last time I was here, I was here with Finn. How do you guys get over these things?" Paige says.

"You don't." Phoebe says.

Piper nods, "But you learn with experience that you can't dwell on the losses. You kind of have to –"

"Harden your heart." Paige says.

Buffy shakes her head, "Protect your heart. Unfortunately, it's a fact of our lives that sometimes the good comes with a little sadness. As the three of us recently witnessed."

"There was a lot of good, too." Leo says.

Phoebe nods, "There was a lot of good. I mean my skin looks fabulous. "

Piper smiles, "And now that I've been five inches tall, I will never complain about my height again. And nor will I doubt your instincts again."

"Neither will I." Buffy says.

Paige smiles, "Thank you."

"Okay, well then there's just one more thing that we need to tie up." Leo says.

"Oh, okay." Piper says as Leo leads them out behind the club.

"Uh, Leo what are you looking for?" Phoebe asks.

"Something very important." Leo says.

"Broken glass?" Buffy asks.

Leo nods, "Broken glass that needs healing." He finds the broken Payson's sign. "Here it is. It's up to you."

"Can you do it? Buffy asks as Leo nods. "Can you change it though?"

"Change it?" Leo asks.

Buffy nods, "Yes I want to do more than just heal the sign. I want to honor my family. I want to change the name of the club."

"To what?" Piper asks.

Buffy smiles, "Payson's P4."

"Payson's P4?" Phoebe asks.

Buffy nods, "I want to honor you guys and Prue. By changing the name I'm doing just that. I want to honor Prue's memory."

Piper nods, "I think Prue would like that."

Buffy nods, "And I also of course want to acknowledge my cousins… my _sisters_. Including my newest _sister_, Paige."

Paige smiles. "Wow, Buffy. That's nice. But you don't…"

Buffy shakes her head, "It's what I want to do, Paige."

Paige nods and smiles.

Piper smiles and nods and she looks to Leo, "Can you make the change?"

Leo nods and holds out his hands. The sign not only begins to heal itself but begins to flow and change till the sign is lit once again now reading: PAYSON'S P4.

Buffy smiles, "Payson's P4 is now in business."

* * *

**Author's Note: **In my other Charmed story (Charmed: The Last Halliwell) I changed the name of the club to P4 as a way of Piper acknowledging not only Paige but Buffy as well as her sisters. Someone made a review that the name of the club should have been P5 because of Prue. But the thing is even in the series except for passing mentions Prue was pretty much forgotten. The writers left the name of the club P3. They even pretty much wrote in that the club was now in honor of Piper, Phoebe and Paige – the current Power of Three. Anyways that was why in that story I didn't do the P5 as the reviewer suggested.

Anyways I decided I wanted to acknowledge Prue this time around, and not let her totally be forgotten. So that's why the club is named Payson's P4 now. For Buffy (Payson), Prue, Piper, Phoebe, and Paige. And when Dawn comes into the picture you will see the sign mystically changed because of her addition to Payson's P5 so that Prue is still remembered. In fact a couple chapters I have partially written for after Dawn arrives I have even Prue mentioned in spots.


	82. Chapter 82: Harsh Light of Day

**Chapter 82: Harsh Light of Day**

At Payson's P4 Oz, and Devon are finishing a song on stage. Buffy and Willow sit in the alcove and talk as another band plays.

"You know what else I love about college? How when the professor comes in, the class gets all quiet." Willow says.

"Oh I hate that. I'm always like, what? Did something scary come in? Do I have to kill it?" Buffy says.

Something catches Willow's eye. "Hey look, Parker's here."

Parker is by the bar, Buffy doesn't look.

"Yeah?" Buffy says, disinterested.

"You're not looking? He's really cute in green." Willow says.

Buffy shakes her head, "Blue. He's on the monitor."

Willow looks over her shoulder and sure enough Parker is on the security monitor that is hidden in the alcove. "That's nice. You know, when you spend all week with a boy, you are allowed to look at him directly."

"Not all week. We've hung out. Moderately incessantly. But we're not here together, and I don't want to crowd him." Buffy says.

Oz joins them. "You guys ready to load up and go?"

"Almost. Buffy's looking at Parker." Willow says pointing at the monitor.

"Good looking guy. Works out." Oz says. "I have eyes."

"Buffy's having lusty wrong feelings." Willow says.

Buffy shakes her head, "No I'm not."

"Wait. No you're not." Willow says.

"I'm not? Oh, I so am." Buffy says.

"No, they're not wrong feelings. 'Cause there's no wrong. You're free. You're both grown-ups... You are free, right?" Willow says.

Buffy nods, "Well, sure. Yeah. I really feel like I am, like I'm over... everything else. High school stuff." A hand lands lightly on Buffy's shoulder. She follows it up to a smiling Parker. "Hi."

Parker looks at the Monitor and shakes his head. He gives Willow and Oz quick nods, but he's all about Buffy. "I just wanted to say, I'm heading out. And it's not real safe around here, so, if you need a walk back to your house..."

Buffy laughs, "I won't turn down being walked home. But the neighborhood is better than you think. I should know since I own the place."

Parker looks at Buffy surprised, "You never told me that. You really own this?"

"Well not legally. It's in trust for me till I turn 21. But yeah it's mine." Buffy says. "Why do you think it's named Payson's P4."

"I didn't know. Wow. What's P4 stand for?" Parker says.

"Prue, Piper, Phoebe and Paige. My cousins." Buffy says. "When Piper first opened the club it was just P4 for Prue, Piper, Phoebe and me. Then she renamed it Payson's when she, Prue and Phoebe decided to turn it over to me when I turn 21. Then Prue passed away and I wanted to do something in her memory. So…"

Parker nods, "That's a nice sentiment. So... you ready to go?"

"Absolutely." Buffy says. "Just let me tell Piper I'm leaving. That way she doesn't have to worry about giving me a ride."

Parker nods, "Sure."

Buffy walks over to the bar, "Piper." Piper turns to Buffy. "I'm heading out. I'll see you back at the Manor."

Piper looks over at Parker, "Okay. You have fun."

Buffy goes back to Parker and they head through the crowd toward the door and Buffy flashes a hopeful smile back at Willow.

Moments later Parker and Buffy walk and talk down the street.

"Hobbies?" Buffy asks.

"Yeah, hobbies. Interests. I feel like there's so much I still don't know about you. What do you like to do?" Parker says.

"Well, mostly I... you know, hang out and do stuff." Buffy says.

"Yeah, I was into that for a while." Parker says as he's looking at her, notices the scar on her neck. "What's that?"

"What's what?" Buffy asks.

"You have a scar." Parker says as he touches her neck, rubs over The Master's bite scar with his thumb.

Buffy shivers at the intimacy. "Oh. Right. Angry puppy." Parker smiles, and finally, reluctantly, takes his hand away. "So do I get to see any of your scars?"

"Oh, mine are all psychological." Parker says.

"Please, they're the best kind." Buffy says.

"Well, my father died last year." Parker says.

"Oh, Parker. God, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bring up something like that. Bad, bad Payson."

"No, no, I'm okay to talk about it now. And I'm not doing the deep "get sympathy" routine. Don't you hate guys that are all "I'm dark and brooding so give me love"?"

"I... I've never met that type." Buffy says, lying. Her first love was that type.

"I just wanted to say that the thing that made it so sad was that there was a lot of stuff he didn't get to finish. Like, he thought there'd always be this future out there, and then there wasn't. It's made me think about, you know, living for now." Parker says.

"I think about that sometimes. A lot, actually. How fast it could end? See, I sort of, drowned once, a couple of years ago. And I came back. Obviously." Buffy says. "And I nearly died from Arroyo fever."

'And I've died one other time that I can't tell you about.' Buffy thinks.

"Wow. I mean, you hear about stuff like drowning..." Parker says.

"Yeah, well, pool safety, important. Anyway, I don't put things off anymore. Like you were saying." Buffy says.

"That's great. Everyone says they get it: "oh, man, me too, live for today," but what they really want is an excuse to goof off and not study for finals." Parker says.

Buffy nods, "Also a valid life choice."

"It's cool to find someone else who understands." Parker says.

"So, when you go to bed tonight, what are you going to regret not doing today?" Buffy asks.

"I'm going to regret being too nervous to ask you to the party at Wolf House tomorrow night. Do you want to go to the party at Wolf –" Parker says.

Buffy smiles, "Yes."

Parker slips his hand into Buffy's hand. "Payson? When you... drowned, whoever brought you back? They're getting a big kiss from me. Also the doctor that treated your Arroyo fever will get a big thank you card."

Buffy nods, "Xander will be so happy. He's the one that brought me back when I drowned. On the doctor he passed away a while back."

Later at the front door of the Manor Parker and Buffy linger outside. She knows Phoebe's probably watching from the window.

"This is it. My door. It's wood. Maybe some kind of wood veneer." Buffy says.

"Nice." Parker says. "You have a nice house." He leans in for what is sure to be a very sweet kiss, when Phoebe opens the door.

"Buffy. There is a phone call for you from Oz and Willow." Phoebe says.

Parker nods, "I should go. I'll see you tomorrow, Payson. Good night Ms. Halliwell."

Phoebe smiles, "Please just call me Phoebe."

Parker nods, "Phoebe." He turns and walks down the steps.

Buffy watches Parker for a moment before walking inside and closing the door. She walks over to the phone. "What's up?"

"Hey. Remember Harmony?" Oz says.

"She's back from her summer vacation and she's different." Willow says.

"Different?" Buffy asks.

"Vampire." Willow says.

"Harmony's a vampire? She must be dying without a reflection." Buffy says.

"I felt she was adjusting. You know, when the fang went in." Willow says.

Buffy sighs, "Oh, Willow, I'm sorry. It's not funny. That must have been terrible."

"She just made me so mad. "My boyfriend's gonna beat you up!"" Willow says.

Buffy frowns, "Boyfriend?"

"Well, if you believe her. I mean, she always lied about stuff like that. "Oh, he goes to another school, you wouldn't know him."" Willow says.

"Devon dated her for a while, but she was too flaky for him. Which, stop and marvel at the concept." Oz says.

Buffy shakes her head, "Guy dating Harmony - dead? Must be like the most tolerant guy in the world."

The next night Buffy and Parker enter the party. It's crowded, dark, smoky and loud. One guy is doing a funnel. A couple is propped up next to the door, making out vigorously. Buffy tries not to stare.

Parker puts a protective arm around Buffy, guiding her through the crowd. "Watch out. You can take pictures, but stay in the safari truck at all times." He leads her through the living room, past groups of students laughing and talking. Buffy takes it all in. A guy is showing off for his friends by drunkenly juggling beer bottles. A passed-out girl slumps on one of the sofas.

"Some party, huh? The last days of Rome." Parker shouts over the music.

"Better. No old Romans." Buffy shouts back.

"You wanna dance?" Parker asks.

"Let's have a meaningful talk instead." Buffy says.

Parker laughs, leads Buffy past the keg, where people are lined up to get beer. Behind them, the sound of beer bottles crashing to the floor: that was a bad juggler. Buffy and Parker end up by the dance floor. A live band plays and couples dance wildly. Parker leads Buffy onto the floor.

As they head onto the floor, they collide with a couple supporting a drunken friend between them.

Buffy looks closer. It's Harmony and Spike, and the "drunken friend" is a stunned and lacerated victim. Spike and Buffy freeze, look at each other and their dates, sizing up the sitch. The song ends, making conversation possible. "Spike. Harmony."

"Buffy. Hi. What a cute outfit, last year." Harmony says.

"Well, this is interesting. Sort of a double date." Spike says.

"I think you two should go." Buffy says.

"But the fun's just starting: old friends, lots to drink..." Spike says as he jiggles the victim.

"Looks like your friend there started the party a little early, huh?" Parker says.

Spike looks at Parker, but talks to Buffy. "Say, let's have a look at the new boy. Hmm. I like him. He's got, what's the word, vulnerability."

Parker is confused, but trying to go along, "Hi, I'm Parker..." He holds out his hand, Spike ignores it.

"And you, with Harmony. Lose a bet?" Buffy asks.

"Hey!" Harmony says.

"Actually, how we met, funny story, really—" Spike says.

Trying for surprise, he dumps the victim onto Parker and runs into the crowd.

Buffy dives after him. "I'll be right back!"

But the music has started again and it's hard to hear her.

Buffy bursts out the door onto the front porch of the party house. It's a little quieter here. Students cluster around, smoking and talking. She steps off the porch, warily. She pulls out a stake and walks around to the side of the house. It's dark and deserted here.

She passes a dark shadow along the side of the house, then she whirls and punches into the shadow. Spike punches back, steps out into the dim light. Harmony runs up, out of breath.

"Dru dump you again?" Buffy asks as she punches.

"Maybe I dumped her –" Spike says as he punches back.

"She left him for a Chaos Demon. It's all he talks about some days..." Harmony says.

"Harm. We're going." Spike says. "It isn't time yet."

"Yeah, but as soon as we have the Gem of Amarra you're gonna be sooo sorry - Ow!" Harmony says.

Spike grabs Harmony to shut her up, drags her off by the arm. Buffy starts after them, but they're back around the front of the house, pushing through a group of party arrivals. Buffy gets tangled in the crowd. Spike and Harmony get away.

Buffy moves to a payphone nearby and dials Giles apartment.

"Yeah, Spike. With Harmony, if you can believe it. I mean, I thought Spike and Dru were a forever kind of deal, didn't you? Where's the commitment?" Buffy says moments later.

"I'm disillusioned. I shall never love again." Giles says.

"So anyway, I couldn't figure out why he ran away, but Harmony said something. What they're here for. The Gem of something... Amarra. He's waiting 'til he gets it—"

"The Gem of Amarra? Are you sure?" Giles asks.

Buffy nods, "Yeah. What's up?"

"It's just, it's not real. It's like, like a vampire version of the Holy Grail. A source of some kind of enormous power, always conveniently vague..." Giles says. "Yes, here it is. There was a great deal of vampyric interest in locating the gem during, oh, the 10th century. Questing vampires combed the earth, but no one found it. It was concluded that it never existed."

Buffy shakes her head, "Well Spike seems to think it exists. And he's looking in Sunnydale."

"I don't see how something that valuable, if it were real, could remain hidden on a Hellmouth, with all its demonic activity. I could probably even track the development of the myth..." Giles says.

Buffy nods, "And I'm with you. Myth tracking. I mean, I don't really need a full eight hours, right? A little shaky, but that's okay..."

"Very subtle, but I was going to do it myself anyway. You've done all you can for tonight. Go to bed." Giles says.

"Uh-huh. Sleepy. Yawn. Bye." Buffy says and hangs up as she heads back toward the party house.

Buffy makes her way through the crowd, looking around her. Finally she sees Parker, still at the edge of the dance floor, watching other couples. The music is less overwhelmingly loud now. "Parker. I wasn't sure I'd find you."

"I was getting a little worried." Parker says.

"I am so sorry. I- the English guy, he's an old... friend. And the thing is, he's, he's not supposed to drink. And I saw him here, you know, land of the beer..." Buffy says.

"Payson, it's okay. You did a good thing for your friend." Parker says. "Did, uh, did you and he used to, like, go out, or...?"

Buffy laughs so suddenly that it's a snort. She recovers. "No. No, we didn't."

"Good." Parker says. Buffy smiles, pleased to think she could inspire jealousy. A nice, slow song starts. "Now, we have time to make up for. You think I could get a dance with the prettiest girl at the party?"

"And what do I do? Stand here and watch?" Buffy says.

Parker laughs and pulls her out onto the floor and they start to dance.

Buffy leans her head against Parker's chest and closes her eyes as they dance.

"Payson." Parker says as she opens her eyes, looks up at him, but he gently puts her head back where it was. "Nothing. Just saying your name."

Later Couples are making out nearby. Buffy and Parker sit on a couch and talk.

"Well, I declared pre-med but I hated it. I switched to History." Parker says.

Buffy makes a face which makes Parker laugh. "History. Compelling places. Fascinating dates."

"People think it's dull. But there's something amazing about these huge events, that when you dig down into them, they're all about people. Regular people, just trying to make choices." Parker says.

"I never thought of it like that. History always seemed like just, stuff that happened." Niffu saus/

"That's 'cause when you look back, it seems like things only could have happened that one way. Like people were swept up in events they couldn't control. But I don't believe that. You always have a choice. With everything you do." Parker says.

Buffy shakes her head, "It doesn't feel like it. To me, a lot of the time, it feels like stuff's just coming at me, you know, and I'm reacting as fast as I can, just trying to keep going. Just- just trying to be on my feet before the next thing hits."

"That sounds exhausting." Parker says.

"It really is." Buffy says.

Parker turns her face toward him and he kisses her, very gently. "I just had to. Is this okay?"

"Mmm." Buffy says.

"Because I could stop, if you wanted. Your choice." Parker says, teasing. Buffy shifts around for a better angle. She holds his head in place, surprising him with her strength. "What are you doing?"

"Making a choice." Buffy says and she kisses him.

Later in Parker's dorm room, Buffy and Parker sit on his bed and kiss. He starts to unbutton his shirt. She stops him. She unbuttons his shirt for him. He smiles and reaches for her.

The next morning Buffy wakes up with a start and looks around. Tries to remember where she is. Parker's room. And she's alone in it, naked in the gritty morning light. "Parker?"

Buffy notices things she didn't see last night: dirty clothes piled in the corner, beer cans on the window sill next to a very dead plant - a guy's dorm room full of unfamiliar things. It's a "what have I done" moment. She looks around the bed for her clothes, piles them on the bed. She finds most of them.

"Pants. Everybody needs pants." Buffy says as she looks around a little wildly now. She wraps a sheet around herself and gets off the bed.

Just then the door opens and Parker enters carrying take-out coffee and a paper bag. "Hey, you're up!"

Buffy exhales in relief. "You're here."

"I live here." Parker says.

Buffy nods, "I didn't know where you were."

"It seemed like you were gonna be out for a while, so I went for coffee and doughnuts. Better than whatever I've got around here, warm soda and breath mints." Parker says.

"Yeah, but, breath mints, I wouldn't be turning 'em down." Buffy says.

Parker chuckles and sits on the bed. She sits next to him. "You look cute."

"Well, if you think this is attractive, wait 'till you see me with the stomach flu." Buffy says as Parker kisses her bare shoulder and hands her a doughnut and coffee. She taste the coffee, makes a face, tries to turn it into a grateful smile. "You have plans for today, or...?"

"Actually, the thing is, my mom's coming to visit..." Parker says.

"Oh, gosh. I didn't know. Look, I'll just clear out of here. But maybe later, we could, you know, talk and stuff?" Buffy says.

"I'll call you, if that's okay?" Parker asks.

Buffy nods, "That's great. And, before I go..."

"A kiss?" Parker asks.

"I was thinking pants. But a kiss is good too." Buffy says.

Later Buffy enters the Manor Not paying attention, she starts upstairs.

"Good morning." Giles says from the living room.

Buffy turns and sees Piper and Phoebe with Giles in the living room. "Giles! Hi! I... I didn't know you were here."

"Oh? Really?" Giles says.

Phoebe is behind Giles, out of his line of sight. She's mouthing "Parker" and making big "OK" signs and thumbs ups, excited about Buffy's obviously successful date last night.

"I was. Studying. At the library. All night." Buffy says. "All Saturday night. Okay, you know what? I'm an adult. It's none of your business where I was."

"I'm sincerely relieved to hear it. Now, may we talk about the impending disaster?" Giles says.

Piper nods, "Giles found something."

"A text. It refers to the Gem of Amarra residing in the "valley of the sun."" Giles says.

Phoebe nods, "Translation, right here in San Francisco."

Giles nods, "It seems Spike may know what he's about. The gem may exist after all, in San Francisco, in a sealed underground crypt."

"You guys find that crypt. I'll track down Spike, stop him before he gets there." Buffy says.

Giles heads for the door. "I'll get started."

Piper nods, "I'll call Willow, Xander and Oz, and have them meet you at your place." Giles nods and exits out the front door. "Phoebe look and see what you can find out about this Gem of Amarra. I doubt it's in the Book. So you may have to do an internet search. And I'll go with Buffy. Oh I doubt this is a power of three deal, but you might give Paige a heads up."

Phoebe looks to Piper and nods, "Will do. But first I have to know. It happened. Right? Did it happen? With Parker?"

Buffy smiles, "Yeah, it happened."

Phoebe smiles, "And? Details? I mean, not details, don't need a diagram, but maybe, like, a blurry water-color?"

Buffy laughs, "It was nice. Really nice. He's going to call."

Later Buffy and Piper are showing Harmony's yearbook picture. Students glance at it, shakes their heads no.

Later Buffy and Piper joins up with Willow and head back to the Manor. Willow unrolls a satellite map of San Francisco.

Buffy hurries to check the answering machine. The phone machine flashes "00" - no messages. Buffy casually picks up the phone receiver, listens for the dial tone.

That night Buffy and Piper are prowling among the crypts at the edge of the cemetery. Buffy sees a phone booth just outside the cemetery. She enters it, quickly checks her messages.

"You have... one... message."

Buffy eagerly waits, then hears:

"It's me. I'm at Giles'. Did Parker call yet?" Willow says.

Buffy hangs up.

Piper notices Buffy's face, "Still no call from Parker?"

Buffy shakes her head.

The next morning Buffy and Piper come back to the Manor from a long night of searching and Buffy rushes over to her answering machine. It still reads "00". No messages.

Buffy goes upstairs and crawls onto her bed, lies there on her stomach, head propped up, frowning at the extension in her room, willing it to ring. Eventually she gives up, lays her head down on her arms, a picture of defeat. It's not gonna happen.

Later Buffy and Piper is on campus. Buffy sees Parker talking to a girl.

"I mean, it hit me hard, you know, my dad. And since then I just don't put stuff off anymore. It's about living for now." Parker says.

"Parker?" Buffy asks.

Parker turns smoothly, completely unfazed. "Payson! Payson Halliwell, this is Katie Loomis."

"Parker, what's going on?" Buffy asks, hurt.

"Hey, Katie, you're gonna be late for class. I'll catch up, okay?" Parker says.

Katie moves off.

"She's a friend of yours?" Buffy asks.

Piper looks at Buffy and sighs. She already knows Parker is a loser. She met men like him in college where they were only interested in their next conquest. She doesn't say anything to Buffy. It's one of those things you can only learn about from experience. She knows she will have to be there for Buffy later.

"Yeah. You'd like her a bunch. So, what's up?" Parker says.

'Well, you, sort of, didn't call. I mean, I understand if you've been busy or sick or something." Buffy says.

"It's only been a couple of days. You need to talk to me about something?" Parker says.

"Well, is... is everything... okay?" Buffy asks.

"Sure it is." Parker says.

"It is?" Buffy asks.

Parker smiles, comforting, welcoming. Maybe it'll all be okay. "Sure."

"Oh. So, do you maybe want to go do something?" Buffy asks.

"We can do that. Absolutely." Parker says.

"Great. Tonight?" Buffy says and she hesitates, then, slips her hand into his.

Parker gives it a quick squeeze and lets it go. "Well, the thing is, I think I'm sort of getting together with some people later."

And maybe it's not okay at all.

"Parker? Did I..." Buffy says and she trails off, leaving him waiting.

"Sorry to rush you, just, late for class." Parker says.

Buffy has to force herself to ask it, "Did I do something— something wrong?"

"Something wrong? No, of course not. It was fun. Didn't you have fun? Watch out how you answer, my ego's fragile." Parker says.

"I— You had fun. Is that all it was?" Buffy asks.

"Okay, I'm a little confused now. I mean, I definitely got the idea you'd done it before. You were one who was all over me. It was fun. What else was it supposed to be?" Parker says.

Piper shakes her head, can't believe how this guy is treating Buffy. The humane thing would have been to be up front with her. Spare her feelings.

Buffy shrugs, too embarrassed to say that she thought he was falling in love with her.

"Really. Tell me." Parker says.

"It seemed like you... liked me?" Buffy asks.

"I do. But I'm starting to feel like you thought that meant, what? Some kind of commitment? Is that really what you want right now?" Parker says.

"I just thought, you know..." Buffy says.

"I'm sorry if you misunderstood something. I thought things were pretty clear." Parker says.

"I— I didn't mean— I'm sorry." Buffy says.

"Look, I really have to go now." Parker says already walking away.

"Parker, wait. I did this all wrong." Buffy says.

"I'll give you a call sometime." Parker says and he leaves. Buffy looks after him.

"Well, that was pathetic." Spike says.

Piper and Buffy turns to see Spike, not in vampface, standing next to them, smiling evilly. He is in full sunlight.

Spike punches Buffy.

The punch sends Buffy to the ground, blood at the corner of her mouth. Dazed, confused and hurting, she feels around her, comes up with a stick to use as a stake. To their surprise, Spike is just watching Buffy get ready and find her feet. He faces her, ready, casual, relaxed.

"Innit a fantastic day? Birds singing, squirrels making lots of rotten little squirrels, sun beaming down in a nice, non-fatal way. It's very exciting, I can't wait to find out if I freckle." Spike says.

Piper slams him, a powerhouse punch. He's back up like one of those pop-up clowns, and he gives her as good as he's got. Then he drops his guard, a little too readily, and Piper manages to stake him, pulling it out and waiting for the inevitable. She is stunned when he does not dust.

Buffy watches the whole exchange as she stands, equally stunned.

"Ooh. Do it again. It tickles. You know, in the good way." Spike says.

"The gem." Buffy says.

Spike nods, "Oh yeah. The Gem of Amarra." He holds up his ring hand. Punches Buffy with it. Hard. "Official sponsor of my killing you and her." He morphs into vampface and lunges at Buffy.

Buffy and Spike trade blows and kicks of equal force and skill. It's an unlovely fight - muscle, not finesse. Buffy is bruised and bleeding. Piper has been knocked out.

"Getting tired Slayer?" Spike asks.

Xander runs by, sees them.

"I'm okay. How 'bout you? Sun in your eyes?" Buffy says. But she is tired, dropping her fists, breathing hard.

"A little. Awfully bright, disorienting... oh, no, I lied. I'm fine." Spike says.

Spike lands a punch that staggers her. She's slow rejoining the fight. Then she sees Xander. He's creeping up behind Spike. Xander raises a chair over Spike's head, ready to bring it down.

Without warning, Spike spins completely around, pulling the chair from Xander's hand and using it to smash Xander in the ribs, sending him to the ground in a helpless heap, out of the fight. Spike continues the spin, ending up facing Buffy again. Things look bad for Buffy. Spike attacks.

"So, you let Parker take a poke, eh? Didn't seem like you knew each other that well. What exactly did it take to pry apart the Slayer's dimpled knees?" Spike says.

"You're a pig Spike." Buffy says as she deflects another blow of Spike's.

"Did he play the sensitive lad and get you to seduce him? Good trick if the girl's thick enough to buy it." Spike says as Buffy throws a kick but he stops it. "Wonder what you did wrong. Too strong? Did you bruise the boy?"

Spike manages to catch her with a crushing blow. "Whatever, guess you're not worth a second go. Come to think of it, seems like someone told me as much." And another... "Who was that? Oh, yeah. Angel."

When Spike swings again, Buffy parries the blow with force, throwing him off balance. Her face has been transformed by determination, Spike knows he went a bridge too far.

She kicks the pipe out of his fist. The pipe goes flying, hitting Xander again, who moans. Buffy hits Spike with a dizzying flurry of punches and kicks, the last one sending him down. She jumps and lands on his sprawled body, pinning his arms down with her knees, pressing his head into the ground with one hand, twisting his neck. He bucks, but she's pulling at the ring.

"Take it off me this way and we both burn!" Spike says.

"Really? Let's see." Buffy says and she pulls the ring off him, breaking his finger.

Spike ROARS in pain and bucks again, in panic, knocking her off. He scrambles up and away, starting to smoke and sizzle in the sunlight. He drops into an open manhole and is gone. Buffy sinks to the ground, exhausted. But she holds the ring.

Later that evening the ring sits on the coffee table at the Manor. Piper, Phoebe, Paige, Buffy, Giles, Willow, Xander and Oz all look at it.

"I like it." Willow says.

"It's small." Oz says.

"Quite tasteful. Really worth getting my ribs bashed in." Xander says.

"Well Leo did offer to heal you, Xander." Piper says.

"So the question now is, what do we do with it? It's obviously extremely dangerous and destroying it—"

"We don't destroy it." Buffy says.

"But, Buffy, any vampire who gets this is essentially unkillable... Oh..." Giles says.

Oz looks at Buffy. He knows what she wants to do with it. "I have that gig in L.A. I could swing by."

Buffy smiles, "Thanks, Oz."

"What's going on? What's in L.A.?" Xander asks.

Piper smiles, "She's giving it to Angel."

Willow nods, "Don't make a fuss."

"Buffy, are you sure?" Giles asks.

Buffy nods, "He should have this."

Later that night Buffy and Willow are up in Buffy's room.

"So what I'm wondering is, does this always happen? Sleep with a guy and he goes all evil?" Buffy says.

"Well, from what I understand, pretty much. But it won't always be like that. You've just had some really bad luck." Willow says.

"Willow is right, Buffy." Piper says from the doorway. Willow and Buffy look up, they hadn't heard Piper approach the door. "Parker is a looser, Buffy. There are guys like him all over the world. But for all the loosers there is at least one good, decent guy."

Buffy nods, "Is Leo your decent guy, Piper?"

Piper looks across the hall to her room and then nods, "Yes he is. And despite the fact that Cole is a demon, he's Phoebe's decent guy. And you know what Buffy, one day so will you."


	83. Chapter 83: A Knight to Remember

**Chapter 83: A Knight to Remember**

In Prue's room. Buffy walks in and sits on the bed. She picks up a small gold necklace with the word 'Prue' on it. She puts on Prue's leather jacket and walks out of the room, closing the door behind her.

Down in the kitchen Piper is making a cup of coffee.

Phoebe comes in with wet hair. "Look at me. I look like a drowned rat. I need my blow dryer."

"Pretend you're camping." Piper says.

"I hate camping." Phoebe says as Buffy walks into the kitchen still wearing the jacket.

"Well, I hate instant coffee but I'm drinking it, aren't I?" Piper says she takes a sip and pulls a face.

"We can't keep living with no electricity. It's medieval." Buffy says.

"At least we're conserving energy." Piper says.

Phoebe shakes her head, "Well, this is ridiculous. We have to figure out when the Shocker demon's gonna attack next and fast."

Piper sighs, "But we still need the Power of Three to vanquish him and unfortunately, number three lives across town." She looks at Buffy, "Isn't that…?

Phoebe walks over to the phone. "I am going to call her." She picks up the phone.

Buffy sighs and nods, "Prue's jacket, yes. And this." She pulls the necklace from under her shirt and they see the necklace with the word 'Prue' on it. "If you want me too I will put them back."

Piper frowns, "Not the cordless!" She looks at Buffy and then shakes her head, "No. As long as Phoebe as no objections you can keep them."

Phoebe drops the phone and the Shocker demon escapes. "Uh-oh."

The Shocker demon jumps on a table and throws electricity near them, blowing up a cupboard. He throws more electricity, this time hitting Piper and Phoebe. Piper gets up and uses her power and scares it through an electrical outlet. Piper and Buffy kneels beside Phoebe.

"You okay?" Buffy asks.

Phoebe shakes her head, "No, I am not okay. Ow. Ow. Ow. This is so crazy. We have to call Paige and set up a time where she can come over and…"

Piper sighs, "Phoebe, we can't schedule vanquishes, okay? Demon attacks don't usually fit into the day planners."

"Okay, then, what do you suggest?" Phoebe asks.

"I suggest that maybe, Paige move in with us." Piper says as she goes and sits at the table.

"Wait." Phoebe says as she sits at the table. "W-what did you just say to me?"

"Well, she's gonna have to sooner or later, isn't she?" Piper asks.

Buffy sits down at the table.

"I never really thought about it. And I can't believe you, of all people, are actually suggesting it." Phoebe says.

Piper sighs, "I am just trying to be practical. Besides, I am sick and tired of Leo watching over her day and night, protecting her from various demons. You know, I would actually like to see my husband again."

"Tell me you weren't having…" Buffy says.

Phoebe shakes her head, "And I can understand that, but still that's a huge decision. Do you think we're ready for that?"

Piper nods, "All I know is that every demon who is out to impress the Source is attacking us. Which means we all need to be under one roof. Otherwise, we're too vulnerable." She looks at Buffy, "Of course I was, Buffy. You really think I wouldn't? I worry about you. I'm just glad you decided to move back in."

Phoebe sighs, "I didn't mean are we ready as witches. I meant are we ready as sisters? I mean, what if we don't get along?"

Buffy shakes her head, "We didn't always get along with Prue either."

"Yeah, but that's different. Piper and I grew up with her. You lived with her for three years. Eventually we had to get along. I still half expect to see her walk through the door. Maybe it's just too soon." Phoebe says.

Piper sighs, "Then there's only one way to find out."

Later outside Paige's apartment Buffy, Piper and Phoebe walk up to the front door. Leo orbs in front of them, just as Phoebe's about to knock and she knocks on him.

"Oh!" Phoebe says.

Leo smiles, "Hi."

"Sorry." Phoebe says.

"Hey, what's up?" Leo asks.

"What's up? How about a kiss for your long-lost wife, huh?" Piper says.

Leo smiles, "Oh, right." He kisses her on the cheek.

"Hi." Piper says.

"Well, uh, bye." Leo says.

Buffy shakes her head, "Uh, what do you mean bye? We just got here."

Leo nods, "Right, well, you know. I don't want to leave Paige unprotected."

"Uh-huh. Is she home?" Piper says as she heads for the door but Leo stops her.

"Yeah, she's home. She's just a little, uh, indisposed at the moment." Leo says.

"W-wait, wait, you watched? What are you, like a peeping angel?" Piper says.

"Well, I didn't see anything!" Leo says.

Buffy frowns, "Uh? Tell me you weren't playing peeping Whitelighter when Piper was having you watch me."

Leo sighs, "All right, just a little, but how else am I supposed to protect her? And I did watch you just a little Buffy. I had to make sure you were alright."

Inside Paige and Glen are making out on the bed. Paige has her top off. Phoebe barges in, covering her eyes. Leo, Piper and Buffy runs in after her. Paige jumps up and covers her chest.

"Sorry to interrupt. Can't see a thing." Phoebe says.

"Phoebe!" Piper and Buffy says.

"Wh-?" Phoebe says.

Paige frowns, "Buffy, Piper, Leo, what the hell is going on?"

"I know this looks bad, but it's very important. Believe me." Phoebe says as she sees Glen. "Whoa."

Piper smacks her on the arm.

"Who are they?" Glen asks.

"The soon to be ex-sisters and ex-cousin I was telling you about." Paige says.

Phoebe smiles and waves.

"Okay, we're sorry, but you know, we didn't know "which" way to turn if you know what I mean." Piper says.

"Maybe I should go." Glen says as he sits up.

"Oh, uh, here." Leo says and he tosses Glen his jeans.

"Thanks." Glen says as he puts them on.

"I'm sorry about this Glen. This is horribly embarrassing." Paige says.

"I have to agree with Paige. Pheebs would you have done the same thing to me if I still lived in the dorms?" Buffy asks.

"No worries. You obviously got some responsibilities. Plane leaves tomorrow." Glen says and he kisses Paige on the cheek and walks into the bathroom.

"Plane? What plane?" Piper asks.

"Never mind. This better be important." Paige says.

"I can't use my blow dryer." Phoebe says.

Piper nods, "So have you been attacked by the Shocker demon yet?"

"No she hasn't." Leo says.

"How would you know?" Paige asks.

"Oh, because he's been watching you for the last week or so, supposedly for your own protection." Buffy says as she glares at Leo. "He was doing the same thing to me when I was in the dorms at U.C. San Francisco."

Paige frowns, "You've been watching me?"

"Well, I didn't see anything." Leo says.

"At least nothing very interesting." Phoebe says.

"Right." Piper says.

Paige frowns, "That's it. Out!" She gets out of bed.

"But-but-but we need to talk to you about the Shocker Demon because…" Piper says.

Buffy shakes her head, "Give it a rest, Piper. Paige has a right to be angry right now."

Paige nods, "Out!"

Phoebe sighs, "We can't vanquish him without the Power of Three."

"Out!" Paige says.

Piper frowns, "And you're not at the manor, so, ever…"

Paige slams the door shut.

"I think that went fairly well." Phoebe says, sarcastically.

Buffy shakes her head, "Piper I know you were worried about both Paige and myself. But you crossed a line having Leo watch us."

Later back at the manor Paige is knocking on the door. Buffy opens it as Piper stands beside her.

"Alright! Calm down!" Piper says.

Paige walks in. "At least I knocked."

"You have every right to be mad," Buffy says. "I know because I'm mad at Piper for the same reason."

Piper sighs.

Phoebe comes in from the living room. "Hey, Paige."

"I'm not here to talk to either of you or Piper." Paige says. "I'm just here to look at the Book of Shadows." She heads for the stairs.

"Hey, hey, we said we were sorry." Phoebe says.

Buffy shakes her head, "Pheebs, sorry isn't going to cut it. Piper crossed a line when she had Leo watch us."

Paige nods in agreement, "Right." She starts going up the stairs.

"What do you think about moving in with us?" Piper asks.

Paige stops.

"Oh-uh..." Phoebe says.

Buffy shakes her head, "You just put your foot in it, Piper."

"Excuse me?" Paige says, angrily.

"Well, that's what we came to talk to you about. You know, we're tired of getting attacked by demons here and not being able to do anything about it." Piper says.

"Yeah. But we could do something about it if we were together. You know, if we lived together 'cause that's when we're the strongest. What do you say?" Phoebe says.

"Are you two out of your freaking minds?" Paige asks and she storms upstairs.

Buffy shakes her head, "Piper you really should have waited till she calmed down before asking her to move in."

They follow Paige up into the attic, she is flipping through the Book of Shadows. Piper and Phoebe walk in.

"So, you're not even gonna consider this?" Phoebe asks.

"Nope." Paige says.

"I don't blame you." Buffy says.

"Why not?" Piper asks.

"Because if it was that easy for you guys to barge into my room all the way across town, imagine how easy it would be if I actually lived here." Paige says.

"Okay, could you stop looking at the book for a second?" Piper says.

"No. It's my book too." Paige says. "But if you really have a problem with it. I could look through Buffy's. I'm sure she wouldn't mind."

Buffy shakes her head, "Nope. Look away."

Piper looks to Buffy as if to say you're not helping, "If you lived here, you could look at it all the time."

Paige looks up at them. "I understand why you guys are asking me, I really, really do. It's just, I don't want being a witch to take over my life. It's just… too much responsibility."

Phoebe smiles, "We know it is, Paige. And believe me, I freaked out in the beginning too. But we didn't have a choice, and neither do you."

"Why not? Aren't you the one who told me I should fight like hell to keep my life separate from magic?" Paige says.

"Unfortunately, it doesn't always work out that way." Piper says.

"Well, maybe it would if I didn't live here." Paige says.

Buffy nods, "In this Piper is right. I tried to get away from it. I ran away from home. Lived in Los Angeles for two months. In the end I couldn't get away from it. It found me in L.A. just as easily as it found me here."

"If you're looking for the Shocker demon spell, we already found it." Phoebe says.

"I'm not. I'm looking for something else." Paige says.

"What? Look, you may not want to share a bathroom, but when it comes to that book, it concerns all of us." Piper says.

Phoebe nods, "Besides that, maybe we can help." She goes over to Paige.

Buffy nods, "We can, Paige."

Paige sighs, "Okay. I know it sounds stupid, but when I was little, I invented this horrible little fairy tale and it just always seemed really real to me. I don't know. Just…" She turns to a page with "The Evil Enchantress" written on it. "Oh my God."

"The Evil Enchantress?" Phoebe asks.

Paige nods, "That's it. That's-that's the evil witch, the one who kills the Prince after he gets her pregnant, of course."

Piper sighs, "Of course." She and Buffy move beside Paige.

"The spell. I can't believe it." Paige says as she looks at the next page 'To Call a Lover to Oneself'. "Bring together my Prince and me, let him fall on bended knee," Buffy, Piper and Phoebe try to stop her. "I summon him to my side, that he may take me to be his destined bride. I finally got to finish it."

A gust of wind blows and the Prince appears. He looks around and sees Paige and kneels down. "My love."

Paige runs downstairs into the kitchen. The Prince follows, followed by Buffy, Piper and Phoebe.

"Why do you run from me?" Prince says.

"Why are you chasing me?" Paige asks.

"Because we are meant to be together." Prince says.

Paige shakes her head, "That is not true. Does this look like King Arthur's court, buddy?"

"It doesn't matter. We're meant to conceive an heir, my love." Prince says.

Paige frowns, "Ugh. Stop saying that."

"You guys want some privacy?" Phoebe says.

Buffy shakes her head, "That is not funny."

Paige nods in agreement as the Prince walks over to her. "Plate." A plate orbs into her hand and she breaks it over his head. He groans and kneels down.

"Oh!" Paige says.

"I'm sorry. Did I hurt you?" Paige says.

Prince shakes his head, "You could never hurt me, my love." He starts kissing her hand.

"Piper, do that thing you do." Paige says.

Buffy nods, "Yeah freeze him."

"I-I don't want to blow him up." Piper says.

"Well, risk it. He's using his tongue." Paige says as Piper freezes him. She pulls her hand away and wipes it on her top. "Thank God chivalry is dead. He is getting on my last nerve."

"Okay, well, he must be under some kind of spell." Phoebe says.

"Gee, you think?" Piper says, sarcastically.

Paige nods, "The evil Enchantress. She cast a love spell on him."

"So why is Sir Lust-a-lot lusting after you?" Piper asks.

"How should I know?" Paige asks.

"Well, because it's your damn fairy tale and it's alive and frozen in our kitchen." Piper says.

Paige walks out of the kitchen.

"Uh, where are you going?" Phoebe says.

"I can't handle this." Paige says as Piper and Phoebe follow her. She heads for the door.

Buffy shakes her head. Today is just going from bad to worse real quick. She turns and follows them.

"Wait, Paige, you can't just leave." Piper says.

"Yes I can. I don't live here." Paige says.

Phoebe sighs. "Paige."

"What?" Paige asks.

"Pheebs." Buffy says, warningly.

Phoebe sighs, "Look, you can't keep running away from these things." Paige opens the front door. "That's what we're trying to tell you. Being a witch is not a part-time job."

"Yeah, well, if I don't leave now, I'm not going to have a full-time job." Paige says and walks out the door.

"Paige, the Charmed Ones come first!" Piper says.

"The Charmed Ones come first?" Buffy asks.

"It always worked when Prue said it." Piper says.

Buffy sighs, "Piper this is not something we can fix by being witches or the Charmed Ones."

In the living room. The TV is on and the VCR is recording.

"The home also features a spacious kitchen complete with granite counter tops and state of the art confection oven." Buffy, Phoebe and Piper walk past. "The walk in pantry provides ample space…"

"The VCR? Who set it to record?" Piper asks as the tape is ejected and the Shocker demon escapes out of the VCR. Piper uses her power and blows up the TV. The demon appears behind them. It throws electricity at Buffy, throwing her over the couch. Phoebe levitates and kicks but the Shocker demon grabs onto her leg and starts electrocuting her. Piper pushes it out of the way using a coat stand. Phoebe falls on the floor. Piper uses her power and the demon escapes through the electrical outlet. "Phoebe."

"I'm okay, I think." Phoebe says as she stands up.

Buffy stands up from behind the couch, "I'm alright if anybody was wondering."

"We've gotta convince Paige to move in with us soon before there's nobody left to move in with." Piper says.

"I guess we need a new TV." Phoebe says.

"Oh, the Prince." Piper says.

Phoebe frowns, "The Prince." They go into the kitchen. The Prince is gone. "He's gone? What? Did he go back to fairy tale land?"

Buffy shakes her head, "No such luck. The back door is wide open. So he probably went after Paige."

Phoebe gets a bottle of water out of the fridge. "He left? So he's just wondering around in chain mail?"

"It's San Francisco. Nobody will notice." Piper says.

"Well, sooner or later, somebody's gonna notice and the medieval trail's going to lead them right back to us." Phoebe says.

Buffy nods, "I'll try scrying for him and if that doesn't work, I'll flame Paige back here and hopefully the Prince will follow."

"Maybe we should try a different approach with her." Phoebe says.

"She's not gonna come back here voluntarily." Piper says.

Phoebe shakes her head "No. I mean about getting her to move in. I think Buffy is right we aren't going to get her to move in as a witch or a Charmed One. Besides maybe it's too soon for her too."

Later in the living room Buffy's scrying, and Phoebe's watching.

Piper walks in, on the phone. "Darryl. Darryl. Darryl! Slow down. Okay, car jackings happen all the time. Why are you calling us? A garbage truck?"(She sits down on the couch. "At sword point. We'll get back to ya." She hangs up.

"Please don't tell me that the police found him." Phoebe says.

Piper shakes her head, "Not yet. Buffy?"

Buffy shakes her head, "Nothing. I mean, he's not a witch and he's not a demon, so…"

Piper nods, "Alright, Buffy. Fla…" Leo orbs in. "…me to Paige. Hi"

"Hi." Leo says.

"Where's Paige?" Phoebe asks.

"Paige? She didn't wanna come." Leo says.

Piper frowns, "She what? Did you explain the situation to her?"

Leo nods, "Yes."

"And she still refused to come? Leo, we are up to our pointy little hats in demonic problems here. We need her." Piper says.

"She knows that." Leo says.

"I don't understand. We're her sisters." Phoebe says.

"Yeah, but that's not the reason you need her." Leo says.

"Is there more to that or are you just gonna leave us hanging?" Piper asks.

Leo shakes his head, "Look, I don't want to get in the middle of this, this is between you guys. But I will tell you that just wanting her to battle demons with you isn't enough of a reason to get her to move in."

Piper nods, "It's a pressing reason."

Buffy nods, "But it's not a sisterly one."

"Look, in the meantime, you need to find the Prince before he exposes you. So I suggest you check with the Book of Shadows and get up to speed on Paige's fairy tale and I will check with the Elders and see what they know." Leo says and he orbs out.

Buffy nods, "I'm in agreement with Leo, just asking her to move in to fight demons isn't enough. Now if you will excuse me. I believe I'm going to go talk to someone."

"Buf…" Piper says as Buffy flames out "…fy."

At South Bay Social Services. The Prince walks in and pushes a guy out of the way.

In the copy room. Paige looks out and opens the door.

The Prince walks in. "At last, I found you."

"How?" Paige asks. Buffy flames in. "Buffy!"

Buffy smiles, "Sorry I just thought you might want someone to talk to. Oh you found the Prince."

Paige shakes her head, "No I didn't. He found me."

"I followed your heart, my love." Prince says as she pulls him in the room and closes the door.

"You can't be here. You need to leave with Buffy now before security comes." Paige says.

"I will not leave until you are with child." Prince says.

Paige sighs, "Okay, A) I always use protection and B) you're a fairy tale."

The Prince reaches out to touch her cheek and she backs away. "I won't harm you."

Buffy shakes her head, "Paige he's under a spell. I doubt he's going to leave you alone."

Paige sighs, "Just keep that sword of yours sheathed pal." She backs into the photocopier and accidentally turns it on. The Shocker demon escapes out of it and starts electrocuting Paige."

"Paige!" Buffy says.

The Prince gets out his sword and slices the demon. Paige falls to the floor. The Shocker demon escapes though the electrical outlet. The Prince and Buffy helps Paige up.

"Fear not. I've slain the beast, my love." Prince says.

Paige smiles, "You most certainly have."

"That was the Shocker demon. He'll be back." Buffy says.

Mr. Cowan bangs on the door. "Hey, Paige! Paige, you all right in there?"

"I will stay forever by your side. Every moment of every day, you would know you were protected, desired, loved." Prince says.

Paige smiles, "That's so sweet."

"Who knew you were a hopless romantic, Paige." Buffy says, smiling.

"Paige! Paige!" Mr. Cowan says and he gets the door open. "Paige, what the hell is going on? W-who is this guy? What is your cousin doing here?"

Buffy smiles, "Renaissance Fair. Yeah, we're trying to score tickets for the orphanage."

Paige nods, "Yeah, see ya." She, Buffy and Prince leave.

Later in Paige's apartment. Buffy and Paige are sitting on the couch. The Prince kneels down before Paige.

"I still can't believe that you exist, that you're actually real. I always wanted to save you from the evil Enchantress so you could live happily ever after." Paige says.

"Be with me and I shall. Come with me. Live in my castle as my princess." Prince says.

"What is it with everyone wanting me to move in with them?" Paige asks.

Buffy sighs, "Paige about that. While I understand Piper's reasons. You shouldn't do it because of that. Yes it would be easier to protect each other with the Power of Three under one roof. But you shouldn't be pressured into moving in until you're ready."

Paige smiles, "Thanks Buffy. That means a lot. Too bad Piper and Phoebe don't understand it that way."

"I can give you all the riches you desire. I can take you away from all of this." Prince says.

Buffy nods, "When I left them, Phoebe seemed to be coming around. Give it time, Piper will to."

"I hope your right, Buffy." Paige says before turning to the Prince. "As tempting as that is, I know it's just the spell talking."

"But isn't that what true love is?" Prince says as he sits down on the couch beside Paige on the opposite side from Buffy. "Falling under someone's spell? Just tell me what you want and I'll give it to you. I swear."

"Can you make me as good as Prue was?" Paige says.

"Uhh..." Prince says.

Buffy shakes her head, "Is that what this is all about? Prue? You don't think your good enough?"

Paige sighs, "Buffy have you seen her room? It's like a shrine."

Buffy nods, "Yeah. Where do you think this jacket came from or this necklace. I'm as guilty as Piper and Phoebe. While Piper, Phoebe and I are finally moving on, we've been grieving. Prue's death hit me and Piper the hardest. Or have you forgotten the incident with the furies?"

Paige sighs, "I see your point. It's hard to let go of things when someone close to you dies. I know because I tried to keep some of my parents stuff when they died."

Leo orbs in with Piper and Phoebe.

"Hey!" Piper says and she freezes the Prince.

Paige gasps and stands up quickly. "What is going on with this barging in thing? This is getting ridiculous."

Buffy shakes her head and stands up, "Piper."

"Sorry." Piper says.

"What are you doing here anyway? I told you I'd call if I needed to. In fact with Buffy here I could just have her flame me over." Paige says.

Leo nods, "Well, something's come up. Something you're not gonna like."

"Something worse than this?" Paige asks.

Phoebe nods, "The evil Enchantress is here, in our world. She nearly killed us trying to get to him."

"Oh my Goddess." Buffy says. "Are you guys alright?"

Paige sits down.

"We're fine, Buffy." Piper says. "Besides that's not the worse part. Remember how we were wondering how she cast a spell on him, but he fell for you, Paige?"

Paige nods, "Yeah."

Phoebe sighs, "Well, that's because you're her. Well, I mean… she-she's…"

"You… uh, her… help." Piper says.

Buffy shakes her head, "I don't know why I didn't think of it before. Especially when Phoebe and my past life went and bit us in the ass. What they're trying to say is that you were the evil Enchantress in one of your past lives."

Leo nods, "So when you read the spell in the Book of Shadows, he came."

"And that's also why you remember the fairy tale so well. Because you've actually lived it once before." Piper says.

"Okay! I can deal with this. Yeah. No wonder I related to her the most. Does this mean I'm evil?" Paige says.

Piper nods, "Yeah."

Phoebe shakes her head, "No!"

"No." Buffy says.

Phoebe nods, "No. Not you. Just your past self. You've grown and evolved. Believe me, we… we all have. That's what we do."

"Right." Paige says.

"So, the plan is to bind the Enchantresses powers with this little potion." Piper says as she, Phoebe, and Leo each hold up a little bottle.

"I'll do it." Paige says as she stands up and takes Piper's bottle.

"All right. Then we'll…" Piper says.

"No. I mean by myself. I put you guys in danger. I'll get you out of it. It's my story. I have to end it once and for all." Paige says.

"Paige, I think it might be a good idea if you had someone along. I could go with you, flame you out if you get in to trouble." Buffy says.

Paige nods, "Alright. But just you, no one else. And only if I need you. I still want to do this by myself. So stay on the sidelines."

Buffy sighs and nods, "Okay."

"You don't even know how to find the Enchantress." Leo says.

Paige nods, "Well, she's after the Prince, right? We'll just backtrack and surprise her."

"There's no reason for you to do this alone. It's not just your story anymore. You've got sisters now." Phoebe says.

"But, uh, if you wanna do it by yourself, then go for it." Piper says.

"I do." Paige says.

"Yeah. If that's what you want, we'll be here. Uh, with the Prince." Piper says as Paige and Buffy leaves.

On the street Buffy and Paige gets in Paige's car. They see the Enchantress walking down the street towards them. Paige starts the car and tries to drive towards her but the Enchantress uses her power and blows the car back. The car tires pop. Buffy and Paige gets out.

"Remember alone, please." Paige says.

Buffy sighs and nods. She steps back reluctantly. She understands wanting to do it alone. But alone can get you killed. She found that out the hard way when she went to face the Master two years before. If she had brought at least Prue or Piper she might not have drowned. So she waits for Paige to realize she can't do it alone.

"Don't tell me I become good in the future." Enchantress says.

Paige smiles, "Damn good." She throws the potion towards her, but the Enchantress zaps it with her power.

"And here I was so looking forward to meeting myself." Enchantress says as she blows Paige and Buffy onto the car and smashes the windscreen. They are knocked unconscious.

In Paige's apartment. Piper looks at Leo. "What is it?"

"Something's wrong. Paige and Buffy are in trouble." Leo says.

"Well go, go, go!" Piper says.

Leo orbs out.

The Enchantress barges inside. "Remember me?"

On the street Leo orbs in and heals Paige and then Buffy. They wake up.

"What happened?" Leo asks.

"Evil Enchantress." Buffy says. "She could possibly rival a power of three."

A bright light shines out of Paige's apartment.

"Oh no." Paige says as Leo helps her and Buffy off the car.

In Paige's apartment Piper and Phoebe dive over the bed.

"Come to me, my Prince." Enchantress says.

A portal opens in the room. The Prince walks through. The Enchantress sends a gust of wind towards Piper and Phoebe and walks through the portal.

"We can't just let them get away." Phoebe says.

"What are we supposed to do? Go back to the middle ages, the dark ages, or whatever hell ages those are?" Piper asks.

"If we don't, good magic will be gone forever." Phoebe says.

Piper jumps through the portal. Leo and Paige walk in.

"No." Paige says as Phoebe jumps through the portal. The portal closes. "What have I done?"

Buffy and Leo look at where the portal opened.

"This is all my fault. Piper and Phoebe were crazy to trust me. Why didn't I listen to them?" Paige says.

Leo shakes his head, "Now is not the time to lose it, Paige. We need to get them back."

Buffy nods, "Leo's right."

"Get them back? What do we do? Hop on a bus to Medieval times?" Paige asks.

"Paige, concentrate. You're a powerful witch, whether you like it or not." Leo says.

"Yeah, well, I wasn't powerful enough to take out the Enchantress, was I?" Paige says.

Buffy shakes her head, "One thing your past life should tell you is that you've always been powerful. You still have that power inside of you. Don't be afraid to tap into it now."

Leo smiles, "You'd make a pretty good Whitelighter, Buffy."

Paige sighs. "Okay. This is my fairy tale, right?"

"No thanks, Leo. You can keep it." Buffy nods.

Leo looks to Paige and nods, "Yes."

"This all started with a spell that brought the Prince here, so maybe if I rearrange it a little? What if instead of bringing the Prince to me, I bring myself to him?"

"Creating your own portal?" Buffy asks.

Paige nods, "It's worth a shot. Bring together my Prince and me, his kingdom now I wish to see, crossing history to his side, from myself I will not hide." The portal opens up. "Oh my God. I did it. It worked." Paige and Buffy goes through the portal. Leo goes over to it. Paige pops her head out. "Come on. Buffy and I are not doing this by ourselves." She pulls Leo in the portal.

Somewhere in the 1600's in the Enchantress' bedroom. The Prince is lying on the bed. The Enchantress walks in in her nightgown. Buffy, Paige and Leo peek around the corner near by.

"Okay, find Phoebe and Piper. I'll try to hold her off till they get here." Paige says.

Buffy shakes her head, "How? Our powers don't work in the past. The only thing not affected by time travel is my Slayer abilities."

"Yeah, but if we really are one in the same, I should be able to tap into hers. Hurry. Go get our sisters." Paige says.

Buffy smiles and nods, "Be right back. Come on, Leo." She and Leo walk away.

Moments later in the castle dungeon Leo and Buffy walks in.

"Piper!" Leo says.

"Piper, Pheebs!" Buffy says.

"Leo! Buffy!" Piper says.

"Phoebe!" Leo says. He runs over and tries to unlock the Piper's locks while Buffy tries to unlock Phoebe's locks.

"Oh! Easy, easy." Piper says.

A guard comes up behind Leo and Buffy.

"Behind you!" Phoebe says.

The guard pushes Leo away. He then goes to push Buffy away and she ducks as Leo grabs a sword off the wall and starts sword fighting with the guard. The guard trips Leo.

Buffy turns back to the locks, "Hold on guys. I'll have you free in a minute."

Leo blocks the guard's attack and knocks him out.

Piper smiles, "Nice!"

"Wow." Phoebe says.

Buffy unlocks Phoebe as Leo moves back to Piper.

"Leo. " Piper says.

"I thought you were a pacifist." Phoebe says.

Buffy rolls her eyes.

"I didn't kill him, did I?" Leo asks as he unlocks the Piper's chains.

"I-I gotta tell you, I find this side of you very sexy." Piper says.

Buffy laughs.

"Really?" Leo says, blushing.

Piper nods, "Yeah."

"You've been holding out on us." Phoebe says.

"Hi." Piper says.

"Hi." Leo says.

They hear a zap coming from the bedroom.

"What's that sound?" Phoebe asks.

"Paige is battling the Evil Enchantress." Buffy says. "Potion!"

Leo hands Buffy the potion.

In the bedroom. The Enchantress tries to zap Paige.

"Don't hurt her." Prince says.

Enchantress blows the Prince off his feet. Buffy, Piper, Phoebe and Leo walk in.

"Throw the potion!" Paige says as she blows the Enchantress off her feet. "Now!"

Buffy and Phoebe throw the bottles of potion and they explode in front of the Enchantress.

Enchantress tries to use her power but nothing happens. "What have you done to me?"

"We've bound your powers, Enchantress." Leo says.

"No more kingdom come for you." Phoebe says.

Piper nods, "Not for you."

"Not now, not ever." Buffy says.

"How could you do this to me? To us?" Enchantress asks.

"I didn't do it. We did it." Paige says.

Lady Julia runs in and helps up the Prince. They kiss.

"Oh." Piper says as she looks away.

"I am well, my love." Prince says.

"My love. Looks like it takes the kiss of true love to break the spell." Buffy says.

Paige nods, "It's in every fairytale."

"All right, super witch. Get us out of here." Piper says.

Moments later in Paige's apartment. The portal opens and they step out of it. Paige sees the mess. "Okay, so I won't be getting my security deposit back."

Piper nods, "Yeah. Too bad you don't have any other place to stay."

"It's no pressure. It's totally up to you, whenever you're ready." Phoebe says.

"Be it tomorrow, next year, or next decade." Buffy says.

"Yeah, who needs electricity anyway?" Piper asks.

Paige smiles, "I wouldn't have to stay in the basement would I?"

Buffy, Piper and Phoebe laugh.

"No. Of course not. I think we have a room for you." Buffy says. "A shrine to re-decorate."

Paige smiles and nods. Later in Prue's old room, now Paige's room. Paige opens the door and Buffy, Piper and Phoebe walk in. "Tada! What do ya think?"

"Wow. It's definitely different." Piper says.

Phoebe nods, "It's definitely you."

"Definitely no shrine here." Buffy says and gives Paige a wink.

Paige smiles, "Is that a good thing?"

"Of course it's a good thing." Phoebe says.

"Good, 'cause I was actually thinking the living room could use a little spicing up." Paige says.

Buffy laughs and shakes her head, "Don't push your luck. Even I don't get to redecorate the living room. And I've been living here for three years."

Someone knocks on the front door.

"Oh, I hope that's not another one of your past lives." Phoebe says.

"No, it's just Glen. I asked him to drop by." Paige says.

"Oh, the cute guy from the apartment? He's yummy." Phoebe says.

Paige nods, "Yeah, he is, but he's gonna have to be yummy in Australia. He's leaving. He asked me to go with but, I decided to pass."

"Oh, are you disappointed?" Piper asks.

"A little, but it's not like I'll be lacking in adventures here. Speaking of which." Paige says as she stands near the light switch. "Shall we?"

Buffy smiles and stands back. While she could cast the spell with them. Since it is a power of three spell, she feels Paige should have a chance to do it herself without any augmentation.

Phoebe nods, "Hit it."

Paige turns on the light. The Shocker demon escapes out.

"Vanquish we three witches cry, one final shock and then you die." Piper, Phoebe and Paige chant.

The Shocker demon is vanquished.

Paige smiles, "Okay. Piece of cake. Gotta go. And don't forget... if you need me, please knock."

"Oh and Paige." Buffy says.

"Yeah?" Paige asks.

"As someone who moved into the Manor 3 years ago. Who understands what it's like living with sisters you just met. My door is always open if you want to talk." Buffy says.

Paige smiles, "Thanks, Buffy." She turns and leaves her room.

"And they lived happily ever after." Piper says as Phoebe puts her arms around Piper and Buffy.

"Yeah, right." Phoebe says.

Buffy smiles, "Right."

They walk out of the room.


	84. Chapter 84: Fear Itself

**Chapter 84: Fear Itself**

In Buffy's room at the Manor Xander is carving a pumpkin. "I dunno, I was going for ferocious scary, but it's coming out more dryly sardonic."

Willow and Oz are also carving pumpkins.

"It does appear to be mocking you with its eye-holes." Willow says/

"Yet its nose-hole seems sad and full of self-loathing." Oz says.

"What do you think, Buff?" Xander asks.

Buffy is pensive, lying on her side. Her hand is feeling around in the bowl of pumpkin pulp. "Just thinking about the life of a pumpkin. Grow up in the sun, happily entwined with others… Then somebody comes along, cuts you open and rips your guts out." She pulls out a handful. The others warily share a look.

"O-kay. And on that happy note… Got a treat for tomorrow night's second annual Halloween screening, people…" He grabs video box, "Prepare to have your spines tingled and your gooses bumped by the terrifying…" He reads box spine, "Fantasia?!"

"You know, maybe it's 'cause of all the horrific things we've seen, but hippos wearing tutus just don't unnerve me like they used to." Oz says.

"Phantasm! This was supposed to be Phantasm. Stupid video store." Xander says.

"But anyway I thought we were doing the Alpha Delt thing." Willow says.

"What thing?" Xander asks.

"The scary house? It sounds a little lame. I think I have to make an appearance at the club anyways. Piper always has a little Halloween party there." Buffy says.

"It actually borders on fun. You have to go through the whole scary house maze to get to the party and it's usually worth getting to. Those guys go all out." Oz says.

"As witnessed last Friday." Buffy says.

"Yeah…" Willow says.

"Yeah? What? There's a party?" Xander asks.

"Didn't we tell you?" Willow asks.

"It's cool. You guys have a little college thing. Hey, fine by me. I got better things to do than tag along to some fraternity-" Xander says, defensively.

"You can come." Willow says, smilng.

"'kay." Xander says. "But only because I lied about having better things to do."

"A blast will be had by all." Oz says.

Buffy lays back, "Guys I think I'd like to turn in."

"Now? The night's…" Xander says and he checks his watch. "Okay, a little mature, but still…"

"I'm sleepy. But you guys have fun. I'll go sleep in Phoebe's room. She's out with Cole tonight anyways." Buffy says.

"You sure?" Willow asks.

"Yeah I'm sure." She turns and heads out the door.

The others share a concerned look.

"Sad Buffy." Xander says.

Willow nods, "She didn't even touch her pumpkin. It's a freak with no face."

"Our girl's still suffering from a little post-Parker depression." Oz says.

Xander nods, "Bailing on the Buff. Does anyone else wanna smack that guy? A show of hands."

"I'm going to go talk to Piper. Why don't you guys get everything together and we'll head out." Willow says.

The next day at Payson's P4 Buffy and Willow are at the bar getting drinks.

"I've got the basics down: levitation, charms, glamours… I just feel like I've plateaued, wicca-wise." Willow says.

Piper shakes her head, "Willow, you can't plateau. Your powers will continue to grow and expand. Look at Buffy and I. Our powers have expanded and we had to change and adapt to them."

Willow sighs, "But you guys don't do transmutation, conjuring… Bringing forth something from nothing…"

Buffy shakes her head, "Actually one of us did try conjuring."

"Who?" Willow asks.

"Prue." Piper says. "She was trying to do an animal conjuration spell at one point."

"Wow! Really?" Willow asks.

Buffy nods, "Really. Seriously though, you shouldn't try and do more than you can handle right now."

Oz joins them, overhearing.

"I don't know. Then again, what's college for if not experimenting? Maybe I can handle it. I'll know when I've reached my limit." Willow says.

"Wine coolers?" Oz asks.

"Magic." Buffy and Piper says.

"Oh. You didn't encourage her, did you?" Oz asks.

"Where's supportive boyfriend guy?" Willow asks.

"Picking up your dry-cleaning. But he told me to tell you he's afraid you're going to get hurt." Oz says.

Buffy shakes her head, "As long as she practices her magic with Piper, Phoebe or I. She'll be fine, Oz."

Oz nods, "I know, Buffy. But I'm not gonna lie about the fact that I worry. I know what it's like to have power you can't control. Every time I start to wolf out I touch something deep dark… it's not fun. But whatever Willow decides, I'll back her play."

There is a hugely moment between them. Buffy smiles. "See? Concerned boy is sweet boy."

"I know. I kinda like him worrying anyway…" Willow says.

Piper nods, "I have to agree, concerned tells you that he loves you."

As they talk, Buffy hears laughter. She turns to see Parker, entering the club with a few friends, having a good time. Nothing weighing heavy on that conscience.

Buffy, anxious and uncomfortable, turns to Piper, Willow and Oz. "I think I'm going to head out." She turns and heads and towards the back entrance.

Piper frowns as she looks over at Parker, "Be right back." She walks around the bar and over to Parker, "Mr. Abrams."

Parker looks at Piper, "Ms. Halliwell."

"I believe I asked you not to come in the club again." Piper says.

"I thought you just wanted me to give Payson some space." Parker says.

"Out." Piper says. She turns to a bouncer. "Ernie would you show Mr. Abrams to the door."

Willow follows Buffy out the back door, "Buffy, don't let jerky Parker chase you away…"

"He isn't. Just don't want to deal right now. Taking a little holiday from dealing, happily vacationing in the land of not coping." Buffy says.

"Know what? You're gonna feel better after the party tonight. Maybe you'll even meet someone." Willow says.

"Willow, I don't want to meet someone. I've reached my quota on someone's. Anyway, I think I should probably patrol." Buffy says.

"Tonight? But, it's Halloween." Willow says.

"Do I need to remind you of my last two Halloweens? The first one we all turned into our costumes. The second one the Triad sent Cole back in time to wipe out my entire family line." Buffy says. "I'll double-check with Giles, but I'm pretty sure he'll want me on active Slayer duty. He doesn't really care about the whole "Halloween" thing. Tell Piper I'll be see her at home after classes."

Later at Giles apartment Buffy's on the front porch as the door opens revealing Giels, holding a bowl of candy, and wearing a huge sombrero. "Happy Hal-lo, Buffy."

"Oh... My... Goddess." Buffy says, mortified.

"It's a sombrero." Giles says.

"And it's on your head." Buffy says.

"It seemed festive. Come in." Giles says and moves a side to let Buffy enter.

Buffy sees some cheap Halloween decorations in his foyer. She looks at him and he holds out the bowl.

"Candy?" Giles asks.

"Giles, what is going on here? You hate Halloween." Buffy says.

"I've never said any such thing. As my watcher duties took precedence, I simply hadn't taken the time to embrace its inherent charms. Until now. Look!" Giles says as he turns on his shaking Frankenstein doll. The doll immediately starts to dance as music emanates from it.

"It's alive!" Giles says as Buffy stares. "Heh heh… see how he… shakes…" He turns it off. "Right, is there something you wanted?"

"Thinking I should patrol tonight. Maybe stake out the cemetery, or some of the more inviting-" Buffy says. "Could you please take that off?"

Giles complies and takes off the sombrero. "I see. Is there some specific danger you're sensing?"

"No. But then we were caught off guard when your pal Ethan turned everyone into their costumes. Then last year the Triad sending Cole back in time to wipe out my entire family before were even born." Buffy says.

Giles nods, "True. But what happened then was anomalous. Creatures of the night shy away from Halloween. They find it all much too crass."

"Hard to believe." Buffy says.

"I promise you, there's little chance of any supernatural activity tonight." Giles says.

Buffy looks disappointed.

Later Post-class. Riley confers with Professor Walsh at the podium. As a few students straggle out, Buffy enters, tentatively.

"Excuse me, Professor Walsh…" Buffy says as Riley and Professor Walsh look over. "I came to pick up today's assignment. I wasn't able to get to class because of some personal-"

"Right." Professor Walsh says looking Buffy over. "I count four limbs, a head, no visible scarring so I assume your personal issue was not a life threatening accident of any kind and am therefore uninterested. You got problems, solve them on your own time." She gathers some papers, and moves to the exit. "Miss another class and you're out." She's gone.

"She means it, you know." Riley says.

Buffy nods, "Yeah, I got the impression she wasn't saying it to make me laugh. But she also knows it a hollow threat. She and I both know she can't kick me out of a class I am paying for."

Riley nods, "Well you have a point there. Still you've got to be aware your work's taken a little downturn lately. I can't remember the last time I saw your hand up."

"Does stretching count?" Buffy asks, jokingly.

Riley smiles slightly. "Things get pretty intense freshman year, as I dimly recall. Too much fun? Or not enough."

"Both, actually." Buffy says.

Riley nods, "Well, you just gotta keep your priorities. Professor Walsh is worth your time."

"I'll do this stuff tonight." Buffy says.

"It's Halloween. You're not gonna dress up and party?" Riley asks.

Buffy sighs, "I might make an appearance at Payson's P4. Kinda have to you know, owner and all. But other than that I just have a lot of –"

Riley nods, "Look, I may be out of line here; it's not my business, but you seem like the kind of person who makes things hard on themselves. Halloween ain't a night for responsibility. It's when the ghosts and goblins come out."

Buffy shakes her head, "That's actually a misnomer –"

"Well, I didn't mean real ones. But there's some good scary fun to be had on campus tonight." Riley says.

"What are you doing?" Buffy asks.

"I'm gonna sit here and grade papers." Riley says.

Buffy laughs, "Scary."

"Very." Riley says.

"Well, thanks for the pep talk… coach." Buffy says.

"Don't make fun. I worked long and hard to get this pompous." Riley says.

Buffy shakes her head, "No. I mean it."

"Welcome." Riley says.

That afternoon Buffy is at the Manor watching Piper rummage though some boxes.

"I know I kept that cape somewhere." Piper says. "You sure you want to do Little Red Riding Hood? I wish I still had my Glinda costume. But last I saw it was somewhere in the 1600's."

"Yeah I'm sure." Buffy says. "Something simple. I'm not really in the mood to overly dress up this year. Anyways I know what you mean about the costumes last year. I would have loved to have gotten my Xena costume back. I wonder what they did with them after we left."

"Probably, burn them. They couldn't let people see them now could they." Piper says. "Ah here we are." She holds up a red, hooded cape. "Try it on let's make sure it fits.

Buffy puts it on. "It's good. You know I actually wore a Little Red Riding Hood costume about 5 or 6 years ago. Back before my mom and dad got divorced. He always took me out trick or treating."

"I bet that was a pain. Twelve years old and you couldn't go trick-or-treating by yourself." Piper says.

Buffy nods, "Yeah but he wanted to keep me safe. Though sometimes I wonder if he really wanted the candy. I should call him. I haven't talked to him in a while now."

Later Buffy, in her full "Red-Riding Hood" attire and carrying a basket, waiting at a street corner as she hears the squeals of excited, young, Trick-or-treaters, making their way down the street.

"Hey, Red." Xander says, wearing a classic black tuxedo, joins her. "Whatcha got in that basket, little girl?"

"Weapons." Buffy says.

"Oh." Xander says.

"Just in case. Like the tux, Xander." Buffy says.

"Bond. James Bond. Insurance, you know - in case we all turn into our costumes again, I'm going for cool secret agent guy." Xander says.

"Hate to break it to you, but you'll probably end up cool head waiter guy." Buffy says.

"As long as I'm cool and I wield some kind of power." Xander says.

Willow and Oz arrive. She's dressed as "Joan of Arc." Oz appears to be in his street clothes.

"Will… Medieval Will." Buffy says.

"Hail, ye olde…varletty… thou." Willow says. "I'm Joan of Arc. I figured we had a lot in common, seeing as how I was almost burned at the stake. Plus she had that close relationship with God."

"And you are… ?" Xander says as Oz places a sticky tag on his chest. A single word is written on it in black magic marker: God. "Of course." They start walking up the street. "Wish I'd thought of that before I put my deposit down. I could've been God."

"Blasphemer." Oz says.

As they come to another corner, which goes off into a slightly wooded area, they almost collide with two commandos, night-goggled and ski-masked. The two groups stare at each other for a moment.

"Like your outfits. Very stealthy." Buffy says.

The commandos look at each other, then drip back into the shadows.

"What were they supposed to be?" Willow asks.

Oz shrugs, "NATO?"

"Oh, yeah. I invited Anya to join us, but she's having some trouble finding a scary costume, so she's going to meet us there." Xander says.

"Perfect. Everybody's got a date but third-wheel Buffy." Buffy says.

"Buffy, you're not a third-wheel." Willow says.

"Technically speaking, you're a fifth wheel." Xander says.

Willow elbows Xander, then takes Buffy's arm. "We're gonna have the best time."

Buffy's eyes go wide remembering the incident with Cupid. And how the night she had met him both her and Phoebe were third and fourth wheels. "Will you're not Cupid in disguise are you?"

Willow looks at Buffy and then shakes her head, "No why?"

"You just brought up a memory of a couple years ago." Buffy says.

Finally they arrive at the Frat House.

"Let the horrors begin…" Oz says.

As the others enter, Buffy glances down at her feet. The welcome mat reads: HELL COME. "Cute."

They slowly make their way in. Except for the pre-recorded spooky noises, it's quiet. Cobwebs abound; as do animal bone mobiles. Lit candelabras cast long shadows across the walls and a fire burns in the fireplace.

"The joint's not jumpin'. Where is everybody?" Xander says.

Oz indicates a large canvas draped in front of the staircase. Attached is a sign: STAIRS OUT! DETOUR, with an arrow pointing down a hallway. "Follow the signs." They move to the right, entering a hall.

They cross toward the hallway, taking in all the "spooky" props, including a creepy dummy's head.

Buffy smiles at the hokiness. "Terrifying. If I were Abbott and Costello, this would be fairly traumatic."

"Ew! Cobweb." Willow says as she is caught in a cobweb, waves it off her. "That part was realistic."

"Well, frat boys not obsessive with the cleaning. That might not be decoration per se." Oz says.

Out of the darkness… A skeleton races toward them. Freaked, Xander staggers back just as it suddenly comes to a stop at the end of its track. "I wasn't scared. I was in the spirit."

"We'll all back you up on that story, Xander. Even if they question us separately –" Willow says.

Everyone else notices the tarantula crawling on Willow's shoulder before she does. Their various reactions cause her to look and scream and shoo it off her. It scuttles away. She spins and dances in full spaz attack, looking to see if there are more on her.

"Is it gone? Are there more? Is it off?" Willow says.

"It's gone." Oz says.

"You're clean." Buffy says.

"Okay, that is NOT sanitary." Willow says.

"Why don't we get to the party part of the party." Buffy says.

Willow nods, "Yeah. Are you sure they're off me?"

They turn a corner as Oz looks puzzled. "I thought this led…" He can't remember exactly. The group keeps moving till Buffy stops. Kneels. Touches the carpet.

"What is it?" Xander asks.

Buffy looks at her hand. "Blood." She sniffs it, "Real blood."

"Okay, actual creeps have been given. Bravo frat boys –" Xander says.

"Shh. Do you hear that? Sounds like squeaking." Buffy says.

"It's these rented shoes. Patent leather. I asked the guy to break them in for me-" Xander says.

"No. I hear it, too. Something else. Something like…" Willow says and she slowly looks up. They all do. Hanging about three feet above their heads are a cluster of bats.

A moment of silence, and the bats descend. Everyone swats at them, trying to beat them away. One flies into Buffy's hair, she pulls it off and throws it to the ground as the rest fly off. Oz looks at the downed bat, then picks it up.

"Oz, don't. It might be-" Willow says.

"Rubber. It's made of rubber." Oz says.

They all share a look.

"What the hell's going on?" Buffy asks.

"Look, maybe it's nothing. Maybe it's just a neat trick. Something done with wires or-" Xander says.

Amidst the pre-recorded noises, a booming voice bellows, "REELEEEASE MEEE!"

Everyone looks around, then at each other.

"Or it might be something else." Xander says.

They come into the foyer from the opposite side they left from, stop to look. The staircase is gone. Only wall.

"Where's the stairs?" Xander asks.

"Where's the door?" Willow asks.

"This is the way we came in, right? We just went in a circle." Buffy says.

The spooky sound effects shut off to everyone's relief.

"Goddess, thank you." Buffy says.

Oz is standing on a chair by a speaker - its wires torn out. "You're welcome."

"Hey, I have a neat idea. Let's get out of here." Willow says.

"And you were so anxious for me to come." Buffy says.

"I'm serious, Buffy. We don't know what we're dealing with." Willow says.

"My turn, did anyone hear that?" Xander asks.

"Well, once I start dealing with it, I'll get a good idea what it is I'm dealing…" Buffy says as she cocks an ear. "Do you hear something?"

"Like I said." Xander says as they hear a faint hissing. Buffy searches for its source. "Sounds like a hissing."

"It's like a "sss" noise." Buffy says.

"Thought the word "hissing" kinda covered that nicely." Xander says, annoyed.

Buffy comes to a door and opens it. Inside, sits…

Chaz, cowering in a fetal position, rocking back and forth. "… I'm s-sorry, I d-didn't know… didn't know, I'm s-so sorry…"

"Chaz. What's happening?" Oz says.

"It…" Chaz says.

"What is it?" Buffy asks.

"It's alive…" Chaz says.

"Chaz, what's alive? What happened here?" Buffy asks.

"He's in shock." Xander says.

"All right, we get him out of here." Buffy says as she stands. A skeleton is right behind her, knife raised. It stabs her in the back. "AAHHGH!"

"Buffy!" Willow says.

Buffy turns as it raises the knife again and slams the heel of her hand into its face. It staggers back. She kicks it viciously in the face and it falls in a heap landing as the same crappy plastic skeleton they encountered before.

Buffy pulls off her cape.

"Let me see." Xander says as he moves to her, but Oz gets there first, examines the cut in her back.

"I think the cape got most of it." Buffy says.

"Could need stitches." Oz says. "We need a bandage or something."

Suddenly they hear blood curdling screams. They look around, but they can't tell from which direction.

Chaz grabs the door and shuts himself back in the closet. They all turn at the slam.

"Cowering in the closet is starting to seem like a reasonable plan." Oz says.

"What closet?" Buffy asks.

They all look. There is just wall where the door was.

Buffy reaches down and opens her basket. Pulls out a crossbow. "I'm gonna find my way upstairs, see if there's people there. You guys find a way out of the house and use it."

"You're telling us to run away? And leave you behind?" Willow asks.

"We need help. We need Piper, Phoebe, Paige, even Giles." Buffy says.

"No way, Buffy." Willow says.

"Will, I'm telling you-" Buffy says.

"Telling me? You're TELLING me?-" Willow says.

"I can't do my job if I'm worrying about each of your safety-" Buffy says.

"It's not your decision-" Willow says.

"Gotta disagree with you there-" Buffy says.

Willow nods, "Of course, you do-"

"Let's all take a breath. Buffy, maybe we-" Xander says.

"Being the Slayer and a Charmed One doesn't automatically make you

the boss. You're as lost as the rest of us-" Willow says.

"So what are we talking about?" Oz asks.

"It's a simple incantation. A guiding spell. For travelers when they become lost or disoriented." Willow says.

"And how's it work?" Buffy asks.

Willow hesitates, then… "It conjures an emissary from the beyond that… lights the way."

"Willow let's be honest. Your still learning. Have you tried this spell before?" Buffy says.

"Well no." Willow says.

"That means there is about a fifty-fifty shot of it working." Buffy says.

Willow shakes her head and takes off down the long hall, beginning to take off her costume. Buffy follows, as do the others.

"What?" Buffy asks.

Willow turns back to her, angry. "I'm not your sidekick."

Then continues on. Oz goes after her. "Will, hang on."

Buffy stands, dejected and irked.

Xander comes over to her. "Well, that was a bunch of laughs. Look, Buff, we're all tired and a little on edge. Maybe Willow's overreacting. I'm sure part of it's 'cause of how you've been pushing-away girl lately. But now's not the time to let that stuff tear us apart." Buffy looks in his direction. "What I'm saying is, I'm still with you. Right by your side, all the-"

"Xander?!" Buffy says, her eyes darting around.

"Funny. Nice to see you haven't lost your sense of inappropriate humor." Xander says.

"Xander! Where are you?" Buffy calls out.

"Okay, cut it out, Buffy! Skit over. I'm right here." Xander says as he begins to grow worried. "Here! BUFFY!"

Buffy walks right past him, muttering. "This is so typical of him."

"Typical?" Xander asks.

"Xander?" Buffy calls out as she enters another hallway, momentarily out of Xander's sight.

Later Buffy is walking down a short hall when she hears a scream. "Willow?!"

Another scream, which seems to Buffy to be coming from a room down the hall. She sprints to the door, goes through and comes out at the top of a staircase that is no longer there. She falls hitting the ground hard and dropping her crossbow. Winded and hurting, she becomes vaguely aware of something next to her and looks over at a plastic novelty gravestone.

Unnerved, Buffy looks around her and discovers she's in a dimly lit room with concrete walls. She sees there are other novelty gravestones. "Basement. I'm in the basement."

She gasps as a raspy voice from the shadows adds, "All alone."

Still on the ground, Buffy looks around toward the shadows, wincing in pain as she does, but sees nothing. "Who's there?"

Dead Josh steps shakily out of the shadows, head at an unpleasant angle. Corpse colored, with a bruise around his neck. "They all ran away from you. They always will. Open your heart to someone and…" He laughs, raspingly. Buffy says nothing, just glares at him, the truth of it stinging. "But don't fret, little girl. You're not alone…" Hands shoot up out of the ground all around her. "… anymore."

Hands grab Buffy, pinning her down as zombies pull themselves out of their "graves". She struggles with them, tries to get up, but can't break free. She tries to flame out but nothing happens.

She screams in frustration and terror, still battling the zombie onslaught. All five of them are out of their graves now, piling on her, trying to pull her limbs off, bite her. She pushes them off long enough to get to her feet.

"No matter how hard you fight, you just end up in the same place." Dead Josh says. She's tiring as they keep coming back for more. They won't stay down. "I don't see why you bother."

She gets knocked down. Looks and sees a small door in the dark under the entrance. Crawls to it as the zombies grab at her heels. The space gets more and more cramped, darker and darker, but she makes it to the door and tries to open it, throws her weight into forcing it open as she tumbles in, kicking the door shut behind her. She is wild eyed, breathing hard, at her wit's end. She looks around her, sees pockets of pale, terrified students, cowering in corners, hiding behind overturned tables, shaking, rocking back and forth, mad with fear.

"The Goat Room." Buffy says as she sees Oz, crouched on the floor, his head buried in his hands. "Oz?"

Willow bursts in from another door, slamming it shut behind her. She's hysterical, slapping and scratching at her body. Buffy goes and tries to hold her, but Willow resists.

"Get them off me! Get them off!" Willow says.

"Will." Oz says.

Buffy looks up to see Oz taking Willow's arm. She looks at him, shaking, eyes, unblinking.

"C-couldn't… get them… off. F-f-fireflies. T-too many! And they flew… in my mouth… And my eyes… and I… couldn't breathe and…" Willow says, terrified.

"It's okay. We're okay." Oz says.

"We're not okay. We have to get out of here." Buffy says.

"I'd offer my opinion, but you jerks aren't going to hear it anyway. Not that "didn't go to college boy" is worth listening to, might as well just hang out with my new best friend, "Bleeding Dummy Head" for all you dorks care." Xander says off in a corner.

Buffy crosses to him and gives him a sharp shove. "What is wrong with you?"

"Y-you heard that? You can see me?" Xander says, shocked. "Good. Oh God, that's good."

"The house separated us. It wanted to scare us." Oz says.

"But we… we got away." Willow says.

Buffy shakes her head, "No, it brought us here. We got so scared we ended up… here. Why here?" She looks down at the floor. The others follow suit.

They look at a symbol that has been painted on the floor.

"I saw them painting it. They were copying it out of…" Oz says scanning the room. "That." He crosses to the occult book, lying atop a table.

Willow looks at the opened page. She studies the page for a moment. "I think this is Gaelic."

Buffy shakes her head, "Why is no one working on translations for the old spell books. I hate trying to cast something in a language I don't speak. Will, can you translate?"

"REEELEEEASE MEEE!"

BAM! BAM! BAM! Loud banging and pounding fills the room coming from all around them. Things scurry within the walls, scratch at the doors.

"Will. Give me something." Buffy says.

"Okay. Um um um, the icon's called the Mark of Gachnar. I think this is a summoning spell for something called…" Willow says as she hesitates as she struggles to translate.

"Gachnar?" Xandar asks.

Willow nods, "Yes! Somehow the beginning of the spell was accidentally triggered. Gachnar's trying to manifest itself. To come into being."

"How?" Buffy asks.

"It feeds on… fear." Willow says.

"Our fears are manifesting. We're feeding it. We have to stop." Buffy says.

"Well if we close our eyes and say it's all just a dream it'll stab us to death. These things are real." Xander says.

Buffy tries to think. "It's feeding on us… if we can get everyone out…"

The bolted doors suddenly slam, nearly buckle as something behind them tries to get in.

"Great plan! Let's go!" Xander says as he runs over and yanks open the other door, revealing a chainsaw wielding maniac!

Xander screams, then looks closer. "Giles? Look, it's Giles! With a chainsaw."

Anya enters behind Giles and runs to Xander. "Xander."

"Glad you could make it…" Xander says.

Giles nods, "The walls closed up behind us." He crosses to Willow, takes the book. "Gachnar, of course. Its presence infects the reality of the house, but it hasn't achieved full manifestation. We can't allow it to come into being."

"But… if it did, I could fight…" Buffy says.

"Buffy, this is Gachnar." Giles says and he shows her an illustration. Her eyes widen in horror.

"Okay, let's shut it down." Buffy says.

"Whatever we're doing, let's do it fast." Xander says.

"I have it: The summoning spell for Gachnar can be shut down in one of two ways. Destroying the Mark of Gachnar…"

Without warning, Buffy gets down on one knee, punches through the floor, and pries up the splintered floorboards, bisecting the icon, destroying it.

The sounds abruptly stop. Buffy smiles smugly, pleased with herself.

Giles' tone becomes quite peevish. "… is not one of them and will, in fact, immediately bring forth the Fear Demon, itself." He looks at the desecrated symbol and glares at Buffy.

A deep rumbling begins…

"Look!" Willow says

They turn and step back.

Gachnar rises out of the floor no bigger than a cockroach. Suddenly, it hesitates and looks high above him.

"This… is Gachnar?" Buffy asks.

"Big overture, little show." Xander says.

Gachnar rants and shakes his fist. "I am the Dark Lord of nightmares, the bringer of terror… Tremble before me! Fear me!"

"He's so cute." Willow says.

"Who's a little fear demon? C'mon, who's a lit-tle fear demon?" Xander says, baby-talk.

"Don't taunt the fear demon." Giles says.

"Why? Can he hurt me?" Xander asks.

Giles shakes his head, "No, it's just… tacky. Be that as it may, Buffy, when it comes to slaying…"

"Size doesn't matter?" Buffy asks.

"They're all going to abandon you, you know." Gachnar says.

"Yeah, yeah." Buffy says as she brings her foot down, squashing Gachnar.

Later at Payson's P4 the gang's all there, even Giles. Though Giles is looking through the book that they took from the frat house.

Buffy takes a sip of hot chocolate, "This is much better. There is no problem that cannot be solved by chocolate."

Xander looks at Anya.

"What?" Anya asks.

"That's your scary costume?" Xander asks.

"Bunnies frighten me." Anya says.

"Oh, bloody Hell - The inscription!" Giles says.

"What's the matter?" Buffy asks.

"I should have translated –" Giles says showing Buffy the book. "The Gaelic inscription under the illustration of Gachnar."

"I still say these old spells and rituals need to be translated. I hate trying to cast something I don't know the language. What's it say?" Buffy says.

"Actual size." Giles says.


	85. Chapter 85: Brain Drain

**Chapter 85: Brain Drain**

In the Kitchen Piper and Phoebe are looking in the oven.

"Damn it! These ones are burnt too. I'm losing my touch." Piper says as she pulls a tray of cookies out.

"Oh, no, it's okay, sweetie, they're just a little crisp." Phoebe says as Piper puts the tray on the table. "You know, personally I am glad…" Buffy walks in to the kitchen, "…that you're not a chef anymore. I'd probably be 300 pounds."

"Same here, Piper." Buffy says.

"Maybe I should make another batch." Piper says.

"Um, Piper, remember when you told me to tell you when you're obsessing?" Phoebe says.

"I'm not obsessing. I just want everything to be perfect, that's all." Piper says.

Buffy shakes her head, "Yeah, but Piper, it's a baby shower, not a Royal wedding. Besides, don't you think you're doing enough already?" She gets a glass out of the cupboard. "For goddess sakes, you're hosting the thing and you're not even close to Wendy anymore."

Piper sighs, "That is precisely why I'm doing all of this. I swear to god, in the last couple of years we've vanquished more friendships than we have demons."

Buffy takes an empty milk carton out of the fridge. "Got milk?"

"Somebody forgot to put it on the list again." Piper says.

Phoebe sighs, "Okay, well, we have to be patient. You know, it's gonna take Paige more than a week to adjust to living here."

Buffy nods, "Phoebe is right. We had our shares of ups and downs when I moved in, remember. Or did you forget the very first apocalypse we thwarted together? You know that thing called the Harvest."

Piper sighs, "Still, there are common courtesies, common sense, rules."

"Yeah, but you have to admit, it's nice to have the Power of Three and the Power of Four under the same roof again." Phoebe says.

Buffy nods, "Pheebs is right, Piper."

"Right. Grab those." Piper says as she walks out of the kitchen. Buffy and Phoebe picks up a basket each filled with baby stuff.

"So cute." Phoebe says as they follows Piper into the dining room. "Aunt Phoebe sure would like to throw one of these for you one day."

Buffy nods, "So would Auntie Buffy."

Piper knocks over a chair. "Damn it! Paige!"

"You're changing the subject." Phoebe says.

"No, I'm ignoring you two." Piper says.

They walk into the living room.

"Well, you can't ignore that beautiful little girl of yours that you and Buffy saw in the future, and if my math is right, you and Leo better start, you know, right about now." Phoebe says.

Piper sighs, "Phoebe, we saw a lot of things in the future that won't be happening now."

"We know. But that doesn't mean you can't have kids. I mean, don't you wanna have a little kid?" Buffy says.

Piper shakes her head, "Not with demons dropping in all the time," Cole shimmers in. "I don't."

"Phoebe?" Cole says.

"Hold that thought. Generations of Halliwells fought demons and had kids. It didn't stop them, why should it stop you?" Phoebe says.

"Did it ever occur to you that maybe this is none of your business?" Piper asks.

Buffy shakes her head, "That's beside the point."

"Phoebe." Cole says.

"How does Leo feel about this?" Phoebe asks.

"I haven't talked to Leo about this." Piper says.

"Well, don't you think we should?" Buffy says.

"We?" Piper asks.

Cole puts his fingers in his mouth and whistles. The girls yelp.

"Yes, Cole, what is it?" Phoebe asks.

"Okay. Freeze the room fast, then unfreeze only me." Cole says.

"What? Why?" Buffy asks.

"Just do what I say and I'll explain after." Cole says.

Piper freezes Cole and the room.

"Please don't blow him up." Phoebe says.

Piper nods, "I'll try." She unfreezes Cole.

"The rest of the room still frozen?" Cole asks.

"Cole, we're the only ones in the room." Piper says.

"You're not actually. There's a chameleon in the house." Cole says.

"A lizard? You're worried about a lizard?" Buffy says.

"This chameleon is a demon. One who can transform into any object just to spy on you." Cole says and he grabs a chair.

"Trying to tell me the manor is supernaturally bugged?" Piper asks.

Cole nods, "Uh-huh. Has been for some time, apparently. It explains why the Source hasn't attacked you in a while. He's had his chameleons watching your every move, gathering inside information. Look around. What's not supposed to be here?"

The girls look around.

Piper spots Paige's ugly-looking cane chair with bright red cushions. "Hmm." She blows up the chair. Cushion stuffing flies everywhere. Cole goes over to it.

"Piper, I think that was Paige's chair." Phoebe says.

"Yeah, I know, exactly." Piper says.

Buffy shakes her head as Phoebe smiles. The grandfather clock chimes.

"Uh, the room just unfroze." Cole says.

Phoebe spots an odd-shaped lamp. "Where'd that lamp come from?"

The lamp transforms into a demon. Piper and Phoebe scream. The demon uses his power and they fly over the couch. Buffy throws an fireball as Cole throws an energy ball at the demon and wipes his arm off, sending green goo over Piper's baby baskets. The demon's arm grows back.

"Buffy, Cole, get back!" Piper says and tries to blow up the demon, Buffy and Cole ducks, and Piper blows up the grandfather clock instead. "Damn it, we just got that thing fixed."

Paige walks down the stairs holding a washing basket and wearing earphones. The demon runs in front of her and Cole throws another energy ball. The demon ducks and Paige orbs out before the energy ball hits her. The demon gets up and shimmers out.

Paige stands there in shock. "What the hell happened?"

"The freakin' furniture just attacked!" Piper says.

Moments later Phoebe is lying on the couch.

Leo goes over and heals a wound on her forehead. "Do you know how long the chameleon demon was in the house?"

Buffy shakes her head, "We don't know. The lamp has been here for at least three days. Maybe more."

"What do you think he wants?" Piper asks.

"I told you. Gathering information." Cole says.

Piper frowns, "But for what? For why?"

"For the Source's next attack." Cole says.

Paige walks in with half her broken chair. "Excuse me. Is there anyway to claim this kind of damage on our home owners insurance policy?"

"Usually not." Piper says.

Buffy nods, "You should have seen the repair bill for the windows last time. We had to raise the drink prices at the club to pay for them."

"Usually? What do you mean? I can expect my furniture to be blown up again?" Paige asks.

"Get ready for the unexpected. That's rule number one in the Halliwell manor." Phoebe says.

"Wanna learn the rest?" Piper asks.

Buffy shakes her head, "Um, maybe now's not the time? Considering we have to figure out a way to find this demon."

"Well, you could try scrying using his blood." Leo says.

Piper nods, "And we've got plenty of that. Although, I don't know what good it would do to find him now. Whatever he's learned he's already told the Source."

"Except that he might also know what the Source's plan is. How he's going to attack. Find him, we might be able to find that out." Cole says.

"I know. What about pooling our money into a fund to cover anybody's damage no matter who's it is." Paige says.

"Um..." Phoebe says.

The doorbell rings. They all look at each other. Buffy, Piper and Phoebe cautiously go to the door. Piper quickly opens it.

"Whoa! Scared me. Hey, Phoebe, Payson, it's been a long time." Becca says as Phoebe waves. "Hey, sorry I'm late, we should go."

Piper frowns, "Go?"

"To the shower. Wasn't I supposed to pick you and Payson up? Did I mess up?" Becca says and looks in her day planner.

Piper shakes her head, "No, no, you didn't, Becca. There's just some stuff going on here."

"So what else is new, huh? Do you want some help with the party baskets?" Becca asks as she starts to walk in but Phoebe stops her.

"No! No, it's just I'm afraid something came up and Piper and Buffy can't..." Phoebe says.

"Oh, no, don't tell me that you two are not gonna come. Everyone's so looking forward to seeing you again, Piper. And everyone wants to thank you Payson for the use of the club." Becca says.

"Oh, really? Oh, they are? Well, th-then we can't disappoint them. W-We'll get some stuff at the market on the way there." Piper says.

"Will you excuse us for one minute?" Phoebe says as she closes the door. "Wh-Are you outta your mind? You can't still go. Piper, we have to scry for that demon."

"Well, it doesn't take four sisters to scry. You and Paige can do it and then call me when you find him. Buffy can flame me right back." Piper says.

"Piper!" Phoebe says.

Piper sighs, "Phoebe. Look, okay, the bottom line is if I'm ever gonna have kids, then I need a life first, which means I need to be a human first and then a witch later. Okay, got it? Good." Piper tries to open the door and Phoebe stands in the way. "Outta the way!" She gets the door open. "Hi! Bye Leo!"

"Bye!" Leo says and she leaves with Becca.

"Later guys." Buffy says.

At Payson's P4, the baby shower is in full swing. Piper and Buffy are sitting next to a pregnant woman. They are laughing. She opens a gift and pulls out a cute baby jacket.

"Oh, how cute is this! Oh, Piper, this is adorable. Where did you get this?" Wendy says.

"Uh, a little shop in the embarcadero. They have the cutest things." Piper says.

"Thank you so much. For everything." Wendy says.

Piper smiles, "You're welcome." She and Wendy hug.

"We have so much to catch up on." Wendy says.

Piper nods, "I know. We will."

Wendy looks to Buffy, "And thank you Payson for letting us use the club."

Buffy smiles, "Your welcome. But you should thank Piper more than me. While Piper lets me have a say in how it's run. I won't get it till I turn 21."

"Well thank you anyways." Wendy says.

Piper gets up and goes and sits down next to Becca. She sees her smiling. "What?"

"Nothing. It's just good to see you out and about again, that's all." Becca says. "You and Payson."

"Yeah, after Prue died it took some time to..." Buffy says as she comes over.

Becca nods, "Yeah, but even before that. Piper, it's almost like the last three or four years you've just kinda disappeared. You introduced us to Payson and then…"

Piper nods, "Yeah." Her phone rings. She hangs up.

"Oh, no, don't tell me you have to go." Becca says.

Piper looks at Buffy as if to say, not a word, "Uh, no, it can wait." Leo orbs in nearby. He motions for Buffy and Piper to go over to him. She pulls a face. "We'll be right back." She gets up and she and Buffy goes over to him. "What are you doing here? No guys allowed."

"I tried calling your cell phone but it went dead. Paige and Phoebe think they found the demon." Leo says.

"Already? They did? Are you sure?" Buffy asks.

"Yeah. You have to go now." Leo says.

"How am I supposed to have kids when I can't even be at someone else's baby shower?" Piper asks.

Buffy shakes her head, "Don't ask."

Piper sighs and nods, "We'll meet you outside. The least we can do is say goodbye." They go Wendy. "Uh, Wendy, I'm sorry, we've gotta go, something's come up."

"Ugh, now? But we haven't even had the cake yet, you both are gonna miss the best part." Wendy says.

"Ugh, I know. Story of my life. I'll see you later." Piper says.

"Bye, Wendy." Buffy says.

Piper and Buffy turn and walk out of the club.

Later back at the Manor..,

"So we've got the spell to vanquish the chameleon but we're not gonna use it. I don't get it." Paige says.

"Well, you vanquish him only if you have to. The goal here is to try and interrogate, find out what the Source is planning." Leo says.

"Okay, but I'm thinking that this guy's not gonna be so eager to spill his guts." Paige says.

"Oh, he'll spill. I make sure to that." Cole says.

Phoebe shakes her head, "No, you can't come, he saw you with us. Probably means the Source has some bounty hunter ready to attack you, or capture you, or something."

"So what else is new?" Cole asks.

"Well, it doesn't make it any less dangerous." Phoebe says.

"So the question still stands. How do we get a demon to stop and chat with us." Paige says.

"Well, Piper can freeze him and unfreeze his head, she's done that before. How do you feel about that?" Buffy says.

"I don't know." Piper says.

"Why, you got a better idea?" Cole asks.

Piper sits on the couch. "Maybe. We could tell him to offer the Source a deal instead."

"Deal? What kind of a deal?" Leo asks.

"Well, something like, he stops coming after us and we stop going after him." Piper says.

"What?" Buffy and Phoebe says, astonished Piper would even suggest it.

Phoebe sits down on the coffee table in front of Piper. While Buffy sits next to Piper.

"Of course that would mean we'd have to stop going after all of his demons too, which would be fine by me. It would stop all of the constant attacks." Piper says.

"Am I the only one who thinks she's bumped her head?" Paige asks.

"You can't be serious, Piper." Buffy says.

"Actually, I've never been more serious in my life. Think about it. This could be an opportunity for us to get out of the demon fighting business once and for all." Piper says.

"Wait, and what, just give up on your destiny?" Leo asks.

"How do you know we haven't already fulfilled it? I mean, god knows, we've saved scores of innocents already. Maybe that's enough. Maybe it's time for some other witches to take over and let us get on with our lives. Isn't it worth a try in exchange for what we might be getting? No more putting things on hold, vacations, friends, kids." Piper says.

Buffy sighs, "I wish it was that simple, Piper. I can't give up and you know it. They will always come after me. I'm the Slayer. And I'd just about bet the Source would not honor such an agreement anyways."

Phoebe shakes her head, "We can't give up now. We are so close. We have to take out the Source if we can. And if not just for our sake, then for Prue's."

"Fine. I just hope we don't end up where she did." Piper says and she walks away.

Later Buffy, Piper, Phoebe and Paige are in an alley. They have the scrying map out.

"Something's not right. We've checked both alleys twice." Piper says.

"Well, the chameleon's gotta be here somewhere because the crystal never lies." Phoebe says.

"I don't know about you guys but I'm getting a not so good feeling about this." Paige says.

"I have to agree with Paige. My spidey sense is going off." Buffy says.

"Alright, we'll check one more time and then we'll call it quits. Phoebe, you and Paige go check that alley, Buffy and I'll go check that alley."

"Wait, split up? Are you sure that's a good idea?" Phoebe says.

"Maybe it'll lure him out, who knows? If you get nervous say the vanquishing spell. Keep your eyes peeled, he could be anything." Piper says.

Paige and Phoebe disappear into an alley.

Buffy and Piper starts walking down another alley. A shadow follows them. Alaster/The Source appears behind them. They turns around and Piper tries to freeze him. He just shakes it off.

"Were you expecting me to freeze?" Alaster/The Source says.

"Phoebe! Paige!" Buffy calls out.

Alaster/The Source throws an energy ball at them sending both of them in opposite directions. Phoebe and Paige run into the alley. Alaster/The Source picks Piper up and flames out. Paige gasps.

Phoebe goes to help Buffy up.

"Did someone get the license plate of that truck?" Buffy asks.

Later back at the Manor Leo is trying to sense Piper.

"Anything?" Paige asks.

Leo shakes his head, "I can't sense Piper anywhere."

"Does that mean that?" Paige asks.

Phoebe shakes her head, "No. He wouldn't have taken her if he wanted her dead." Cole shimmers in, covered in slime. "Cole? Oh my god."

"I'm alright. I just found out that Piper's in the underworld, I think the Source has her." Cole says.

"The Source? A-are you sure? How do you know?" Buffy asks.

Cole nods, "From another chameleon demon. I kinda 'squeezed' it out of him."

"Well, we gotta find her. There's gotta be a spell in here somewhere." Phoebe says and she picks up the Book of Shadows and has a premonition of the Source taking the BOS and killing her, Buffy and Paige.

"Phoebe?" Cole and Buffy says.

"I saw the Source stealing the book and killing us with our powers." Phoebe says.

"May I?" Buffy asks and Phoebe hands her the book.

"Our powers? How can he get our powers?" Paige asks.

Buffy paces back and forth trying to get the premonition Phoebe just had.

"Maybe he's figured how to get them from Piper. Explains why he's keeping her alive." Cole says.

Buffy stops pacing and sets down the book, "Stupid premonitions."

"No, but she can't give them up herself." Phoebe says.

"Well, she can using the relinquishing spell in the book." Leo says.

Buffy shakes her head, "But we ripped that spell out of both books and burnt them three years ago, it doesn't exist anymore."

"It does in her mind." Leo says.

"That's crazy. She'd never say it, she'd never give up her powers." Phoebe says.

"Even though she was kinda willing to this morning? I'm just saying." Paige says.

Buffy sighs, "Look, we know what you're saying but you don't know what you're talking about. I'm sorry."

"Forget it." Paige says.

"Maybe you and I should go down there, see if I can sense her." Leo says.

"I'm coming with you." Buffy says.

Leo frowns, "Buffy…"

"No, I'm no good up here right now anyways. We need the power of three for the Source. And right now without Piper there is no power of three. Besides I can help Cole keep the demons off your ass while you're trying to sense her." Buffy says.

Phoebe sighs and nods, "Better let her, Leo."

Leo nods and takes Buffy's hand.

"Follow me." Cole says.

Cole shimmers out and Leo and Buffy orbs out.

Later Leo and Cole are there. Leo is trying to sense Piper. Buffy and Cole are hiding behind a rock wall.

"Leo." Buffy whispers.

"She's hurt." Leo says.

"Where is she?" Cole asks.

"I don't know, I can't get an exact reading." Leo says.

An energy ball hits a rock near them. Buffy and Cole looks around the corner and Cole throws an energy ball at the bounty hunter, missing.

"Try harder." Cole says.

"I can't. The Source must have learned from last time, he's blocking Piper's signal." Leo says.

The bounty hunter throws another energy ball.

Buffy throws a fireball missing the bounty hunter.

"Well, we have to find the Source." Cole says.

"How are we gonna do that?" Buffy asks.

"There's only one way." Cole says.

"Cole." Leo and Buffy says.

Cole steps out and the bounty hunter throws an energy ball at him. He falls to the ground. Two bounty hunters go over and drag him away.

The two bounty hunters walk in a cave. The Oracle walks over to them.

"What are you doing here? Leave now." Oracle says.

"I don't think so." Bounty Hunter #1 says.

They drop Cole on the ground. The Oracle smiles.

"Tell the Source we've captured Belthazor." Bounty Hunter #2 says.

Oracle shakes her head, "Leave him. I'll make sure you get the credit."

Bounty #2 frowns, "We're not going without our bounty."

"Then you'll wait." Oracle says.

The Oracle walks over to Alaster/The Source.

"I have a surprise for you, Piper." Alaster/The Source says. "You'll set yourself free." Buffy and Leo looks around the corner. "Say the spell, Piper. You know you want to."

Leo frowns, "Come on, Cole, wake up." He looks to Buffy. "Get ready." Buffy nods and Leo orbs out and orbs back in front of the two bounty hunters. "How you doing?" He orbs back out.

The bounty hunter throws an energy ball, vanquishing the other bounty hunter. Leo orbs in behind the bounty hunter, taps him on the shoulder and knocks him out. Buffy and Leo races over to Cole.

"Cole, hurry, wake up." Leo says.

"Finish this, you're in danger." Oracle says.

The bounty stands up. Cole wakes up and throws an energy ball at the bounty hunter, vanquishing him.

"Piper." Leo says and he runs over and the Oracle tries to stop him. He pushes her out of the way. He tries to get to Piper but a protective shield pushes him across the room. Cole throws an energy ball at Alaster/The Source but the shield protects him. he throws another and another. Buffy joins him throwing fireball after fireball at Alaster/The Source.

"Break the connection or they'll kill you!" Oracle says.

Cole throws another energy ball as Buffy throws another fireball and Alaster/The Source flies back.

Alaster/The Source stands up and touches his bleeding side. Alaster/The Source screams and changes back into the Source. Cole gets a large energy ball ready.

"No!" Oracle says as she runs in front of the Source and Cole throws the energy ball, vanquishing the Oracle. The Source flames out.

Buffy helps Leo up, "Come on we have to help Piper."

Leo nods and takes Buffy's hand. "Place your hand on the other side of her head."

Buffy does as she is instructed placing her hand next to Piper as Leo places his other hand on the other side of Piper's head. She closes her eyes. When she opens them they are in a garden.

"Piper, don't." Buffy says as she and Leo goes over to her.

"Listen to your sisters, trust them. Trust me and Buffy, don't say the spell, don't relinquish your powers." Leo says as he heals her wound. She looks around and points to Leo.

"Are you really my husband?" Piper asks.

Leo laughs. "Yes."

"And that would make you two really my sisters." Piper says pointing at Paige and Phoebe. "And your my cousin." She points at Buffy.

Buffy smiles, "Well technically sure. But were still sisters."

"Whether you like it or not." Phoebe says.

"And so that demon is gone?" Piper asks and Phoebe nods. "Thank god," she stands up, "because that guy was freaking me out."

"Whattaya say we uh, click our heals and get out of this crazy joint? Uh, no offense." Paige says.

"That's okay." Piper says as she watches some butterflies fly past. "My life has always been a little crazy."

Buffy laughs, "All of ours have at some time or another."

Back at the Manor Piper runs down the stairs and goes through all the rooms. Buffy, Phoebe, Paige, Leo and Cole come down the stairs.

"Is something wrong?" Phoebe asks.

Piper shakes her head, "No, everything is just right."

"Except for my chair." Paige says.

Buffy nudges Piper.

"Yeah, which, um, I'll actually pay to replace." Piper says.

"Oh, god no, it's not your fault. Or is it?" Paige says.

Piper nods, "Actually, yeah, it was. I was just upset that there was yet another demon in our lives. And I know I should stop fighting it and just accept it but..."

Paige shakes her head, "Nah, it wasn't my favorite chair anyway. And it's actually kinda good to know that I'm not the only one who struggles with the idea of being a witch."

"No, believe me, you're in good company." Phoebe says as she hugs Paige.

Buffy nods, "Yeah. You're in real good company. All of us at one point or another have wanted to quit. Prue wanted to quit when Andy died. Piper… Well this is the second time Piper has thought about it. I did actually quit for two months. Phoebe is the only one I think hasn't thought about quitting yet."

"Well, the good news is you won't have to deal with the Source any time soon because Buffy and Cole hurt him pretty bad." Leo says.

Cole nods, "Not bad enough though, he'll be back."

"So, he's gone for now isn't he? First time in a long time. I think we should take advantage of that." Phoebe says.

"Why, Ms. Halliwell, are you trying to seduce me?" Cole asks as he pulls her in.

"Always." Phoebe says.

"Eww." Piper and Buffy says.

Leo laughs. Phoebe and Cole run up the stairs.

"Okay, and I'm just gonna... go to the store, get some milk, or something." Paige says and she heads out the door.

"Sure you're okay?" Buffy asks.

Piper nods, "Yeah. You know, I-I'm never gonna stop wanting a normal life, but you know what? I think that's the one thing that actually keeps me sane."

Leo smiles, "Well, you deserve a normal life, Piper. We both do. And maybe we'll get that when we vanquish the Source once and for all."

Buffy nods, "Sounds good to me."

"And who knows. Maybe one day I can have a baby shower of my own. What do you think?" Piper says.

Leo smiles, "Well, in that case..." He picks Piper up. "We need to practice a little."

"Leo!" Piper says as they orb out.

Buffy looks around the living room and smiles as she flames out.


	86. Chapter 86: Beer Bad

**Chapter 86: Beer Bad**

_BAM! The heel of Buffy's boot spikes a vampire hard in the eye. He stumbles back a few feet and Buffy steps up, starts with the pummeling. She's dazzlingly efficient._

_In the grass is a potential victim, hand to his neck. He turns to see what's going on – it's Parker. "Payson?" _

_"Parker?" Buffy asks as the vamps comes back at her, "Stay down."_

_Buffy, fast on top of the vamp again, punching and kicking with amazing style and strength. And when the vamp finally falls, Buffy pulls a stake. thunk – he's dust. _

_"Buffy!" Parker says as two huge vamps are on him. Dragging him off. Seeing this, Buffy flies over, taking both on at once. The Vamps drop Parker. And they engage in a fast and intense slugfest. Buffy is even sharper than usual, if that's possible. And to finish them off, a spectacular flip-toss, staking both vamps who scream all their merry way to hell._

_Buffy stands alone, breathing only a little hard. _

_Parker approaches her tentatively, "Payson, I don't know what to say. After how I've treated you, and now I owe you my life."_

_"It's nothing." Buffy says._

_"It's everything. You're everything. And I'm gonna do whatever it takes to get you to forgive me. Do you think… one day, you might?" Parker says._

_Buffy might answer, but instead a distant voice whispers, "Sure, uh-huh…"_

Buffy blinks, jolted from her reverie. She looks at Willow beside her, then to the owner of the girl's voice.

Parker, whispers to a pretty brunette, in the row in front of her.

"These are the things we want." Professor Walsh says as Riley clicks slides on one by one: A mother comforting her baby. A kiss. A warm fireplace. A juicy hamburger. "Simple things. Comfort. Sex. Shelter. Food. We always want them, and we want them all the time. The id doesn't learn. It doesn't grow up. It has the ego telling it what it can't have – and it has the superego telling what it shouldn't want. But the id works solely by the pleasure principle. It wants. Whatever social skills we learn, however much we have evolved, the pleasure principle is at work in all of us."

Buffy begins to sink back into reverie.

"So how does this conflict with the ego manifest itself in the psyche? What do we do when we can't have what we want? I expect somebody here can answer that…" Professor Walsh says.

But not Buffy, who's already doing it.

_BAM! The heel of Buffy's boot spikes a vampire hard in the eye. He stumbles back a few feet and Buffy steps up, starts with the pummeling. She's dazzlingly efficient._

_In the grass is a potential victim, hand to his neck. He turns to see what's going on – it's Parker. "Payson?" _

_"Parker?" Buffy asks as the vamps comes back at her, "Stay down."_

_Buffy, fast on top of the vamp again, punching and kicking with amazing style and strength. And when the vamp finally falls, Buffy pulls a stake. thunk – he's dust. _

_"Buffy!" Parker says as two huge vamps are on him. Dragging him off. Seeing this, Buffy flies over, taking both on at once. The Vamps drop Parker. And they engage in a fast and intense slugfest. Buffy is even sharper than usual, if that's possible. And to finish them off, a spectacular flip-toss, staking both vamps who scream all their merry way to hell._

_Buffy stands alone, breathing only a little hard. _

_Parker approaches her tentatively holding a large bouquet of roses and an open carton of ice cream, spoon stabbed in it, "Payson, I don't know what to say. After how I've treated you, and now I owe you my life." Buffy looks down at him. He presents her with the ice cream. "Can you ever forgive me?"_

_With a placid nobility, she takes the ice cream. As her hair blows in the breeze, she nobly eats a spoonful, eyes on the horizon._

Later after class in the quad Xander is standing at a table where Buffy and Willow sit. They have exciting beverages, are trying to study. He flicks a lighter, holds it up where Buffy would be holding a cigarette, if she had one. "Rough day?" Denied, he flicks it off. "Come on Buffy, be a lonely drunk. Rough day?" He flicks it again.

"Stop flicking at me." Buffy says.

"Work with me here. I'm finally an essential part of your college life. No more "looking down on the townie" - I'm the new bartender at the pub. Got my lighter, my rag, my empathy face…" Xander says and he makes the face.

"Aren't you too young to be a bartender?" Willow asks.

"Au contraire, mon frere." Xander says.

"Frere means brother." Buffy says, not looking up.

"Mon girl-frere. Behold." Xander says and he slides a fake I.D. casually under Willow's nose.

"I don't believe this is entirely on the up and up." Willow says.

"What gives it away?" Xander asks.

"Looking at it." Willow says.

"Well, who's gonna see it anyway? Now, I'm the bartender! I kick people out!" Xander says.

"There's more to it than wiping and kicking." Buffy says. "Believe me I know. Or have you forgotten I own a club that sells alcohol."

Xander regards her - care to fill him in?

"Can you mix a drink?" Buffy asks.

"I've seen Cocktail. I can hippy hippy shake." Xander says.

Buffy closes her books. "Well, Xander, even if I had a pretend cigarette, I couldn't tell you my problems. Real ones have clogged up my headspace."

Xander taps his shoulder. "Then unload 'em right here, baby." He flicks the lighter, "Rough day? Wanna tell me about it?" Buffy glares at him. "Shutting up now."

"I'm pregnant by my step-brother who'd rather be with my best friend and left me with no place to live and no food, except for a bottle of Wild Turkey, which I drank all up." Willow says. Xander stares blankly at her - what the hell was that? "That was me, being tanked and friendless for ya."

"Gets my Oscar nod." Xander says.

"Class time." Buffy says as she and Willow get up to head for class, Xander walking with them.

"So, you gonna come by tonight? To the pub?" Xander says.

"Oz. Payson's P4. Date." Willow says.

"You know, it's probably just him, having trouble dealing, right? I mean, sometimes, guys keep the girls they really like inside these little deep-brain, fantasy bubbles where things are always perfect." Buffy says.

Xander's not following. "How's that fugue state coming along?"

"Parker." Willow says.

The look on Xander's face says 'oh, that', but at the same time, he softens, compassionate.

"So, maybe, I'm in his bubble. And pretty soon, he'll just realize he wants more than just Bubble-Buffy. And, he'll pop me out and we'll have dinner and stuff. Guys totally do that, right?" Buffy says.

"Buffy that is my best friend, you need to think about not Parker. He's no good. There are other men - better men - men wherein the mind is stronger than the penis." Willow says.

Xander's guffaws - naïve child! "Nothing can defeat the penis!" They glare at him. "Too loud, very unseemly."

"I'm sorry to be coarse, but I feel strongly on the subject of stinky Parker man." Willow says.

"But he can be really sweet. You know, I think he has intimacy issues, 'cause of his father dying –" Buffy says.

Willow holds up her hand, looking away imperiously. "Not interested. You get troubles, tell 'em to the bartender."

"That's right. 'Cause the bartender's always ready to listen." Xander says.

That evening at the college pub Xander is behind the bar, flailing like a drowning chicken. College kids surround him. Jukebox blaring. "What? WHAT?!"

"For the last time, a pitcher of BEER!" College kid says.

Xander nods. As he fills a pitcher… "Okay… You're a rum and coke, you're a Poker's Light… Vodka on the rocks and… A water? Is that right?"

They start yelling, frustrated.

"A Kidder's Gold Ale, A Peelee Lager, a glass of white wine and a daiquiri."

"Do I need to write it down for you? A glass of ice water, man. Simple request."

And Xander turns around, desperately trying to block them out. "Ice water - how do I make that?"

Buffy looks around from the door as she enters the pub. She sees Parker at a corner table, talking with the same Brunette from Psych class. Before much can register someone stands in her view. She moves to one side to see better, eyes on the spot Parker's in - and she thuds soundly into Riley, causing him to spill a bit of his soda.

"Whoah!" Riley says.

"Oh! Sorry." Buffy says.

"You know, most people go around. I'm not saying you CAN'T tunnel through me, I just think the other way's quicker." Riley says.

"In my defense, you take up a lot of space." Buffy says.

"I do. I'm ungainly. You looking for someone?" Riley asks.

Buffy is still keeping an eye out to see what Parker's up to. "Uh, no, I… saw Parker there…"

"Right, Parker and his latest conquest. That boy should have his attention span checked." Riley says.

"He's kind of a girl chaser, huh?" Buffy says.

Riley nods, "Sets 'em up and knocks 'em down. I guess maybe I'm old fashioned, but my father always says if you want to be a gentleman… you don't care even the slightest bit what my father says."

Buffy has been in her own world, still stealing glances towards Parker. "Sorry, what?"

"Forget about it. I got people waiting. I'll see you in class." Riley says, good-natured.

"Uh huh…" Buffy says and turns as she takes a step toward Parker's table, but stops dead in her tracks. Heart leaping into her throat.

Indeed Parker and the brunette are kissing now… and kissing, passionately, deeply, on and on.

Buffy swallows hard. Turns to look away. Fighting for a grip.

Xander at the bar, spying a pretty young sorority girl, Paula, sitting with three more sorority girls. Despite customers waiting, he makes a beeline for her. Flicks his lighter, cranks up the charm. "Rough day?"

Paula turns to face him, revealing she is chewing a swizzle stick, not smoking. But perky as all get out. "Nah, I've been super." Xander snaps his lighter off. "We accepted Melody's pledge and made her an official sister of Beta Delta Gamma. And, our pins arrived today. I designed them myself!" She pulls out her collar to show Xander.

"You are so sharp." Xander says.

Four male intellectuals arrive at the bar. Colm, the leader of the pack, puts his arm around Paula. His three buddies, Roy, Hunt, and Kip, pull in stools.

"Hey, Paula. Are you keeping this fine bartender from his duties? Man's got to earn a living." Colm says.

"S'alright." Xander says.

Colm leans a shoulder between Paula and Xander to exclude him. "So, the guys and I were celebrating about the…"

"No really, it's alright. I'm due for a break." Xander says.

"Oh. So, what were you discussing? Maybe we can all join." Colm says, annoyed.

Paula chuckles, "Oh be nice."

Sensing trouble, Xander backs off. "Hm, no, forget it."

"No, I rudely interrupted. And it sounds like you two were having quite the meeting of minds. Possibly debating the geo-political ramifications of bio-engineering? You have a take on that?" Colm says.

"I've got beer. Want some beer?" Xander says.

"Pitcher of Black Frost." Colm says as Xander pours. "See, I think we have a perfect venue here for conducting sociometry here. Bipolar continuum of attraction and rejection. Given your socio-economic statuses, I foresee a…" He indicates Paula and Xander respectively. "…"B" rejects "A" diad."

Chips of Xander's cool exterior begin to fall away.

"I'm sorry, let me clarify." Colm says as he leans in, whispers, "You see, we are this country's future. You keep the bowl of peanuts full. We are what these girls want." Xander stares, the pitcher full. "And four glasses."

"How about I see some I.D. first? 'Cause you're not getting a drop until I'm satisfied that –" Xander says.

"Just give 'em the beer." Jack, the owner, says.

Xander slides the beer to Colm who, with a victory-grin, grabs the pitchers and heads off, buddies in tow, leaving a ten on the bar.

Xander turns around, starts to wipe the bar again, but finds Buffy sitting there. Majorly hurt and humiliated. "Buffy?" Buffy looks at him. Red in the face. "Rough day?" She nods. "Want to tell me about it?"

Buffy nods again. Big breath, and… "It's just… Parker's problem with intimacy turns out to be that he can't get enough of it. And I knew that, I knew what he was, but… You know, if he were tied up and gagged and left in a cave that vampires HAPPENED to frequent that wouldn't really be like I killed him really…"

"Buffy…" Xander says.

"I'm a slut." Buffy says, teary-eyed.

"No." Xander says.

"A big, lecherous loser." Buffy says.

"No." Xander says.

"Hey!" Jack says as he smacks Xander on the arm, gets his attention. Jack motions he needs Xander over at the other end.

"Sorry. So sorry." Xander says and turns back to Buffy.

"I'm better. This has helped." Buffy says as she puts on a brave face.

Xander hesitates, but she forces a smile. "Don't go anywhere." He reluctantly turns and follows Jack down the bar.

Alone, Buffy's brave face falls away. Feeling lost and small, she gets off her stool and starts to leave. Not looking where she's going, bumps straight into Roy. Mug of beer in hand. "Sorry. I'm bumping into people today.

Colm and the rest of them arrive, sizing up the attractive, sad Buffy.

"I can't imagine anybody minding…" Roy says as he looks Buffy in the eye. Although she doesn't return his gaze, he can see she's in pain. "You're not thinking of leaving, are you? 'Cause we have a strict policy against you leaving. At least until you've had a drink."

Buffy manages a little smile.

"My friend's just saying, you shouldn't be alone and sad right now. You're a beautiful girl who should be covered with men." Colm says. "And could we be those men?"

Kip plunks a beer down on a table in front of Buffy. "It's on us."

Buffy eyes it. Then regards the guys surrounding her. In the distance, she sees Parker leaving with the brunette, holding hands. Her hesitancy transforms into why-the-hell-not. She nods, grasps the handle.

At Payson's P4 Oz is on stage playing. Willow watches from the bar.

Piper walks over to her handing Willow a coke, "Willow."

Willow doesn't take her eyes off Oz, "Yeah, Piper?"

"Have you seen Buffy tonight?" Piper asks.

Willow shakes her head, "Not since our last class. Why?"

"Just curious. I thought she was going to stop by on her way home. She probably decided to patrol tonight." Piper says.

"I thought Buffy didn't patrol alone anymore?" Willow says finally looking at Piper.

"We got lax about her not patrolling alone when Prue died. I think it kind of helps take her mind off it." Piper says.

Willow nods in understanding. "I know, you three are more than just her cousins. You're like her sisters. And when Prue died it hit Buffy hard, especially after losing her mom."

Piper nods, "I think in some ways it hit Buffy harder than any of us. She considered each of us, sisters. But Buffy looked up to Prue. Sometimes I think that Buffy thought of Prue as her hero. Maybe even a second mother." She notices Oz walking towards them. "Good set, Oz."

"Thanks." Oz says.

"I'll leave you two alone." Piper says.

"I'm sure she's fine, Piper." Willow says.

At the college pub the table of intellectuals has loosened up quite a bit.

"Chug! Chug! Chug!"

Buffy has the stein raised to her lips, going, going… A few empty pitchers of beer litter the table, a couple of full ones yet to be had. Buffy finishes her mug, belches indiscreetly.

Colm starts to refill her mug. "The thing the modern day pundits fail to realize is that all of the socioeconomic and psychological problems inherent in modern society can be solved by the judicious application of way too much beer."

"My mother always said that beer is evil." Buffy says.

"Evil, good, these are moral absolutes that predate the fermentation of malt and fine hops. See…where was I?" Colm says.

"I'm not really sure." Buffy says.

"Well, Thomas Aquinas said –" Kip says.

Roy shakes his head, "No! There will be no Thomas Aquinas at this table!"

"Keep your Theology of Providence to yourself, fatboy." Hunt says.

"I was just drawing a parallel to –" Kip says.

"Beer! Had the earliest morality been developed under the influence of beer there would be no good and evil. There would be "kinda nice" and "pretty cool". Everything would be different." Colm says.

"You guys just love to hear yourselves speak, don't you?" Buffy says, good-naturedly.

"We're losing her, guys…" Colm says.

Roy nods, "Say something interesting!"

"Well, tell us about yourself." Hunt says.

"Yeah. What do you like?" Colm says.

A beat, as Buffy tries to come up with somethiing. Finally she hoists her beer. "Well, I don't hate this, for a start."

A general clamor of approval as Buffy drinks a hefty sip.

Xander is at the bar, watching, worry increasing.

The next morning at the Manor, Buffy is sitting, in the living room. She is way to close to the TV watching a music video.

Piper walks down stairs heading for the kitchen and hears the TV. She turns and sees Buffy and makes her way towards Buffy, "Hey your up early."

"TV is a good thing. Bright colors, music… little tiny people." Buffy says.

Piper looks at Buffy and sees Buffy's eyes are red, half-shut. She has Big matted bedhead and is still in her wrinkly jammies.

"Buffy?" Piper says. "You look terrible."

"I'm suffering the after-ness of a bad night of badness." Buffy says.

Piper's eyes widen. Conclusion: sex. "You didn't! Not with Parker again."

"No, with five really smart guys." Buffy says.

"Five! Ow. Oh." Piper says with concern. "Oh, Buffy. Are you okay? Want to tell me about it?"

"I went to see Xander, but then I saw Parker and… then came beer." Buffy says.

Piper's eyes go wide, no wonder Buffy is acting the way she is. She's drunk or severely hung over. "Tell me that was all you did was drank."

"Of course. Just lots 'n lots 'o beer. It's nice. Foamy and comforting. It's beer." Buffy says.

Piper shakes her head, "Buffy maybe you should stay home from class today."

"Me have to go to class. Me have Professor Walsh. She say she throw me out if me miss class." Buffy says.

Piper sighs, "Okay. But Phoebe will go with you."

Buffy nods, "Okay." She heads for the door.

"But getting dressed would be a good idea." Piper says.

Oh. Buffy turns around. Still in her pajamas. Heads upstairs.

"Phoebe!" Piper says following Buffy.

Phoebe comes out of her room. "Yeah Piper."

"Would you go with Buffy. She got drunk last night because of Parker." Piper says.

"Oh, no." Phoebe says. "Yeah, I'll watch her."

Later Phoebe follows Willow and Buffy into Professor Walsh's classroom.

Professor Walsh stops her, "Excuse me. But you're not in this class."

Phoebe nods, "True, I'm Buffy's cousin, Phoebe Halliwell. Mind if we step outside to talk for a moment."

Professor Walsh nods and they go outside, "What's this about, Ms. Halliwell?"

Phoebe sighs, "Recently Buffy did as any college student might do and slept with a guy. Turns out he led Buffy on making her think he was interested in her for more than just sex. Well she's been in a funk of late because of it. And last night she went out and got drunk. Piper and I wanted to keep her home but she insisted on coming. Saying you would kick her out if she missed class. So the next best solution was for one of us to come with, watch her. Make sure she's okay."

Professor Walsh frowns, "I don't like excuses. Buffy is right though I would have kicked her out. It's only her fault she got drunk."

Phoebe nods, "I agree with you there."

"Good," Professor Walsh says. "You will watch from the door. If I tell you to get her out because she is disrupting my class. You get her out and she will not be allowed back in until she sobers up." She turns and walks back into the room.

Later at the front of the room, Professor Walsh addresses the students. Riley stands by, watches as Buffy wriggles in her seat. Short attention span.

Beside her, Willow regards her jacket, thrown on the empty seat she has saved for Oz.

"Now, next class, we'll be moving on to personality types and disorders. Those of you who've done the reading will already know…" Professor Walsh says as Buffy shoots her hand up. "Yes?"

"She read the… reading." Buffy says.

Professor Walsh glares at Phoebe.

The class erupts in a hushed giggle. It's not entirely lost on Buffy. Both she and Willow sink in their chairs, embarrassed. At the front, Riley frowns.

"Well then, she'll have some time on her hands. As I was saying…" Professor Walsh says.

Buffy cranes her neck up. Her nose twitches. Follows it until she spots a female student to her right, trying to hide her coffee and cold turkey sandwich lunch under her desk. Chewing slowly and discreetly.

"…We don't have time to cover it all in class. But it doesn't mean it's not worth knowing…" Professor Walsh says. Buffy licks her lips and the sandwich gets harder and harder to resist. "And it doesn't mean it won't be on the mid-term. Now, if I've been unclear in any way, speak now."

Buffy snatches the sandwich right from the girl's mouth. Stuffs it into her own.

"BUFFY!" Willow says pulling the sandwich back out. The girl regards Buffy like a retarded animal. "Buffy, are you okay?"

"Sure, why wouldn't I be?" Buffy says, dim and oblivious.

That evening Buffy pretends to be a sleep in her room as Phoebe watches her from the door.

Phoebe turns and walks across the hall and into her room.

"How is she?" Cole asks.

"A sleep. I can't believe she got drunk. Out of all of us I would have expected that I would have been the one to do that, not Buffy." Phoebe says.

Cole nods, "She'll be alright."

"I know, but still I worry." Phoebe says.

Cole smiles, "I wouldn't have expected any less of you. You love her like Prue, Piper, and even Paige. It is how she became a Charmed One, when she wasn't destined to be. In your heart she is your sister."

In Buffy's room she gets out of her bed, she is still dressed as she flames out.

Later at the college pub empty pitchers of beer litter the table. One of the guys finishes pouring one for Buffy. Likely not her first.

"S'good… good enough!" Buffy says.

"No more? But s'good." Colm says.

"Yeah. Foamy." Buffy says.

"You should come to our class on big thinking. S'good." Kip says.

Xander is watching, growing more and more concerned for Buffy. His mind's not on the job as a young woman pulls up a stool.

"Boy, I'm having the worst day…"

But Xander's way too distracted to seize the opportunity. She pulls out a cig…

"You got a light?"

Xander slowly and absentmindedly holds up a cardboard coaster with the no-smoking symbol on it, eyes always on Buffy. Lowers it again and pushes his rag down the bar, eyes still on Buffy.

Colm leans over to Buffy. Sniffing at her hair. "I like girls."

Buffy knocks him in the arm, playfully. "You're stupid!"

"No, you! Stupid!" Colm says.

"No, you stupid!" Roy says.

"Smelly head." Buffy says.

Roy sniffs Colm. Confirms it. Colm frowns, hits Roy harder in the arm.

Buffy drinks.

Xander walks over to a phone and dials.

"Halliwell Residence, Phoebe speaking." Phoebe says.

"Phoebe, it's Xander. Buffy's back here tonight." Xander says.

"Not possible, I checked her room she was asleep." Phoebe says.

Xander shakes his head, "Well she gave you the slip, Phoebe. She's here and getting drunk again."

"Alright, I'll be right down."

Later the place is quiet. Xander's cleaning up, listening to Buffy, Roy and Colm engage in a fun shoving match.

"You stupid." Colm says.

"No, you stupid." Roy says.

"No, you." Buffy says.

Xander finishes wiping the counter. Moves over to the jukebox. Slips in a quarter and makes a selection. MUSIC fills the room.

"Hey!" Buffy says and she gets up and moves to the jukebox. Studying it carefully. Slaps it with the back of her hand. "It sings!" Phoebe walks in and sees Xander marching over to Buffy. "Like it."

Xander sees Phoebe and nods, "Time to go home, Buffy. Phoebe's here for you."

"Want more singing. Want more… beer." Buffy says.

Phoebe walks over to Xander and Buffy, "No. Xander's cut you off."

"Did it hurt?" Buffy asks.

"Come on." Phoebe says.

Buffy motions back to her table of friends, but Phoebe takes her by the arm. "No. Like beer. Beer…good."

"No, beer bad. Bad, bad beer. What the hell am I saying? Phoebe take her home and get her back to bed." Xander says as he opens the door for them.

"Say bye." Buffy says.

"Bye." Xander says.

"Bye." Buffy says, pouty.

Phoebe shakes her head as she leads Buffy out, "Please tell me you didn't drive here."

"Me flame." Buffy says.

Later back at the Manor Phoebe is downstairs with Xander and Giles.

"I cut her off before the others. I don't think she had as much to drink." Xander says.

Piper walks in the front door, "What's the emergency?"

"I can't believe you served Buffy that beer." Giles says.

"She was back at the pub?" Piper asks.

Phoebe nods, "Yeah and quite drunk. But that's not the worse part of it."

"I didn't know it was evil!" Xander says.

"You knew it was beer…" Giles says.

"Evil?" Piper asks.

Phoebe sighs, "Beer was cursed. Drink enough of it and the person who drank it turns into a Cro-Magnon."

"Well excuse me Mr. I-Spent-the-60's -in-an-electric-koolaid-funky-satan-groove." Xander says as they make their way up the stairs to Buffy's room.

"Early seventies and you should both know better." Giles says.

Piper nods, "Giles is right, Xander. You should never have served her in the first place. Of course how did you get the job anyways?"

Xander sighs, "Fake I.D. Anyways , I'm not the dad of her. Buffy's a grown up, and she's intelligent enough to –"

Piper throws open the door to Buffy's room and sees Buffy crouching on her bed. Drawing with make-up on her wall. Hair tousled to near dredness, make-up smudging her face. Dumb as a stone. But thank God not a neanderthal. Or naked. She wears baggy, earth-tone clothes: sweatpants and a tank top.

Buffy turns to them, brow furrowed, to explain what she's doing. "Parker bad!" She's drawing depicts primitive human figures, clearly a man and a woman. She hits the man with her "paint", crossing him out.

Piper shakes her head, "Xander, good going."

Moments later Buffy is sitting upside down on a chair, giggling.

"Fascinating, really." Giles says.

"How so?" Piper asks. "Not only is Buffy drunk but she's cursed."

"Jack said as long as she didn't drink anymore she would revert back to normal in a day or two." Xander says.

"Thank goodness for small miracles," Phoebe says.

Buffy lifts a leg, loses balance and falls off the chair, frowning at the pain. She stands, moves to the TV. Stares at it. It's off. "Want people. Where people go?"

"The… TV… is… off." Giles says.

"WANT! Want people!" Buffy says as she smacks the TV screen with the back of her hand.

"Well, at least she doesn't seem to be in any immediate danger. Maybe Xander should just stay with her. While Piper, Phoebe and I…" Giles says.

Buffy sidles up to Xander, "Boy smell nice."

"Or perhaps Piper or Phoebe." Giles says.

Piper nods, "Phoebe maybe you can stay with her?"

Phoebe nods, "Sure."

Piper nods, "I'll get Paige back and we'll go with you Giles."

"Yeah, I think we need to track down the funboys somewhat pronto. Jack said the beer wouldn't wear off till –" Xander says.

Buffy's face lights up. "Beer! Want beer!"

Piper shakes her head, "You can't have beer –"

"Want beer." Buffy says.

"Piper, don't make caveslayer unhappy…" Xander says.

"Buffy strong." Buffy says.

Xander nods, "Yes, Buffy strong."

"Buffy want beer." Buffy says.

Phoebe shakes her head, "No, Buffy get –"

And like lightning, Buffy bolts from the room, knocking over Giles and Xander.

BAM - Giles hits his head on the dresser.

"Freeze her." Phoebe says.

"I can't she's still a witch, Phoebe. She won't freeze." Piper says.

"Giles…" Xander says.

"I'm fine. Get her." Giles says.

"Leo!" Piper says and Leo orbs in.

"Can you sense Buffy?" Piper asks.

Leo closes his eyes and sighs shaking his head, "No. What happened?"

"She drank some beer that was cursed." Phoebe says motioning towards the drawings. She touches one and has a premonition. Willow trapped with Parker and three Cro-Magnon boys.

"What did you see?" Piper asks.

"Willow trapped with Parker on campus. The building was burning down around them. Three more of Xander's customers were there. Fully changed." Phoebe says.

Giles nods, "Could you tell where?"

"It wasn't the pub. Maybe one of the student unions?" Phoebe says.

Giles nods, "We'll split up. Xander and I will check one side of campus while you two check the other. We'll meet in the middle."

Leo nods, "Be quicker if I orb you all there." They nods and Leo orbs them all out.

Later on campus Piper and Phoebe are running along a path.

"Buffy!…Buffy!…" Piper calls as they cuts across a wooded area. They emerge from the trees to see Buffy looking around, confused - lost in the woods.

"Buffy there you are." Phoebe says.

Buffy stops. Sniffs. She looks a short distance off, her nose leading her. Piper and Phoebe follows her line of sight.

"The fire," Piper says.

"Willow." Phoebe says.

"Fire…bad!" Buffy says and she kicks into a sprint. Piper and Phoebe take off after Buffy, who's already well ahead of them.

Buffy arrives at the door to the Grotto. Smoke billows out from cracks between the objects used to barricade everyone inside. Buffy BUSTS through the barricade only to be driven back by the intense flames.

Beyond the barricade, Willow stirs. Slowly comes to, then quickly takes in her surroundings. Through the smoke, she catches only glimpses of the Cro-Mags in their frenzied state of fear.

Buffy spots a fire extinguisher on the wall. Rips it from its bracket. Holds the extinguisher in front of her a beat, thinking hard - how does this work? - then throws it straight into the fire.

She pauses, hopeful. Didn't help. She looks at the fire, determined to beat it. And she moves straight into it. Reaching in first with a hand. "AAHOOWW!"

Buffy jolts back from it, frightened and hurt, holding her hand.

Then, something catches her eye. It's Willow coughing, lying on the floor, weak. A wall of flame between them. She sees Buffy, too. "Buffy…"

Buffy's face sets with determination. Without hesitation she leaps off a chair, straight through the flames - lands with a tuck and a roll, at Willow's side.

Outside Phoebe and Piper runs up. Terrible flames and smoke now visible from outside. There's obviously no way in. Piper freezes the flames and they quickly jump in the hole Buffy went through.

There's a great wall of flames between Piper and Phoebe and everyone else. Nobody's getting through now.

"Buffy!" Piper says.

Nothing but the load ROAR of the fire. Phoebe goes immediately to the empty wall bracket from which Buffy plucked the fire extinguisher. Looks back at the fire, takes a second to feel the gravity of the situation before coughing as she and Piper turns to go back outside.

Buffy grabs Willow and pulls her up. All the Cro-Mags have noticed the new girl in the mix. They advance on Buffy and Willow, still in their frenzied state.

With one hand, Buffy grabs a table leg and beats off the Cro-Mags. With the other, she pulls Willow away from the fire. The Cro-Mags back off. Buffy trips over the unconscious Parker, lying on the floor. She stops a beat to watch him in this vulnerable state. Conflicted. But a sudden screech by one of the Cro-Mags jolts her out of it.

The Cro-Mags begin to climb the walls - literally, to escape the licking flames.

Buffy stops, watching the flames. How can she get over them? "Bad, bad, bad…"

Amazingly, she jumps straight up, grabbing pipe that runs along the ceiling. Like a monkey, she swings from pipe to pipe. She makes it to a window - swings and grabs pipe with her legs, swings and grabs window grating with her hands. Rips it off and hurls it through the window, smashing it.

Buffy drops and crosses to Willow, who is just waking up.

The cavemen see the open window, shove furniture towards it and climb nimbly out.

Buffy helps Willow up, moves her to the window - slamming a croboy out of the way as she helps Willow out.

Outside Willow climbs out coughing. Piper has frozen the two cavemen who are out with her and Phoebe.

Phoebe sees Willow and she helps her up. The rest of the people, two girls and a caveman, are climbing out to safety. Piper freezes the other caveman.

"Are you alright." Phoebe asks.

"Buffy's still in there…" Willow says.

Inside Parker is now conscious. Panicky. "Oh God…" From the ceiling, Buffy drops down and squats in front of Parker. "Help me… I can't breathe…"

Buffy cocks her head, not understanding, but knowing enough to…

"Buffy, what do we do, oh God…" Parker says.

SLAM! Buffy knocks him out cold with one of the Cro-Mags clubs. Then gently, she moves him into position and slings him over her shoulder -

Later the Grotto is a sooty, soggy mess. Ambulances, fire engines and a couple of police cars angled about the scene. Various EMTs give the sorority girls oxygen. Fire fighters mill about, their jobs mostly finished now.

Willow is seated, an EMT walking away from her. Buffy sits with a concerned expression, running her hand through Willow's hair - and picking something out and eating eat. Piper and Phoebe watch with an amused expression.

Xander approaches. "You guys had enough fun for one night?"

"Yes please." Willow says.

"Tired." Buffy says.

Xander nods, "And was there a lesson in all this? What have we learned about beer?"

"Foamy." Buffy says.

Xander shakes his head, "Good. Just as long as we're clear."

They rise, start heading off. Buffy trailing her club along the ground.

"Anyway, I think the boys are contained for the time being." Xander says. "Thanks to you anyways Piper. I managed to get them secured."

Inside a minivan, each of the remaining Cro-Mags Colm, Hunt and Kip. Not sitting on the seats, just crouching, fiddling with the knobs, grappling with the concept of "glass".

"They'll figure out how to work the door locks when the effect has worn off. And they'll just think they had too much beer. Which is surely close enough." Xander says.

"Whose van is that?" Piper asks.

Xander shrugs, "I dunno. Wasn't locked."

"Payson!" Parker says.

Buffy spins, sees Parker approaching. Xander and Willow let her take a few steps toward Parker, hang back discreetly. Piper and Phoebe flank Buffy. Cautiously, sincerely, Parker begins…

"Payson. I… I don't know how to say this. I'm sorry for how I treated you before. It was wrong of me, and… I'm sorry." Parker says. "And, you were great tonight. Really. I may not deserve this, but… Do you think, you could… forgive me?"

Buffy regards him. More emotion than coherent thought on her face. He seems honest. Then she moves to hit him with the club.

Piper grabs for the club and takes it out of Buffy's hand. "Mr. Abrams. If you ever come near Buffy again…"

Parker nods, "I understand, Mrs. Halliwell." He turns and leaves.


	87. Chapter 87: Black as Cole

**Q/A - Buffy Anne Halliwell - **I had forgotten about Paige and her hangover cures when I was working on Beer Bad. Of course I forgot about Paige entirely in that chapter. She should have been there when Xander told them that the beer had been cursed.

* * *

**Chapter 87: Black as Cole**

Buffy, Piper and Paige are up in the attic. Piper is pacing, while Buffy and Paige look through both Book of Shadows.

"A demon who likes to kill witches. Well, that narrows it down to about every page in the book." Paige says.

"We have one clue. We know he likes to use an athame." Piper says.

"How does that help?" Paige asks.

"Well, it means he has hands. Keep flipping." Piper says.

"So I hear you and Leo are thinking about having a baby." Paige says.

Buffy keeps her mouth closed. She knew Phoebe's big mouth could get her in trouble sometimes. Who knew how many times Phoebe had told stuff to Prue that Buffy had told Phoebe in confidence.

"Where did you hear that from?" Piper asks looking at Buffy.

Buffy shakes her head, "Don't look at me."

Paige shrugs. "From Phoebe." Piper rolls her eyes. "Oh, did I just break some sort of sister confidentiality clause?"

Piper shakes her head, "No, you didn't, and no we aren't."

"Really? Don't you want to? Not to be nosey but I'm going to be an aunt and all." Paige says.

Piper sighs. "You're not going to be an aunt, all right? At least not any time soon, it's too risky. It would be in constant danger around us."

"As much as I want to be Auntie Buffy. Piper's right, our lives are just too dangerous right now for kids." Buffy says.

"What does Leo think?" Paige asks.

"Leo thinks that there's enough magic around here we'd be able to protect it." Piper says.

"Maybe he's right." Paige says.

Buffy thinks about it for a moment. Maybe Leo is right. Since there is four Charmed Ones now. That means they were better able to protect each other than when there was three Charmed Ones and the Charmed Slayer.

"Maybe he's not. Keep flipping." Piper says.

Paige nods, "I'm flipping." She flips a couple of pages and stops. "You know, it's not like having a baby isn't hard enough even without demons attacking. But for what it's worth, there are ways of seeing what it's like before you actually have one."

"Mm-hmm, great. Well, the next time you pass a baby rental, pick one up for Leo." Piper says.

Paige smiles, "Maybe I will."

Leo orbs in, frightening Piper. "So did you find anything out?"

Buffy nods, "Yeah, Piper scryed for the location of the demon using the slime from the last victim, and Phoebe and Cole are checking it out."

"Alright, well, I hope that it pans out because with two dead witches they're pretty concerned up there." Leo says.

"Okay, well, we are pretty concerned down here too." Piper says.

"Hey, I think I found something. "Upper level demon who likes to kill witches using an athame, sometimes with energy balls…" His name, Belthazor." Paige says.

Buffy, Piper and Leo look at each other and back at Paige.

"No." Buffy says.

"I don't think so." Leo says.

"Why not?" Paige asks.

"That's Cole," Buffy says. "That's what he changes into when in his demonic form."

"You knew he was half demon." Piper says.

Paige nods, "Yeah, but I didn't know he could turn into that."

The phone rings. Piper answers it. "Hello?"

"We're at Battery and Clay but there's no sign of any demons." Phoebe says.

Piper sighs, "Okay, I'll scry for him again. Talk to Paige." She hands Paige the phone.

"Hey Phoebe. How's Cole? Morphed into any demons lately?" Paige asks.

"Paige!" Buffy says. She takes the phone from Paige. "Sorry about that Pheebs. Paige saw the Belthazor page. And we were explaining about that being Cole's other form."

"Oh." Phoebe says.

Piper scrys and the crystal points to a place on the map. "Battery and Clay. He's still there."

"Piper says he's still there." Buffy says.

"Okay," Phoebe says. "Thanks, Buffy."

Later Phoebe and Cole walk in from the front door, covered in slime.

"Don't you think we should talk about this?" Cole asks.

"Talk about what?" Phoebe asks.

Buffy comes down the stairs. "Wow, looks like you two got a juicy one."

"Yeah, but unfortunately not the one that kills witches." Phoebe says.

Buffy sighs, "How do you know?"

"Because upper level demons have a human form, and they bleed, red, not green." Cole says as Phoebe heads up the stairs. "Where are you going?"

"I'm going up to take a shower first, and then I'm going to check the Book of Shadows. I wanna I.D. this demon that I'm wearing, try to find some answers." Phoebe says.

"Speaking of unanswered questions…" Cole says.

"There is a demon on the loose, Cole, we don't have time for this." Phoebe says.

"Shouldn't we make time for it?" Cole asks.

"No, not now we shouldn't." Phoebe says.

"What are you guys talking about?" Buffy asks.

"Nothing." Phoebe and Cole says.

"Please, Cole, let's just focus on vanquishing the demon." Phoebe says.

"Fine. I'll, uh, go see what I can find out." Cole says and he shimmers out.

"Honey, did you two have a fight?" Buffy asks.

Phoebe shakes her head, "No, he just… never mind." She walks up the stairs.

Later in the attic Phoebe has the Book of Shadows open to the black and green demon. "Okay, so the demon that Cole and I nailed is a Scavenger demon. Apparently he feeds on the remains of other demons victims. Nice, huh?"

"Well, that explains why we scryed for him accidentally." Piper sats.

Phoebe continues to flip through the book.

"Hey are you gonna tell me what happened out there?" Buffy says.

"Happened?" Piper asks. "Something happened?"

Phoebe sighs, "There's not much to tell. The demon jumped in behind us…"

"That's not what I mean. What happened between you and Cole?" Buffy says.

"Oh, yeah, that. Um…I'm not exactly sure. He asked me to marry him." Phoebe says.

"What? He-he did what? He did?" Piper says, shocked.

Phoebe nods, "More or less."

"Well, what did you say?" Buffy asks.

"I didn't know what to say. I was too surprised. I mean, with all my power of premonition and I never saw that one coming." Phoebe says.

"Uh, wow, I-I don't think a witch is allowed to marry a demon. Honey, we can't have a demon in the family." Piper says.

"You say that now after I was dating a vampire." Buffy says.

"Piper, that is the least of my concerns right now." Phoebe says.

Piper sighs, "Well, don't kid yourself. If you decide to go through with this, it's gonna be a source of huge concerns. Especially for them." She points up. "Just as I am sure it would have been for you Buffy if you had continued with Angel."

Buffy sighs, "I know."

"I have to be concerned with my own concerns." Phoebe says as Buffy and Piper sits down next to her. "I love Cole, you two know I do, but demon stuff aside, I never thought of myself as the marrying type. You know, it's not something I fantasised about. Ever."

"So then, what are you gonna tell him?" Piper asks.

Phoebe shrugs, "I don't know."

"Well, you're gonna have to tell him something because a question like that doesn't go away by itself." Piper says.

"Are you sure?" Phoebe asks.

Piper nods, "Yeah, I'm pretty sure."

They laugh as Cole shimmer in. "Hey."

Phoebe smiles, "Hey."

Buffy smiles, "Hey, Cole. We'll be downstairs. Come on, Piper." She and Piper get up and leave the room.

Downstairs Paige is holding onto a plastic baby. A crying noise is coming out of it.

"You got a baby?" Piper asks.

"You told me to rent one, so I did." Paige says.

Buffy shakes her head, "She didn't think that you could. Where did you get it, anyways?"

"The clinic." Paige says.

"Great. Take it back." Piper says.

Phoebe and Cole walk in.

"What's going on?" Phoebe asks.

Paige smiles, "Piper and Leo wanted to try out having a baby before actually having one, so I got them a mechanical baby. They use them in parenting classes all the time."

"Wow, it sounds so real." Phoebe says.

"And so annoying. Look, Paige, I appreciate the thought, but we are on a demon hunt and the last thing I want to do is protect a fake baby." Piper says.

"Oh, really?" Paige asks as she throws it up in the air. Piper freezes it. "See? Your instincts were to save it."

"My instincts were to shut it up." Piper says.

"The doll has a sensor. It'll stop crying if you just hold it." Paige says.

"But I don't want to." Piper says.

"Come on, just try it. If it doesn't work I will take it back, I promise." Paige says.

Piper sighs. She unfreezes the baby and catches it.

Phoebe puts her arms around Piper. "Okay, now you just rock it gently." She helps Piper rock it.

"Phoebe? I know how to hold a baby, that is not the issue, thank you." Piper says as Phoebe lets go.

"Just give it a shot. What have you got to lost?" Paige says.

"How about some sleep." Buffy says.

Leo orbs in. "Another witch has been killed."

"Oh, no." Phoebe says.

Leo nods, "Yeah, the police found her body at the Canon Theatre."

"Well, we should go there and see what we can find out." Buffy says.

Phoebe nods, "We've gotta call Morris on the way. Make sure he can get us in." She looks to Cole. "And no you can not come. Someone might recognise you from when you posed as a DA."

"I don't get to go anywhere anymore." Cole says.

"You were a demon and a lawyer? Insert joke here." Paige says.

Buffy shakes her head, "Paige, now's not the time."

"Where'd you get it?" Leo asks, laughing.

"It's Paige's." Piper says.

Paige shakes her head, "No, it's yours. You need to figure it out." She leaves.

"Yeah, daddy." Piper says as she gives him the baby. "Figure it out. Excuse me." She leaves.

Leo looks at it. It continues to cry. He goes over to Cole and gives him a look.

Cole shakes his head, "Don't look at me." He walks away.

Leo looks at Buffy who shakes her head.

"Sorry, Leo. Your out of luck. I don't know the first thing about babies. Only child, remember. Besides…"

"Buffy, you coming?" Piper calls.

"Coming." Buffy says.

Later Darryl, Buffy, Piper, Phoebe and Paige walk in the alley.

"Look, I can't guarantee much this time. Just promise me you'll stay on the fringe." Darryl says.

"We promise." Phoebe says.

"So what do we know?" Paige asks.

"Man called 911 from that pay phone, reported he found a body." Darryl says.

Piper sees black scorch marks on the wall. "Looks like she wasn't the only victim. Scorch mark. Definitely demonic. Looks like one of Cole's, actually."

"Don't you mean Belthazor?" Paige says.

"Paige!" Buffy says. "Now is really not the time."

"Oh, it's too bad Cole can't check it out. He'd probably be able to tell us who did it. Is anyone from the DA office here?" Phoebe says.

Darryl points to a man. "Yeah, that guy over there's an ADA. He's interviewing one of the victim's friends. They also found this on the victim." He pulls out the necklace the witch was wearing.

"Triple crescent." Paige says.

"Yeah, does this mean something to you?" Darryl asks.

Paige nods, "I studied it in one of Piper's quizzes. It's an ancient wiccan symbol, a cousin to the triquetra."

Piper nods, "Could be the mark of a coven."

"A coven someone's trying to wipe out. We have to figure out who else is in it." Phoebe says.

Piper nods, "Maybe the victim's friend."

"Only one way to find out." Buffy says.

"Buffy, fringe, okay?"

"Fringe," Buffy says.

"And she hadn't complained about any disgruntled friends, co-workers, ex-boyfriends?" ADA asks.

Woman shakes her head, "No. Carrie was a beautiful person, everyone loved her."

ADA takes a business card out and hands it to her. "If you think of anything else at all, please, don't hesitate to call."

Woman nods. He walks away. She starts to walk away.

Buffy comes up to her. "I like your necklace."

"Do I know you?" Woman asks.

Buffy shakes her head, "No, but you might know of me and my family." She whispers in the woman's ear. "The Charmed Ones. You and Carrie were in the same coven?"

Woman nods, "Yes."

"And your mark is the triple crescent." Buffy says and she touches the necklace and has a premonition of a Belthazor look-a-like, stabbing this woman.

"What is it? Are you alright?" Woman asks.

Phoebe, Piper and Paige race over to Buffy.

"What happened? What did you see?" Piper asks.

"The demon. He's after her." Buffy says.

"Where?" Phoebe asks.

"Uh... By the steps in some park. I think it was like an old amphitheatre or something." Buffy says.

"I know that. That's in Stanley Arboreta. I walk past it everyday on the way to work." Woman says.

"What did the demon look like?" Paige asks.

Buffy looks at Phoebe and hesitates.

"Well?" Piper asks.

"Your going to hate me, Pheebs. A little like Belthazor. Not exactly like him, just similar." Buffy says.

The ADA walks over to them. "What the hell is going on here? This is a murder investigation. Who are these people?"

"I'll get rid of them. Come on, ladies, move along. First time I ask nicely." Darryl says.

"We're going, mister." Piper says.

They all leave.

The next morning Buffy, Piper, Phoebe, Paige and the woman (Susan) are walking along in the park.

"I don't understand. If you know the demon is meant to attack here, shouldn't we go someplace else?" Susan says.

Piper shakes her head, "Not if we want to get rid of him for good."

"Power of three spell?" Paige asks.

Buffy shakes her head, "No, the only way to vanquish an upper level demon is with the potion of his own flesh."

"Sounds like you've done this before." Paige says.

Phoebe nods, "Once. On my fiancé."

"Your fiancé?" Paige asks.

Phoebe nods, "Yeah, I just wanted to hear how it sounded."

"And?" Piper and Buffy asks.

"Kinda weird." Phoebe says.

Piper nods, "Yeah."

"Wait, wait, wait, back up. Did you say you once tried to vanquish Cole?" Paige says.

"No, Belthazor, there's a difference." Phoebe says.

"Is there?" Paige asks.

They stop walking.

Buffy nods, "Yes there is, Paige. Okay, let's review. I play decoy, demon attacks. Piper freezes, you slice and dice until we get the demon sushi. And then we get out of there. Everybody ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be." Paige says.

Paige takes a knife out of her purse.

"Okay, I'm gonna need your coat and your hat." Buffy says and Susan takes off her hat and coat and hands them to Buffy. "Oh, and your necklace."

Susan takes off her necklace and gives it to Phoebe.

"Uhm, Buffy." Phoebe says. "One problem with you doing it."

"What?" Buffy says.

Phoebe points to Buffy's wrist where the tattoo of the triquetra is. "If he sees that he's going to know your not her."

Buffy nods, "Ok change of plans. Phoebe will be decoy. And I'll flame Susan out of here."

Piper nods, "Good thinking."

Buffy hands the coat, hat and necklace to Phoebe. "Where should I take her?"

"Well you can't take her home." Phoebe says.

"How about to my old loft, it's not rented out yet." Paige says.

"Alright." Buffy says and then she walks over to Susan, taking her hand and flames out.

"Okay, we gotta do this fast because this demon won't stay frozen for long. Ready?" Piper says and Paige nods. "Let's go."

Moments later Phoebe is walking through the path by herself. Piper and Paige are looking through some bushes.

The demon shimmers in behind Phoebe. "Hello, witch."

"Goodbye..." Phoebe says as she spins around. "Demon."

The demon runs for her with his athame. Phoebe flips him over and Piper and Paige come out of the bushes. A woman runs out and throws a dagger at the demon. The demon shimmers out and the dagger hits a tree.

"I had him." Woman says.

"Who the hell are you?" Piper asks.

Back at the Manor Piper, Phoebe, Paige, Cole and the woman are there.

The woman is holding the dagger. "He used this to kill my fiancé. It's a ceremonial knife. The demon left it behind after the struggle. I've been hunting for the last year and a half. It's all I care about."

"May I?" Cole asks.

The woman look at him and then at Piper and Phoebe. They nod and she hands the dagger to Cole.

"Look familiar?" Phoebe asks.

"He looked familiar to me." Paige says.

"I meant the athame." Phoebe says.

Cole nods, "It's one used by the brotherhood."

"Emma, do you know why the demon wanted to kill your fiancé?" Piper asks.

"Because Andrew was a witch." Emma says.

"Are you a witch too?" Piper asks.

Emma shakes her head, "No. But after Andrew died, I studied his books and devoted myself to the craft."

"To continue his work?" Piper asks.

"To track down his killer." Emma says.

"And you just happened to be in the park at the same time the demon was going to attack Susan?" Paige asks.

Emma nods, "I know his MO. I know when he kills a witch, he goes after the entire coven."

"You've taught yourself well. But still, if we hadn't come along we would have lost you both." Piper says.

"Vengeance empowers me." Emma says.

Cole shakes his head, "But it won't save you. Your desire for revenge is keeping you from the truth. You want the demon vanquished, my advice is to stand back and let the Charmed Ones handle it."

"This is my fight." Emma says.

Cole nods, "Then you shall lose it."

"Cole's right. You should trust us. Trust that we want the same thing you do." Phoebe says.

"It's just, his face has haunted me ever since Andrew died. It's the face of pure evil. I can't let him get away." Emma says.

"Why don't you scry for him again while we prepare the vanquishing potion. Once we get a piece of his flesh, he's dust." Piper says.

"We'll get him. I swear we'll get him." Phoebe says.

The baby cries from the other room.

"Ignore that." Piper says.

Paige hits her lightly. "Piper!"

"Alright. Excuse me." Piper says as she leaves the room. "Leo!"

"She has a baby?" Emma asks.

"Actually, she's not sure yet." Paige says.

"Hm." Emma says.

Buffy and Susan are at Paige's old loft.

"How much longer do you think I'll have to stay here?" Susan asks.

"Well, I'd have to talk to your Leo or Whitelighter but my instincts tell me that everyone in your coven should break the routine until the threat is over." Buffy says.

Susan's phone rings. "Excuse me." She answers it. "Hello?"

"Ms. Coleman, this is the assistant district attorney Sikes."

"Who is it?" Buffy asks.

"ADA. Uh, I'm sorry, yes, hi." Susan says.

"I'm calling because I've received new evidence and I'd like to talk to you about it if that's alright." Sikes says.

"Uh, okay, when?" Susan asks.

"Can you come over to the office now?" Sikes asks.

"He wants me to come in." Susan says.

"No," Buffy says.

"You know as well as I that if I don't that it'll look suspicious." Susan says.

Buffy sighs, "Okay."

"Alright, I'll be there." Susan says.

"I'll be waiting." Sikes says.

At the Manor Emma is scrying. Phoebe and Cole are sitting on a chair looking through the Book of Shadows.]

"I-I feel the crystal pulling, he's still in the area." Emma says.

"Well, I can't find him in the book anywhere." Phoebe says.

"Did you notice how he vanished? Did he smoke out, flame out?" Cole asks.

"Actually, he shimmered, like Belthazor." Phoebe says.

"Wait, I think I found him." Emma says.

"Where?" Phoebe asks.

"He's at, uh, Prescott and..." Emma says.

"Pine." Phoebe says.

"How'd you know?" Emma asks.

"That's where we are." Phoebe says.

"Wait, he's here in the house?" Emma asks.

"I'll go check upstairs. You find your sisters, get ready." Cole says.

At the District Attorney's office, Buffy and Susan exit the elevator.

"Hello?" Susan says.

Sikes comes out of his office. "Ah, Ms. Coleman. Who's this?"

"I'm a friend. Is it a problem?" Buffy says.

Sikes shakes his head, "No, no, no problem at all. Um, why don't you just wait over there and uh, I'll let you know when it's over." Buffy looks at Susan not liking the situation one bit. She reluctantly sits down. "Right this way." He takes Susan in his office and shuts the door. Buffy sees the shadow demon go under the door.

Inside the office Sikes pushes Susan against the door and holds up his athame. Buffy flames in and knocks Sikes out. She then flames out with Susan.

At the manor Cole runs down the stairs. "Phoebe?" Phoebe races in. "He's not upstairs."

"He's not downstairs either." Phoebe says.

Buffy flames in with Susan.

"It's the ADA." Buffy says.

"Sikes?" Phoebe asks.

Buffy nods, "He tried to kill Susan, I don't know if he followed us here or not."

Sikes shimmers in.

"Watch out!" Phoebe says as Sikes throws an energy ball at them. They duck. Cole throws an energy ball at Sikes. "Take her upstairs."

Buffy and Susan run up the stairs.

"You're gonna have to do better than that." Sikes says as he changes into his demon form. Piper, Paige and Emma run in.

Piper freezes him. "Hurry, slice him." Paige runs over with a knife. She pulls a face. "Oh, Paige, just do it. This is no time to be squeamish."

Paige slices a piece of flesh off his arm. It drops on the floor and she picks it up. "Got it."

Sikes unfreezes and hits Paige. Phoebe goes over to her. Sikes throws an energy ball and Cole pushes Piper and Emma out of the way. The energy ball hits the fake baby on the table. Cole turns into Belthazor.

"Belthazor, we meet at last." Sikes says.

"But not for long." Belthazor says.

They each throw an energy ball and it hits together. The house shakes.

"We'll finish this later." Sikes says and he shimmers out.

"Is everybody okay?" Piper asks as she and Emma stand up.

"I'm okay. Emma?" Phoebe asks.

Emma frowns, "He's not the demon who killed my fiancé." She points to Belthazor. "He is." Belthazor turns back into Cole. "He's a killer. What's the matter with you people?"

"Emma, I know you're upset but you have to understand." Piper says.

"Let go of me." Emma says.

"You're making a huge mistake. He's not who you think he is." Phoebe says.

"He's the demon who killed my fiancé and that is all I need to know." Emma says as she pushes her way to the table.

"Whoa, whoa, hey!" Piper says.

Emma grabs the dagger and throws it at Cole. He catches it before it stabs him. "How can you protect a murderer? How can you live with yourself?" She storms out of the house.

"Is she right? Are you the one who killed him?" Paige asks.

Phoebe shakes her head, "Honey, now's not the time, we need to worry about Sikes. We got what we need, you guys work on the vanquishing potion."

Paige grabs the flesh and she and Piper head for the kitchen.

"We need to talk." Phoebe says.

In the kitchen Piper and Paige are making the potion. The table is covered in herbs and ingredients.

"Okay, we just need the pigs feet, over there by the mandrake root." Piper says.

"Poor piggy, piggy. They're sensitive creatures, you know. Smart too." Paige says.

"Yeah, not that one." Buffy says as she walks into the kitchen.

Paige puts the pig feet in the potion and flames shoot up.

"Okay, so all we need to do is drop in the Sikes flesh." Piper and Buffy gradually steps away from the potion. "Right, just drop it in."

Paige adds the flesh and the potion explodes. Paige falls to the ground. Piper giggles. "You did that on purpose didn't you?"

"Yeah, she did." Buffy says.

Piper helps Paige up. "Yeah, it happened to me last year. No substitute for experience." She looks to Buffy. "Where's Susan?"

"With, Leo." Buffy says. "I figured you could use the extra firepower."

Cole races in. "You girls alright?"

Piper nods, "Yeah, just doing a little sisterly bonding, that's all. Where's Phoebe? The potion will be ready in a couple of minutes."

"Yeah, she wanted to talk to Emma, explain things." Cole says.

"Good luck." Paige says.

Cole frowns, "Look, I don't need the guilt from you, okay, I've got enough of my own to deal with."

"What, and you think that covers it? What you did?" Paige says.

"Paige, don't." Buffy says.

"Don't what, Buffy? He killed a man, are you condoning that?"

Buffy shakes her head, "No, of course not. But it's just not that simple. He can't change the past and you've seen how much good he's helped us to do. That's who he is now and we've accepted that."

"If you say so." Paige says.

"Thank you, Buffy. Do you want me to help you find Sikes?" Cole says.

"Can you?" Piper asks.

Cole nods, "If he's still emulating me, all I have to do is figure out what I'd do next."

"Which would be...?" Buffy asks.

"Go after the Charmed Ones." Cole says.

"Oh, that's nice." Paige says.

"First I'd have to regroup somewhere. Tend to my cut." Cole says.

"The mausoleum?" Piper asks.

Cole nods, "Except Sikes will anticipate that. He'll be expecting you to come after him which means he'll be probably be lying in wait. Maybe set up some kind of trap."

"One that you can identify." Buffy says and Cole nods. "So let's go."

"Wait, don't we need Phoebe?" Paige says.

Piper shakes her head, "No, all we need is this." She holds up the viles of potion. "Besides, it's better to keep Emma away from the action." Leo walks in with the baby. It has scorch marks on it and is crying strangely. "Oh, honey, what happened?"

"Sikes. I guess you were right." Leo says.

"Oh, sweetie, I didn't wanna be right. I'm sorry." Piper says.

"You're sorry? Who's gonna pay for this? Well?" Paige asks.

"We're gonna go after Sikes so we should probably orb Susan out of here just to be safe." Piper says and she kisses Leo on the cheek and leaves the kitchen. Buffy, Paige and Cole follow.

At the mausoleum Buffy, Cole, Piper and Paige walk down the stairs.

"Any sign of him?" Paige asks.

Cole shakes his head, "No."

They reach the bottom of the stairs and Cole pulls Paige back.

"What?" Piper asks.

"Trap. Back up." Cole says as he picks up a candle and throws it on the ground. It explodes and the whole floor is covered in flames. It disappears. Cole runs across the room and looks around.

"Where is he?" Buffy asks.

Cole shakes his head, "I don't know."

"Well, why would he set a trap for us and not be here?" Paige asks.

"Unless this is just a distraction." Cole says.

"What do you mean distraction? You said he was after us." Piper says.

"I was wrong. He's after me. And the best way to get to me is through..." Cole says.

"Phoebe." Buffy and Piper says looking at each other.

At the Manor Phoebe walks in through the front door. "Cole?"

Sikes shimmers in behind her and grabs Phoebe around the neck. She gasps and drops her purse. He points an athame at her. "Close."

"What do you want?" Phoebe asks.

"Same thing you do. Only I call him Belthazor." Sikes says as he looks at the potion that has fallen out of her purse. "Except I don't need a potion to vanquish him. I just need you."

Later Buffy, Piper, Paige and Cole walk in. They see Phoebe's purse on the floor.

"Phoebe." Paige says.

"Buffy and I'll check upstairs, you two check downstairs."

Up in the attic Sikes has Phoebe tied to a chair. "You must be something very special, to turn a demon. Something very special indeed." He touches her neck with the athame. "Unfortunately though, when you made him less evil, you made him less powerful. Hmm, I wonder, are you gonna have the same affect on me after I kill him?" Buffy and Cole walks in. "Well, well, well. The mighty Belthazor. You don't disappoint. I knew you'd figure out what I was up to... sooner or later. Though I did expect you to come alone." He points the athame at Phoebe's neck.

"Cole, get outta here. He won't hurt me. He's bluffing." Phoebe says.

"I can't take that chance." Cole and Sikes says.

"Ooh, it's kinda eerie, isn't it? How I know you better than you know yourself. The student has surpassed his mentor." Sikes says.

"Something tells me Cole was never your mentor, Sikes." Buffy says.

"By reputation he was." Sikes says before looking back at Cole. "By your legend. It'll be an honor to kill you." He tucks his athame in his belt. "And assume your rightful place in the hierarchy."

Cole looks at Phoebe. She shakes her head. "Remember what I told you? What I asked you to do?"

"Cole, please, don't." Phoebe asks.

"What did you ask her to do?" Buffy asks.

Cole screams and turns into Belthazor. Sikes turns into his demon form. Belthazor throws an energy ball at Sikes as Belthazor and Sikes start fighting.

Sikes tries to strangle Belthazor. "Die!"

"Cole?" Phoebe and Buffy asks.

Cole embraces his demonic self completely. He pushes Sikes up and he hits the roof. Belthazor grabs him and pulls Sikes' athame out of his belt. They suddenly freeze. Piper and Paige have entered the room. They race over to Phoebe and Buffy as Buffy finishes untying Phoebe.

Downstairs Emma walks in through the front door and picks up the potion.

Belthazor and Sikes start to unfreeze. Piper and Paige quickly untie Phoebe. Belthazor pulls Sikes up and stabs him with the athame. Sikes screams and bursts into flames. He disappears. Belthazor turns to the girls.]

"Cole?" Phoebe asks as he walks towards them with the athame. "It's over. You can turn back now. Cole, you can do it. For me, for us."

"Hurry, throw the potion. maybe it'll work on him." Paige says.

Piper holds up the potion.

"No, don't. Cole, please, you can do this, you're good." Phoebe says.

Emma runs in and throws the potion at Belthazor. Flames surround him and he screams. The flames disappear and Cole drops to his knees.

"What happened?" Paige asks.

"The power stripping potion?" Buffy asks.

Phoebe nods, "That was the power stripping potion I made to free Cole." She goes over to him. "Are you okay?" She hugs him. Emma picks up the athame. Phoebe sees her. "No!" She goes over to Emma. "You got your revenge. You killed the demon you were after. Belthazor's dead, gone forever. Cole's a human being, an innocent."

Emma hands Phoebe the knife.

At Payson's P4 Buffy, Piper and Paige are at the bar.

Piper is writing out a check as Leo comes up to them. "You know, this baby was your idea."

Paige nods, "I know, I know, that's why I'm paying for half of it. I still haven't quite figured out how to explain what happened to it though." Piper hands her the check. "Thank you."

"Well, at least it served its purpose." Piper says.

"In spades unfortunately." Leo says.

Buffy shakes her head, "That's disappointing. I was hoping to be Auntie Buffy someday."

"Well, honey, it doesn't mean that Leo and I can't ever have children. Just, you know, we have to wait until it's safe." Piper says.

"Promise?" Leo asks.

Piper smiles, "Promise." She leans over the bar and kisses him.

"Aww, that's sweet. You two oughta get married. Unlike Phoebe and Cole." Paige says.

"You don't think they should?" Leo asks.

Paige shrugs, "I don't know, I guess it's not my business. Probably just really the fact that Cole killed people."

Buffy nods, "Yeah, but that wasn't Cole, it was Belthazor."

"Splitting hairs if you ask me." Paige says.

Leo shakes his head, "It's not though. His human half had absolutely nothing to do with any of that, it was totally subjugated. Phoebe's right, he's an innocent."

"The question is, what does he do now?" Piper asks.

At the Manor Phoebe is waiting around for Cole. After a while, Cole finally walks in.

"Cole. Oh my god, I was so worried." Phoebe says as she runs over and hugs him.

"Oh, I'm sorry, but I had to take a walk, and then I lost track of time and I tried to shimmer back here and I realised I, I didn't have my powers anymore." Cole says.

"But that's a good thing. Isn't that what we always wanted?" Phoebe asks.

Cole shrugs, "I don't know, do we? I mean, I get it that I'm finally off the Source's radar and that I don't have to worry about demons tracking me down all the time but, I-I-I'm grateful for that, don't get me wrong. It's just..." He laughs.

"What? Come here." Phoebe says as they sit on the bed.

"For all intense purposes I've been a demon for over a hundred years, it's all I've ever known. Or been. What am I supposed to do now? Who am I?" Cole says.

"Well, you're still the good man I fell in love with." Phoebe says.

Cole nods, "But not the one you wanna marry."

"I love you, Cole. And nothing will ever change that. But I'm not ready, not yet. And that's got more to do with me and my issues, than it does you." Phoebe says.

"I still don't know where that leaves us, especially now." Cole says.

"Well, just because you're not a demon anymore doesn't mean we can't live in sin." Phoebe says as they kiss and lay down on the bed.


	88. Chapter 88: Wild At Heart

**Chapter 88: Wild At Heart**

Students are sitting on benches talking, looking at a kiosk, milling about.

Behind them Buffy runs as if her life depended on it. She is being pursued by a hungry-looking vampire.

Buffy and the vamp are rapidly leaving behind the heavily traveled path and heading into a more secluded part of the campus.

Buffy checks behind her. Sees that they are alone. And stops. Pulls out a stake - cool as a cucumber. "Thanks for the re-locate. I perform better without an audience."

The shocked vamp barely has time to react before Buffy lunges at him, ready to make with the dust portion of the program. The vamp fends off her blow and they go at it. He's big and strong - but Buffy's in fine form, enjoying the fight...

"You were thinking what, a little helpless co-ed before bed?" Buffy says and throws him. "You know very well: you eat this late—" Vamp comes at her. "You're gonna get," she stakes him, "heartburn."

Vamp clutches his chest in uncomprehending agony.

"Get it? Heart burn?" Buffy says. The vamp dusts. "That's it? That's all I get?" She starts to head back towards the populated parts of campus, blithely complaining. "One lame-ass vamp with no appreciation for my painstakingly thought out puns? I don't even think the forces of darkness are trying. You could make a little effort you know... Give me something to work with, here."

At Payson's P4 Buffy, Willow, Oz and Xander are in the alcove, listening to the music. Oz and Willow are in a cuddly space, as per usual.

"It's more fun here this year, isn't it?" Willow asks.

"'Cause of the gloating factor alone. We're all about college now. We've got heady discourse..." Buffy says.

"Curfew free nights of mom and pop-less hootenanny..." Oz says.

"Co-ed dating prospects who find "townies" sexy and dangerous..." Xander says. "What? I can dream."

"Right... So, if college is so great – what are we doing here and why is it more fun?" Buffy says.

"Because the club is nice and familiar. It's like a big comfy blanky. Besides who can forget being friends with the owner who gets us free drinks." Willow says.

Buffy rolls her eyes.

"I was under the impression that I was your big comfy blanket." Oz says.

"You're my person blanky. This is my place blanky. With all the shock of the new it's nice to know that there's one spot we can come back to where things are predictable and-" Willow says.

"Hello, all." Giles says walking over to them.

Buffy starts to rise, on alert. "Giles. Trouble?"

"Oh no - don't get up Buffy. It's nothing like that. I just thought I'd pop by... Anybody for a latte? On me?" Giles says.

"Latte's, Giles? We don't sell latte's here. Though now that you mention it. I should talk to Piper about adding them to the menu." Buffy says before looking towards Willow. "So much for your predictable blanky theory, Will."

Everyone makes room for Giles. He sits.

"Splendid. It's been ages since I've been out to hear a band..." Giles says. The youngsters can't help but share a look. He catches it. "Don't look that way. I'm quite "with it" when it comes to music - and I have the record albums to prove it."

"But it's your cutting edge 8-tracks that keep you ahead of the scene." Buffy says, bemused.

"Might want to save the scoffing, gang. I've seen the collection, and Giles was an animal in his day." Oz says.

"I guess... If the Stones are still rolling, why can't Giles?" Buffy says.

"Exactly, I think it's brave that you're here." Willow says.

"Well - thank you, all. You've made me feel right at home." Giles says.

"Isn't home that empty place you're trying to escape?" Xander asks.

Giles would reply but he's interrupted as the lights come up on the stage area and a band starts playing a driving, sexual tune. Then Veruca takes the stage. Willow notes Veruca's entrance, eyes Oz nervously. Buffy, also, is keenly aware of Will's discomfort.

"Oh. Yea... Veruca's playing tonight." Willow says.

Oz nods, "Yeah. Every Wednesday. I told you." He gives Willow a quick smile - tries not to notice that Veruca is, once again, directing much of her act to him. But the pull between them is too strong... His glance toward her becomes a stare.

Buffy, protective of Willow, tries to talk over the loud music, "So Oz, what about you guy? When's Dingoes playing here again?"

"What? Oh - we're up next Friday... You already know that Buffy." Oz says.

Buffy nods, she did know that. Piper kept her up with what was going on with the club.

Willow, trying to hold it together, grabs Oz' hand. Squeezes it. "They're good, aren't they?"

Oz guiltily forces his attention back to Willow, "Nothing special."

"Yeah. She's quell' Fiona. Color me bored." Buffy says.

But Giles, nodding along to the music, "Really? I think she's rather remarkable. Such a presence for someone her age..."

Which is about the wrongest thing he could say at the moment. Even more uncomfortable now - the others turn their attention back to the performance. But Buffy steals sympathetic glances at Willow, as Oz and Veruca dial in on each other again...

Willow hurt is trying to pretend she's not noticing.

"Hey Will, I'm going to the ladies room. You want to join me?" Buffy asks. Willow nods and gets up following Buffy. When they're out of earshot of the group Buffy speaks up, "Do you want me to ask Piper to cancel the contract with Veruca?"

Willow looks at Buffy surprised she would even ask, "You'd do that?"

"For you, yeah." Buffy says.

"But would that hurt the club though?" Willow asks.

Buffy smiles, "Probably a little."

"Then I'm going to say no, thanks." Willow says. "I don't want you ruining the club for me. The gesture is appreciated though."

The next day Buffy's heading out after class. Professor Walsh stands near her desk, handing back papers. Buffy, not thrilled at the prospect of a face to face with her, quickly takes her paper and makes for the door.

"Ms. Halliwell. I want you to prepare to lead a discussion group next class on the paper topic." Professor Walsh says handing Buffy her paper. "That was smart work."

"It - I... What do I-" Buffy says.

"You have any questions, bring them up with one of the TA's." Professor Walsh says and sje turns her attention back to her business with the other students, dismissing her.

Now Willow meets up with Buffy - sees Buffy's stunned look as they exit into the hall. "Are you okay? How'd you do?"

Buffy just hands Willow her paper. Willow reads - then looks back at Buffy, thrilled for her. "That's good... I mean, that's excellent!" Her face falls. "You did better than me... This is so unfair." She is thrilled again. "You made me jealous of you - academically! Buffy!"

"I know - can you believe it!?" Buffy asks as they hug. "Piper and Phoebe will be proud of me when I tell them."

"Guess Ms. Walsh isn't so ogrey after all." Willow says.

"Except now she wants me to lead a discussion group next class. Which means more work, right? Shouldn't she have a better reward system? Like a cookie? Or maybe a little toy, like at the dentist?" Buffy says.

"She wants you to lead a discussion group? Okay - jealous again. Jealous, jealous... I'm back. I'm meeting Oz at the café. You want to come? I'll get you your celebratory cookie." Willow says.

"Great. I'm TA bound - but I'll catch up with you guys." Buffy says.

With that they each move happily off.

Later at the Café Oz goes, leaving a wildly uncomfortable Willow and Veruca together.

"I should go too. Good shirt." Veruca says before she bails and Willow looks down at her pink and fuzzy Custo-type top.

"Check the rapid exits. Was it me?" Buffy says.

Willow, crestfallen, looks up to see Buffy standing near her with her coffee. Buffy takes a seat. "Me. I don't speak "musicianese." Why didn't you tell me I look like a crazy birthday cake in this shirt?"

"Oh. I thought that was the point." Buffy says as she can see that Willow is really upset - near tears.

"He thinks she's sexy. He gets this blushy thing going on behind his ears. That's for me only." Willow says.

"It doesn't mean anything, Will. So Oz checks another girl. He loves you." Buffy says.

Willow nods. Trying to convince herself. "I know. I know. And I don't want to be the kind of girl who freaks every time my boyfriend notices someone else - even if she is throwing herself at him like a twenty dollar ho..."

"Please. Ten dollar ho. Fifteen, max." Buffy says.

"I mean, I have wrong feelings for other guys sometimes..." Willow says.

"You have them. But you don't act on them." Buffy says.

Willow nods, "No. In fact, I feel guilty about them. I flog and punish."

"See? I'm sure Oz is flogging and punishing himself-" Buffy says. "This is sounding so wrong before I even finish. Point is - you're both human. But I promise you, in a few days it'll be like - Veruca who?"

"You think?" Willow asks.

"Absolutely. Oz just isn't the type to stray." Buffy says.

"Not tonight, anyway. He'll be locked in a cage..." Willow says.

The next day Professor Walsh and Riley are moving through a busy hall.

"It was unbelievable. Two of them. That I survived at all is a miracle-" Professor Walsh says.

Buffy comes up behind them. "Excuse me, Professor Walsh-"

Professor Walsh sees Buffy and incorporates her into the conversation without missing a beat. "I hope you're being careful when you walk on campus after dark. I was attacked by wild dogs last night."

Buffy takes this in, puzzled. "Wild dogs."

Riley nods, "Two of them."

"Biggest things I've ever seen. The first one, I thought it was... well for a moment, I thought it was a gorilla. My heart practically stopped. I know how it sounds. But crazy is my specialty - and I definitely saw what I saw." Professor Walsh says.

"No. I believe you." Buffy says.

"Did you have a question, Payson?" Riley asks.

"No... Thanks. Just saying howdy." Buffy says.

Professor Walsh nods, "Fine. See you in class." She and Riley move off, leaving behind a fairly puzzled Buffy.

In Giles' Apartment, Giles is at his desk - but he's moved his TV on top of it. He's got a book open, but it's a sham. He's completely in the grip of a Jeopardy type program and talks at the screen, "Treaty of Westphalia!"

"Umm, Yalta?"

"Moron. That dinette set should be mine." Giles says.

Fortunately, the doorbell rings - saving him from himself. He snaps the set off and rushes to answer. When he does, he's just a little too thrilled to see Buffy.

"Buffy. Excellent! Come in." Giles says.

"Hi..." Buffy says.

"Can I get you anything? Some tea? I made an interesting mousaka last night if you're hungry." Giles says.

"Pass on the tea. And the mousaka. But thanks." Buffy says.

"So. You come on business, I hope?" Giles asks.

Buffy nods, "Yep. Lucky for you, people may be in danger."

"I didn't... I only meant - I'm at the ready." Giles says.

Buffy eyes the TV on Giles' desk. Goes over and feels that it is warm on top. He avoids her knowing look. "Clearly - we need to get you kicking some monster bootie, stat. So check it - one of my professors said she almost got attacked by two wild "dogs" last night. Under the light of a nearly full moon."

"Werewolves? Two of them?" Giles asks.

Buffy nods, "Could be."

"I didn't see anything about attacks in the paper or on the news. Have you spoken to Oz?" Giles says.

"He's my next stop." Buffy says.

"Yes. Get right on that. And I'll see what I can find out." Giles says. Buffy starts to go. Giles calls after her eagerly. "And you'll report back to me-"

"ASAP. Promise." Buffy says as she pulls out her cell dialing. "Piper. I need someone patrolling with me tonight. We may have a werewolf problem. Yeah I'm going to see Oz now." She hangs up and flames out.

At a crypt Oz is welding a sturdy new hinge onto his cage door. Now a shadow falls near him. He turns.

Buffy's standing over him. "Got out, huh?"

"Yeah... Any news about attacks?" Oz asks.

Buffy shakes her head, "No. But I did hear about a person being chased by two "wild dogs.""

"Two? Really?" Oz asks as he looks at her - and she glimpses more fear and worry in his expression than she's ever seen before.

"You don't remember anything like that, do you? Another wolf?" Buffy says.

Oz shakes his head, "As soon as the change comes - I'm gone. It's like a total blackout."

"Must be spooky." Buffy says.

Oz nods, "It is." That's the extent of his confession. He turns back to the cage. "Do me a favor?"

"Sure." Buffy says.

"Give this thing a go." Oz says.

Buffy nods. Gives the cage a few good hits and kicks. "Seems good to me... If I find werewolf #2 on patrol tonight - you may have a roomie."

Oz can't muster a smile for that one. "Thanks."

Buffy starts to leave - but stops before she hits the door. "Oz? Are you alright? If possible, you seem even more monosyllabic than usual."

"I'm okay. Thanks." Oz says.

Buffy nods, leaving Oz with his troublesome thoughts...

The next day Willow moves down a street of San Francisco, unable to stop crying. It's a busy day, people and cars everywhere - but she seems oblivious to it all.

Buffy is walking on the opposite side of the street. As soon as she catches sight of Willow, she can tell something is terribly wrong.

Willow unaware of Buffy, moves to cross the street. She steps off the sidewalk - directly into the path of an oncoming car.

Buffy starts to run, ,but she's too far away to help. "Willow!"

Willow turns at the sound of Buffy's voice. Doesn't see the car barreling down on her. She's seconds away from being road-kill when WHOOSH! - a pair of strong hands grab her and jerk her back to the safety of the sidewalk. Stunned, she looks up to see Riley holding her.

"Willow? Are you okay?" Riley asks.

Willow just looks at him. Finally shakes her head - no.

Buffy runs up beside them. Looks to Riley gratefully. "Thank you. I was too far away-"

"She was lucky. She almost got..." Riley says.

"Willow. What's the matter?" Buffy asks.

Willow is silent. She can't talk or she'll lose it again.

"Maybe you should get her home." Riley says. Buffy nods. Riley looks to Willow kindly. "Whatever it is, be more careful - okay? I promise - it's not worth hurting yourself over."

Willow barely nods. Then Buffy and Willow move off, Buffy mouthing a silent "thank you" to a concerned Riley. They walks around a corner out of sight and Buffy flames them out and to the Manor.

Later in the day. Piper, Phoebe, Paige and Buffy have heard the whole horrible tale from Willow about finding Veruca with Oz in his cage. Buffy has been ministering to her... Willow sits on the couch, dry-eyed - but pretty shell-shocked.

"Piper and I have to go. We have to find Veruca before the sun sets." Buffy says. Willow nods. "I will, though. And when I do this thing stops. She's bad news. Can I get you something before I take off? Kleenex? Chocolate-y chocolate anything?"

Willow shakes her head, "Can I get Leo to orb me back to my dorm room?"

Piper nods, "Sure Willow. Leo!" Leo orbs in. "Can you orb Willow back to her dorm room?"

Leo nods, "Yeah."

Buffy nods, "I'll come over as soon as things are taken care of. You just take it easy, okay? Riley was right. The main thing is - put the blame where it belongs. Don't hurt yourself." Willow takes this in. Nods. Buffy and Piper starts to go. "Okay." She stops - nervous mother hen style. "You're okay?"

"I'm fine. Promise." Willow says.

Buffy flames out with Piper.

In Oz's dorm room he is on the phone, finishing a conversation. "You haven't seen her around? Okay. Thanks man." He hangs up, worried.

Buffy and Piper flames in.

"Where is she?" Buffy asks.

"I don't know. I already tried her usual haunts." Oz says. "But - I know the areas we're drawn to, and I'm pretty sure I can follow her scent."

"We'll try that, then." Piper says.

Piper and Buffy starts out. But Oz stops them, "Look. You should just know that-"

"Oz. This might be a good time for your trademark stoicism." Buffy says.

Oz takes this in. Nods. They move out.

Moments later Oz, Piper and Buffy, now armed with a tranquilizer gun, troop through the woods. The light is growing gold and soft as the end of the day nears.

Oz stops, breathes in… Then determines a direction. "This way." He moves off as Piper and Buffy follows. They close in on the scent. "She's right near here. I can smell her."

Piper frowns as she looks at a pile of clothes on the ground, "Or the dirty pile of clothes she left lying on the ground."

Oz and Buffy turns to Piper and sure enough, they are Veruca's clothes.

"They could be from the other night when she-" Oz says. Buffy shoots him a warning look. But he continues. "-turned into a werewolf."

"Unless she wanted to throw you off the scent." Buffy says.

They think for a moment. Look at each other.

"Willow." Oz says.

That's it. They take off running back toward campus, each on slightly different paths… Oz leading a bit…

Putting on the gas. Buffy dodges a big tree and slams into someone dressed in fatigues, who is just as surprised as she is. The impact sends them both sprawling to the ground.

Piper runs up to Buffy, "You okay." She grabs Buffy's tranq gun helping Buffy up." She looks to the commando, "You need to wear orange, something to identify you to other hunters in the area."

In the campus lab Willow and Veruca face off. Willow is shaking with rage and fear, and Veruca is relishing every moment of it.

"Can't say I'm surprised you didn't go through with your little hex. You don't have the teeth." Veruca says.

"You don't know what I have. You don't know anything about me." Willow says. But she knows Veruca is right. Buffy had taught her not to do a spell for personal gain and what she had been planning was personal gain big time.

"I know what you love. I have his scent on me right now." Veruca says. Willow's heard enough. In tears, she tries to dart past Veruca to the door - but Veruca catches her with a vicious back hand. Sends her sprawling. Willow falls hard, dazed. "Go ahead and cry - but you should have seen this coming. You can't tame a wild thing. He's not yours any more. He's in you, he'd be thinking about me - no. Not thinking. It's deeper than that. Why don't you just try to relax now? In a minute or two it'll all be over-"

Veruca would go on but the door behind her is kicked open and Oz enters, breathless and enraged. He and Veruca square off.

"Don't touch her again." Oz says.

"Come stop me. I like it rough, remember?" Veruca says.

The sun has faded completely from the room now and the change begins.

"You want to hurt me, hurt me. But leave her out of this." Oz says.

"How can I? She's the reason you're living in cages. She's blinding you! When she's gone, you'll be able to admit what you are-" Veruca says.

Oz morphs to first stage and when Veruca comes from behind him she too is in first stage. "You don't want to find out what I am."

"You're an animal. Animals kill." Veruca says.

Oz looks at Willow and for a moment there is a gleam of hungry pleasure at her fear. "You're right." He turns to Veruca. "We kill." He leaps at Veruca.

Veruca and Oz fight viciously in their mostly human forms. But before long the full transformation overcomes them both. Willow turns away and shuts her ears against the sounds of Oz and Veruca's bodies as they twist and crack. Meanwhile, Veruca and Oz continue to battle throughout the grotesque metamorphosis.

Willow huddles in a corner. The wolves blocking her exit. This is a bad dream...

As the battle continues and Oz Wolf gains the advantage. He gets a jaw lock on Veruca's neck and violently bites her. She shrieks with pain, a horrible death knell...

When he is finished, and Veruca's body lies inert, Oz Wolf turns toward Willow. His maw is bloodied and his eyes are the cold eyes of a killer - there is no recognition there.

Willow turns - faces the giant beast crouching low in front of her, baring its razor-like teeth. Nearly out of her mind with grief and terror now, she says in a tiny voice, "Oz?.."

She reaches a trembling hand out, as if to stroke him... Without missing a beat – Oz lunges toward her, going for the kill. But he is snatched away from Willow only milliseconds before her certain death.

Buffy and Piper have arrived just in time. Piper holds the tranq gun waiting for an opening. Buffy has Oz Wolf by the hind legs and drags him away from Willow.

There is a brief fight between slayer and wolf. But Buffy manages to kick him upside the head, dazing him long enough for her to get out of the way as Piper uses the tranquilizer gun and sedate him.

Oz wolf stumbles, then passes out. Buffy rushes to Willow and gathers her into her arms. They don't speak, just hold onto each other...

The next day at the Manor Buffy, Piper and Giles sit at the dining room table, having tea. The mood is subdued.

"I'm not sure I understand." Giles says.

"There was so much going on with Oz and Will - there still is - but I thought you should know about this." Buffy says.

"So this fellow in the woods - he was in military garb?" Giles asks.

Piper nods, "And he was toting some serious weaponry... I thought at first that he was a hunter. Then Buffy mentioned seeing some other guys dressed exactly like him on Halloween night."

Buffy nods, "I had assumed they were in costume..."

"But maybe they were working." Giles says.

"I wanna know what's up. Guy got in our way; We almost didn't catch up to Oz in time. As it is, we were too late to..." Piper says.

"You two saved Willow." Giles says.

"I think right now she wishes we hadn't... I've never seen her like this before, Giles. It's like it hurts too much to even form words." Buffy says.

"But you've felt that way yourself, and you got through it." Piper says.

"Well, I ran away and went to hell – and then I got through it. I'm kind of hoping Willow won't use me as a model." Buffy says.

"Fair enough." Piper says.

"I just don't know how they're gonna deal with this." Buffy says.

Neither Piper nor Giles has a reply. They sit in silence.

Oz's room appears empty except for a duffle bag on the bed. There's a knock on the door and then Willow, looking exhausted and scared, pokes her head in. "Hello?"

Oz moves out of his closet, a pile of clothes in his arms. He looks at her evenly - his manner full of pained resolve. "Hi."

Willow, numb with fear, knows exactly what's happening. But she has to ask. Has to hear him say it. "What are you doing?"

"I'm going." Oz says.

"Now?" Willow asks as Oz nods. "That's - that's your solution?"

"That's my decision." Oz says.

"Don't I get any say in this?" Willow asks.

"No." Oz says. "Veruca was right about something. The wolf is inside me all the time. And I don't know where the line is anymore - between me and it. Until I figure out what that means, I shouldn't be around you - or anybody."

"That could be a problem. 'Cause, people? Pretty much a planetary epidemic." Willow says.

Oz stuffs the rest of his things into his duffle bag. "I'll find someplace."

"Well how long –" Willow says.

"I don't know." Oz says and he closes his bag and turns to her. A beat as it sinks in. For both of them. This is goodbye. Maybe forever.

"Oz... Don't you love me...?" Willow says, desperately.

"My whole life, I've never loved anything else." Oz says.

Willow starts to cry. A long beat. It's killing Oz to do this, but it's the only way. Finally, he reaches out to her - tentatively. She doesn't stop him. He kisses her forehead. And then they stay like that, forehead to forehead, for a long time. "Oh God... Oz..."

Finally, Oz knows he won't go if he waits another moment. He kisses her again quickly - one last time - then grabs his bag and leaves.

Willow stands crying exactly where he left her. She then moves to the window and watches as Oz drives off in his van. Her tears stain the carpet... Her heart breaking...


	89. Chapter 89: Trial By Magic

**Chapter 89: Trial By Magic**

In the kitchen Piper and Paige are there making breakfast as Buffy and Phoebe rushes in.

"Okay, move it or lose it, people, coming through." Phoebe says as she takes Paige's coffee cup from her.

"Hey, I was using that." Paige says.

Phoebe pours some coffee in the cup. "Yeah, well, I'm late and I need caffeine, so sue me."

"Two weeks of jury duty and suddenly she's lawyery." Piper says.

Buffy grabs a coke out the fridge, "Yeah I would just love to understand how I managed to get picked also. I thought it was supposed to be against court procedures to have more than one family member on a jury."

"Now, normally I would have a way to come back for that but I am too tired." Phoebe says.

Piper shrugs, "Who knows, Buffy."

"I'd be tired too if I had to decide whether or not someone lived or died. What's your decision?" Paige says.

Phoebe shakes her head, "Paige, you know Buffy and I can't talk about the case. Besides, that's not why I can't sleep. I can't sleep. I can't sleep because I miss Cole too much. If he doesn't come home soon, I'm gonna turn into a vampire."

"Jokes like that in this house, not so funny." Paige says. "Especially with who Buffy is because then she would have to Slay you."

"Unless we could curse her like, Angel." Buffy says.

"So when do you think he's gonna come back?" Piper asks.

"Who knows? He said he needed some time to find himself and figure out who he was without his demon side." Phoebe says.

"What does that mean? He's off banging on drums in the woods somewhere?" Paige asks.

Phoebe shakes her head, "God, I hope not." She looks at her watch. Ugh, come on Buffy we gotta go." They turn and head for the front door.

"Wait!" Piper says as she and Paige follow them. "Who's testifying today?"

"Nobody, it's closing argument." Buffy says. "The nightmare is finally about over."

"Already? That was fast." Piper says.

Phoebe shakes her head, "Oh, no, not you too."

"Oh, Phoebe, it's only natural to be curious." Paige says.

"Forget it." Phoebe says.

"Listen, nobody keeps secrets better than us. We are the mistresses of secrets." Paige says.

"Well..." Piper says.

"Well, let's just say it would be my supreme pleasure to send that murdering bastard straight to hell. By legal means, not magical." Phoebe says.

Buffy nods, "Everything does point to him."

Buffy and Phoebe heads for the front door.

"You might be the first person who enjoys jury duty." Piper says.

"You know what it is? It's just, it might be nice for a change to get some kudos from vanquishing the bad guy. I mean punishing... you know what I mean." Phoebe says as she grabs her bag and opens the door. "Okay."

Glen walks onto the porch. "Hey."

"Hi." Buffy and Phoebe says.

"Is Paige home?" Glen asks.

Phoebe nods, "Yeah, she is, but we're not. Bye!" They head for Buffy's car.

Later in the court room a female lawyer is doing her closing argument. Phoebe amd Buffy is sitting with the jury.

"There is no excuse, ladies and gentlemen of the jury, the defendant has no alibi, no credible explanation for how he was able to lead the police directly to his ex-wife's body. Other than his, how did he describe it... psychic vision? No, premonition, that's it. That was his alibi. That's what Mr. Prevosoli expects you to believe. To counter the overwhelming evidence against him, including with the court's permission," she picks up a dagger, "people 1, the murder weapon. One that he had admitted to using in his own magic show. And then he used it to rob Angela Prevosoli of her life." She hands the dagger to the jury. They pass it along. "Return the verdict, you know you must. Murder in the first degree."

Buffy takes the dagger and has a premonition of the real murderer killing Angela. He has a tattoo on his arm. The premonition ends and Buffy drops the dagger.

"Are you alright, ma'am? Ma'am, are you alright?" Judge asks.

"Buffy are you okay?" Phoebe asks.

Buffy looks over at Mr. Prevosoli. He lifts his arm and she sees he has no tattoo. "Yes your honor I'm fine. Thought I had cut myself there for a second, my apologies." She looks to Phoebe and mouths, 'Premonition, innocent.'

Later the jury walk into a room and sit down at the table.

"Hey, hey, I just got a premonition. We'll be outta here in time for lunch." Man says, laughing.

"Uh, okay, uh, well, I think the proper procedure is, uh, that first we review the evidence." Man #2 says.

"Well, we heard the evidence, so let's just take a vote and get outta here." Man says.

"Still, as the foreman..." Man #2 says.

"All votes in favor of guilty?" Man says as he raises his hand. So does everyone else except Buffy and Phoebe. "One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten..." He spots Buffy and Phoebe. "Come on, ladies, what's it gonna be?"

Phoebe looks to Buffy and mouths, 'Are you sure?'

Buffy nods, "I have to go to the bathroom." The jury sighs. Buffy gets up and walks into the bathroom. She flames out.

Moments later in the Manor Piper, Buffy, Paige and Leo walk into the living room.

"I thought Phoebe said it was an open and shut case." Paige says.

Buffy nods, "Everything pointed that way. But the killer in my premonition was definitely not Stan Prevosoli." They sit down. "Okay, now, I didn't see his face but he had this tattoo on his arm like a medusa's head with snakes."

"What are you gonna do?" Paige asks.

"Well, Phoebe and I are gonna stall, while you guys try to get Darryl to get you in to see Stan. Describe the tattoo, maybe he knows the real killer. I don't know, he must not have seen him in his premonition otherwise..." Buffy says.

"Wait, he had a premonition?" Leo asks.

Buffy nods, "Yeah, that's how he claims to have known where the body was."

"And you and Phoebe of all people did not believe him." Piper says.

"Piper, he's just a club magician. We both assumed that he was a fraud. Believe me, I feel horrible about this." Buffy says.

"Alright, we'll fix it, somehow." Piper says.

"Do we hunt killers that aren't demons?" Paige asks.

"Well, I had that premonition for a reason. Just because the killer isn't supernatural..." Buffy says.

Piper makes a noise as Glen walks in.

"Hey, there, Glen!" Leo says.

"What did you hear?" Piper asks.

"Excuse me?" Glen asks.

"She said what are you doing here?" Buffy asks.

"Oh, I was just looking for the kitchen. Didn't you leave already?" Glen says.

Buffy nods, "On lunch break. But I better get going again before somebody wonders what happened to me." She stands up.

"I'll uh, just take Glen to the kitchen and show him where to make a sand-witch." Paige says as she and Glen head for the kitchen.

"Is he staying here?" Buffy asks.

Piper nods, "Mm-hmm."

"I think you need to talk to her." Buffy says.

"I did, and apparently I was the only one paying attention." Piper says.

Buffy sighs and flames out.

At the court building. The man bangs on the door to the bathroom. "What the hell's going on in there? Open the damn door!"

"Maybe something's wrong. I'll call for the bailiff." Woman says.

Phoebe shakes her head, "Just give her some privacy. Do you like being interrupted while doing your business?"

The man continues to bang on the door ignoring Phoebe. The door swings open and Buffy walks out. "I am so sorry. That time of the month."

"Ugh. Look, the rest of us finished voting, Ten guilty. What's it gonna be, you two?" Man says.

"Well, before I cast my vote, I think we should all consider the possibility that the defendant might actually be a psychic." Buffy says.

"What?" Man asks as the jury groans.

Phoebe nods, seeing where Buffy is going, "And all he is guilty of is having a special gift."

"You're the foreman, make them vote." Woman says.

"Not until I review the evidence." Buffy says as she grabs a pencil and paper. "Every single piece."

The jury groans.

Later the jury is looking hot and restless.

"Okay, um, haven't any of you ever known who was calling before you answered the phone?" Phoebe asks.

"That's not magic." Woman says.

"Oh no? Then what is it? Look, just because you don't understand magic, doesn't mean that you have to be afraid of it. It's around us all the time, like a friend, guiding us, giving us inspiration, helping us fall in love. Giving our lives meaning. And I'm sorry but I think that we all need to believe that magic exists. Tanya, why are you wearing an angel pin?" Buffy says.

Tanya shrugs, "I don't know, just because my mother gave it to me."

"But why did she give it to you?" Phoebe asks.

"To watch over me." Tanya says.

Buffy nods, "That's magic. Something that you can't see, you can't quite put your finger on it, but you know it's there."

"The man killed a woman, period. End of story." Man says.

"All those in favor of another vote." Foreman says.

They all raise their hands except Buffy and Phoebe. Leo orbs in the bathroom.

Phoebe sees the light under the door. "Oops, nature calls." She heads for the door, mouthing to Buffy as she passes, 'Leo.'

"Oh, oh no you don't. No-no-no-no-no way." Man says.

Phoebe runs into the bathroom.

You two are stalling." Woman says.

"We've gotta do something about this." Man says.

Inside the bathroom…

"Hi." Piper says.

"Hi." Phoebe says.

"We found the real killer." Piper says.

Leo nods, "The owner of the magic club. A guy named Andrew Wike."

"Can you prove it?" Phoebe asks.

"That's our next step." Piper says.

Phoebe nods, "Okay, well, you gotta hurry because Buffy and I are dying in there."

"It'd be so much easier if we could just vanquish him." Piper says.

"You can't do that but you might be able to use your magic." Leo says.

"Well, there's one guy I would love to turn into a warthog." Phoebe says.

"Not on the jury, on the killer. You and Paige could use your powers to scare him into confessing." Leo says.

"And show our powers to Wike? I do not think so." Piper says.

"Do you think anyone's gonna believe him if he says anything?" Leo asks.

"Not this jury." Phoebe says.

The man bangs on the door. "Hey, come on!"

"Uh, sorry! Uh, can somebody find me a plunger?" Phoebe says.

"Oh, great." Man says.

Piper looks in the toilet, confused.

"What? I've gotta buy some time somehow. And you gotta call Paige. Maybe there's a spell in the Book of Shadows we can use? Okay, go, go, go!" Phoebe says as they orb out. "Okay." She goes back in the room.

Later…

"Actually, the origin of magic dates back to prehistoric times. People from all cultures believed-" Buffy says.

"Let's vote now." Foreman says.

"Wait." Phoebe says.

"No, no, no, we vote. Okay, if we can't agree we declare a hung jury. All in favor of a guilty verdict." Foreman says.

The jury raises their hands.

"Wait! There is magic in the world. There are angels. Tanya, you can tell your mother that she's right, they're real." Phoebe says.

"And there are fairies. They're real too. I mean, just think back to your childhood before you were too jaded to believe in them. And-and-and Cupid. Not a myth. I mean, he doesn't actually use arrows but-but he's real too." Buffy says.

"Bailiff!" Foreman says.

"What are you doing?" Phoebe asks.

"We don't have to declare a hung jury after all." Foreman says.

"We don't?" Man asks.

The bailiff opens the door. "Foreman?"

"Tell the judge that we have two jurors that's um... not quite right. We're asking that they be dismissed and that you bring in two of the alternates.

"Are you kidding me?" Buffy asks.

The foreman shakes his head.

"And you all agree?" Bailiff asks.

"Yes."

"Okay." Bailiff says.

"No, wait-wait-wait. I have an idea. If we can convince you, all of you, that magic really does exist, will that be enough reasonable doubt for an acquittal." Phoebe says.

"Ladies, you two are late for your shrinks. Like two years late." Man says as he laughs.

"Well, what do you mean magic? Like Siegfried and Roy stuff?" Tanya asks.

Buffy shakes her head, "No. She means real magic. No trap doors, no smoke, no mirrors, just real supernatural magic."

"Come on, they're stalling." Man says.

"What's the matter? Are you afraid we might actually be able to pull it off?" Phoebe asks.

"Well, we've been here this long. I say we let them take it all home." Tanya says.

"Alright, but if you two fail, you vote guilty with the rest of us." Foreman say as Phoebe and Buffy hesitates. "Call the judge."

"Okay, okay, okay, okay, it's a deal." Buffy says.

"Alright, show us some magic." Tanya says.

"We're gonna need a few things. A sage stick, five white candles and..." Phoebe says.

"A magic wand." Man says.

Buffy shakes her head, "No, incense. We're gonna summon the dead."

"Ooooh." Man says.

Later Buffy and Phoebe are trying to summon Angela.

"Beloved spirit Angela, I ask that you commune with me and move among us." Buffy and Phoebe chants as Nothing happens. "Beloved spirit Angela..."

"That's enough. Bailiff!" Foreman says as the bailiff comes in. "Tell the judge that we've reached a verdict."

"Yep! A deal's a deal. Those in favor of guilty." Man says.

"I'll get the lights." Tanya says.

"Beloved spirit Angela, I seek your guidance, I ask that you commune with me and move among us." Buffy and Phoebe chants.

The bathroom door opens and Piper sticks her hand out, freezing the room. Piper, Paige and Leo come out of the bathroom.

"Phoebe, Buffy, ten jurors." Piper says.

"We know, we know, but this guys innocent, and he's being persecuted for having the same gift Phoebe and I have. SO if you guys aren't here to help us summon Angela..." Buffy says.

"We are." Piper says.

"We are?" Paige asks.

Piper nods, "Yes. If Leo will help us clean up after we're done."

"No." Leo says.

Piper frowns, "What do you mean no? You've done it before."

"No, it's completely forbidden, except in cases of dire emergencies." Leo says.

"What's forbidden?" Paige asks.

"Using memory dust on people." Piper says.

"Oh my god, this is brilliant. We'll erase their short term memories after they vote not guilty." Phoebe says.

"Wait a second, Whitelighters can erase people's memories with some sort of special dust? Why don't you just use it all the time?" Paige says.

"Because you don't know what you might be erasing. Doctors' appointments, children's birthdays..." Leo says.

"Leo, this is an emergency. I cannot live with these people knowing our secret, knowing that at any minute we could relive the hell we went through after Prue and Piper were exposed." Buffy says.

Leo sighs, "Okay."

They girls join hands.

"Hear these words, hear my cry, spirit from the other side, come to me, I summon thee, cross now the great divide." Phoebe, Buffy, Piper and Paige says.

"Beloved spirit Angela, I ask that you commune with us and move among us." Phoebe and Buffy chants.

A breeze blows through the room.

"Cold wind, that's our queue." Leo says.

Piper nods, "See you later."

"Okay, thank you, thank you." Phoebe says.

Piper, Paige and Leo go into the bathroom. Piper unfreezes the jury and they orb out. A mist appears above the table. The jury look frightened.

"Are you all seeing that?" Tanya asks.

"Dear god!" Foreman says.

Angela's spirit appears. "What happened? Where am I?"

"We summoned you, Angela. We need your help. Actually, your ex-husband needs your help." Buffy says.

"Stan? Why?" Angela says.

"He's on trial for your murder." Phoebe says.

"Stan? Are you kidding? He couldn't hurt a fly. Even his gift terrified him." Angela says.

"His gift?" Buffy asks as the man waves his hand through Angela. "What are you doing?"

"I'm looking for wires. This is some sort of trick." Man says.

"Did you find any?" Phoebe asks. "What about his gift?"

"Stan could see things. The past, the future... It scared him, he hated it. That's why he never nurtured it. All the good he could've done, wasted." Angela says.

"So he didn't kill you?" Buffy asks.

Angela shakes her head, "No. The club owner did. Andrew Wike. I found out he was laundering money from some company at pier 86. Stan warned me to keep it to myself. But I didn't. He, he's a good man. He's an innocent man. Blessed be."

"Blessed be." Buffy says as Angela disappears.

The jury sit there in awe.

"Shall we vote?" Phoebe asks.

Later the jury is back in the courtroom handing out the verdict.

"Not guilty." Foreman says.

"Unbelievable." Stan's lawyer says.

"So say you one? So say you all?" Judge asks as the jury nods. "This case is dismissed. The defendant is hereby released, and this court is adjourned."

Everyone stands up.

"Dust them now." Piper says.

Leo heads for the jury.

"Don't forget the bailiff." Paige says.

Stan walks over to Piper and Paige. "I don't understand. How'd you do it?"

"We didn't. Angela did." Piper says.

Buffy and Phoebe walks over to Stan.

"Hi." Phoebe and Buffy says.

"Hi." Stan says.

"You have a very special gift. And you did the right thing about going to the police. It doesn't matter what anyone else thinks, all that matters is you used your gift to help people. And that's a beautiful thing." Buffy says.

Later Buffy, Piper, Phoebe, Paige and Leo walk into the foyer at the Manor.

"So you guys have told people about being witches lots of times." Paige says.

Piper nods, "Yes, innocents, but only when we didn't have any other choice."

"Our secret is never more important than saving somebody's life." Phoebe says.

Leo nods, "Can't you guys just enjoy saving this innocent for a minute and a half before getting back to the great debate."

The rat crawls down the stairs.

Buffy shakes her head, "Well, it's not over yet. The killer is still out there somewhere."

They hear a noise and gasp when they see Glen on the stairs with a glowing ring around his neck.

"Glen!" Paige says.

The rat turns into the demon. "You have one hour to deliver the tape. Or stretch here is dead." He grabs Glen and bolts through the front door, smashing it into a million pieces.

Moments later…

"Paige, it's gonna be okay, just try to breathe." Piper says.

"Oh my god, if anything happens to him." Paige says.

Phoebe shakes her head, "We won't let it."

"When did this demon become involved? I thought this killer was supposed to be human." Paige says.

Buffy nods, "He was. But apparently he was fronting for demons."

"Since when do demons give a rats ass - no pun intended - about laundering money?" Piper asks.

"Because they need money to insinuate themselves into our world. To buy clothes, rent apartments, to fit in with us." Leo says.

"It's probably the same way they made Cole legitimate when he was a demon. I mean, they put him through law school." Phoebe says.

"Which put him in a position to hurt us." Piper says as Phoebe touches Piper's knee with her foot. "Water under the bridge."

"How is any of this gonna help get Glen back ? Even if we give that rat demon thing the tape, what's to stop him from killing Glen? We have no leverage." Paige says.

"Okay, do we have to call him the rat demon? Because it's very hard to be appropriately frightened." Buffy says.

"We could go over his head. Look, I guarantee you that this club is just the tip of the iceberg. I mean, if we went to rat demon's... What are we supposed to call him?" Leo says.

"One hour, Leo. We have one hour." Paige says.

Leo stands up.

"Right, look, so if we go to their bosses and we threaten to expose their entire operation, they're not gonna be very please with him." Leo says.

"So we offer him up for exchange for Glen. It might work." Piper says.

"Might work? It has to work." Paige says.

"Okay, so the only question is where is demon central?" Piper asks.

"Angela said something about pier 86." Buffy says.

Piper nods, "So did Wike. So we split up. Phoebe, since you and Buffy have stalling down to a science, you and Paige go to the club and buy some time. Leo, Buffy and I will go to..."

"No. I wanna go." Paige says.

"Well, Piper and Buffy have more fire power, and if they get hostile..." Phoebe says.

Paige shakes her head, "I'll just have Leo orb me or Buffy flame me out of there if it gets too hairy. I'm the one who put Glen, my best friend, in massive amounts of danger. So I'm gonna get him out." She grabs her coat. "Just do me a favor and keep him alive at the club until I get back."

Leo orbs out with Paige. Buffy flames out after them.

At Pier 86 Leo and Paige orb in as Buffy flames in.

"I don't know if this is the right place." Paige says.

"Shh, listen." Leo says.

They hear and see rats crawling all over the place.

"Rats." Buffy says.

Leo nods, "Lots of them. Time to go."

"No." Paige says.

"Paige, I really think that we should..." Leo says.

Paige shakes her head, "No, Leo, they've got Glen. Listen up, we know what you're doing and we're prepared to tell everyone. And just so you know killing me won't help. My sisters will take you down. Maybe you've heard of us. The Charmed Ones. Now who am I talking to?"

The rats turn into demons and surround Buffy, Paige and Leo. One steps forward. "We're listening."

At the magic club the rat demon appears in front of them. "The tape."

"Where's our friend, mouse man?" Piper asks.

"After I get the tape." Rat demon says.

"No, before." Phoebe says.

"I can take it from you." Rat demon says.

"You could try." Piper says.

The curtain opens and Glen is standing there with the ring around his neck.

"Just so you know, if anything happens to me, anything at all, the ring will decapitate him." Rat demon says.

"That's new." Piper says.

"So much for a quick getaway." Phoebe says as she hands him the tape.

"Are there any copies?" Rat demon asks.

"No." Phoebe says.

"Now let him go." Piper says as the rat demon tightens the ring. "Hey, what are you doing?"

"I'm a rat. What did you expect?" Rat demon says.

Piper goes to blow him up.

"Don't, it might chop off Glen's head." Phoebe says.

"Well, what am I supposed to do?" Piper asks.

"Enjoy the show." Rat demon says.

Suddenly, the rat demon is engulfed in flames and disappears.

"Did you just do that?" Phoebe asks.

Three rat demons appear, Paige and Leo orbs in, and Buffy flames in. Paige races over to Glen.

One of the rat demons picks up the tape. "Only copy?"

"Yes." Leo says.

"How do we know?" Rat demon #2 says.

"What do you mean how do you know? You've just gotta trust us. We're the good guys for crying out loud." Piper says.

The rat demon releases the ring around Glen's neck. "Guess we'll call this one a draw."

The rat demons disappear.

Back at the manor Leo is fixing the front door. Piper is standing there watching.

"Almost done." Leo says.

"This is taking too long. Can't you just use a little magic?" Piper says.

"Don't you think we've used enough magic lately? Besides, I like working with my hands." Leo says as he goes over to her.

"Yeah, I kinda like a guy in a tool belt." Piper says as they kiss. Paige and Glen walk in. Paige clears her throat. "Oh, leaving so soon?"

Paige nods, "Yeah, Glen's gonna go stay with a friend of his across the Bay."

"Huh, I can't imagine why he wouldn't wanna hang around here." Piper says.

"Yeah, well, I like adventure, just not that much adventure." Glen says.

"So you're gonna stick around a while?" Leo asks.

"Yeah, keep an eye on noogie here." Glen says.

"Noogie?" Piper asks, curious.

"Glen, I think it's time for you to go." Paige says and they laugh and head for the door.

"Thank you for saving my life." Glen says as Piper shakes his hand.

"I reversed the spell." Paige says.

"Just checking." Piper says as she releases Glen.

"Goodbye." Glen says as he kisses Paige.

"Bye, you." Paige says and he leaves. "Okay, do you want it now or should I email it to you?"

"What?" Piper asks.

"My apology. You were right. Keeping our secret is the most important thing, I should've listened to you. Do you want more? Should I keep grovelling?" Paige says.

"As fun as that would be. I'm sorry too, I can be a little harsh, but it's part of my charm, you'll learn to love me for it." Piper says. "Just ask Buffy."

Buffy and Phoebe walks in through the front door.

"Just ask me what?" Buffy asks.

"Wow, we actually have a door, imagine that." Phoebe says.

"That I can be a little harsh." Piper says.

Buffy nods, "Sometimes. I think it comes with being the oldest. Prue was too. But you know what I still love you."

Piper smiles.

"So how's the jury?" Paige asks.

"Fine. We knocked on Tanya's door and she thought we were the Avon lady. So good job, Leo." Phoebe says.

"Uh, thanks, but I don't wanna think about it, ever." Leo says.

"Can ever wait for a minute or so?" Paige asks.

"Uh-oh." Leo says.

"I'm thinking maybe we should use some of that dust on Glen. I don't want you guys to have to be nervous." Paige says.

"Well, do you think he's gonna tell anybody?" Piper says.

"No." Paige says.

"And you trust him completely?" Phoebe asks.

Paige nods, "Yes."

"Then so do we." Piper says.

"Thank god." Leo says.

"And whether we think it's smart or not, at least you have one person outside the family that you can talk to." Phoebe says.

"Yeah, let's keep it to one."

"Hey," Paige says. "Why do I have to keep it to one when Buffy has as many as she does who knows."

Buffy smiles, "Actually I told no one. Xander overheard Giles and I talking, that's how he found out about my being the Slayer. As you know Giles was my Watcher, that's how he knows. Willow saw me use my power and told Giles, and later when she came into her powers I started teaching her. Oz was hurt while the Order of Taraka was trying to kill me. He was bound to ask questions and it was decided it might be a good idea for him to know. Willow told him. Cordelia helped us out for a while and she just put two and two together. So she was eventually let in on it. Faith knows cause she's the other Slayer. That's why so many know about me. But they have kept the secret. "

"What about your award?" Paige asks about the umbrella award Buffy had received at prom.

Piper smiles, "Well her graduating class suspected of course. But none of them knew how she did some of the things she did. And none of them have told anyone."


	90. Chapter 90: The Initiative

**Chapter 90: The Initiative**

Giles is holding a sketch pad, finishes a charcoal drawing as Xander pores over thick supernatural text books. "There, based on Buffy and Piper's descriptions, I believe the men we're after look something like... this." He turns the pad over, showing Xander the sketch. It's a commando. Ski mask, camouflage pants, rifle by his side.

"The latest in fall fascism, I like it. A little full in the hips for my taste, but..." Xander says.

"I think we can safely assume they're human. So, no need to research." Giles says.

"No studying... damn!" Xander says as he slams the big book shut. "Next you'll tell me I have to eat jelly doughnuts or sleep with a supermodel to get things done around here. I ask you - how much can one man give?"

"Not very much, I'm afraid. It seems, once Again, you and I won't be needed to help Buffy." Giles says.

"Really?" Xander asks, disappointed.

"Really." Giles says

They both sigh.

"Well, then how about this: we whip out the Ouija board, light a few candles, summon some ancient unstoppable evil – Mayhem Mayhem Mayhem - we show up, kick its ass." Xander says

"That might be unethical." Giles says

Buffy flames in and sees Giles' sketch. "Hey guys. Ooh, look. It's my late night stormtrooper pal."

"It's just for reference. But you'd say it's fairly accurate?" Giles asks.

Buffy nods, "That's your man."

"Your man, actually. You are patrolling tonight?" Giles says.

Buffy shakes her head, "Nope. I am going to a party tonight. Hopefully, a "no fighting, no biting" kind of deal."

"Someone's got to find out what those people are –" Giles says.

"Giles, the girls in Willow's dorm are throwing a party, I'm taking Willow, try to cheer her up." Buffy says.

"How's Will doing with the ...?" Xander asks.

"... The black hole of despair she's lived in since Oz left?" Buffy asks, shrugging. "She's dealing, I'm helping. It's hard. Ergo, party."

"Buffy, I appreciate your loyalty to a friend, but this..." Giles says.

"Look. No horns, no claws, no slime. The bad guy's just a guy, so you two can take patrol. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to pick out something slutty for tonight." Buffy says and she flames out.

Later Buffy is in Professor Walsh's class, lost in a sea of confusion, staring at her own two hands. Which are covered in ink. "Stupid pen..." She rips a sheet out of her spiral notebook, wipes her hands on it. Then realizes, "Oh, my notes!"

"Ballpoints are tricky." Willow says.

A bell signals the end of class. Buffy and Willow collect their books and head out with the other students. Willow stops at Riley's lecture desk.

"Hey. Riley. Hi. Um, I noticed you left a name off the role call today. Osbourne. Daniel Osbourne? Oz." Willow says.

"He's not in this class anymore. I heard he dropped out." Riley says.

"Oh, you heard way wrong then. He's not gone. He just left temporarily - to work out a few things." Willow says. "That sounds lame in its vagueness I know, but I assure you, Oz will be back."

"Not to my class he won't." Professor Walsh says. Willow starts to speak. But she silences her with one raised finger. "An educated guess: You know the rules. You know I hate exceptions. And yet you feel your exception is exceptional."

"Oh, but..." Willow says.

"It is. To you. But, since I'm neither a freshman or a narcissist, I have the whole class to consider. If your friend can't respect my schedule, I think it's best he not come back." Professor Walsh says.

Willow starts to protest. Then, choking on emotion, she leaves. Buffy watches. Then calmly she approaches Maggie.

"You know, for someone who teaches human behavior? You might try showing some." Buffy says.

Professor Walsh can't quite believe that one. "It's not my job to coddle my students."

"That's right. A human being in pain has nothing to do with your job." Buffy says.

Later in Willow's dorm, Riley walks down the hall, passing a group of giggling girls, past blasting hip-hop, to Willow's door. Slow, sad music comes from inside. Riley hesitates, then knocks.

"Come in." Willow says.

Riley opens the door and steps inside the room.

Willow's just sitting on the bed, listening to the sad music. She sees him but doesn't move much. "Oh. Riley. Hi."

"Hi. Gee, I hope I'm not interrupting anything really depressing." Riley says.

Willow shuts off the music. "What's up?"

"Right to the point. Okay. I was thinking of asking out Payson." Riley says.

"She's not here." Willow says. "She's probably at the Manor."

"I know. See, I don't know much about Payson. But I'm interested in what she likes, and so far, the only thing that I know she likes is you." Riley says.

"But what do you want me to do?" Willow asks.

"Just tell me something. Anything, some kind of clue to… Something to start us talking. I'm thinking "How 'bout them Broncos" won't cut it." Riley says.

Willow sighs, "Okay. Let's say I help. And you start a conversation. It goes great. You like Buffy. She likes you. You spend time together. Feelings grow deeper, and one day without even realizing it, you find you're in love. Time stops and it feels like the whole world's made for you two and you two alone until the day one of you leaves the other and rips the still-beating heart from the other who's now a broken, hollow mockery of the human condition."

"Yep. That's the plan." Riley says.

"I figured it was." Willow says.

"Look, if you wanna tell me to go to hell that's okay... Maybe this is the last thing you wanna talk about. I just feel like - well I've never courted anyone like Payson before. I don't think I've ever met anyone like Payson before." Riley says.

"Why should I trust you?" Willow asks.

"I was just hoping you'd think I have an honest face." Riley says, smiling.

Willow shakes her head, "I've seen honest faces. They usually come attached to liars."

Riley rises, defeated. "All right, I guess I'm not gonna win here. I appreciate you wanting to protect your friend. I guess she kind of brings that out in people. Whatever's causing that music, I uh, hope it works out." He is about to open the door.

"She likes cheese." Willow says.

"What?" Riley asks.

"I'm not saying it's the key to her heart, but Buffy? She likes cheese." Willow says.

"That's a start." Riley says.

"And she has a stuffed piggy named Mr. Gordo, loves Ice Capades without the irony and she's dragging me to a party at Lowell House tonight." Willow says.

"Oh you're going! That's my house. I live there." Riley says.

"Then that will give you a chance to interact. But don't get fresh!" Willow says.

Riley shakes his head, "Fresh? I don't even know if we like each other yet. Does she ever talk about me? Has she ever ?"

"Sorry." Willow says with a polite smile.

"That's discouraging. Still, I feel like I've got a fighting chance with my new accomplice." Riley says.

"I'm not your accomplice." Willow says.

Riley nods, "No, no, course not."

"I'm not." Willow says.

"You're not." Riley says.

"We're clear?" Willow asks.

"We're clear." Riley says. "Can I ask you something?" Willow sighs and nods. "Why do you call her Buffy?"

"Once upon a time it was her name. Her mom passed away three years ago. So she changed her name in honor of her mom. Her dad wanted to name her Buffy Anne. Her mom wanted to continue her family's tradition and wanted to name her Payson Patricia. Her dad won out, so she was named Buffy Anne Summers. When her mom died she found out what her mom wanted to name her and changed her name to that… Payson Patricia Halliwell." Willow says.

Riley nods, "That's nice."

That evening at the party at Lowell House. U.C. San Francisco students dance, talk, eat, drink, flirt as Buffy and Willow enter.

Buffy looks to Will to make sure she's into it. Will smiles faintly. "Looks cool."

Willow nods, "Uh huh."

"'Cause we could go..." Buffy says.

"No, no. we're here for fun." Willow says. She's not hugely convincing, but she pulls Buffy a ways in.

Buffy spots some kids off to one side. "Hey!" She waves. "Your whole dorm is here, of course. You wanna...?" She indicates going there.

"You go, I need a soda." Willow says.

"You want me to –" Buffy says.

"I'm okay. Really." Willow says.

Buffy checks Willow's eyes to see she's telling the truth. Satisfied, Buffy goes. And the second Buffy's gone, Willow's eyes narrow, she's on a mission. She scoots over to Riley, talks to him while looking elsewhere. Pure accomplice.

"Okay. She's wearing the halter top with sensible shoes. That means mostly dancing, light contact, don't push your luck and heavy conversation's out of the question." Willow says.

"So, what do I do?" Riley asks.

"You ask her to dance." Willow says.

"Right. Dance. Wait. No." Riley says.

Willow sighs and looks at Riley, "What's wrong?"

"I can't dance." Riley says.

Buffy, now surrounded by a small group of cute boys, laughs out loud at something one of them's said.

"Then talk. Keep eye contact, funny is good, but don't be glib and remember: if you hurt her, I will beat you to death with a shovel." Willow says. Riley stops looks at Willow likes she's nuts. She smiles. "A vague disclaimer's nobody's friend. Have fun!"

Riley readies himself. Gets his confidence. Approaches Buffy, passing through the group of guys. "'Scuse me. Pardon. Hi. Payson?" The music stops. Buffy looks to Riley. "Uh... You do the reading on chapter nine?"

"Yeah." Buffy says, confused.

"Wow. Some theories, huh?" Riley says. Awkward pause; everyone's looking at Riley like he's king of the doofus people. He thinks fast - reaches to a nearby snack table, hands Buffy a little cheese cube on a toothpick. "Cheese?"

Later Willow and Riley stand together in a corner, watching Buffy dance with a cute guy.

Riley's got the glazed-over thousand-yard stare of a shell-shocked veteran. "I can't believe it. I choked."

"You really, really did." Willow says.

"You don't understand. I'm good at things. That's what I do. Work hard, apply myself, get it done." Riley says.

Willow shakes her head, "You failed extremely well."

"That's a great comfort to me." Riley says.

Willow smiles sadly, "You have to relax. You're not proposing – I sincerely hope - you're just making contact. Getting a reaction. Any reaction is okay, except projectile vomiting and what are the chances of –"

A Dingoes song comes on. Willow stops, gut punched.

"Are you okay?" Riley asks.

"The song..." Willow says.

"It's a tape of some bands from last year's party. Associations?" Riley says.

"Big." Willow says, her voice small.

"Bad?" Riley asks. Willow just nods. He turns to the his friend by the sound system – "A.J.!" He mimes a throat cut. A.J. shrugs and changes the music.

"Thank you. Now go find Buffy." Willow says.

"There's no hurry... If you want to talk..." Riley says, kindly.

Willow stands. "I want you to tell Buffy that I went home and not to worry about me. Which will at least give you something to say."

"Thanks." Riley says.

"You'll do fine." Willow says and she leaves.

A moment, and Riley moves to a place where Buffy is in view. He gets himself together. He approaches Buffy. Taps her on the shoulder. She turns to face him, "Hey, Willow said to say she took off. She's okay. Kind of blue, but said not to worry."

"Thanks." Buffy says.

"You know, I wanted to ask you something." Riley says.

"Ask away." Buffy says.

Riley smiles, starts to speak. Then suddenly Xander enters, breathless, puts his hand on Buffy's shoulder pulls her away.

"Buffy! I've been looking all over for you. We..." Xander says as he spots Riley staring. "Need to talk. Not here. It's sort of, uh, unfinished business."

"Business. Right," Buffy says. "Excuse us?"

"No problem." Riley says and she leaves with Xander.

Later at Giles' apartment Piper, Buffy, Giles and Xander sit around Giles' table.

Buffy's got her game face on, just got the news that Spike's back in town. "Doesn't Spike get that this is my town?"

"He's resilient..." Giles says.

"And it's my night off!" Buffy says.

Piper shakes her head, "You know we don't get nights off, Buffy. All part of being a Charmed One."

"I'm sure he'd pick another night if he knew you were busy with the Teutonic boy toy." Xander says.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Buffy asks.

"Nothing." Xander says.

"Riley's a doof. He's not Teutonic." Buffy says.

"We have to assume you're Spike's main target, Buffy." Giles says.

"That's my thinking also," Piper says.

"Fine. He's worn out his welcome. Tonight, I kill him." Buffy says.

"You have a plan?" Giles asks.

"I am the plan. If Spike wants me? I go alone, lead him away from the popular spots, and give him what he wants." Buffy says as she starts out.

"Wait. Take this." Xander says and he hands her a flare gun.

"A flare gun? Xander, if I see Spike I'm staking him, not signaling ships at sea." Buffy says.

"You get into trouble..." Xander says.

Buffy looks at Xander a moment and then nods. Using the flare gun to signal for help would be better than possible exposure doing the same. "I'll flare."

"And we'll come a-runnin'." Xander says.

Piper nods, "And just in case I'll have Leo listening for your call."

Buffy puts the flare gun in her big, oversized coat. Heads out, the door closes. Xander turns to Giles and Piper.

"Think Spike'll find her?" Xander asks.

"I'm sure of it." Giles says, concerned.

"So am I." Piper says. "Which means I'll go back to the Manor. If he goes after her he may head that way."

In the Administration Office Spike is looking at a list of names. He finds the one he's looking for: HALLIWELL, PAYSON – STEVENSON HALL RM 214.

Spike leans back in his chair and grins. "Hello, gorgeous." He grabs his coat and whips out of the room.

Somewhere on campus Buffy sits alone on a park bench waiting, pretending to read a book. She hears a twig snap. Leaps to her feet, whirls, pulls a stake - and sees Riley. She hides the stake fast. "Riley! What are you doing here?"

"Didn't get a chance to say goodbye at the party, you left so fast. You know, with your friend who's a boy." Riley says.

"Who, Xander? Oh, he's not ... anyone I want to talk about. You know, I don't want you taking this the wrong way, but I need a little alone time now. Alone." Buffy says.

They slowly circle around each other. Buffy keeps an eye out behind the other for Spike attack.

"Why?" Riley asks.

"I need space." Buffy says.

Riley shakes his head, "We're outdoors."

"I mean emotionally." Buffy says.

"You know there's plenty of space back at your house. Why don't I take you?" Riley says as he places a hand on Buffy's shoulder, leading her away. "You wouldn't believe the weirdos out at this hour."

"Whoa! It's a free campus. Who died and made you John Wayne?" Buffy says.

Riley sighs, "I'm trying to help you."

Buffy nods, "You think I need help? Believe me, I don't. And if you were a real gentleman you would go. Far, far away by now. Well? Go on. Shoo!"

Riley frowns, "Are you drunk?"

"Yes. Report me." Buffy says.

"I'm taking you home." Riley says as he starts escorting her away.

Buffy spins around and starts escorting him away. "Maybe I'm taking you home, ever thought of that? What is it, you think boys can take care of themselves and girls need help?"

Riley nods, "Yeah."

"Oh, that is so Teutonic." Buffy says.

"Look, Buffy, as long as you're out here, I'm staying." Riley says.

"And as long as you're out here, I'm staying." Buffy says.

An ear-piercing shriek comes from far off. They both freeze.

"Gotta go." Riley says.

"See ya." Buffy says.

Riley and Buffy both split in different directions instantly.

In Willow's dorm room, she's listening to her sad music on the stereo. There is a knock on the door. "Come in." The door opens. Spike enters. Inspects the room, nods in approval, walking to Willow ... "Spike. Wh-what do you want? A spell? I can do that ..."

Willow bolts for the door.

Spike easily catches her by the throat, throws her back. Willow lands hard on the floor. "I'll give you a choice: Now, I'm going to kill you. No choice in that. But..."

Willow backs up against the far wall, cowering. Spike keeps coming, slowly, all the time in the world.

"I could let you stay dead .." Spike says as he slides down the wall, brings his face close to hers. Speaks in a soothing tone. Like a lover. "Or bring you back. To be like me." He morphs into vampface. Fangs near her throat.

"I'll scream." Willow says.

"Bonus." Spike says.

Willow screams but can't be heard - Spike easily reaches over to the volume knob of her CD player, turning it up full. Willow breaks away. Spike grabs her. None of this is pretty or well-choreographed. It's ugly and awkward and violent. Spike falls on Willow hard, knees first. She bats at him. He grabs her wrists. Smiling at his own power. Holds her down. Opens his mouth, rears his head back, showing fangs, and flashes down. Sinks his teeth right into her neck. Willow struggles.

The CD keeps playing, drowning out the sounds of struggle as we pull back, out into the dorm. No one's coming to save Willow. Students study and talk and head out...

Moment later it looks like a crime scene. Book are splayed out on the floor the bed is overturned. The sounds of whimpering, like a last dying cry.

Spike is on the edge of the bed, staring ahead with a glassy look in his eye. Sniffling. Pathetic. Willow, wigged but alive, looks on. Holding her own neck. "I don't understand. This sort of thing has never happened to me before."

"Maybe you were nervous." Willow says.

"I felt all right when we started. Let's try again." Spike says as he suddenly lunges at Willow, mouth open. "Ahh!" He's stopped short, grabs his skull in pain. Lunges again. "Ahh!" Stopped again. Crippled. He staggers back, sits. "Damn it!" He kicks a waste basket across the room in frustration.

"You're probably just trying too hard. Doesn't this happen to every vampire?" Willow says.

"Not to me, it doesn't!" Spike says.

"It's me, isn't it?" Willow asks.

"What are you talking about?" Spike asks.

"You came looking for Buffy, then settled. You didn't want to bite me, I just happened to be around." Willow says. "By the way Buffy don't live here anymore. She crashes on occasion but she lives in the Manor."

"Don't be ridiculous. Why, I'd bite you in a heartbeat." Spike says. "She doesn't live here? Stupid University records have her listed as living the dorm."

"Really?" Willow asks. "You'd bite me?"

Spike nods, "Thought about it."

"When?" Willow asks.

"Remember last year? You had on that fuzzy pink number with the lilac underneath..." Spike says.

Willow nods knowingly. "I never would have guessed. You play the blood-lust kind of cool."

"I hate being obvious. All fang-y and *grrr.*" Spike says, and he shrugs. "Takes all the mystery out."

"But if you could, you'd ..." Willow says.

Spike nods, "If I could, yeah."

Awkward silence. They both sit in sadness a moment.

"You know, this doesn't make you any less terrifying." Willow says.

Spike scoffs, "Don't patronize me. I'm only a hundred and twenty-six."

"You're being too hard on yourself. Why don't we both just wait half an hour and try again?" Willow says before she realizes. "Or ..." She bashes Spike in the head with the table lamp, knocking him off the bed. She nimbly runs for the door. Spike rises, vampface back on. Willow grabs the door handle. And the door automatically locks itself and the lights go out.

WHOMP! Something smashes into the door moments later, splintering wood off the hinges.. The three beams of light converge, illuminating the room.

Willow gets shoved out right into the guys, scattering them.

"Hold your fire!" One of the men says, obviously a commando.

Spike comes leaping out after Willow, full vamp-face, attacking. He lands on Graham, grapples with him.

"It's on me!" Commando #2 says.

Spike tries sinking his teeth in Commando #2. Again, the searing pain stops him. Spike rears back his head and howls.

Commando #1 jams a thick canvas hood over Spike's head. Pulls a leather strap shut, tight around the neck. Pulls Spike back, off Commando #2. Commando #3 gets in there instantly, trying to cuff Spike's hands behind his back. Spike pulls free. Makes a two step run for it before running into the brick wall that is Commando #2. Commando #2 punches Spike so hard that it doubles him over and sends him reeling to the ground.

"Bag and tag it - we're gone." Commando #1 says.

Commando #2 reaches down with one hand and lifts the limp Spike back up into frame. Starts marching him down the hall.

Commando #3 stops. Doubles back. Pulls Willow by the arm. "Sir!" Commando #1 turns. Sees Willow. And behind his mask, he recoils. "Civilian. Could have turned."

"Leave her." Commando #1 says.

"We can't neglect quarantine, sir!" Commando #3 says.

As they argue, Spike breaks free of his cuffs. Rips off the canvas hood. Clips Commando #2 right behind the knees and the big man goes down, hitting the floor with a thundering crash. Spike makes a run for it. Commando #1 nails him.

Commando #1 slams Spike up against the wall, pins him there. But with his one free hand, Spike smashes open the glass on the fire extinguisher. Grabs it. Commando #3 fires his taser at Spike. Misses. Hits the metal canister instead. It explodes a heavy foam mist, filling the a ten-foot-square section of the dorm hallway. A cloud.

Willow turns, stumbling, away from the mist. Choking and coughing, eyes, watering, she feels her way along the wall heading for her room.

Commando #2 running into the mist, yells. "Stop her!"

"She's contained." Commando #3 says as he raises his gun butt, meaning to smash Willow in the head.

"Contain this." Buffy says.

Commando #3 whirls. Through the green visor of his night vision goggles, he sees a racked-focus shot of the business end of a flare gun - pointing right in his face. PAF! The gun fires and the whole screen flares out super-bright. Blinding.

The flare itself bounces crazily around the hallway, bouncing off of ceiling and walls. The commandos all give a pained yell as they grab for their visors.

"Yaahhh! I'm blind!" Commando #3 says.

"What the hell is that?" Commando #2 says.

Buffy doesn't hesitate. She round-house kicks Commando #3 in the head, sending him staggering into the wall. Buffy grabs Willow and shoves her into the dorm room, out of range. "Go." She slams the door shut. Turns back to see ...

THWOCK! Commando #2 comes flying out of the extinguisher mist, landing heavily on his back. Spike emerges from the cloud, his vampface a mask of pain.

Buffy pulls out a stake, ready to hurl it straight into his chest. When a black-clad arm pulls her back, out of sight.

Spike looks around at the chaos around him. Cloud to left. Slayer fighting commando to the right. "Too weird."

Spike makes a run for it down the hall ...

Buffy breaks free of the arm-grip holding her. Turns. Faces Commando #1. He's masked. And blind - one hand still cast over his eyes. Neither one knows who they're fighting. Buffy clocks him with a left hook. Then hits him with an overhand right. Then goes back for another left.

Commando #1 catches the wrist. He twists. Buffy flips over and down, hard, to the floor. She returns the favor, flipping him over herself, back down the hall. They continue to fight, neither of them able to see very well...

Spike makes it to the end of the hall and - CRASH! - goes cannonballing out the window, sending glass and wood shattering.

Buffy gives Commando #1 a solid blow. He lands on his back. The mist is dissipating now, filling the entire hall with a thick layer of fog.

Commando #2 and #3 are by the window, looking out at where Spike ran.

"Hostile's escaped, sir!" Commando #3 says.

"Orders?" Commando #2 asks.

"Abort!" Commando #1 says and he scrambles back and joins his men. They exit the hall. Buffy watches, when with an electronic hum, the lights come back on. With multiple, repeating "Click!"s, all the dorm doors unlock. Slowly, one by one, students poke their heads out dorm rooms. Buffy looks around at the war zone of a dormitory.

Willow steps out. Holding her neck. In shock. Without a word Buffy checks to see she's all right. She is. Buffy leads Willow back inside. Closes the battered door.

The next day in the campus quad Buffy walks, by herself as Riley catches up to her.

"Hey." Riley says.

"Hi." Buffy says.

"Listen, sorry about last night." Riley says.

Buffy shakes her head, "No, I was rude –"

"No –" Riley says.

"Just felt like being alone. Sometimes, at night, it's nice to be out by yourself." Buffy says.

Riley nods, "I hear that. Gotta be careful though. Lotta strange... people out there."

"Oh yeah." Buffy says.

"How's Willow doing?" Riley asks.

"Okay. 'Course that stupid fraternity prank on her hall didn't help any." Buffy says.

"That's right, she lives in Stevenson." Riley says.

Buffy shakes her head, "How'd you know that?"

"Well, Willow and I were... I thought she might be able to help me on a project." Riley says.

"Really? That work out?" Buffy asks.

Riley shrugs, "Don't know yet."

"Was there something - at the party, you wanted to tell me something?" Buffy asks.

Riley nods, "Oh yes. Very important stuff. Interesting, a little edgy, daring views on... I don't remember any of it now, but you would have been fascinated, possibly very moved... Did Willow tell you I like cheese?"

Buffy stops, looks at Riley like she's seeing him the first time. "You're a little peculiar."

Riley smiles; he knows what that means. "I can live with that. Can I ask you something?"

Buffy nods, "Sure."

"Which name would you prefer to be called?" Riley asks.

"Willow told you, hunh?" Buffy asks. "About the whole name deal?"

Riley nods, "Yeah she did. I think it's nice that you decided to change your name in honor of your mom."

Buffy smiles, "Thanks. Payson or Buffy either way is fine. I answer to both. Though mostly only my friends and family still call me Buffy."

"Well am I a friend?" Riley asks.

Buffy smiles, "Sure why not."

* * *

**Author's Note: **Yes of course Buffy is not in Stevenson Hall. To make this chapter work I'm working it as she never checked out of Stevenson Hall when she moved back into the Manor. She did that so she would have a place to crash after patrolling if she didn't feel like going back to the Manor. Willow moved in to Buffy's dorm room when Kathy disappeared. Since I didn't add the episode that explained why Kathy is gone I will leave that up to your all's imagination.


	91. Chapter 91: Lost and Bound

**Author's Note: **Sorry about that folks. Don't know how I got the Chapter for A Charmed Summers added to Charmed: Another Halliwell. Here is the correct chapter.

* * *

**Chapter 91: Lost and Bound**

In the Dining room Piper and Leo are there sitting at the table, reading the paper. Buffy and Paige walks in and Paige stretches.

"Ugh, the sun came up again." Paige says.

Phoebe walks in carrying a jug of coffee. "Oh, good morning, sunshine. Let me pour you a cup of coffee." She picks up a cup and pours the coffee. "Notice anything different about me?"

"Engagement ring. Notice it or wear coffee." Piper says.

Paige looks at her ring. "Nice ice!"

"Isn't that Grams' ring?" Buffy asks.

"I was like that when I got my belly ring. Oh, you're right, wedding ring is totally different." Paige says.

"Thank you very much, I can't stop looking at it." Phoebe says. "And yeah it is Grams ring. Piper gave it to Cole to give to me."

"Phoebe?" Piper asks.

Phoebe nods, "Yeah."

"Can you pass me the milk?" Piper asks.

"It's right next to Leo." Phoebe says.

"We're not talking to each other." Leo says.

"What? Still? Wait, I don't understand, shouldn't you wait until after you have kids to start fighting about them?" Buffy says.

"Well, what's the matter? Maybe we can help." Paige says.

"It's about having a magical child in a non-magical world." Leo says.

"Someone, I won't say who, has the insane notion of binding our child's powers." Piper says.

"Why is it insane? Grams bound yours and Phoebe powers when you were a child, and Patience bound Buffy's." Leo says.

"Yes, and we spent twenty odd years, and Buffy spent sixteen years, ignorant about our destiny. I look back on those normal days and I feel like I was a complete and total fraud." Piper says as she slams the paper on the table.

"I'm not saying hide the truth. It's just growing up is hard enough without the extra burden of having powers." Leo says.

"I can understand where Leo is coming from, Piper. I was called as the Slayer at 15. It would have been nice to have had normal teenage years." Buffy says. "Leo, I can also see where Piper is coming from. We all would have been better prepared if someone had taught us the ins and outs early on in life."

Piper nods, "Magic is not a burden, it is a gift."

"It's a lot for any child to deal with. Plus ours will be doubly magical, half Whitelighter, half witch." Leo says.

"That's like me! Oh, you might have some problem. Where's Cole? We've gotta go to work." Paige says.

"Ooh, I'll go get him. And Paige, thank you so much for getting him this job, I mean, especially now you know, that we're gonna be married and he's gonna have to get used to bringing in the bacon." Phoebe says as she heads upstairs.

"Since when does Phoebe care about Bacon?" Buffy asks.

"I'm sure she meant all breakfast means." Leo says as Paige leaves. "Piper, would you please pass me the milk?"

"Nope." Piper says as she holds the paper up in front of her.

Buffy shakes her head, "Seriously guys."

In the foyer Paige is putting on her coat. Cole comes down the stairs in a suit and Phoebe goes over to him.

"Oh, honey, you look gorgeous. Should I make you some breakfast, you know it's the most important meal of the day." Phoebe says.

"Thanks, I'll just grab a coffee on the way." Cole says as Buffy walks into the foyer.

"Are you sure? I could whip something up in a jiff." Phoebe says.

"In a jiff, really?" Cole asks.

"Yeah." Phoebe says.

"Come on, dude, let's get paid." Paige says.

Buffy shakes her head, "Pheebs you don't even like to cook."

"Oh, have a great day. I am so proud of you." Phoebe says as Cole kisses her. "Look at us, we are so bewitched."

"No, no, no, you feel free to use all the magic you want while I'm gone." Cole says.

Phoebe nods, "Okay, whatever makes you happy." Cole and Paige leave the manor. Phoebe looks at her ring. "I wonder what I should make him for dinner?"

"Pheebs?" Buffy says, confused.

Later Buffy, Piper and Leo are in the conservatory. Paige walks in from the living room having brought a kid named Tyler home with her.

"How's it going?" Piper asks.

"Not so good. He's barely making eye contact, not really speaking. He's just really afraid." Paige says.

"Of what?" Buffy asks.

"Himself, his powers. He's showing all the signs of a kid who's never received sustained affection." Paige says.

"Well, plus, being shuffled in and out of foster homes doesn't help either." Piper says.

Paige shakes her head, "No, and I get the sense that he is always felt like an outsider and a bit of a freak and now he's found out that in some ways he kind of is." She walks across the room.

"Which is why it could make sense for us to bind his powers." Leo says.

Buffy sighs, "You're not on that again, are you."

"Yeah, maybe we could take off one of his legs at the same time because they're both part of him." Piper says.

"It's not the same thing, Piper. Tyler's powers could be a danger to himself and to others." Leo says.

"You know what? Don't make our issues his issues. I think you need to give him a chance to learn how to control it. Maybe that's why we met him. To teach him, guide him." Piper says.

"Hey!" Buffy says. "Is that what you think of me, Leo? I have the same powers as Tyler. Am I a threat to myself?"

Leo sighs and shakes his head, "No because you've learned to control your powers. In fact you almost had a natural control over your fireballs from the first time the power manifested. Tyler doesn't have that control."

Phoebe walks in with a plate of cookies. She has her hair done like Samantha Stevens. "Feed him."

"Wow, Phoebe, you went all out." Paige says.

"Oh, well, you know me. Any excuse to spend a little time in the kitchen." Phoebe says.

"I do know you and that's just not true." Piper says.

"Yeah, Pheebs. You don't like to cook." Buffy says. "That's always been Piper's thing."

"Oh, but it is now that I'm going to be Sadie, Sadie, married lady." Phoebe says.

"Alright, Sadie, how about I take the cookies to the kid." Buffy says. "Paige, do you mind if I try talking to him? With both of us having similar powers he might open up to me."

"No, actually, the sooner we get to him the better 'cause last time I checked kidnapping is still illegal. I'm gonna get back to work, you guys call me later." Paige says as she leaves.

"Eat 'em while they're hot." Phoebe says.

"Mmm, Pheebs, friendly little tip, lay off the hairspray, there's a fire starter in the house." Piper says as she follows Buffy, who's carrying the cookies.

Tyler's there playing a Game Boy.

"My sister made some cookies, do you want some? Mm, I don't blame you, it could be kinda dicey, she's not really a great cook." Buffy says as she puts the plate on the coffee table. "Why don't you try one? So, you know, her feelings don't get hurt." She sits on the couch.

Tyler takes a cookie and has a bite. "Can I have another?"

"Help yourself." Piper says.

Buffy nods, "You know, it's probably hard to believe but something amazing has happened to you. You've been given a gift. And as strange as it sounds, you're not alone, I know exactly what you're going through."

"Yeah, right, you start fires too." Tyler says.

"Actually, I can." Buffy says powering up a fireball. Tyler's eyes go wide. She extinguishes the fireball. "Or this." She flames out and back in on the other side of Tyler.

"Wow." Tyler says.

Buffy smiles, "So you can see I do understand what you're going through. In fact Piper here understands too. Why don't you show him, Piper."

Piper uses her power and blows up a vase of flowers.

"Whoa, what was that? What did you just do?" Tyler says.

"We both just proved that we know what you're going through." Buffy says.

"But how did either of you do that?"

"Pretty much the same way you do. We've just learned how to focus our emotions and control it." Piper says.

"I wish I could control mine. Then I could be around people." Tyler says.

"Is that why you ran away? Because you were afraid you might hurt someone?" Piper asks.

"I was scared. I set fire to the living room couch. I didn't mean to but my foster mum was yelling at me that I was good for nothing and it made me so mad I just..." Tyler says as he sets fire to a chair.

Piper jumps up. "Whoa."

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry." Tyler says.

"It's okay, Tyler." Buffy says. "You wouldn't believe how many things get destroyed around here. Piper."

Piper nods and freezes the fire, "I can also freeze things."

"That's cool." Tyler says.

"Leo? Could you get me some water?" Piper says.

Leo comes back with some water and douses the fire as the doorbell rings.

Piper heads for the door but Phoebe runs past her.

"I'll get it!" Phoebe says as she opens the door and Tyler's foster parents are there. "Hello."

"Hi." Mother and Father says.

"Hi." Phoebe says.

"Hi, we're looking for our son, Tyler. Is he here by any chance?" Father says.

"You betcha. Come on in." Phoebe says as they walk in. "Can I make you anything? A sandwich, a Spanish omelette perhaps?"

"Wait, how did you know he was here?" Piper asks.

"Maternal instinct?" Mother asks.

The father knocks Piper down. Phoebe screams.

"Piper!" Buffy says as she and Tyler come in the foyer.

"I got him." Father says.

Piper gets up and blows up a clock. The mother throws an energy ball, hitting the window. She throws another at Piper and Leo pushes her out the way.

Buffy powers up a fireball and throws it at the mother who screams as she is vanquished.

"Leave them alone!" Tyler says.

"Nobody is keeping me from collecting the bounty." Father says.

"No, stop!" Tyler says.

"Shut up." Father says.

Tyler gets mad and Father burst into flames, vanquishing him.

Moments later Tyler is back in the living room, clearly upset. "I didn't mean to."

"Tyler, you don't have to explain. We were there, we saw what happened." Buffy says.

"I thought I was gonna hurt someone. And then I did." Tyler says.

"You did what you had to do." Leo says.

"I did a bad thing." Tyler says.

"Tyler, listen to me. Look at me." Piper says and Tyler looks up at her. "You didn't do a bad thing. Those were very bad people and they were gonna hurt us, you and Buffy protected us. Come on, I wanna show you something. Come on, it's okay."

They head up into the attic and over to the Charmed Book of Shadows.

"A book?" Tyler asks.

Buffy shakes her head, "Not just any book, it's a magical one. Can we trust you?"

"Sure. Yeah." Tyler says.

Piper picks up the book. "Okay, let's find out who those people really were." She and Tyler sit on a couch."

"My foster parents?" Tyler asks.

"They weren't really your foster parents, Tyler. They were..." Leo says.

Piper opens the book. "Demonic bounty hunters. Driven by greed, these heartless low level demons will stop at nothing to collect their bounty."

"So if they're bad, does that mean that I didn't do anything bad?" Tyler asks.

Buffy nods, "That's right."

"Is there anything about me in there?" Tyler asks.

Piper nods, "Actually I think there is." She flips the page. "Here it is. You read."

"A firestarter. An extremely rare and coveted magical creature. What does coveted mean?" Tyler says.

"It means highly desirable, wanted." Piper says.

"I'm wanted?" Tyler asks.

Piper nods, "Very much so. "Their power is linked to their emotions. It first manifests itself in adolescence. They're often trained to be the body guards of the Source."

Buffy thinks for a moment and then looks at Leo, "I'm not am I? I mean we don't know exactly where my fire power came from. We just always assume the Slayer influenced."

Leo shakes his head, "In your case Buffy. You are not a firestarter. You just happened to be given a very rare gift much like Tyler. Witches can be given the fire power. I do believe though the Slayer did influence your powers giving you something that would aid in both your destines."

"What's the Source?" Tyler asks.

"A really, really bad guy." Piper says.

"Which means he's probably resurfacing if the bounty hunters are after Tyler." Leo says.

"So Ludlow must be a bounty hunter too then." Tyler says.

"Who's Ludlow?" Buffy asks.

"Some guy who runs some kind of academy. My demon parents were gonna send me there." Tyler says.

"To train. To serve the Source." Leo says.

"So then I am bad." Tyler says.

"Why do you say that?" Piper says.

"Well, if I'm supposed to use my powers to protect somebody bad..." Tyler says.

Buffy shakes her head, "No, that's not how powers work. They're not good or bad by themselves, it's how we use them."

Leo nods, "Tyler, why don't you read a little more while I talk to Piper and Buffy." He, Buffy and Piper walk across the room.

"See, with a little guidance he's already on the road to acceptance and control." Piper says.

Buffy nods, "I think it would have been nice if we had the same guidance when we were his age."

"That's great, but I think we have another problem. I figured out how the bounty hunters found out where Tyler is. They tracked his powers." Leo says.

"You mean when he blew up the chair?" Piper asks.

"Yeah. So when he vanquished the father..." Leo says.

"So there may be more bounty hunters on the way." Buffy says.

They hear Phoebe scream downstairs.

"I'll check it out." Buffy says and runs downstairs.

In the kitchen a Bounty Hunter faces Phoebe, "The boy, now!"

"I don't like your tone of voice, mister." Phoebe says.

Bounty Hunter gets an energy ball ready and Buffy runs in throwing a fireball vanquishing him.

"Are you alright?" Buffy asks.

"Yeah, no messy clean up." Phoebe says.

"Since when do you scream instead of fight?" Buffy asks.

"Actually, I did consider scratching him." Phoebe says.

"That was another bounty hunter, which means more are just gonna keep coming until Ludlow gets Tyler. Unless we get Ludlow first." Buffy says.

"Ew, dishpan hands." Phoebe says.

"Piper, Leo and I can pose as bounty hunters, say that we have Tyler and we can gain access to Ludlow and vanquish him." Buffy says.

"Sure. Just as long as you're home for dinner." Phoebe says.

"But he's gotta be pretty powerful which means we might need the power of three. Call Paige and tell her to get her butt back here as soon as possible." Buffy says.

"Okey-dokey." Phoebe says.

In the living room Tyler is playing the Game Boy in the living room. Piper and Leo are watching him from nearby.

"He looks so normal." Piper says.

"Are you sure we should let him play those games? Aren't they kind of violent?" Leo says as Buffy walks in.

"Darn it." Tyler says as he starts to get mad but calms down.

Buffy shakes her head, "Looks like he's learning to handle his power to me, Leo."

Piper nods in agreement, "He wouldn't been given them if he couldn't."

"Is that what you think of you, Buffy and your sisters?" Leo asks.

Piper sighs, "I don't know, maybe. All I do know is that when we finally got our powers back, it felt like we were scrambling to catch up. And I can't help but think if we had our powers from day one we would have been more prepared. Things would have turned out different."

Buffy nods, "I have to agree with Piper. If I had of, had my powers at Tyler's age or even younger. It might have prepared me better for the life of a Slayer. And maybe things would have been different for all of us."

"Prue would still be alive?" Leo asks.

"And the Source would be dead. And we would be on our way to having a family as opposed to just talking about it." Piper says.

"Life would be perfect." Leo says.

Buffy shakes her head, "Not perfect, just easier."

Paige and Cole walk in through the front door.

"Obviously when I recommended you for the job I thought you were a former demon." Paige says.

"You know, do me a favor, Paige, and don't do me anymore favors." Cole says.

Buffy, Leo and Piper walk into the foyer.

"Good, Paige, you're home." Piper says.

"Yeah, but not for long. I have to go back to work unlike Cole here." Paige says.

"The legal aid didn't work out for me. See I thought lawyers were supposed to seek out justice." Cole says.

"Okay, we've got bigger problems. The Source wants Tyler. So let's focus on the pressing matter at hand." Buffy says.

Phoebe walks in. "Lunch!"

"Phoebe." Cole says.

"Darling, oh, what a pleasant surprise." Phoebe says.

"Are you feeling okay?" Cole asks.

"That's been my question all day. She's been acting weird."

Phoebe's face turns grey, then back to normal. "Oh, yeah, happy as a clam, why?"

"What was that?" Piper asks.

"What was what?" Phoebe asks.

"You just flashed... black and white." Cole says.

"Oh, don't be silly." Phoebe says, giggling.

"Oh, he's not being silly, we all saw it." Paige says.

"Uh." Phoebe says, giggling again.

"Okay, we don't have time for this. We've gotta get to Ludlow before the Source does. So Cole, fix Phoebe, I don't care how you do it, just do it. She needs to write a spell." Buffy says.

"Uh, which spell?" Cole asks.

"A power of four spell, in case Buffy, Leo and I have no choice but to lure Ludlow back here." Piper says.

A timer goes off from the kitchen.

"Oh, the biscuits are ready." Phoebe says and she goes back in the kitchen.

"We'll need some proof of Ludlow that we actually have Tyler." Leo says.

"We're gonna take his jacket." Buffy says.

Tyler walks in. "Why can't I come with you?"

"Because it's too dangerous." Piper says.

"But I can protect myself. Besides, I helped you out before didn't I?" Tyler says.

Buffy sighs, "This is different."

"Okay, everyone, be ready, be prepared, no surprises." Leo says as he orbs out with Piper. Buffy flames out as Tyler jumps on her back, flaming out with her.

At Ludlow's academy. Piper and Leo orbs in. A second later Buffy flames in with Tyler, who jumps off Buffy's back.

"Hey! What happened?" Piper says.

"He jumped on as I flamed out." Buffy says.

"Dude, you are so going back right now!" Piper says.

Bounty hunters appear and surround them.

"Who are you? What are you doing here?" Bounty Hunter #1 says.

"We, ah, got lost." Leo says.

"The academy is protected by charms which means you can't fnd the place unless you're looking for it. Kill them." Bounty Hunter #1 says.

They get their energy balls ready.

Buffy powers up a fireball.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa." Piper says and she freeze the Bounty Hunters.

"Let's get out of here." Leo says.

"Not going." Tyler says.

"You wanna bet?" Buffy says as she extinguishes the fireball. Tyler runs for the gate. Buffy, Piper and Leo chase him. "Hey, I said no."

Tyler stops. "Look, just listen to me. They don't know I'm a firestarter yet. Once they do, they'll take us right to Ludlow. Isn't that what we want?"

"No, not at your expense. And we're not gonna let you go in there." Piper says indicating herself and Buffy.

"And I don't wanna spend the rest of my life with bad guys chasing me." Tyler says.

"He's right. Wherever we take him, they'll eventually find him." Leo says.

Buffy sighs, "Yeah, if something happens to him..."

"They won't hurt me, remember? I'm coveted." Tyler says.

"If he tags along, it might double your chances of getting Ludlow and not having to go home." Leo says.

"I'd like to do something good for once." Tyler says.

Piper sighs, "Alright, but you stay next to me. And if anything goes wrong we are out of there."

"Guys I have a bad idea." Buffy says. They turn and face her. "Leo could they tell if I'm not a firestarter?"

Leo shrugs, "I don't know too tell the truth. Your powers work similarly to a firestarters. You thinking of telling them you're a firestarter also?"

Buffy nods, "It keeps me close to Tyler that way. In case we get separated."

Piper shakes her head, "It's a bad idea, Buffy. It could backfire like you wouldn't believe."

Buffy nods, "And should our plan backfire? We would be out here and Tyler would be trapped in there."

Piper sighs, "Okay… This better work." She unfreezes the bounty hunters and they throw the energy balls, hitting the gate. They turn around. "Hi."

"How'd you..." Bounty Hunter #1 says

"We're bounty hunters, we need to see Ludlow." Piper says.

"Who's the kid?" Bounty Hunter #1 says.

Tyler shakes his head, "I'm not a kid, I'm a firestarter."

"As am I," Buffy says.

"So you gonna let us in or not?" Leo asks.

"What's the password?" Bounty Hunter #1 asks.

"Password?" Leo asks and he looks at Piper. "Uh..."

Piper blows up bounty hunter #1.

"That was it. You're in." Bounty Hunter #2 says as he opens the gate.

They are lead inside and down a hallway.

"So we're gonna try to take him out, right?" Tyler whispers.

"Shh." Leo says.

"Yes, I will go in first." Piper says.

"What if I can't, I mean, I have to get angry for my power to work don't I?" Tyler says.

"So?" Buffy asks.

"So what if I'm just scared instead? What if it doesn't work?" Tyler says.

They walk up some stairs and approach a door.

"Just walk through that door." Bounty Hunter #2 says.

"Through the door?" Leo asks.

"Yes, through the door." Bounty Hunter #2 says.

They walk through the door and end up in Ludlow's office.

"Where is he?" Leo asks.

"Ludlow!" Piper says.

Ludlow appears in a chair behind his desk. "So, you brought the alleged firestarter. You've given us quite the run around, haven't you boy? I said haven't you boy?"

"Yes." Tyler says.

"Yes what?" Ludlow says.

"Yes sir." Tyler says.

"No one teaches manners anymore." Ludlow says. "Now about you girl. Your claiming to be a firestarter also?"

"Yeah." Buffy says as Ludlow gives her a look. Buffy rolls her eyes, "Yes, sir."

"About our payment, see we don't want any surprises." Piper says as she tries to freeze him. "Yeah, 'cause we hate surprises." She tries to freeze him again.

"What are you doing? What, are you afraid that I'll grab the boy or this girl and stiff you? If they are both firestarters you'll get your reward and a hefty bonus for bringing me the girl. If they're not, you'll all die." Ludlow says.

"Well, Tyler and Buffy are firestarters so that won't be an issue." Leo says.

"Prove it." Ludlow says.

"Go ahead. Give him everything you got." Piper says to Tyler.

Tyler gets mad but nothing happens.

"What, not even a flicker?" Ludlow asks.

"Okay, he's just a little scared." Piper says.

"Oh, that's ridiculous. Don't be scared, boy." Ludlow says and he walks around his desk. "You're closing in on one of the most important moment of your life. Prove what you are and you'll meet the Source. The most powerful evil that exists in the universe."

"Yeah, okay, see, that's not helping." Piper says.

"Do it." Ludlow says.

"He's just a kid." Piper says.

"Do it, boy." Ludlow says.

"I mean it, lay off of him." Piper says.

"Insolent! How dare you!" Ludlow says.

"No!" Tyler says as he gets mad and Ludlow bursts into flames.

The flames die down and Ludlow laughs. "Excellent! Well done. Your turn girl."

Buffy smirks and powers up a fireball throwing it at Ludlow. He catches on fire momentarily.

"Wonderful, girl. Just wonderful." Ludlow says.

Frost shoots out of Ludlow's hands and hits Tyler and Buffy, knocking them unconscious as they fall onto a couple chairs.

"What did you do to them?" Piper asks.

"Just a precaution until the Source arrives. To kill them and steal their powers." Ludlow says.

"But..." Piper says.

"Your bounty's outside." Ludlow says as he flicks his arm and Piper and Leo fly through the door.

Outside Piper and Leo land on the ground. The gates close as they stand up.

"Leo, hurry, go get them." Piper says.

Leo orbs out. The gate sparks and Leo orbs back in, falling to the ground.

Piper tries several times to blow up the gate. "It's the force shield, I can't blast through it. Talk about Buffy's plan backfiring. Could use her fireballs right now."

"I'll go get your sisters." Leo says.

"Leo..." Piper says.

"I know, hurry." Leo says and orbs out.

Moments later Leo orbs in with Phoebe and Paige.

"I can't get in, you've gotta write a spell." Piper says.

"Are you up to it?" Paige asks.

"I think so. Uh, door lock, no magic block." Phoebe says.

"That's it?" Piper asks.

"Come here." Phoebe says.

They stand beside each other.

"Door lock, no magic block." Piper, Phoebe and Paige chant.

The gate sparks. Piper goes over and touches the gate. It electrocutes her.

"Honey, maybe we should go back and check the Book of Shadows again." Phoebe says.

"I can't leave Tyler or Buffy here." Piper says.

"Buffy's in there?" Phoebe says.

"As much as I hate to say this knowing Buffy's in there also. It doesn't look like you have much of a choice." Leo says.

"No! Please, don't hurt me!" Tyler says from inside the building.

"Say away from him." Buffy says also from inside the building.

"Stand back." Piper says as she tries to blow up the gate.

"No!" Buffy says

Piper tries to blow up the gate.

"Don't hurt me!" Tyler says.

Piper uses all her strength and blows up the gate. She walks in followed by Phoebe, Paige and Leo.

"What was that?" Phoebe asks.

"I think you just saw a mother lift a car off her child." Paige says.

Inside the academy Buffy and Tyler are lying on a table, covered in ice. Ludlow is waving his hands above Tyler. "All the pain is over. Soon you both will serve the Source."

The door is blown up and Piper storms in, followed by Phoebe, Paige and Leo. "I'm back!"

"I paid you your bounty." Ludlow says.

"Yeah, that's not what I'm after." She tries to blow him up but only wounds him. He falls back. "Power of three spell?"

"I don't have one." Phoebe says.

"I did a power of four spell. Maybe it will work without Buffy?" Paige says as she gets out a piece of paper.

They walk over to Buffy and Phoebe and Piper hold her hands.

"Hopefully the magic will work through her." Piper says.

"The brittle winter gives way to flowers of spring, Ludlow is vanquished." Piper, Phoebe and Paige chant.

Ludlow yells and blows up.

"What the hell was that?" Phoebe asks.

"It was a Haiku. I couldn't do the rhyming thing." Paige says.

"Leo, they're frozen." Piper says.

"I got them." Leo says as she holds one hand over Tyler and the other hand over Buffy. They start to warm up.

"They're starting to warm up." Piper says.

The ice disappears.

"They're gonna make it. Let's get back to the gate and orb home." Leo says.

Later Buffy, Piper, Leo and Tyler are in the kitchen.

Buffy picks up a glass of blue liquid. "Are you sure you wanna do this? It's completely up to you."

"Yeah, I'm sure." Tyler says.

"It's an awful lot to give up." Piper says.

"No, it's not. Not for me." Tyler says.

Buffy nods, "Alright, here you go." She hands him the glass.

"It'll bind your powers, it won't strip them but it'll bind them." Piper says as Tyler drinks the potion and burps. "Say excuse me."

"Excuse me." Tyler says.

"Ludlow's right, nobody teaches manners anymore." Piper says as she puts the glass in the sink.

"Do you think it worked?" Tyler asks.

"Try it, look at something and get mad. Just think of Ludlow." Buffy says.

Tyler looks at a potted plant and gets mad. Nothing happens. "I didn't hurt it. I'm normal."

"Whatever that means." Buffy says as Tyler starts to run off. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, where you going?"

"To play video games." Tyler says as he runs off.

"Ah." Piper says.

"Still wanna have a baby?" Leo asks.

"Mm-hmm, I'm just not ready for an adolescent yet. No offense Buffy. But even when you moved I wasn't ready." Piper says.

"Paige said she found a pretty good family, not too far from here." Buffy says.

"I'm glad because I want visitation rights. Plus, you know, we have to be in touch in case he ever wants his powers back." Piper says.

"You think he will?" Leo asks.

"I don't know. He's a surprising kid." Piper says.

"Like the piggy-back flame?" Buffy asks.

"I was so focused on how I was going to guide him, then he ended up guiding me." Piper says.

"How?" Leo asks.

"Well, you know how I was upset with Grams for binding our powers, leaving us unprepared for our magical future." Piper says. "I was even upset with Aunt Joyce for binding Buffy's."

"You mentioned it once or twice." Leo says.

"Well, now I see the wisdom in her decision. I mean, she realized someday we were gonna have to battle demons. But she always realized that children shouldn't live in fear. They need to feel safe, and explore, and learn and grow. I still think magic is a gift, that Grams and Aunt Joyce gave us the greatest gift of all. A normal childhood, the gift of innocence." Piper says as she and Leo hug.

Piper looks to Buffy, "Now you my dear sister. Have some explaining to do about your little plan that almost cost us another member of our family."

"Uh… I'm sorry." Buffy says.


	92. Chapter 92: Something Blue

**Author's Note: **Some of you noted that I accidentally added the wrong chapter for 91. It should now be fixed. So as soon as the site updates you can go back and read it.

* * *

**Chapter 92: Something Blue**

Buffy is walking through U.C. San Francisco commons. She stops when she sees Riley across the way, helping some pretty girls who struggle to tack a banner under one of the archways. Buffy can't quite make out what the banner says as Riley climbs on the step ladder they have set up and they hand him one side, he tacks it up as one girl holds the other.

Riley comes off the ladder, looks to make sure it's straight. "There you go. Looks good."

Buffy moves closer and sees that the banner is announcing the monthly meeting of the U.C. SAN FRANCISCO LESBIAN ALLIANCE. Buffy takes this in - smiling at Riley's easy, well-meaning rapport with the girls.

Riley finishes helping them, then turns and sees Buffy standing nearby. He's pleasantly surprised. "Hey Buffy."

"You have something to tell me?" Buffy says, teasingly.

"What?" Riley asks. "Oh. Yes, I am a lesbian."

They start to move together through the bustling commons, more interested in talking to each other than in where in where they are going.

"It's good that you're open about it. How are your parents dealing?" Buffy says.

"They just want me to be happy. Oh hey! You know we were talking about having a picnic; I was thinking, do you ever hang out at Ruggs Field? It's beautiful there. Usually not that crowded either. I thought maybe we could have a little spread, sandwiches, maybe some ants." Riley says as they stop. "Could be fun."

"We were talking about having a picnic?" Buffy asks.

"Oh. Um, okay..." Riley says, thinking. "... so was that a conversation we actually had or just one I was practicing?"

"Practicing." Buffy says, grasping the concept.

"Okay, yes, I have been known to do a little prep work before our conversations. It's not easy, you know. Talking to you, sometimes, it's like an oral exam." Riley says.

Buffy smiles, "And that's just what every girl longs to hear."

"Well you're tricky!" Riley says.

"Like an exam." Buffy says, smiling wryly.

"I never know how you're going to react to something. That's why I like you so much. You're a mystery." Riley says as he laughs. "Probably every beautiful girl in the world has some jerk telling her she's a mystery, but I swear you really are. There's a lot about you that needs puzzling out." For a moment they just stare at each other. "I lose you somewhere?"

"Right around "beautiful"." Buffy says.

Another smile beat. Riley gamely offers, "Say. Don'tcha just love a picnic?"

That evening Buffy, Piper and Willow walk the graveyard, in patrol mode. Buffy's still wearing that goofy smile. "It's just different, you know? A picnic - first of all, daylight, kind of a new venue Buffywise... and the best part, he said he'd bring all the food. All I have to do is show up and eat – two things I'm really good at!"

"So he's nice." Willow says.

"Very very." Buffy says.

"And you like each other?" Piper asks.

Buffy nods, "Oh yeah. He's just got - have you looked at his arms? Those are good arms to have. Riley is... I really like him. I do..." She's becoming pensive.

"But?" Willow asks.

"I don't know. I love being around him, I think he cares about me, but... I still feel like something's missing..." Buffy says.

They think for a minute. Then Willow offers, "He's not making you miserable?"

"Exactly!" Buffy says. "Riley seems so solid. Like he's not the type to give a girl grief."

"Get out. Get out while there's still time." Willow says.

Buffy sighs, "I know. I gotta get over the whole bad boy thing. But then I can't help thinking, isn't that where the fire comes from? Can a nice safe relationship be that intense? It's nuts, but part of me believes that real love and passion have to go hand in hand with lots of pain and fighting-"

Piper shakes her head about to say something as a vamp leaps out in front of them. With barely time to growl, Buffy throws a fireball dusting him. "Buffy it's not always like that. Look at me and Leo or Phoebe and Cole. We have our moments sure, what couple doesn't. But we have more love and passion than the other."

Buffy sighs and nods, "Then there are my parents. Before the divorce they were always fighting. Sometimes I wonder if he was like Uncle Victor and knew about magic. And if that was what drove them apart. Look at Aunt Patty and Uncle Victor. They split up too. And from what we know it was over magic."

Piper nods, "I don't remember them fighting all the time though. But remember what Dad said the day of my wedding? Looking back on his life the years he spent with Mom was some of the happiest years of his life."

Later at Giles Apartment in his bathroom, Spike, pale and disheveled, is chained up un the tub.

Buffy leans wearily against the wall next to him. A small TV, off, sits on the counter. "You saw their faces, but you can't describe them."

"Well... They were human... two eyes each, kind of in the middle." Spike says.

"Uh-huh. And the lab...?" Buffy asks.

"Underground. I came out through an air vent, I don't know exactly where. I'm done. Put the telly on." Spike says as Giles enters and hands a mug to Buffy. "'Bout time. Hope you got it warm enough." Buffy winces as she holds the mug. Spike drinks greedily. "Don't know why you're so dainty all of a sudden. You've done this for Angel. You must've." Buffy pulls the mug away, sets it aside. "Hey! Give it!"

"That's it. The invalid amnesiac routine is over. Kitchen closed 'til you tell me something useful about the commandos." Buffy says.

"I'm trying to remember. It was very traumatic." Spike says.

"How long are you going to pull this crap?" Buffy asks.

"How long am I gonna live once I tell you?" Spike says.

"Spike, we've no intention of killing a harmless creature. But we need to know what's been done to you. We can't let you go until we're sure you're impotent." Giles says.

"Hey!" Spike says.

"Sorry. Poor choice of words. 'Til we know you're..." Giles says.

"Flaccid?" Buffy asks, jokingly.

"You're one step away, missy –" Spike says.

"Giles, help! He's gonna scold me!" Buffy says as Spike tries to lunge but the chains hold him back. "You know what? I think you don't want us to let you go. Maybe we made it too comfy here."

"Comfy? Do I look comfy? I'm chained in a bathtub drinking pig's blood from a novelty mug. Doesn't rate high in the Zagat's guide." Spike says.

"You want something nicer?" Buffy asks as she leans over Spike, baring her neck to him. "Ooh... look at my poor neck, all bare and tender and delicious..." Spike strains at his chains, wanting it... "All that blood just pumping away..."

"Giles, make her stop!" Spike says.

Buffy sits back, "You wanna start again?"

"You're inhumane." Spike says.

Sighing powerless at the impasse, Giles exits into the living room and finds Willow cross-legged on the floor, a number of books spread out on the coffee table before her. Piper sits on the couch.

"If those two don't kill each other, I might lend a hand." Giles says.

"What about a truth spell? I'm not positive it'd work on a vampire, but we could try. Make him fess up." Willow says.

"Of course. A truth spell. Why didn't I think of that?" Giles asks.

"'Cause you've got your hands full with the unread English patient." Willow says.

Willow hands Giles a book, he looks at it. She stands, starts to gather her stuff. "Yes, worth a go..."

"Looks pretty simple. I'll stop by the magic shop tomorrow." Willow says.

"Excellent." Giles says.

"I'll be back in the morning with donuts and motherwort." Willow says. "Buff, I'll see you later!"

"Bye!" Buffy says.

"Great. Thank you, Willow." Giles says.

Willow exits, and then Giles hands the book to Piper.

Piper looks it over, "It might work. I know there is a truth spell in the Book of Shadows. Prue used it a couple years ago. Only thing is that it has a nasty side effect. Anyone you talk to would be compelled to tell the truth till the spell ended. And it was a 24 hour spell."

Giles nods, "Is it the same one in that book?"

Piper looks at the book and shakes her head, "No. We might try this one first and see what happens. If all else fails we can go with the one in the Book of Shadows."

Giles nods as Piper gets up and walks back to the bathroom. She pokes her head in.

Buffy and Spike are glaring at each other as she feeds him his blood.

"Willow may have had a helpful idea." Piper says. "She seems to be coping better with Oz' departure, don't you think?"

"She's still got a way to go, but yeah - I think she's dealing." Buffy says.

"What are you people, blind? She's hanging on by a thread." Spike says. "Any ninny can see that."

Later that evening back at the Manor, Buffy is on the phone with Willow. She can hear that Willow is crying when she speaks.

"Devon said he sent for his things. I guess this means he's planning on settling down somewhere. Else. Not here." Willow says.

Buffy sighs, "Guess so."

"I feel like I've been split down the center. And half of me is lost." Willow says.

Buffy knows this feeling all too well. "I know. It feels like that now..."

"Oz is gone." Willow says.

Buffy sighs, feeling helpless.

The next day Buffy and Riley, are kicking back, sharing their lunches... Enjoying each other.

"Driving." Buffy says.

"Yeah." Riley says.

"You seriously drive for fun?" Buffy asks.

"Not four-wheeling or anything. But yeah. Don't you?" Riley asks.

Buffy shakes her head, "I don't do it for fun, just to get around. Before I graduated high school I was an avid pedestrian. I didn't get my license till just before graduation. I didn't get my car till after Prue died. Piper asked Phoebe and I if we wanted Prue's car. We both said no. Turns out Prue had other ideas. She had amended her will about the time I got my license. I guess she thought if something happened to her I would like to have her car."

"You know you have an amazing family. One cousin is giving you her club when you turn 21. Another gave you her car. They gave you a place to live when your mom died." Riley says.

Buffy nods, "I know. I have the most loving family in the world." They notice just that that Willow was standing just off their blanket. Shoulders slumped. Face grey. "Will. Hey."

"Hi Willow." Riley says.

A pause as Willow waits for more. Notices their uneaten sliced apples laid out on a napkin. "I interrupted. You've got apples. My mistake." She turns to leave, obviously distraught.

"Wait." Riley says, and Willow turns back. "Sit. Plenty to go around."

Buffy regards her, concerned. "What - did something happen? What's wrong?"

Willow sits on the blanket, takes an apple wedge. "Nothing Everything's fine. Same."

"Oh." Buffy says.

Willow takes an apple slice. "Your apples are... they're turning brown. The way they do."

Riley nods, "Yeah, guess they do that."

"Yeah." Buffy says.

Willow sighs, "Yeah."

Buffy and Riley look from each other to Willow, to the blanket. Buffy tugs some grass from the ground. Riley twists a thread in the blanket. Conversation has come to a big old halt.

That evening at Payson's P4 Buffy, Xander and Anya are sitting in the alcove.

"Jeez. You mean Oz just sent for his stuff and didn't even call her? That's pretty harsh." Xander says.

"I only wish I had my powers back. I'd liquify his entrails for her." Anya says, kindly.

"That's sweet." Xander says. "God. Poor Willow. No wonder she's... having a wonderful time."

Anya and Buffy follow his look to the dance floor where Willow is with a group of people, cutting the rug happily. Needless to say – Buffy, Xander and Anya are a little surprised.

"Wow. Way to rebound." Buffy says, perplexed.

"I believe that is the dance of a brave little toaster." Xander says.

Willow notices them watching her - bops over. "Hey! Come on you guys - this music is great!"

"Nice to see you brought your boogie shoes tonight, Will." Xander says.

Willow nods, "Yeah - I know I've been a party poop lately. So I said to myself - "Self" - I said "time to shake and shimmy it off!""

"Sounds like a good policy." Buffy says, bemused.

"Yep. And it works too..." Willow says as she reaches for her coat. :I just figure in the grand scheme of things, we're all –"

CLINK-CLANK! A beer bottle falls from under the coat and clatters to the ground

"- drunk?" Buffy asks.

Willow snatches the bottle off the floor and hides it again in her coat. "Drunk is a pretty strong word. Kind of an Anglo-Saxon word. Guttural. "Drunk.""

"Will, not loving the drowning of the sorrows." Xander says.

"Not drowning. Wading." Willow says as she flashes the beer. "See? Light. No big."

Buffy frowns, "Actually big, Will. The club could loose it's license for serving you that. Since Piper's name is on the deed she could go to jail if anyone found out. I'm going to have to talk to the bartenders and remind them to check for the stamps."

Xander nods, "How's about you give me the beer."

Willow gets defensive - just shy of actual belligerence. "No! Why should I? I've got pain here. Big time, legitimate pain-"

"We've all got pain, Will-" Xander says.

Willow cuts him off, "Like what? Poor me, I live in a basement? Oh, yeah - that's dire!"

Xander's genuinely stung by this.

Buffy moves to Willow, takes her by the arm and leads her slightly away from the others. "I'm taking you home now."

"I don't want to –" Willow says.

"You'll thank me when you still have a friend left in the morning." Buffy says.

Willow looks at her, softens. The hard exterior melting a bit. "I just can't stand feeling this way. I want it to be over."

"And it will be. I promise. But it's going to take some time." Buffy says.

"That's not good enough." Willow says.

Buffy sighs, "I know. But that's how it is. You have to go through the pain."

"Isn't there some way I can make it go away? Just 'cause I say so? Can't I make it go poof?"

Buffy regards her, helpless.

Later in Willow's dorm room. Buffy decided to crash there so that Willow wouldn't be left alone. She quietly sleeps.

Willow, however, is hyper awake. She looks over at her alarm clock, reading 3:34 a.m. Willow looks to the sleeping Buffy, and silently crawls out from under her covers. Goes to her chest and opens it grabbing some stuff and she makes her way down the hall. And into the women's bathroom.

Moments later Willow sits cross-legged in the middle of the tile floor. A circle of white candles around her. She speaks softly, not wanting to waken anyone. "Harken well ye elements. I summon thee now. Control the outside. Control within. Land and sea, fire and wind."

A small wooden pentagram rests on the floor in front of her. Beside it three small bowls of seeds, leaves and powder. Willow begins to sprinkle the bits on top of the pentagram...

"Out of my passions, a web be spun. From this eve forth, my will be done." Willow says as her hair blows in a slight breeze. She opens her eyes and looks around. The candles glow brighter. A little frightened, but mostly invigorated, she takes a deep breath, and pours from the chalice. "So mote it be!"

CRACK! Bright white lightning forks outward along the floor in all directions, from under Willow, to the circumference of the circle. The candle flames shoot skyward. Willow is jolted backward. Then she's illuminated, as if she glows from within. Her breath is sucked from her lungs. Hair whipping in a wind that strikes in every direction. She suppresses a scream.

The next day Buffy's at Payson's P4 talking to the bartenders and the wait-staff, Piper stands beside her. "Last night one of you sold beer to a minor. I'm not going to ask which one of you did it. You need to check the stamps people. Unless you really want to be out of a job. If the cops had come in last night and saw one of you selling alcohol to a minor they would have shut us down. Everyone here would have lost their jobs. On top of that we would have lost our liquor license and since Piper's name is still on the deed she would have likely been the one the police arrested as she is responsible for all the alcohol that is sold here. Check the hand stamps everyone. If Piper or I find out one of you sold to a minor again. That person will be out of a job."

Later Buffy returns to Willow's dorm room to check on her. Willow is cleaning Amy's cage on the floor. Amy runs loose on the bed behind her.

"I mean, I'm going through something, and I just don't see why he was getting down on me." Willow says.

"Giles just worries. You know as well as I that magic can't be taken lightly. It doesn't mean he thinks you're a bad witch." Buffy says as she looks at Willow and thinks, 'When you're feeling better I'm going to have to remind you about personal gain.'

"I am a bad witch." Willow says.

"No, you're a good witch!" Buffy says.

"I'm not kidding anyone. If I had any real power I could've made Oz stay with me." Willow says.

Buffy sighs and thinks, 'Yep have to talk to her about personal gain.' "Yeah, but you don't want him to stay because you –"

"I didn't have the guts to do a spell on Veruca, my "I will it so" spell went nowhere, the only real witch in here is fuzzy little Amy and you!"

Buffy sighs, "You're being too –"

"She and you have got access to forces I can't even invoke! I mean she's a perfectly normal girl..." Willow's eyes flash and POOF! - behind them on the bed – Amy becomes human! She's naked, sitting with her legs pulled up to her chest. A wave of relief washes over Amy - can it really be? "... then POOF! - She's a rat."

POOF! Amy's a rat again. Neither Buffy or Willow saw her.

"I could never do something like that." Willow says.

Buffy shakes her head, "Willow, I will admit that was a good spell. But it has personal gain written all over it. As you know personal gain spells always have consequences. Amy being a rat is hers. It will take some powerful magic to restore her. Which reminds me I should talk to Piper and find out if we could use the power of four to change her back."

The PHONE RINGS. Buffy picks up. "Hello... Uh-oh. Right. I'm there." She hangs up. "Spike escaped."

"So you're going? Right now?" Willow says, meekly.

"Sorry. Duty thing." Buffy says.

"But - what's the rush? I mean. Spike can't hurt anybody, right? I figured, seeing as how I'm kinda grievey, we could have a girl night. You know - eat sundaes and then watch Steel Magnolias and you could tell me how at least I don't have diabetes-" Willow says.

Buffy sighs, "Willow. I can't hang with you until I get Spike back to Giles'. You know that." Willow shrugs. Buffy, feeling badly, backs out. "I'll be back soon. Promise." She leaves.

Willow grumbles after her. "I don't see the big. He's probably just standing out there, you'll find him in two seconds."

Buffy hurries outside and sees Spike, indeed standing out there. "I thought that was going to take longer."

"Me too - I musta got turned around." Spike says. "Hang on... this..." He rabbits off to a nearby patch of grass. Buffy follows. "This is it! Wait. No. Yes!" He spins around.

Buffy grabs him by the arm. "What are you talking about?"

"The lab. Commando lab. Door was right here. Where I escaped." Spike says.

Buffy shakes her head, "I don't think so."

Spike jerks out of her grip, gets down on his knees and starts scraping at the grass, yanking up clumps of it. "Open up! I'm going to kill you!"

"Spike, there's nothing here." Buffy says.

"Let me in! Fix me!" Spike yells, hopelessly.

Buffy pulls him up, "Drop the act."

"Get off me!" Spike says as he pulls his arm free.

"That's it. I'm gagging you." Buffy says as she grabs him and he catches her with a punch in the nose.

Spike recoils with chip-induced searing head pain. "Aaaarrr!" Followed -WHAP- by a blow from Buffy's fist to his nose. "Oowwww!"

Later at Giles apartment Buffy pushes Spike into the living room - arms already tied.

"Watchit!" Spike says.

"One more word out of you and I swear –" Buffy says.

"Swear what? You're not going to do anything to me. You don't have the stones." Spike says.

"Oh, I've got the stones. I've got a whole... bunch of stones." Buffy says.

"Yeah, you're all talk." Spike says.

"Giles! I accidentally killed Spike! That's okay, right?" Buffy calls out.

"Just a minute..." Giles calls back.

Buffy and Spike are nose to nose now. Teeth gritted, tension high.

"I get this spell reversed, they'll be finding your body for weeks." Spike says.

"Make a move. Please. I'm dying for good slay." Buffy says.

Giles enters from the hall. "Now if you two can remain civil long enough to –" He stops, blinks a couple times when he sees... Spike, untied, down on one knee.

Buffy before him, trying to hold back tears. Spike is holding her left hand. "It's just so.. So sudden! I don't know what to say!"

"Just say yes, and make me the happiest man on earth." Spike says.

"Oh, Spike! Of course it's yes!" Buffy says.

Spike stands and pulls her to him, into a long passionate kiss.

Buffy turns to Giles. "Giles - you'll never believed what's happened!"

Giles goes into the kitchen and picks up the phone and dials. "Piper, it's me. Something's happened and... I need your help. I...I can't see very well. Everything's a blur. I'm certain it must be some sort of spell, because, uh well there seems to be something else going .. wrong." He looks over to Buffy and Spike.

"What?" Piper asks.

Buffy is just handing Spike a hot mug of blood. She sits on the arm of the chair, curls up next to him. "Here you go, Sweetie. Ninety-eight point six."

Spike gives her a quick casual kiss.

"Horribly wrong." Giles says.

"Like what?" Piper asks.

"Just get here quick, Piper. And you might stop by Willow's and bring her also." Giles says.

"Okay, we're on our way." Piper says as Giles hangs up.

Buffy consults a hand written list. "Ceremony, guests, reception... there's so much to decide. Ooh bridesmaids. Who's going to be my maid of honor. I have to choose between Piper, Phoebe and Paige. Now I understand why Piper kept putting that decision off. I don't want to hurt someone's feelings."

"Well, first thing, I'd say we're NOT having a church wedding." Spike says. He crosses an item off the list as Buffy runs her fingers through his hair.

"How about a daytime ceremony in the park?" Buffy asks.

"Fabulous. Enjoy your honeymoon with the big pile of dust." Spike says.

"Under the trees. Indirect sunlight only." Buffy says.

"A warm spring breeze tosses the leaves aside and, again, you're registering as Mr. And Mrs. Big pile of dust." Spike says.

"Okay, stop it! This is our wedding and you're treating it like a huge joke!" Buffy says.

Giles pours himself a large glass of Scotch. He brings it with him to the sofa. Buffy pouts, frustrated with her fiancé.

"Ooh. Pouty, look at the lip. Gonna get it. Gonna get it." Spike says as he lurches forward and bites her lower pouty lip. Tugs gently and lets go.

Buffy giggles. "Stop!"

Giles sits on the couch, resting his eyes. "Yes, please stop."

Buffy moves to sit on the couch next to Giles. "Giles? Did you see my ring?"

"Thankfully, not very well." Giles says as he rests his head on the back of the couch, eyes still closed.

"Giles, I... I'm not crazy; I know you probably don't approve... and my Dad and Uncle Victor's not that far away, I could probably get one of them... but this day is about family, my real family. And I want it to be you that gives me away." Buffy says.

Giles looks at her, mouth open, honored, "Buffy, I... That's so... Oh for God's sake! This is nonsense! Something is making you act this way! Don't you realize what you're doing!?"

Buffy looks to Spike, "Living the dream."

"He's going to have to take a bit of time to get to used to it, pet." Spike says. "So will your cousins for that matter."

Buffy moves back over to Spike. "I guess they all will. They weren't crazy about Angel at first."

"You weren't going to say that name." Spike says.

"Sorry. Let's talk about where we should register." Buffy says.

Piper walks in, "Ok Paige and Phoebe are looking for Willow. What's going on?"

"Where would Angel want to register? And can we get the photographer Angel would have wanted and the flowers Angel would have liked?" Spike says.

"Hey, you think the shadow of Drusilla isn't hanging over me? That I won't be wondering if you're thinking about her on our honeymoon when you're making sweet love to me?" Buffy says.

Giles makes a pained noise and reaches for his drink, but misses it badly, knocking the glass to the floor with a crash.

"Giles? Are you okay?" Piper asks.

"I rather think not. I seem to be rather… rather blind. Completely, in fact." Giles says.

Piper and Buffy rushes to him.

"What? How could that happen?" Buffy asks.

"A spell, I believe." Giles says.

"We'll fix it, don't worry." Buffy says.

"A spell?" Piper asks. "You mean someone cursed you?"

Spike is already at the bookcase, going through Giles' books. "What you need is a general reversal spell. Gonna need supplies."

"You're going to help me?" Giles asks, suspiciously.

"Well.. It's like you're almost my father-in-law, innit?" Spike says.

"See, this is how it'll be from now on. Spike'll even take care of you while Piper and I are at the magic shop. From now on, he's family." Buffy says.

Piper frowns, "Giles what's wrong with her?"

Giles thinks about that... and rises as he says, mostly to himself... "It's all right... I have more scotch..."

"Giles!" Piper says.

"I think she's under a spell also." Giles says.

Later Buffy and Piper exits the Magic Shop, black plastic bag in Buffy's hand. On a mission to get back to Giles'. However. She sees something - something that makes her stop dead in her tracks and her eyes go big and round. It's... A bridal shop.

With long, flowing, beaded and sequined dresses on mannequins in the display window. Buffy rushes up to it, places her hands on the glass like a child a candy store. "Oh! Look..."

Piper moves beside her and shakes her head. "Buffy."

"Which one do you like, Piper? Have to make sure all the bridesmaids wear something nice." Buffy says. "Oh I've been meaning to ask you. How did you decide between me, Prue and Phoebe on your maid of honor."

Piper sighs, "That was a hard decision Buffy. But it was actually decided by Prue and Phoebe. They thought you would like the honor of being my maid of honor. Especially since we had grown so close last year after your past lives deal."

They don't notice Riley walk up behind them.

"Hey, Buffy . What's up?" Riley asks.

"Riley - look!" Buffy says. "Aren't they beautiful?"

Riley looks at the dresses. As uncomfortable as any new beau would be at this question. "Um, yeah, they're nice. A little dressy, maybe, for school, but..."

"Riley…" Buffy says.

"Buffy..." Riley says.

Piper moves over to Riley, "You must be Riley Finn? I'm Piper Halliwell, Buffy's cousin."

Riley shakes Piper's hand, "It's nice to meet you…" he looks at her ring finger, "…Mrs. Halliwell."

Piper smiles, "And you. My sister, Phoebe is getting married. And of course Buffy and I are to be her bridesmaids along with my other sister Paige. And we were checking out the dresses we might like to wear so we can give our opinions to Phoebe."

"Ah." Riley says as he has look of relief.

"What are you talking about Piper?" Buffy asks. "We stopped to look at dresses for my wedding, not Phoebe's." She looks to Riley. "I'm getting married. Can you believe it?"

"I don't think "no" is a strong enough word." Riley says.

Piper frowns and looks at Buffy.

"It's crazy, I know, I mean we've been fighting for years and then – sometimes you just look at each and you know, you know?" Buffy says.

"No." Riley says.

"I think maybe we fought so much because we didn't know how to admit what we felt." Buffy says.

"Can we start again?" Riley asks.

"I really think you'd like him. Well, nobody really likes him..." Buffy says.

Piper shakes her head, "Buffy shouldn't we be going. We have to take this stuff back home." She holds up the bag that Buffy had set down. Buffy looks to Piper and the bag, then remembers Giles and nods. "Riley you should come by sometime. I'm a wonderful cook. I'd love to have you stop by for dinner sometime."

Riley looks at Buffy unsure of what to say, "Thanks, but I think I should pass on the offer. I'm going to go, you both have a good evening." He goes.

Buffy watches him with regret - then turns excitedly to the dresses.

Later back at Giles apartment Buffy hops a tiny blonde bride and groom along a table top. "Dum-DUM-de-dum! Dum-DUM-de-dum!"

Giles reclines on the living room couch with a folded towel over his eyes. Wedding etiquette books and wedding-dress fabric swatches are spread out on the coffee table. Spike watches as she plays with the little couple. "So the plan is to cure my total incapacitating blindness tomorrow, is it?"

"They were out of Taggis Root. They'll have more tomorrow. I'm completely on top of this." Buffy says. "Aren't they a perfect little us?"

Piper is on the phone, "Leo are you sure there is none of this Taggis Root in the cabinet?"

"Yeah, Piper. I'm sure." Leo says.

"Okay thanks, Leo." Piper says.

"What's going on?" Leo asks.

"Someone's cast spells on both Giles and Buffy." Piper says. "I had to spend 30 minutes in a bridal shop while Buffy talked to the saleslady about her wedding."

"Wedding?" Leo asks.

"Yeah, hence she like Giles are under a spell. Giles is more insidious. He's been blinded." Piper says. "If Phoebe and Paige call in tell them I'm at Giles apartment."

"Will do." Leo says as Piper hangs up the phone.

Spike takes the little couple, looks at them. "I don't like him. He's insipid. Clearly human."

"How about red paint... we can smear his little mouth - the blood of the innocent." Buffy says.

"That's my girl." Spike says as he grabs the back of her head and yanks her in for a hard, deep kiss.

"Stop that! Right now! I can hear the smacking." Giles says.

"I have to agree with Giles, Buffy." Piper says.

Buffy sighs and rolls her eyes at Spike. Back to the planning. "Honey, we have to talk about invitations. Do you want to be "William the Bloody" or, like just "Spike"? 'Cause either way it's gonna look majorly weird."

"Whereas the name "Buffy" gives it that touch of classic elegance." Spike says.

"What's wrong with Buffy?" Buffy says.

"Such a good question." Giles says.

"Well, it's a terrible name." Spike says.

"My father picked that name!" Buffy says.

"Your father. Yeah, he's a genius." Spike says. "I like the one your mum picked out better, Payson."

Buffy smiles, "You do?"

BAM! The front door flies open and Xander and Anya run in.

"Board up the windows! Barricade the doors!" Xander says.

Piper moves to Xander, "What's going on?"

"Demons. They keep coming and coming!" Anya says.

Xander and Anya struggle with the mirrored stand by Giles' door, trying to move it in front of the door.

"I think we lost them. I didn't see –" Xander says as he sees Spike and stops. "Spike! He's all untied! You probably noticed."

"Xander, calm down. If you lost them, we have a little time to figure this out. Maybe it's related to Giles being blind." Buffy says.

"Giles is blind?" Anya asks.

Xander goes to Giles, waves his hands wildly in front of Giles' face.

"Stop whatever you're doing. You smell like fruit roll-ups." Giles says.

"This is the crack team that foils my every plan? I am deeply shamed." Spike says.

"Spike's right. We have to get organized." Buffy says.

"Why are you holding hands?" Anya says.

Xander turns, eyes them.

Piper frowns, "Great you would have to notice. I had hoped to have this all straightened out before anyone noticed."

"They have to hear it sooner or later..." Spike says.

Buffy nods, smiling, "Spike and I are getting married."

"How? What? How?" Xander says.

"Spell, Spell, Spell." Piper says.

Buffy and Spike have gotten caught in the loving snare of each other's eyes.

"What are you looking at?" Spike asks.

"The man I love." Buffy says, intimately. She kisses Spike, big time.

"Can I be blind too?" Xander asks. "Wait. Married. I know something. What is it? This is all so familiar. Work, brain, work. Oh! Oh-oh! Willow!"

"You've seen Willow?" Piper asks.

Xander nods, "Something about Willow and her grief-y poor-me mood swings. So, so tired of it."

"You mean I don't have to be nice to her anymore?" Anya asks.

"We're all tired of it, but what's it have to do with what's going on?" Buffy asks.

"She told me I was a demon magnet. And.. And she said you two should get married." Xander says.

"And that I didn't see anything." Giles says.

Piper shakes her head, "Willow cast a spell. And this must be the consequences. Whatever it was must have been personal gain. I thought we had taught her better than that."

"Yes, to have her will done. Whatever she says is coming true." Giles says.

Piper nods and goes over to the phone dialing. "I'll call Phoebe and Paige and tell them get a move on. We need to find Willow."

Buffy nods, "And both you guys were affected. I probably only escaped it because I'm the Slayer and a Charmed One. Some kind of natural immunity."

"Yeah. Right. You're marrying Spike because you're so right for each other." Xander says.

"Xander..." Buffy says.

"That's it. You're off the usher list." Spike says.

"Phoebe it's Piper." Piper says. "Willow cast a personal gain spell. The consequence of which is effecting Buffy, Xander and Giles. Find her quickly. We have to get her to reverse the spell." She hangs up the phone. "Okay People... Willow's still out there, and she probably has no idea what she's doing."

"We've gotta find her –" Xander says.

Buffy nods, "Before someone really gets hurt."

Later Piper, Buffy, Xander, Anya and Spike rush down the hall towards Willow's dorm room.

"Why does he have to come?" Xander asks.

"Xander, Spike is going to be my husband. I want him included." Buffy says.

"I think I agree with Xander here. Seems like a lot of work for people who aren't us." Spike says.

"Spike, these are my friends. And, by the way, this is kind of my job." Buffy says.

"For now." Spike says.

"What are you saying, you want me to stop working?" Buffy asks.

"Let's see, would I like you to give up killing my friends? Yeah, I've given it a thought!" Spike says as they reach the door.

Piper shakes her head, "Never gonna happen, Spike. Just like once we get this deal with the spell fixed you won't be marrying my sister."

Buffy enters first. The others follow. She flicks on the light. A black circle mars the floor. Buffy looks at it. "This was burned."

Anya joins her, a look of recognition on her face. "D'Hoffryn - the bastard - he opened a portal here."

"Who?" Piper asks.

"D'Hoffryn is one of the lower beings. He made me a demon eleven hundred and twenty years ago." Anya says.

"Why would he attack Willow?" Buffy asks.

"I don't believe he did." Anya says.

"Why not?" Piper asks.

"If I had my guess. He's trying to recruit her." Anya says.

Later they are moving fast through a graveyard.

"I'd been dumped, I was miserable. Doing a few vengeance spells - boils on the penis, nothing fancy." Anya says.

"Please skip ahead." Xander says.

"Please do." Piper says.

"The lower beings got wind of me, they offered to elevate me." Anya says.

"Meaning?" Buffy asks.

"They made me a demon." Anya says.

"Oh god, Willow... so you can summon the demon from this crypt place? Get him to stop - hey, wouldn't this make a pretty back drop for photographs?"

"I'm not posing for chuff-all." Spike says.

"Hey! Demon!" Xander says.

They turn to follow Xander's gaze. A demon in the near distance. Advancing steadily.

Piper and Buffy steps up to meet it.

"Listen, we're gonna do this without destroying the foliage." Buffy says.

No time wasted, she kicks him in the head. He makes with the pummelling, but she's a blocker. Fighting, fighting. He's stunned. He bolts.

But then Piper spies two more demons advancing from the trees ahead of them.

"Let's go!" Piper says as they all follow Anya to the crypt. Xander yanks open the heavy door. They make it inside, slamming the door with a millisecond to spare.

Spike grabs a tomb lid, places it against the doors to help.

Anya is already kneeling on the periphery of a hastily drawn circle in the dirt floor. "Blessed be the name of D'Hoffryn. Let this space be now a gateway to the world of Arashmaharr where demons are spawned."

Buffy moves by the window as a demon hand is shooting out and grabbing her neck through the bars. She screams in pain.

Xander and Spike are holding the doors, but demons are pounding at it and it's a losing battle.

"Buffy!" Spike and Piper says as Buffy wrenches free.

"We're not doing well here..." Xander says.

"You think." Piper says, sarcastically.

Anya is still chanting... "We come in supplication, we bend as the reed in the flow of... no wait, we come in the flow of the... gnyah! Blessed be the name of D'Hoffryn..."

Buffy has joined them at the door:

"They're strong, and I can't fight. If they get in, I don't know if I can protect you." Spike says.

"You think you have to protect me?" Buffy says, bristling.

"Buffy, now is not the time." Piper says. "Anya quicker the better."

BOOM! The door smashes open, Spike, Xander and Buffy are thrown as two demons get in. Buffy fights one, the other goes for Anya. Piper and Xander try to fend it off while Spike holds the door.

Xander is trying to fend off his demon with a candelabra. Not doing great. Piper is on the ground, groggy. Anya has stopped her spell and is trying to help Xander.

The demon still outside hits hard enough for the tomb lid to fall over on top of Spike...

"Honey!" Buffy says as she kicks her demon brutally, puts out of commission as she rushes to Spike's side. Takes the lid and flips it back up, hitting the entering demon square in the face.

Buffy's foe is rising again, Xander's closing on him.

"Little help here!" Xander says.

"Spike, are you okay?" Buffy asks as she takes him in her arms on the ground.

"Slayer…" Spike says and they kiss, passionately.

Willow materializes in a crack of lightening.

Piper getting back to her feet sees Willow's arrival. "Willow you have to reverse your spell."

Willow looks to Piper and then nods, "Let the healing power begin. Let my Will be safe again. As these words Of peace are spoken, let this harmful Spell… be broken."

The entire crypt is engulfed with light.

A moment later, natural light resumes. The demons are gone. Buffy and Spike freeze, lips still touching. They register the change, pull back and look at each other. Instant nausea. They push away, disgusted and hating each other fully.

"Euwww! Oh bloody hell!" Spike says.

Buffy spits repeatedly. "Spike lips, lips of Spike…"

Xander and Anya are shaken, but all right.

Willow stands, sheepish. Sorry. "Hi guys."

Buffy spits again.

Piper shakes her head, "Willow were going to have a refresher lesson on personal gain. That spell was nothing but."

Willow sighs and nods.

The next day at the Manor Paige watches Willow transfer hot fresh homemade cookies from a baking sheet onto a plate.

"How long are you going to keep making these?" Paige asks.

"Until I don't feel so horribly guilty. I figure, about a million from now. Also I have to detail Giles' and Buffy's cars." Willow says as she carries the plate into the living room.

Piper, Phoebe and Buffy are sitting on a couch. Giles and Xander are talking. Spike is tied to a chair. Anya hovers next to Xander, her arms wrapped around him.

"Time?" Xander asks.

Paige walks over to the couch and sits on the arm next to Buffy.

Giles looks at a clock on the wall. Darn happy he can see it's... "Five past two! Clear as day!"

Willow holds out the plate of cookies to Xander and Giles. "Look, cookies! A very non-evil thing I did. Oatmeal."

"Tricky girl! They're chocolate chip. I can see them." Giles says, "Still need glasses, though. Guess you couldn't be more specific and given me twenty-twenty."

Xander, Giles and Anya each take a cookie. Willow walks her cookies over to Piper, Phoebe, Paige and Buffy.

"Eat a cookie, ease my pain?" Willow says.

Buffy takes a bite of one. "Better?"

"Well, baking lifts at least thirty percent of my guilt. But only seven percent of my inner turmoil." Willow says. "That'll take a while, I guess."

"It'll happen." Piper says. "Just give it time." She takes a cookie. "These are good, Willow."

Buffy smiles at her friend, forgiving all. "Piper would know since she's a chef."

"Don't I get a cookie?" Spike asks.

"No." Buffy says.

"I gotta have something. I still got Buffy taste in my mouth." Spike says.

"You're a pig." Buffy says.

Spike nods, "Yeah, well I'm not the one who wanted "Wind Beneath My Wings" for the first dance."

Buffy rises, completely embarrassed. "That was the spell." She crosses to the kitchen.

Willow follows - pausing to slip Spike a cookie - and joins her. "Did I mention about the sorry part?"

"We may be into a forgetting spell later. I loved him. We were betrothed." Buffy says.

"At least you were getting along..." Willow says.

"We weren't! It wasn't even nice. The bad boy thing? Over it. I get it now. I'd be really happy to be in a nice relationship with a decent reliable oh my GOD Riley thinks I'm engaged." Buffy says.

"What?" Willow asks.

"Riley. He saw me and Piper... and.. What the hell am I gonna say to him?" Buffy says. "Piper! Why didn't you just freeze, Riley."

"Oops." Piper says.

Later Riley and Buffy are mid-explanation as they stroll. He has that same baffled, mildly shocky on his face.

"You thought I was serious?" Buffy asks.

"Well... no. I mean - you weren't serious?" Riley says.

Buffy shakes her head, "Oh , God. Right. I'm marrying a guy named Spike."

"Maybe. We haven't known each other that long." Riley says.

Buffy shakes her head, "No, no... It's just - I saw that fear in your eyes when you caught me and Piper looking at wedding dresses, and I had to give you a hard time."

"What? I didn't have fear in my eyes." Riley says.

"Yes you did. You were looking at me like I was a cartoon ball and chain." Buffy says.

Riley laughs. There's some truth to that. "So you decided to tell me you were getting married."

"Uh huh..." Buffy says, wondering if her lie is working.

"So... you're insane." Riley says.

Buffy nods, "Uh huh..."

"But you're still single." Riley says.

Buffy smiles. As does he. "Yes."

"Okay then. Just another piece of the Buffy puzzle." Riley says.

"You've got a lot to learn about women." Buffy says.

Riley reaches out and runs his hand through the back of her hair, cradling her head and bringing her close to him, firmly but entirely gently. She looks at him, startled but engaged. Their eyes close. He says simply. "You're gonna teach me."

"By the way. What Piper said about Phoebe was true to an extent. Phoebe is getting married. I was kinda dreaming of what it would be like. But I have no plans to do it anytime soon." Buffy says.

Riley moves away suddenly, walking away without another word. Buffy watches him, suffused with feeling.


	93. Chapter 93: Charmed and Dangerous

**Chapter 93: Charmed and Dangerous**

In the dining room Piper and Leo are sitting at the table. Piper slides a sheet of paper over to Leo.

"Do I really need to think about this now?" Leo asks.

"Yes." Piper says.

"Why?" Leo asks as Buffy walks into the dining room.

"Because the Source has already killed one of us. And if god forbid it happens again we want to be prepared. You should be honored that if we don't make it we're leaving you everything." Piper says.

Phoebe and Cole run in.

"Hey guys! Guess what?" Phoebe says.

"What makes you think I'm gonna out live you anyway? Wouldn't it be better to leave everything to Buffy?" Leo asks.

Piper sighs, "Leo, you're an angel, literally. Which means short of a Darklighter, you win most likely to survive. About Buffy she is first beneficiary of course. But should the Source come after us he's coming after all four of us, even Buffy."

"If you look Leo, I've already signed it also." Buffy says.

"Oh! Speaking of surviving, Source bulletin, this just in." Phoebe says as she holds up a piece of paper.

"Honey, just sign the freakin' thing." Piper says as Cole whistles. "What?"

"Phoebe has something she'd like to say that actually might affect what you're doing here." Cole says.

"Thank you, honey. We nailed the Source vanquishing spell." Phoebe says as she hands Piper the piece of paper. "Our ancestors. That's what we were missing. If we could draw the magic from the entire Halliwell line..."

"We might have enough power to vanquish the Source." Buffy says.

Phoebe nods, "Yes."

"This is good! This might work." Piper says.

"I'll go tell the Elders." Leo says and he orbs out.

"Hey! You did not sign this!" Piper says.

"Oh, honey, are you still on that will and testament kick? I gotta tell you, it's very, very morbid." Phoebe says.

Piper shakes her head, "No, it's very, very responsible. Prue did it and thank god she did, 'cause if she didn't we'll still be dealing with lawyers. No offence, Cole."

"Oh, none taken. I've come to terms with my evil past." Cole says.

"I've had mine prepared since I turned 18." Buffy says. "Of course I little to leave to anyone. The club goes to Piper. I think it's very responsible with what we're facing."

"No, I know what you two are saying but I have a really good feeling about this, okay? No one is gonna die any time soon." Phoebe says as she touches Cole and has a premonition. In it, a demon throws a fireball at Phoebe but Cole takes the fireball instead for her.

"You alright?" Cole asks.

Phoebe nods, "Yeah, um, I just have the hiccups." She hiccups. "Ooh, see? Uh, Buffy… Piper, can I talk to you two for a minute in the kitchen?" She hiccups.

"Sure." Piper says as she, Phoebe and Buffy walk into the kitchen. "Phoebe, with or without the Source we still need a will. Especially if I'm gonna start a family."

"This isn't about the will. This is about a premonition I just had that I don't want Cole to know about." Phoebe says.

"What do you mean? Why not?" Buffy asks.

"Because I just saw him jump in front of a demon to take a fireball for me, that's why not." Phoebe says.

"A demon? What kind of demon?" Piper asks.

"One with a half a face." Phoebe says.

"Yuck!" Piper and Buffy says.

"Yeah, so we have to figure out who the demon is and vanquish him before Cole..." Phoebe says.

Buffy nods, "What if we need Cole to ID him? I mean, the Source probably sent this demon."

"That's exactly my point. He's gonna wanna stay close to protect me." Phoebe says.

Piper sighs, "Well, honey, that's what you do for people you love."

"I know, Piper, but he's human now, it's not like he can fend off a fireball." Phoebe says.

"Well, can't you talk to him?" Buffy asks.

Phoebe shakes her head, "No, I've tried. He's not gonna sit by the sidelines, it's not who he is."

"So you're not gonna tell him?" Piper asks.

Phoebe shakes her head, "The attack happened in the attic. So I'll just keep him out of the house until I can ID the demon."

"Alright, it's your relationship, it's your call. I'll let Paige know what's up. As long as you're sure," Piper says.

Later Piper is on the phone with Paige while Buffy sits going through her Book.

"This is not a good time I'm in the middle of something important." Paige says.

"Does a half a face demon qualify as important?" Piper whispers.

"He's there now?" Paige asks.

"No." Piper says.

"Well, then it doesn't qualify." Paige says.

"Phoebe had a premonition and not a good one." Piper whispers.

"I know why I'm whispering, why are you?" Paige asks.

Phoebe and Cole walk into the foyer. "So it keeps making like this brrr-brrr noise," Phoebe says.

"But it's not even your car." Cole says.

"No, I don't want Buffy to be driving it and have it break down. Look, if you can just take it to the mechanic and have him look at it that'd be great." Phoebe says.

"Phoebe, that thing you were talking about, day or night thing?" Piper asks.

"Night," Phoebe says.

"What thing?" Cole asks.

"It's nothing important." Phoebe says.

"There's nothing wrong with Buffy's car is there?" Cole asks.

"No." Phoebe says.

"But you want me to leave don't you?" Cole asks.

Phoebe nods, "Yes."

"And you don't wanna tell me why?" Cole asks.

Phoebe sighs, "If you could just give us a couple of hours, don't ask any questions. Please, please."

"You'll tell me later?" Cole asks.

Phoebe nods, "I promise." She gives him a quick kiss and he leaves. "I love that man."

"Obviously," Buffy says not looking up from her Book.

"Paige, look, this could be the attack we've been waiting for. You need to come home now." Piper says.

"Phoebe's premonition happened at night, right?" Paige asks.

"Right," Piper says.

"Okay, well, you know how long I've been working with Caroline. I promised her I'd be at the hearing today." Phoebe says.

"Okay, fine, but you need to come home as soon as you can." Piper says.

"Okay." Paige says.

Piper hangs up.

Later in the attic Piper and Phoebe are there looking through the Book of Shadows. Buffy has brought her Book upstairs and is looking through it yet again.

"So, we found a demon with half a body but no demon with half a face." Phoebe says.

"Well, we do have a resident demonologist living in the house." Piper says.

"Yeah, we've had that conversation." Phoebe says.

Piper sighs, "Alright. You keep looking; I'll go get some coffee."

"Okay." Phoebe says as Piper leaves the room and Evil appears. "Piper!"

Evil throws an electric bolt at Phoebe and she is thrown against a mirror. It smashes and she falls to the floor.

Piper runs in and tries to blow Evil up as Buffy throws a fireball at him. He absorbs both attacks.

"Thank you." Evil says.

Buffy spots a knife on the table and runs for it. Evil blows up a sewing machine in front of her. She grabs the knife and throws it at Evil. It gets stuck in his neck and vanquishes him. Black bee-like creatures fly away.

"Phoebe, did you see that? Phoebe?" Piper says.

Phoebe falls on her stomach, showing large pieces of glass stuck in her back.

"Phoebe!" Piper and Buffy says as they run to her.

"Leo!" Piper calls out as Leo orbs in. "Heal her?" She points to Phoebe.

Leo runs over to Phoebe and pulls the glass out of her back. He starts to heal her.

"What's taking so long?" Buffy asks.

"She almost died, that's what's taking so long." Leo says as he heals her.

Phoebe looks up. "What happened?"

"One very mean demon." Piper says.

"And did you get him?" Phoebe asks.

Buffy nods, "Yes. But, uh, something else got away. And that's not all." She picks up a vase. She throws it in the air and Piper tries to freeze it. It smashes on the floor.

"My powers are gone." Piper says.

"That's not the worst of it." Buffy says as she holds out her hand and nothing… "Mine are as well."

"It stole your powers?" Phoebe asks.

Piper sighs, "It stole, ate, absorbed, I don't know. The only thing I do know is that Buffy and I've gotta get them back." She walks over to the Charmed Book of Shadows.

"I don't understand. We vanquish a demon and then lose our powers. How does that work?" Phoebe says.

Buffy walks over to her own Book of Shadows and starts flipping.

"That thing must have absorbed your powers somehow although I don't know how." Leo says.

"Oh, well, with the Source lurking around." Phoebe says.

Buffy turns to a page in the Book of Shadows. "That's him, this is him. "Guardians of the Hollow" ring any bells?"

Piper walks over to Buffy and looks at the Book. "Yep that's him."

"That's not possible." Leo says.

"Why not, what is it?" Piper asks.

"Because the Hollow is something that consumes all magic good or evil and both sides agreed to guard. That thing must have been the Hollow, it must have taken over the demon." Leo says.

"Well, then how do we get it to regurgitate?" Phoebe asks.

"Hmm, there's no mention of a vanquish here." Buffy says.

"You can't vanquish it. The last time it was unleashed it nearly decimated all magic, all things." Leo says.

"The last time it was unleashed?" Phoebe asks.

Leo nods, "Eons ago. Good and evil had to join forces and use their strongest magic and even then all they could do is contain it."

"Okay, so if good and evil are seeing eye to eye on this one, who let it out?" Buffy says.

"The Source." Piper says.

"If he was desperate enough." Leo says.

"Which means he won't stop at just mine and Buffy's powers, he's gonna send another demon for yours and Paige's." Piper says.

"The demon with a half a face, see if he's in the book." Phoebe says.

Buffy shakes her head, "Unless he's in your all's book then no dice. I couldn't find anything in mine and I went through it twice."

"Even if you could use your powers you wouldn't be able to because they would just steal them." Leo says.

"Uh Leo, I haven't tried or nothing. But is it possible he could stake my Slayer powers?" Buffy asks.

"Then how do we stop him?" Phoebe asks.

Leo shrugs, "I don't know Buffy. It's possible of course."

"We'll use potions instead. I'll make one to replace my exploding power." Piper says. "Buffy you might want to make one for your fire power."

Buffy nods, "I'm on it."

"Okay, you better get Paige. You're gonna need the power of three at the least. I'll go check with the Elders." Leo says and he orbs out.

"On a scale from one to bad..." Phoebe says.

"I'll go call Paige." Buffy says. "Get started on the potions I'll be down in a minute." She turns and heads downstairs and into her room and dials the phone.

"Caroline?" Paige asks.

"No its Buffy." Buffy says.

"Oh, hey, Buffy. Look, I'm gonna need more time..." Paige says.

Buffy sighs, "Paige we need you home, yesterday. A demon attacked us. Piper and I have lost our powers."

"Oh... Okay, I'm on my way." Paige says.

Buffy hangs up and heads downstairs into the kitchen. As she walks in Phoebe hands Piper a feather.

"Here you go, one owl feather." Phoebe says.

"Do you think I jinxed us? With the will? Maybe it wasn't such a great idea." Piper says.

"Actually, I'm beginning to think it was a very smart idea." Phoebe says.

"So do I," Buffy says.

"That's not so funny." Piper says.

Phoebe sighs, "Trust me, I know."

Cole walks in. "Hi. Am I back too soon?"

"Um..." Phoebe says.

"Um, we need his help. No time to be evasive." Buffy says.

Cole frowns, "Help for what? Well, it's obvious you're making potions so what is it you're not telling me?"

"Um, I had a premonition. A demon attacked and you jumped in front of a fireball to save me." Phoebe says.

"What? You can't keep these things from me." Cole says.

"I was just trying to protect you." Phoebe says.

Cole shakes his head, "Well, that's not a good enough reason."

Piper sighs, "Uh, hate to interrupt but maybe we should talk about the demon."

"What'd he look like?" Cole asks.

"Creepy, half face, and his good side has tribal markings, a little bit like..." Phoebe says.

"Belthazor." Cole says.

Phoebe nods, "A little bit. Do you know who he is? Does he work for the Source?"

"He doesn't work for the Source, Phoebe, he is the Source. His face was disfigured in the battle that brought him to power. Only upper level demons have seen it. You should have told me." Cole says.

"So he's the one that released the Hollow." Buffy says.

"The Hollow? What do you mean released?" Cole asks.

"It already attacked us. It took Buffy and Piper's powers." Phoebe says.

Cole frowns, "Well, then you'd better figure out a way to beat the Source without your powers otherwise..."

Piper's potion explodes. "Already on it."

Later Paige lays five crystals on the table. "Five magic crystals oriented east to west. Magic circle, check."

Piper pours a white liquid into another white liquid and it turns purple. "Oh, purple good, purple equals exploding power. Exploding power, check."

Buffy pours a blue liquid into a green liquid and it turns red. "Fire power, check."

"One fabulously written Source vanquishing spell, check." Phoebe says.

"Don't get cocky." Cole says.

"Not cocky, confident." Phoebe says,

"We are talking about the Source of all evil, maybe measured optimism is best." Piper says.

Leo orbs in. "The Source unleashed the Hollow."

"Already on that train. It took my and Piper's powers. Anything else?" Buffy says.

Leo nods, "Good and evil magic need to join forces and read the inscription on the box where the Hollow is kept. That will put it back in its crypt and return your powers."

"Okay, so at least we know how to vanish it, this is good news." Piper says.

"Good news if the Source brings the box and we could find an evil being willing to to help." Phoebe says.

"Hey, Cole, too bad you're not still evil." Paige says.

"One step at a time. First we vanquish the Source, then we'll worry about putting Pandora back in its box." Cole says.

The phone rings. Paige answers it. "Hello? Hey, Darryl… Oh, no." She walks into the dining room.

Leo, Piper, Phoebe and Buffy follows Paige into the dining room moments later. Piper, Phoebe and Buffy head on upstairs to change clothes.

"You know, Leo, I have my charges too." Paige says as the Darklighter smokes in and points his arrow at Leo. "Leo!" The Darklighter shoots and the arrow hits Leo. Cole walks in. "Crossbow!"

"No, your powers." Cole says.

The Darklighter absorbs her powers as Buffy, Piper and Phoebe walk in.

"Leo!" Piper says as she runs over to him. The Darklighter points the crossbow at Paige.

"Paige, watch out." Phoebe says.

Paige ducks behind a wall.

Buffy throws the exploding potion at the Darklighter and he explodes.

"Oh, no." Piper says.

Buffy looks to Leo and walks over to him. She carries him into the living room and sets him down on the couch. She kneels down and grips the arrow. "This is so not how I wanted to test my Slayer powers to see if they still worked. Ready? Piper, hold his hand."

Piper nods and as she holds Leo's hand.

Buffy pulls out the arrow and Leo screams. She puts the arrow on the coffee table. "Paige, don't touch that you're a Whitelighter too."

Leo breathes heavily.

"You're okay, just lie back. Easy." Piper says.

"Still bossing everyone around, huh?" Leo asks.

Piper smiles, "You'd better believe it."

"I don't understand, how come you can heal us but you can't heal yourself." Paige says.

"It just doesn't work that way." Leo says.

"Yeah, but you can switch powers with Phoebe, like we did before." Buffy says.

Leo shakes his head, "No! Look, if The Source comes and Phoebe doesn't have her powers, you don't stand a chance. I mean it. I'm still your Whitelighter."

Piper sighs, "Well, who's bossing whom around now? Paige, go tell Phoebe to find something else, a spell, an amulet, whatever. Go!"

Paige walks into the conservatory where Phoebe and Cole are.

Buffy looks at Piper and then nods and follows Paige into the conservatory.

"It'll never work." Phoebe says.

"Will anything?" Paige asks.

"I don't know." Phoebe says.

"So, what, we're all just gonna die?" Paige asks.

"You can't think that way." Buffy says. "I didn't make it to be the longest living Slayer by that way of thinking."

"Why not? Isn't that what we're all thinking anyway?" Paige says. "Even you deep down Buffy are thinking it."

Buffy sighs, "Deep down I'm always thinking it, you're right there. But that comes from being the Slayer. I've been told that being the Slayer comes with an early death. But I still don't try and let that kind of thinking stop me from what I have to do."

"We'll figure a way out of this." Phoebe says.

"How? The Source knew we'd be prepared, that's why he came after our powers. The Source knew we had an in-house healer, that's why he came after Leo. He knows what we're gonna do before we even do." Paige says.

"Well, it's not over yet. Phoebe still has her power." Buffy says.

"Great. Three down." Paige says.

Buffy sighs and turns and heads back into the living room as Piper gets up and heads to the kitchen. She kneels down next to Leo holding his hand.

Piper walks in with a glass of water. She slows down when she sees Leo not moving. She looks to Buffy, "Leo?"

Buffy smiles, "He's ok. He's just resting his eyes."

Leo groans as he opens his eyes, "Hey."

Piper breathes a sigh of relief. "Hey." She kneels beside Leo and Buffy. "Drink this." She pours some water in his mouth.

"I guess you picked the wrong beneficiary after all." Leo says.

"Don't talk like that." Buffy says.

"Buffy, Piper, you both need to get out of here before he comes back." Leo says.

"I'm not leaving you." Piper says.

"Neither am I, Leo." Buffy says.

"The Source..." Leo says.

Piper looks to Buffy who smiles, "Is not gonna scare us away, and neither are you, so just forget about it. You're not gonna die. 'Cause I'm not gonna let you."

The doorbell rings.

"I'll be right there." Paige says from the dining room.

Piper comes out of the living room with Buffy. "Paige, this is no time for guests."

"It's not social, I called Darryl." Paige says.

"Darryl? You're supposed to be helping Phoebe." Buffy says.

"She doesn't need my help. But there is somebody who does, excuse me." Paige says and she opens the door. Caroline has bruises and cuts on her face. "Oh, Caroline."

"I'm so sorry, Paige. After everything you've done to help me." Caroline says.

"It's not over, not yet." Paige says.

"Paige." Piper says.

Paige sighs, "Darryl, take Caroline into the sunroom."

"Is everything okay?" Darryl asks.

Buffy shakes her head, "Afraid not, Darryl."

Paige sighs, "Yes."

Darryl and Caroline go into the conservatory. Paige closes the door.

"Are you outta your mind? We don't have time for other peoples problems right now." Piper says.

"It's something I've got to do. Especially if it's the last thing I do." Paige says as she walks into the conservatory. Buffy looks at Piper and follows Paige.

"Hey, what's going on?" Darryl asks.

"I don't have time to explain. I think I can still help you get your son back." Paige says.

"But how? The judge will take one look at me..." Caroline says.

"No, I think I can help. I just need you to turn away from me. Please, just trust me." Paige says.

Buffy shakes her head and whispers, "Paige what are you doing?"

Caroline turns away.

Paige walks across the room over to the Book of Shadows.

Buffy and Darryl follows.

"You're gonna use magic?" Darryl asks.

"That's my question." Buffy says.

Paige nods, "Yes, I am. "Let the object of affection become but a dream, as I cause this seen to be unseen." Okay, Caroline, you can turn around now."

Caroline turns around and her cuts and bruises have disappeared.

"Whoa." Darryl says.

"What?" Caroline asks as she touches her face. "What happened?"

"Just a second, Caroline." Darryl says. "Look, I've known you guys long enough to know that you don't do something like this unless something is seriously wrong. What's going on?"

Buffy shakes her head, "We don't have time to tell you Darryl. I wish we did, but we don't."

Paige nods, "Just get downtown and make the judge see the real Caroline, and make sure that slime boy ex of hers gets put away. Please. Just go."

Darryl walks over to Caroline and they leave.

Phoebe and Cole walk in.

"Piper?" Phoebe says.

Piper walks in.

"We may have a plan to get your powers back." Cole says.

"Then maybe Paige could help heal Leo." Phoebe says.

"A spell?" Piper asks.

Phoebe nods, "Remember the one to call for witches powers? Maybe it might be strong enough to call the powers from the Hollow."

"Could that work?" Paige asks.

"It has to." Buffy says.

Piper nods, "Cole, could you watch Leo?"

Cole walks into the living room. He sits on the coffee table next to Leo. Cole gasps and disappears.

Buffy, Piper, Phoebe and Paige move to the Charmed Book of Shadows and they begin to chant the spell, "Powers of the witches rise, course unseen across the skies, come to us who call you near, come to us and settle here."

The house starts to shake and the Source flames in. They gasp.

"Oh my god." Paige says.

"Not quite." The Source says.

Phoebe frowns, "Run!"

They run into the living room.

"I thought we called for our powers." Paige says.

They run through the living room and The Source blows up the wall. They dive into the foyer.

"I have your powers now and a few of my own." The Source says.

A fireball appears in his hand and aims for Piper.

"Piper!" Buffy says.

The Source throws the fireball at Piper and she is knocked against the wall.

Moments later Buffy carries Piper up the stairs into the attic.

"Hurry, he's coming." Paige says.

Buffy takes Piper across the room and puts her down on the floor.

"Come on, honey, we need you, Piper, it's time. Come on, you can do it." Phoebe says.

"Do what? We have no powers." Paige says.

"It doesn't matter, we can still make the plan work. Get the crystals." Buffy says.

Paige races across the room. The Source flames in in front of her. She stops.

"Seems almost anti-climactic after all this time, doesn't it?" The Source says as he pulls Paige behind him and she flies into some cardboard boxes and a mattress.

"He's definitely got my Slayer powers." Buffy says.

"Piper." Phoebe says.

"Say hello to Prue for me." The Source says.

Buffy and Phoebe kicks him and he falls to the floor.

Paige grabs the crystals. "Phoebe!" She throws Phoebe some crystals and she puts them on the floor near her.

The Source stands up. "Your power was always the weakest, hardly worth taking. Your life however is."

"Paige, now!" Phoebe and Buffy says.

Paige puts down the last crystal and electricity bolts surround him. Phoebe and Paige go back over to Buffy and Piper.

"Crystal." The Source says as a crystal orbs into his hand. The trap disappears. "Now the moment we've all been waiting for." He throws a fireball but before it can hit Phoebe, Cole appears and runs in front of her. He absorbs The Source's power. "Belthazor!"

"No, The Hollow." Phoebe says.

Cole throws a fireball at the Source. "Hurry, the spell."

Phoebe gets a piece of paper out of her pocket and the girls read from it.

"Prudence, Patricia, Penelope, Payson, Melinda, Astrid, Helena, Laura and Grace," Phoebe, Piper, Paige and Buffy chant as Source catches on fire, "Halliwell witches stand strong beside us, vanquish this evil from time and space."

The Source yells and causes a big explosion. He is vanquished. The Seer appears holding the Hollow box.

"Who are you?" Buffy asks.

"Someone who just helped save your lives." Seer says as she opens the box and the Hollow escapes out of Cole and goes back in the box. "Quickly, take my hand."

"Trust her. If you want your powers back." Cole says.

Buffy goes over to the Seer.

"Say the inscription with me." Seer says.

"Abolio exume ga ume to eternius." The Seer and Buffy say together.

The box floats up in the air and lets off a bright light. It disappears and returns to its crypt.

"Why can't those stupid rituals be in English?" Buffy asks.

Phoebe and Paige run down the stairs and over to Leo.

Paige holds her hands over his wound and tries to heal him. "I can't do it, nothing's happening."

"Hold his hand." Phoebe says and Paige takes Leo's hands into hers. "And let his power to heal flow through you." Paige heals him.

Leo wakes up. "Paige, Phoebe."

"I did it, it worked." Paige says.

Buffy, Piper, Cole and The Seer walk in.

"Leo." Piper says, smiling as she goes over to him.

"All is as it should be again. Time to return to my side. Too bad Belthazor's gone, he would have made a great new Source." Seer says.

Cole nods, "Too bad."

"I don't know who you are, but whoever you are, we thank you." Phoebe says.

"Oh, I didn't do this for your future, I did it for mine." Seer says.

"I don't understand, if we got our powers back, where did the Source's go?" Paige says.

"Into the void." Seer says and she disappears.

"Okay, who was that?" Buffy asks.

"A very evil person." Cole says.

"Yeah, one that saved our lives, and helped us kill the Source." Phoebe says.

Later at Payson's P4 the bartender behind the bar hands Leo a plate of snacks.

"Here you go. Enjoy." Bartender says.

Leo takes it over to the alcove where the girls are giggling. He puts it on the table. "Here you go guys, on the house."

Piper shakes her head, "Oh, easy for you to say."

"What? Do you know something I don't?" Buffy asks. "Everything is supposed to be on the house for us."

"The thought is generous Buffy." Piper says. "But between all the free drinks and food for us and your friends. We're losing money. Not noticeable but enough. Maybe we should charge them cost so were not losing money."

"I'll think about it." Buffy says.

"Anyways you deserve to celebrate. Yeah, I still can't believe it, you guys actually vanquished the Source." Leo says.

"So what does that mean? Is our destiny fulfilled?" Paige asks.

"I don't know. But at least that part of the nightmare's over." Piper says.

"For Prue." Phoebe says.

Paige, Piper, Phoebe and Leo clink their beer bottles.

Buffy raises her own soda bottle and clinks with them. "For Prue."

Piper smiles, "For Prue."

"What do you say we go home and get started on our future." Leo says.

"What do you say we go home and sleep, then we work on the future tomorrow night." Piper says.

Piper and Leo leave as Buffy, Phoebe and Paige laugh.

Cole walks over to them.

"Hi, honey, are you okay?" Phoebe says.

"Yeah, yeah, why." Cole says.

"Well, it just took you a little while to get back." Phoebe says.

"It did?" Cole asks.

Phoebe nods, "Mm-hm."

"You know, facing death has kind of made me wanna face life and I'll tell you what, there's a piece of life over there that I think I wanna talk to." Paige says.

A guy at the bar looks at Paige and smiles.

"You go get him, girl." Buffy says as Paige goes over to the guy.

"You sure you're okay?" Phoebe asks Cole.

Cole nods, "Yeah, yeah, I'm just a little tired."

"Too tired to celebrate? You are my soon to be husband, and you're also my hero." Phoebe says as she hugs him.

"Mine too, Cole. If you hadn't come with the Hollow when you did. We'd be dead now." Buffy says.

Cole sighs, "Oh, I'm nobody's hero."


	94. Chapter 94: Hush

**Q/A - Sikanda - **I'm sorry you don't like Riley, but I told you back in chapter 70 that Riley would be in the story. He will not be killed. Good news though I'm thinking of skipping his return in season 6.

* * *

**Chapter 94: Hush**

_The last rays of the afternoon sun pour into the class, blacklighting the students and washing Professor Walsh's face in rich amber as she speaks. Buffy sits near the front, by Willow. Riley stands to one side of the class._

_"So this is what it is. Talking about communication, talking about language. Not the same thing. It's about the way a child can recognize and produce phonemes that don't occur in its native language. It's about inspiration, not the idea but the moment before the idea when it's total, when it blossoms in your mind and connects to everything, before the coherent thought that gives it shape, that locks it in and cuts it off from the universal. When you can articulate it, it becomes smaller. It's about thoughts and experiences that we don't have a word for. A demonstration. Payson Halliwell." Professor Walsh says._

_Buffy looks around her. Me?_

_"Thank you for volunteering. Come down to the front here." Professor Walsh says as hesitantly, Buffy does. Stands by Professor Walsh. "Typical college girl, one assumes. Lie down on my desk."_

_"What?" Buffy asks._

_"Go ahead. You're perfectly safe." Professor Walsh says. _

_Buffy does, pretty embarrassed. Some titters from the class. She lies on her back, propped up on her elbows and waiting for the next thing. _

_"Riley. If you could oblige?" Professor Walsh asks._

_Riley moves from his spot on the side. He seems quietly angry at Professor Walsh, "A demonstration, right?"_

_"Be a good boy." Professor Walsh says. Riley moves around to the back of the desk, stands by Buffy. "A kiss is just a kiss, I believe the line goes. The rest comes from you."_

_Buffy and Riley look at each other._

_"This feels very strange." Buffy says._

_"Don't worry. If I kiss you, it'll make the sun go down." Riley says as he takes her in his arms and in front of a sea of ogling students, they kiss._

_As the kiss deepens, the light changes. The sun is going down. As Buffy pulls away, it is dark, moonlight the only illumination. The classroom is empty except for her and Riley._

_"See?" Riley says."_

_"Fortune favors the brave..." Buffy says as she stands as she looks about them. Riley turns to her - and she puts her hand up. Did she hear something?_

_Very faintly, it can be made out: A little girl, humming tunelessly to herself._

_"Do you hear that?" Buffy asks as she heads out of the classroom, slowly. _

_Riley watches her go, smiles as he whispers to himself. "Along came a spider..."_

_Buffy moves slowly through the atrium toward the hall, led by the humming, which becomes a nursery rhyme:_

_"Can't even shout. Can't even cry. The Gentlemen are coming by. Looking in windows, knocking on doors... They need to take seven and they might take yours..."_

_Buffy turns the corner and sees a little girl standing facing her at the other end of the hall. In the girl's hands is a small box, perfectly square, carved wood._

_"Can't call to mom. Can't say a word. You're gonna die screaming but you won't be heard." Little girl says._

_Riley comes out as well, a worried expression on his face. He comes to Buffy, reaches silently out to her..._

_Buffy looks back - at a hideous grinning white face._

Buffy wakes with a start, she's actually sitting in Professor Walsh's class.

"So I'll see you all Monday for a final review session." Professor Walsh says.

The class bustles about, getting their stuff together and filing out as Buffy gets her bearings. The light is different than in her dream - - just the nondescript glow of the overheads. A comforting space.

Willow is putting her books away. "Boy, that was an exciting class, huh?"

"Oh yeah. Wow." Buffy says.

"And that last twenty minutes - it was a revelation. Just laid out everything we needed to know for the final. I'd hate to have missed that." Willow says.

"Just tell me I didn't snore." Buffy says.

Willow smiles, "You were very discreet. Minimal drool."

"Oh, yay." Buffy says as they head out.

They round the corner heading out of class.

"So, were you dreaming?" Willow asks.

Buffy nods, "At first yeah. It was kind of intense."

They pass Riley without seeing him. He folds in behind them, "Intense? Really? 'Cause you seemed so peaceful."

"Of course it was only for a moment that –" Buffy says, embarrassed.

"Right. You guys headed toward Kresge?" Riley asks.

"Student center." Buffy says.

"Great. So this dream." Riley says.

Willow stops, deciding to leave them alone. "You know, you guys go, I'm gonna do the thing. I'll see you after the Wicca group."

Buffy glares at Willow as if to ask, Wicca group? "'kay"

"Bye.." Riley says.

Buffy and Riley continue on as Willow, sneaks over to the arched window from the atrium to the hall to peek out at them.

"So, tell me about your dream. As a psych major I'm qualified to go "Hmmmm"." Riley says.

"I don't remember it all..." Buffy says.

"Well, did I appear at all in this dream?" Riley asks.

Buffy smiles, "There may have been a cameo..."

"Is that right?" Riley asks.

They pass the arched window, where Willow is very subtly holding a book in front of her face.

"A featured role, actually." Buffy says.

"Romantic lead?" Riley asks.

"I'm not saying any more." Buffy says.

Willow drops the book, looking out after them with satisfaction.

A few moments later, as Riley and Buffy exit the building and head up the path.

"So what have you got going on tonight?" Riley asks.

"Patrolling." Buffy says.

"Patrolling?" Riley asks.

"Uh, petroleum." Buffy says.

"Petroleum." Riley says.

Buffy nods, "Uh huh."

"Tonight you have crude oil." Riley says.

"And homework. What about you?" Buffy asks.

Riley shakes his head, "Oh, you know, grading papers..."

"Well, that'll be fun." Buffy says.

"Not "petroleum" fun, but it passes the time..." Riley says as they stop by the wall, about to slip up.

"So I'll..." Buffy says.

"I guess I won't see you till..." Riley says.

"Yeah..." Buffy says.

They are close, leaning subtly in... could be a kiss...

"What papers?" Buffy asks.

"Papers?" Riley asks.

"Grading what papers? There's just the final coming up." Buffy says.

Riley nods, "Oh. Yeah. No, some late... papers."

"Oh. Okay, neat." Buffy says.

Riley smiles, "Right. So."

"Class." Buffy says.

Riley nods, "I'll see you then."

The moment is blown. They part, each completely unsatisfied by the closing.

Buffy gets a few steps away, muttering to herself, "Fortune favors the brave..." She rolls her eyes, walks on.

Later at the Manor Buffy is talking to Giles and Piper about her dream.

"Can't even shout, can't even cry... the Gentlemen are coming by... It sounds vaguely familiar - you're sure you never heard this as a child?" Giles asks.

Buffy nods, "I'm sure."

"All right... and the girl was holding a box. Nothing else?" Piper asks.

Buffy nods, "Yes."

"Well, it certainly could be premonition mixed in with the dream." Giles says. "When your premonition power first started it did play out in your dreams. I'll check it out, let you know if I come up with anything."

Piper nods, "I'll look through the Book of Shadows for anything."

Later the doorbell rings and Buffy goes to answer it. "Willow." She moves aside and let's Willow enter. "So how did your Wicca group go?"

Willow shakes her head.

"So, not stellar, huh?" Buffy asks.

"Talk! All talk: blah blah Gaia blah blah moon, menstrual life force power... I thought after a few sessions we'd get into something real, but..." Willow says.

Buffy shakes her head, "Willow most witches in those groups aren't actually witches. They have no active powers. Can't cast a spell. Phoebe went to one of those in the beginning and rapidly grew disinterested."

Willow nods, "I think your right for them it was just a fad. Nowadays every girl with a henna tattoo and a spice rack think she's a sister to the dark ones."

"While I don't agree with you going to the group. And have said so before. I'm still sorry it was a bust." Buffy says.

Willow nods, "It would just be nice to know there are others out there beside us, you know. Talking about us, I've been wondering. Since I'm a witch, does that mean Faith is also?"

"It's a possibility." Buffy says. "Everyone in my family has been a witch dating all the way back to Melinda Warren. So it's very possible Faith is also since you are."

"Hey how's with you and Riley? You guys seemed pretty snugly after class..." Willow says.

"See above, re: talk, all talk." Buffy says.

"Do I have to tie you two together?" Willow asks.

"We almost, but..." Buffy says.

"Get with it! I need my vicarious lovin'!" Willow says.

"I don't know - I get nervous, and I start babbling, and he babbles - it's a babble-fest. Plus every time we talk, I have to lie. Either being Slayer or Charmed comes up one way or another... it bothers me that I can't tell him the truth." Buffy says.

"It didn't bother you with Parker." Willow says.

"I know. But with Riley... I wish I could just come clean." Buffy says.

That night in a clock tower the box from Buffy's premonition dream is opened. A whispering sound come from deep within.

The whispering spreads over the whole city.

In Buffy's room she is asleep as she lets out a sudden deep breath.

In the clock tower the collective breaths of the entire city head back here. They all stream directly into the box. The hand of a Gentlemen closes the lid, who grins with satisfaction...

Buffy wakes. She's had a bit of a thrasher: The blankets are askew, her foot sticking out, head near, but mostly under, the pillow.

She yawns, pulls herself up. Grabbing a towel she heads to the bathroom, intending to beat Piper, Phoebe and Paige there. She quickly washes her face, brushes her teeth, all the morning routing things before exiting back into the hall where she runs into Phoebe.

"Good morning." Buffy mouths but nothing comes out. She stops - says it again. Tries to clear her throat.

Paige mouths, "Hey." She gets her no further. She freaks a bit, tries to talk, looks at Buffy.

"Paige?" Buffy mouths.

"Have I gone deaf?" Paige mouths.

Buffy shakes her head, points to her throat. Paige goes to her, breathing hard, what do they do? They're both freaked.

Leo and Piper comes out of their room equally freaked. Leo makes a motion about orbing up there.

Buffy nods and mouths, "Good idea."

Leo orbs out.

Later Buffy and Piper make their way through the streets. Needless to say, it's quiet, but nevertheless there is a great deal of activity going on there. They take in the following tableaux:

THE BANK, which has a sign saying "Sorry, we're CLOSED".

THE LIQUOR STORE, which has a sign saying "Yes, we're OPEN!", and a line that reaches well out the door.

A MAN, in a business suit, sitting in the middle of the road crying.

A CAR that is up on the sidewalk after crashing into the fire hydrant. A fountain of water shoots up next to it.

A PRAYER MEETING is being held in the nook by the magic shop. A preacher stands before a congregation reading silently from a bible. Next to him, an old woman holds a small chalkboard with the chapter and verse written on it.

Some ten people kneel before him, also reading silently. As they pray, a young college student joins them, kneels.

A man selling dry erase boards on the sidewalk. $10 apiece. They come with the velcroed on marker and a string to keep them around your neck, he wears one as demonstration. He's doing some business.

Piper and Buffy pass by it all, wary and watching. They see dry erase guy and give each other a look: what a sleaze.

Later at Giles apartment Willow and Giles are at the table, researching. Xander and Anya watch TV with the sound off, waiting for some kind of bulletin. Olivia, a friend of Giles, sits with a good strong drink in her hands. She clearly is the least prepared for this. She smiles politely at Buffy and Piper as they enter, then takes a prodigious swig.

Xander and Anya look back at Buffy and Piper, they nod in greeting. He stands, starts towards them - a fact registered by Anya, who still questions his affections. But he stops, waves lamely - he has nothing to say - and turns back to the TV, perching on the arm of the sofa.

Giles rises, puts his hand on Buffy's arm.

Buffy returns the grip briefly, then looks at Giles, at the books. Anything?

Giles shrugs at Buffy - no leads so far.

Buffy absently removes her board as she looks at Giles' notes - and sees the ones from last night. She picks Giles' notepad from the pile of books, holds it up, pointing to the top where he has written "THE GENTLEMEN". Gives him a questioning look. Again he shrugs, indicating there is nothing in the books.

Xander snaps, trying to get their attention as Anya turns the TV up. Something has come on: The local newscaster, with a special report.

Everyone gathers round to listen.

"We have this breaking news item from San Francisco, California. Apparently the entire city has been quarantined due to an epidemic of - as strange as this may sound - laryngitis. It seems the entire city has been rendered unable to speak. There is no word yet what might have caused this or what other effects might be seen from this epidemic. Local authorities have issued a statement - a written statement, I should say – blaming recent flu vaccinations. A few skeptics call it a city-wide hoax. In the meanwhile, San Francisco has effectively shut down; all schools and businesses will be closed for the time being, and residents are advised to stay home and rest up. The Center for Disease Control has ordered the entire city quarantined - no one can go in or out – until the syndrome is identified or the symptoms disappear. We'll bring you more on that as it develops."

Xander mouths, "That's it?", clearly frustrated. He turns the sound off again.

Buffy takes her board from the table, writes on it, holds it up to the others: "Keep researching. I should be in town tonight."

Giles mouths: "Why?"

Piper nods understanding and writes on her board, "Demons will be out in force. What better chance to prey on innocents when they can't scream to let anyone know their being attacked. I'll go with Buffy. We have Phoebe and Paige researching also. Leo went to ask the Elders if they know anything."

Giles nods.

That evening Piper and Buffy walks down the street, past a car that has hit a hydrant. Water gushes up above the car. In the background, kids are hanging out on a bench, blasting a boombox and partying a little too hard.

Buffy see something ahead, stops. Riley is by the bookstore. On the sidewalk, someone has started a trash can fire, and Riley is framed in front of it. He is getting between two businessmen who are in a fistfight. Riley tries to be nice, then pushes one away sternly and effectively when he gets in his face.

Piper and Buffy comes up quickly. Riley has turned to talk to the other guy. As his back is turned the first guy picks up a pipe - but Buffy comes up and grabs his wrist, twisting it quickly and efficiently till we hear something snap. The guy silently screams and drops to his knees, Buffy never even stopping or looking at the guy.

Riley has defused the second guy, turns to see Buffy and Piper. He and Buffy fall into a strong embrace. Look at each other.

"Are you okay?" Riley mouths.

Buffy nods and mouths, "You?" She touches his face. They hear glass breaking down the street and he indicates he should go. She nods, indicating she and Piper are heading the other way.

Buffy and Riley part as far as holding hands, then pull each other back into a kiss. He goes. Buffy watches a moment, then she and Piper takes off the other direction.

Later Piper and Buffy enter the Manor. Phoebe is sitting at the dining room table on her laptop, researching.

Paige has the Charmed Book of Shadows and is slipping pages.

They look at Piper and Buffy as if to ask anything?

Piper shakes her head and mouths, "No. Leo?"

Phoebe and Paige shakes their heads.

In Willow's dorm, Willow comes out of her room and instantly senses something is wrong. At the junction to the next hall, there are a pair of girls comforting each other. Willow heads that way.

Willow enters the next hall to find more people, six or seven, most of them clustered around a boy's room. Willow moves toward them, passes through.

The lights are still off in here, and the shades drawn. Willow enters, moves slowly to the body. Looks down at it.

At Giles apartment Olivia sits on the stairs, drawing. She's clearly shaken. Giles puts a mug of coffee beside her, crosses to the door. He opens it, grabbing the morning paper from his doorstep.

The headline reads: "BRUTAL SLAYING SHOCKS SILENT COMMUNITY"

And the sub-heading: "15 Year Old Girl Found Stabbed, Heart Was Missing."

Something starts to click in Giles' mind. He looks at Olivia, who holds up her sketch: what she saw last night.

Giles sees the picture, throws down his paper and crosses to his bookshelf. Scans the demon books until he finds a particular volume and pulls it out.

The title reads: "FAIRY TALES"

Later in a lecture hall, the lights are low - it's dim but not dark. Xander is closing the last of the blinds. He heads down from the back to the front where the other are gathered. Piper, Phoebe, Paige, Buffy, Willow and Anya are in front row seats, Willow is ready to take notes. Giles is pulling the screen down. He has an overhead projector and a series of transparencies set up on the desk. Xander stands to one side, waits with the rest.

Giles slides a transparency on the projector, we see it on the screen.

ON THE SCREEN: "WHO ARE THE GENTLEMEN?"

Giles puts the next sheet on the projector.

ON THE SCREEN: A picture, in Giles' borderline child drawing, of a Gentleman, with the heading "THEY ARE FAIRY TALE MONSTERS."

Next sheet:

ON THE SCREEN: "WHAT DO THEY WANT?"

Willow's hand shoots up. Before Giles can put his transparency up, Willow points meaningfully at her heart.

"Boobies?" Xander mouths.

ON THE SCREEN: "HEARTS." Incongruously sweet cartoon hearts.

Giles places one on after another, tells a story thus:

ON THE SCREEN: "THEY COME TO A TOWN..." Two Gentlemen on a hill overlooking a small town.

ON THE SCREEN: "THEY STEAL ALL THE VOICES, SO NO ONE CAN SCREAM." A gentleman with his hand out, pulling some smoke-like mist out of the mouths of a group of people.

ON THE SCREEN: "THEN:" A Gentleman entering a bedroom.

ON THE SCREEN: A Gentleman cutting into a sleeping man. Kind of bloody.

ON THE SCREEN: The Gentleman holding his heart up. There is blood everywhere.

Everyone looks: Giles is getting a little carried away with the blood there, gives them pause. All except Anya, who finds the picture show kind of neat. She even munches from a bag of popcorn.

ON THE SCREEN: "THEY NEED SEVEN." Picture of seven hearts. "THEY HAVE AT LEAST TWO."

Xander has scribbled on a pad, holds up for all to see: HOW DO YOU KILL THEM?

Buffy snorts contemptuously, then circles her fist around an imaginary stake, plunges it down repeatedly.

Everybody looks at her, a little thrown: the gesture doesn't read the way she intended.

Piper's eyes go wide at the implications of the movement of Buffy's hand.

Realizing it, Buffy hurriedly and sheepishly grabs a stake from her purse, repeats the gesture.

Everyone makes, "Oh, I get it" faces.

But Giles shakes his head, puts up:

ON THE SCREEN: "IN THE TALES, NO SWORD CAN KILL THEM." A Gentleman with several swords in him, still grinnin'.

ON THE SCREEN: "BUT THE PRINCESS SCREAMED ONCE AND THEY ALL DIED." A princess yelling her head off, Gentlemen falling over dead. "THEY CANNOT STAND THE HUMAN VOICE."

Taking a deep breath, Buffy lets out her best yell. Not a peep. Makes a "that's not gonna work" face.

Willow goes frantic with an idea, reaches into her bag and pulls out a CD. Mimes a person singing, then a Gentleman covering his ears in pain and then flopping over dead with his tongue hanging out.

Giles is ready for that one:

ON THE SCREEN: "ONLY A REAL HUMAN VOICE." Picture of a Gentleman perfectly happy with a gramophone playing nearby.

Willow makes a "Fine, whatever" gesture.

Buffy has written, holds up: "How do I get my voice back?"

Giles shrugs, points to books. Still looking.

He places another sheet on:

ON THE SCREEN: "BUFFY WILL PATROL TONIGHT." Picture of Buffy (that Buffy finds less than flattering) with a crossbow.

Buffy nods and indicates herself and Piper. She then writes, "Better to have backup."

Piper nods in agreement.

Buffy nods. Giles then points to himself and the others, then picks up a research book.

Xander objects. Points to himself, then mimes himself hunting with a rifle. Giles acquiesces, and Xander smiles happily.

Everyone stands, the show and tell concluded. Buffy crosses to the desk, picks up the picture of the Gentleman, the first one. Studies it.

That night Piper and Buffy patrols. Unlike last night, the streets are empty. No one wants to be out on such a night. They spot a Gentleman far away - and is suddenly jumped by four Footmen.

Buffy throws one Footman to the ground. She grabs the other by the head and twists its neck 180 degrees. It falls dead, and the other takes off, loping for home.

Buffy looks to Piper and mouths, "They can die."

Piper nods and uses her exploding power on one of her footman and it explodes.

Buffy powers up a fireball, vanquishing the second one that attacked Piper. Then she and Piper gives chase after the last remaining footman.

The footman runs through the door into the clock tower. He passes the boarded-up window, and Buffy comes crashing through, crossbow slung over her back like a rifle, tackling him.

Piper comes in the door and notices Riley is there as he reaches his gun, slams the butt into the face of the Footman.

Buffy kicks her Footman, throws another, reaches back for her crossbow spinning.

Riley comes up with the rifle. He and Buffy face each other.

Piper claps getting Riley and Buffy's attention and points towards five more footmen.

The five footmen attack en masse - too close for weapons. Riley throws one while Buffy kicks hers. Piper raises her hands and explodes hers. Riley gets his far enough away to blast it with an electrical charge. It keels over, spazzing out.

Buffy fires wide as the third is on her, knocking the crossbow down.

Riley turns and sees Buffy spinning, kicking to the head, then planting and driving the heel of her hand to the Footman's chest, sending him flying back into a beam and snapping it.

Riley is even more stunned. This girl is superhuman.

Riley turns to help Piper when he sees her use her exploding power on another footmen, vanquishing it. He's grabbed from behind. Buffy sees one going upstairs, starts to take off after it, then looks to Riley. He seems to be in control of his fight, so she decides to follow. Piper watches Riley and the footmen trying to get a clean shot.

Buffy climbs up past a pendulum and into the clock tower. She looks to her right - there is a shrine of jars, five of them full. No sooner does she see it than she is jumped by four Footmen. They wrestle her to the ground - and here come the Gentlemen, the tall guy leading, scalpel in hand.

Buffy struggles but he is about to cut her as his partner looks on with glee, the others behind. Then his partner is vanquished from the force of Piper's exploding power.

Riley stands next to Piper behind the pendulum. Riley fires his gun and hits a Footman.

That's all Buffy needs. She wrestles free, kicking the Footmen away, and starts fighting. The fight takes her over to the other side of the clock tower.

Riley fires his weapon - out of juice. He throws it down and takes on a one hand to hand. Piper takes the other hand to hand.

The Gentlemen stand off to one side, grinning but worried.

Buffy is doing her best, but it's hard - the she sees the box behind Riley.

Buffy signals to Piper and Riley, who are blocked from her by Footmen, to smash the box. He gets the message, grabs his rifle and swings his rifle and swings the butt down on a harmless incense bowl.

Keeping the Footmen at bay, Buffy points to the box impatiently, mimes opening a box.

Piper nods getting it and lifts her hands using her exploding power on the box and it explodes.

Theirs and everyone else's voices escape the box

Buffy rears back, on her knees, very pissed, taking in a huge breath.

The Gentlemen look terrified.

Buffy and Piper scream. Long, hard, top of their lungs.

The Footmen fall to the ground in writhing agony.

The Gentlemen put their hands to their ears, in as much agony, then go stiff, arms at their sides.

Then their heads explode.

Piper, Buffy and Riley look around them, exhausted, as the monsters all lie dead at their feet.

The next day at the Manor. Buffy is watching TV when a knock comes at the door. She gets up and answers it to find Riley standing there.

"Hi." Riley says.

"Hi." Buffy says. She moves aside and Riley walks into the living room and sits on the couch. Buffy sits on a chair opposite him. "Piper!"

Piper comes into the living room from the kitchen, "Hello Riley." She sits in a chair next to Buffy.

"Well. I guess we have to talk." Riley says.

Buffy and Piper nods.

"I guess we do." Buffy says.


	95. Chapter 95: Doomed

**Chapter 95: Doomed**

"Well, somebody should speak before one of us graduates." Buffy says.

Riley rises slowly. He crosses past her, then turns back. "What are you two?"

Buffy eyes him, a little irked at the question. "Capricorn. On the cusp of Aquarius. You?"

"Sorry. Came out a little blunter than I intended. It's just..." Riley says, enthused. "You're amazing. Your speed, your strength." Then he looks at Piper. "That thing you did with your hands…"

"Also passionate, artistic And inquisitive." Buffy says. "Who are you?"

"You know who I am. The rest... What I do... I can't tell you." Riley says.

Piper nods, "Then, let me. You're part of some military demon squad that rounds up demons, vampires - probably have official-sounding euphemisms for them like "Unfriendlies" or "Non-sapiens...""

"Hostile Sub-Terrestrials." Riley says.

Buffy nods, "There you go. So you deliver these... "HSTs" to a bunch of lab coats who perform experiments which, among other things, turn some into harmless bunnies. How are we doing so far?"

"A little too well." Riley says.

"Meanwhile, by day, you pretend to be Riley Finn, corn-fed Iowa boy. You ever even been to lowa, Riley?" Buffy asks. "Goddess, if that's even your name."

"It is. Born and raised. And hey, bulletin, I'm not the only one who's been less than honest here." Riley says.

Buffy nods and looks at Piper.

Piper sighs and nods, "That is complicated, Riley. Have you ever dealt with witches?"

Riley shakes his head, "No."

"You see Buffy, myself, and my sisters are known as the Charmed Ones." Piper says. "What you saw last night was me using my power. Each of us, Buffy included, have powers."

"Powers?" Riley asks.

Buffy flames out and in behind Riley. "Behind you."

Riley turns to face her his eyes wide. "Uhm okay."

"Now that you know that Riley." Buffy says. "You have to promise not to tell anyone that were witches."

"Why?" Riley asks.

Buffy sighs, "A little while back we faced what would happen if our powers were exposed. What would your guys think of us?"

"You would probably be classified as HSTs." Riley says. "And taken in to custody."

"And that's why you can't tell." Piper says.

Riley nods, "Sure I think I can do that. No one would believe me anyways without proof. And to tell the truth I care for Buffy and I wouldn't want to see anything happen to her."

Buffy smiles, "That's sweet."

Riley nods, "What about your strength and all that. Is that because you're a witch?"

Buffy shakes her head, "No. I'd have thought a professional Demon chaser like you would've figured it out by now. On top of being a witch I'm also the Slayer."

Riley looks at her blankly.

"Slay-er. Chosen one? She who hangs out a lot in cemeteries?" Buffy asks.

Riley shrugs, apologetically.

"You're kidding." Buffy says, sighing. "In every genera—You know, I really don't feel like doing the routine. Ask around. Look it up: "Slayer comma The.""

"And you fight... demons... I mean, you wailed on them - and these guys were in shape. Kind of a weird shape, but –" Riley says.

"You did pretty well yourself." Buffy says.

Piper nods, "You did, Riley. For a mortal you handled yourself pretty good."

"But I'm a walking bruise today. See me with my clothes off I look like... I mean I have bruises... purple. Don't see a scratch on you, Buffy." Riley says. "Your cousin here I can see bruises on her."

"Not looking hard enough." Buffy says.

"I'm looking pretty hard." Riley says. "So, then... What do we... do?"

Buffy gets what he's asking. Not so much about telling people but about him and her. "I don't know. I'm still... I really thought you were a nice, normal guy."

"I am a nice, normal guy." Riley says.

"Maybe by this city's standards, but I'm not grading on a curve. I think we both need a little time to process... everything. Decide where this... where we're..." Buffy says.

Riley nods, "Yeah. I think that's a good idea." He stands. They look at each other for a moment. "Don't think I need to tell you..."

"I won't say a word to anybody." Buffy says. "And remember…"

Riley nods, "I won't either. Besides it'll be safer for all concerned."

Then, a low, rumbling hum and the room begins to violently shake. A few breakables fall off a shelf and shatter.

Riley instinctively grabs Buffy and Piper and moves them and himself into the door frame until the shaking finally subsides. In the distance, car alarms blare.

"Wow. That was some ride," Riley says as Buffy slowly crosses to the window. "Sorry. I'm a little excited. It's my first earthquake."

"It isn't ours." Piper says.

After Riley has left Buffy puts on a change of clothes. "I'm going to check and make sure Willow is okay. Then I'm checking in with Giles. I'll let you know what he says. Probably was just an earthquake. But better safe than sorry."

Piper nods, "Okay."

Buffy flames out and into Willow's dorm room. She notices Willow isn't there and heads for the door as Willow bounds in.

"Hey. I was in the library when the quake hit. Almost got buried in 19th Century English Literature. And I don't have to tell you how hard it is to dig through some of that stuff." Willow says as Buffy smiles slightly. "You okay?"

"Yeah. Couple of broken knickknacks at the Manor. No biggies." Buffy says. "I was just coming over to make sure you're alright."

"I'm doing fine, Buffy. But you didn't have to do that."

"I know." Buffy says.

"Anyways Porter Dorm is completely blacked out, so naturally they're dealing with the crisis the only way they know how: "Aftershock Party.""

"From the dorm that brought you the "Somebody Sneezed Party" and "Day That Ends in a 'Y' Party."" Buffy says.

Willow nods, "They do seem to be generous with the milestones. You should ask Riley to come. Much carousing by flattering candlelight."

"Riley. Riley is... busy, I'm pretty sure. Why don't I meet up with you there. On my way for a little Giles one-on-one." Buffy says.

"Anything wrong?" Willow asks.

"Wrong? No. Not at all." Buffy says as she flames out.

At Giles apartment Buffy is talking to Giles.

"Something horrible is going to happen. Giles." Buffy says.

"It was an earthquake, Buffy. A not uncommon occurrence in Southern California. There's no reason to think it's anything more." Giles says.

"I've so got a reason. Pretty darn good one. The last time we had an earthquake, I died." Buffy says.

Giles looks up at her. "Yes. I know that. And therefore completely understand your anxiety."

"Oh, good. Hate for my little "untimely, horrible death" concern to be ambiguous." Buffy says.

"But until evidence suggests otherwise, I think we should assume this was the result of shifting land masses and not a portent of Imminent doom." Giles says as he produces a sheet of foam core on which is mounted a map of San Francisco. Green push pins are stuck in it at various points.

"In the meantime, I've come up with a few theories regarding our mysterious commando friends." Giles says.

Buffy freezes in her tracks. "Oh. Really?"

Giles nods, "Yes. Now, based on the location of our various sightings, and Spike's descriptions of their underground installation—"

"Okay, say this quake was a sign – a bad omen. And we just ignore it. There's gonna be some pretty red faces around here if the world comes to an end." Buffy says.

"If the quake is heralding a catastrophe such as that, I'm sure they'll be other signs to follow, affording us enough time to avert it." Giles says. "Now, I believe the commandos' installation is somewhere very close to, if not directly under, your school. And as such, I'm convinced one or more of them may be in your very midst—"

"Plague!" Buffy says.

"What?" Giles asks.

"If the end is coming in the form of a plague, too many people may become infected before we—" Buffy says.

"Buffy, will you please stop worrying about what may be and concentrate on what is." Giles says. Buffy opens her mouth to protest, but he holds up a hand to stop her. "Vigilance is all well and good, but as I feel we're getting close, there's a much more pressing question..."

Later at Porter Dorm, Buffy is late getting to the party. She notices cops interviewing shivering party-goers as the now-covered body is wheeled past her.

Buffy, takes in the aftermath as she enters, scanning the crowd.

Willow, standing apart from all the activity, notices her. "Buffy. Over here."

"Wow. See, I was kind of unsure about where the party was. And then I saw the flashing red lights and the ambulance, and it's like... oh, right, of course. Carnage. Death. It's a Buffy party."

"I'm so glad you're here." Willow says.

Buffy looks closer at Willow, sees how shaken she is, gets concerned. "What happened?"

"I found him. A guy on the bed. With me. Dead. Not me dead. He dead." Willow says.

"Poor, Will. Vampire?" Buffy says.

Willow shakes her head... not a vampire. "So much blood. Godfather horse-head amounts of blood, hold the horse. And there was a symbol and Percy said I was a nerd."

"Percy called you a nerd?" Buffy asks.

"We should probably report to Piper and Giles, get started on the demon tracking. Save lives and stuff." Willow says.

"Does Percy even go here?" Buffy asks.

Later Piper, Phoebe, Paige, Buffy, Willow, Giles and Xander are gathered around Giles' desk. Xander is still in his pizza uniform.

Willow is recounting what happened. "It just made me feel like I was right back in high school."

"Dumb jock... if it wasn't for you he still would be." Xander says.

"...of course, the Percy thing isn't really important. It's the dead guy on the bed." Willow says.

Piper nods, "I'll call Darryl see what he knows."

"I'm still not clear on why you and he were on the bed...?" Giles asks.

"Oh! And something else. He – the dead guy - was propped up, like whatever killed him wanted to drain the blood out of him. Only there wasn't so much blood there. And so I'm thinking the whatever took a bunch of the guy's blood with it." Willow says. "And I haven't been a nerd for a long time. Hello, dating a guitarist? Or, I was..."

Piper shakes her head, "I don't think we need to call Darryl after all. Sounds like you would know about as much as he would, Willow."

"Tell them about the symbol." Buffy says.

"Oh, right. It was carved right into his chest. Like a big creepy eye." Willow says as she pulls out a napkin with the symbol drawn on it. They look at it.

"It's kinda the CBS logo. Could this be the handiwork of one Mr. Morley Safer?" Xander says.

Buffy nods, "I've seen this before. Somewhere. I can't remember. It's like..."

"The end of the world." Giles says.

The others look at him.

"Again?!" Xander and Willow says.

Giles nods, "The earthquake, this symbol—"

"I told you! Giles, I said, "end of the world," and you're all like... pooh pooh, Southern California pooh pooh—"

"I'm so very sorry. My contrition completely dwarfs the impending apocalypse." Giles says.

Piper shakes her head, "No need to be hard on him, Buffy. How was he supposed to know."

Giles nods, "End of the world. Divisions break down, Hell itself flows into our lives like a sea of fire. Loss, tears and heart-rending pain without end for every human man, woman and child on this earth. Death ten times over. For each of you and everyone you love."

"What do we do?" Willow asks.

Buffy's expression is grim and intense, she picks up her weapon bag, shoulders it, faces the end of the world. A hero. "I stop it."

"Phoebe help Giles." Piper says. "Paige and I will go with Buffy."

Later in the cemetery Buffy stands looking up at the symbol on the side of tomb.

"Ooh, I wonder where I've seen this before." Where else? The place I spend almost all my waking hours, memorizing stuff off the sides of mausoleums. Big freaky cereal boxes of death-" Buffy says.

Piper nods, "Well it makes sense you would have seen it somewhere."

They stops when they hear something... the scrape of stone on stone. Buffy pulls a crossbow from her bag, handing it to Paige as she powers up a fireball. They step silently around to the front of the mausoleum. The door stands open. They take a tentative step inside...

A demon bends over a child-sized casket, loading bones into a bag. As he puts the small skull into the bag, Piper, Paige and Buffy's shadows fall across him.

"Door was open." Buffy says.

The demon turns toward them. Paige raises her bow... shoots... The bolt catches the hellthing in the shoulder. It howls and charges her.

Paige orbs out as the demon runs through her into the wall behind before she orbs back in. "I haven't been more happy to have that little fear reflex with my orbing then I am right now."

The demon turns and find Buffy standing between him and Paige and Piper. He slices at her with its razor sharp claws.

FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT... Eluding its talons, Buffy wails an the demon, eventually knocking it clear out of the mausoleum and into...

The demon's still on its feet, but reeling from the blow.

Finally, the demon gets her in a body hold, and squeezes, crushing her. Her arms pinned by the demon, she struggles to break free. Piper raises her hands using her exploding power knocking the demon away from Buffy.

The demon roars again and drives Buffy down to the ground, where she hits hard. Paige and Piper move to Buffy as the demon moves off, carrying the bag of bones.

Buffy stays on the ground, gasping for the air that was squeezed out of her lungs, trying to get back to her feet.

"You okay," Piper asks.

Buffy nods, "Just… trying… to… catch… my… breath."

Something moves behind them as a heavy foot crunches on gravel. They hear it, and stiffen, tensing for a renewal of the fight. From a seemingly defenseless position on the around, Buffy suddenly flips herself up to her feet, braced for the fight - her hand shooting out in a vicious punch at the same time...

Only to be blocked, lightning-fast, by Riley. "Wow. That flippy thing you did..."

"Riley. Where-?" Buffy says.

"It's gone. Saw it take off toward the woods." Riley says.

Piper shakes her head, "You didn't follow it?"

"No weapons. No backup. You don't go after a demon that size by yourself." Riley says.

"I used to." Buffy says.

"Yeah, well, I'm no slayer." Riley says. From a holster on his belt, he produces a palm sized walkie-talkie and immediately speaks into it. "Base One, this is Lilac one..."

"Lilac?" Paige asks.

Riley holds his finger to his lips, cuing them to stay silent, as a voice comes out of the earpiece.

"Go."

"Confirm sighting of an unidentified sub-T. Mobilize patrol team for debriefing at oh-eight-hundred hours." Riley says.

"Copy that."

Riley turns it off and holsters it again, Buffy eves him with fascination. "Very commandery, lilac not withstanding. What are you doing here?"

"Looking for you. She who hangs out in cemeteries." Riley says. "Didn't expect it to be a family gathering though."

Piper smiles, "Well when it comes to demons. We don't usually let Buffy tangle them alone. We don't want her to die on us."

"Well, we gotta get the... demon..." Buffy says.

"Don't sweat it. We'll bag him." Riley says.

Buffy shakes her head, "It's not that simple."

"Yeah, but I really think we –" Riley says.

"Riley, I can't. I just –" Buffy says.

Piper and Paige give each other a look and move a few feet away to give Riley and Buffy a little privacy.

"Can't talk?" Riley asks.

"Can't... any of it. Can't be with you. It's a mistake, it's a huge black pit of a mistake and I can't go there again." Buffy says.

"Again? You've dated me before?" Riley asks.

"No. But I've been involved with... you don't know what my life is like." Buffy says.

"And I'm dying to find out!" Riley says.

"Operative word: dying. There's too much risk - there's too much... It's just doomed, okay, and I can't do doomed again right now." Buffy says.

"I don't understand where this is coming from. I know you like me. And it's not like we don't have anything in common." Riley says.

"But it's –" Buffy says.

"Buffy. I'm thrown by this. I'm confused. But I can feel my skin humming - my hands, my... every inch of me. I've never been this excited by a girl and I'm not trying to scare you, not gonna force myself on you but I am by God not gonna walk away because I think it might not work. I don't know what's happened in the past –" Riley says.

Buffy sighs, "Death. Pain. Apocalypse - none of them fun. Do you know what the Hellmouth is? Do they have a fancy term for it, 'cause I went to high school on top of it. For three years. We don't have that much in common. This is a job to you."

Riley shakes his head, "It's not just a job –"

"It's an adventure, great, but for me, Piper, Phoebe and Paige - It's destiny. It's something we can't escape, something we can't change. We were destined before we were born to fight demons."

"You don't have to be and neither do they. You and they can change things." Riley says.

Buffy shakes her head, "Riley... No."

"I know it seems like –" Riley says.

"My answer is no." Buffy says.

Riley stops. It sinks in, Riley covering disappointment and anger with glowering calm. There's nothing else to say. She walks away towards Piper and Phoebe, leaving Riley standing there. He doesn't see her start to cry.

Piper starts to say something and Buffy holds up her hand and shakes her head. Buffy grabs Piper and Paige's hands and flames out.

The next morning Buffy informs Piper she is going to inform Giles on the demon and see what he's got on the apocalypse. Before Piper can say anything Buffy flames out.

Piper sighs as she looks at the space Buffy stood moments before and shakes her head.

Later at Giles' apartment, Buffy, Willow and Xander look at a picture of the demon in the book Giles holds.

"A Vahrall demon." Giles says.

"Eww." Willow says.

Xander nods, "I second that revulsion."

"Slick like gall, and gird in moonlight, father of portents and brother to blight... " Giles reads.

Buffy has been reading over his shoulder and now takes over, "...Limbs with talons, eyes like knives. Bane to the blameless, thief of lives..."

Willow mutters something under her breath just loud enough for Buffy to hear.

"Thing isn't digging up the bones of a child for fun." Buffy says.

"Well, demons got some hilarious ideas about fun..." Xander says.

Willow nods, "It has to be a spell of some kind. Something that uses blood and bones."

"There must be... thousands of rituals like that. The Test of Gervail, a number of passion spells, death-pact bonding—" Giles says.

"I know of a few that require blood, but no bone." Buffy says.

Willow starts flipping through his book. "Bones of a child, though. I saw that..." she spots the passage. "An ancient ritual - it uses the blood of a man, the bones of a child, and... and something called the Word of Valios. It's all part of a, a sacrifice. "The sacrifice of three.""

"Let me guess. It ends the world." Buffy says.

Willow nods, "Well, yeah. But it's not big with the details. It doesn't say how the world ends - or what the ritual entails, exactly."

"A sacrifice of three. Three people are going to die?" Xander asks.

Buffy shakes her head, "No, they won't. Because claw-boy won't get all the ingredients. We have to find that last one, the thingy... The Word of Valios. Keep him from getting it."

"If he doesn't already have it. I mean, who knows where he's been?" Willow says.

Buffy nods, "I'll check the magic shop. See if they've heard of a book called the "Word of Valios." Willow, Xander, how 'bout the book archives at the museum?"

Xander nods, "We'll go by my place on the way. Get some weapons. And I can change into something less anchovy scented." He and Willow turn for the door.

"Will, Xander - this thing takes its wicked pretty seriously. Be careful. I couldn't stand anybody getting hurt." Buffy says. She turns to Giles. "I'll get Piper going through the Books. See if there is anything there about this "Word of Valios."

Later that evening Buffy is on her way to the magic shop after stopping off at the Manor. She sees Riley moving toward her - discreetly reading some kind of electronic instrument he holds in his hand. Buffy hesitates, considers changing directions - but Riley looks up, sees her.

"Buffy." Riley says.

Buffy nods, "Is this really the time for Donkey Kong?"

"What? Oh-" Riley says as he checks to make sure they are not being overheard. "It takes trace readings of the creature's pheromones."

"And?" Buffy asks.

"It's either mating season for this thing - or it's moving all over town." Riley says as Forrest and Graham catch up from further down the street. While they are both in civvies, they are definitely on duty, and their militaristic demeanor shines through. They both nod a greeting to Buffy.

Forrest moves to Riley. "Can I have a minute, man?"

"Excuse me." Riley says.

"Actually, I should get going anyway-" Buffy says.

Riley shakes his head, "No. Hold up."

Buffy is surprised by his firmness. Nods. He and Forrest move a short distance away.

"We have some giant ass creepy crawly out there, and you're chatting up your honey? Might want to check your priorities." Forrest says.

Riley laughs lightly, fondly remembering, "Hey, remember that time I asked you your opinion? Gee, neither do I... You and Graham move ahead. I'll catch up with you in a few minutes."

Forrest, put off - shakes his head. "I don't know about this girl, man. She's got you whupped something fierce, and you haven't even-"

"You'd be wise not to finish that thought, private. Now carry on." Riley says.

Forrest stops himself. Returns to military form, albeit somewhat bitterly. "Carrying on." He moves back to Graham and the two of them continue patrolling.

Riley returns to Buffy. They're both majorly uncomfortable. "Sorry."

"That's okay. But, really, I'd better keep moving. You know - big bad needing to be squished-" Buffy says.

"Right. I'm on it too." Riley says. "It's just - this thing. This you and me thing? It's stupid."

Buffy isn't quite sure how to take this. Replies a little warily. "Right. Which is why we can't. Do the you and me thing."

"No. I mean you're stupid. I mean, I don't mean that... no, I think maybe I do." Riley says.

"Wow. Sweet talk like that will melt my reservations." Buffy says.

"I'm serious. You've got this twisted way of looking at things. This - this doom and gloom mentality. You keep thinking like that, things are probably going to turn out just the way you expect." Riley says.

Buffy sighs, "You know, there is nothing more dangerous than a psych grad student." Pissed, she starts to brush past him. But he stops her.

"Buffy - where's the bad here? It just turns out we're even more well matched than we thought we were. I mean, you're a-" Riley says. Some people pass. Riley catches himself. "-fry cook. And so am I."

"Right. But you're an amateur... fry cook and I come from a long line of fry cooks who don't live past twenty-five." Buffy says.

"Which is exactly the attitude I'm talking about! I know the risks of what we do. I also know it's more rewarding than any other job on the planet. And fun-" Riley says.

"Fun? Right. The last person I knew who believed that is in jail right now because she had so much "fun" on the job." Buffy says.

"I'm not saying you shouldn't take your work seriously-" Riley says.

"But just turn my frown upside down, is that it? I wish I could – but this isn't the kind of gig where you hang it up at the end of the day and snuggle with your honey." Buffy says.

"But why? Why can't it be?" Riley asks.

"I've tried it, okay? And every time, things fall apart - and I get sucked right back into the uber evil." Buffy says.

"Welcome to the story of the world! Things fall apart, Buffy. Evil – it comes and goes. But the way people manage is, they don't do it alone. They pull each other through. And, sometimes, they even enjoy themselves. If you weren't so self involved, you'd see that!" Riley says.

"You don't know what you're talking about. You barely know me." Buffy says, hurt. She 's had enough. She starts to walk away.

Riley keeps pace with her. "I know that it's not just the job thing. I'm sure there's some good looking guy that done you wrong in there too but mostly I think you want to stay down in the dark place. 'Cause maybe it's safer down there."

"You are so out of line-" Buffy says.

"No - see - I don't think so. We have an opportunity here, you and me. And the fact that you're too scared to even give it a try-" Riley says.

Buffy turns on him - really hurt and angered now. "It is my business. So why don't you just leave me alone?"

Riley takes this in. He's still worked up - but he's said his piece. "Fair enough."

They stare each other down. Then Riley turns and walks off to join his men - leaving Buffy seriously rattled.

Later back at Giles' apartment, Willow, Xander are there and helping a badly beaten Giles to the couch. Spike sits off to one side, amused.

"I'm fine... I'm-" Giles says.

"You're not. Now sit." Willow says.

"Look at you. I'm surprised the world hasn't ended ten times over with this sorry lot protecting it." Spike says.

"That's enough-" Xander says.

Buffy flames in and immediately sees Giles and moves to him. "What happened?"

Giles speaks with great difficulty. "It's my fault. I should have known-"

"Giles-" Buffy says.

"The Word of Valios was the name of a talisman. Not a book. I blame myself entirely. I had it here-" Giles says.

"You had it here? Okay. First I thought you were being too yourself, but-" Xander says.

"It was in a lot I purchased at a sorcerer's estate sale. I really only glanced at it once, thought it was a knock off." Giles says.

"Well they have it. And they probably have their sacrifices by now, too." Buffy says.

"They must be on their way to perform the sacrifice-" Giles says.

"On their way where? You found out what the ritual is for?" Buffy asks.

Giles nods, "The Hellmouth. It opens the Hellmouth... The one under the library."

Willow, Xander and Buffy share a worried look. A beat, then Buffy's expression hardens. She's going into full battle mode.

"Looks like we're going back to high school." Buffy says as she pulls out her cell phone dialing. "Come on Piper, pickup."

Later the charred ruins of Gateway High School looms before Piper, Phoebe, Paige, Buffy, Willow, Xander and Spike arrive.

"Be careful in there - it doesn't look like the place is too stable." Buffy says.

"Fine by me. I hope we all go under." Spike says, petulantly.

"Why is he here? It's not like he can fight." Buffy says, irked.

"If we leave him alone he'll stake himself-" Willow says.

"And that's bad because - ?" Buffy says. "Whatever. We don't have time for this. Just keep him out of the way. And when we get inside, watch for victims they're keeping alive for the sacrifice. Getting them out is our first priority. Paige that will be your goal. You and I can get them out the fastest but I'll be fighting."

Paige nods, "Okay, Buffy."

"Will do." Willow says.

"Good. You ready?" Buffy says.

Xander nods, "Let's rock n' roll."

Spike rolls his eyes. Mocks Xander. "Let's rock n' roll? You actually talk like that?"

Piper frowns, "You want to be dusted? I could aim for your neck and explode it with my power decapitating you and you'd dust."

They move on into the building and cautiously down what's left of the hall. They can't help but look around, amazed by the damage.

"Gateway high. If these walls - were still walls - what stories they could tell..." Xander says as he steps into something black and crunchy. He looks down… "Ewwwww." It's a piece of charred Mayor snake. Burnt to crisp. "Mayor meat. Extra crispy."

Willow nods. Makes a face. Steps on another piece of debris. It's a cheerleading trophy, black with smoke-damage. In fact - it's Amy's mother. Still entombed, her eyes dart desperately as Willow's foot comes crashing down on her. After Willow moves off, Amy's mom glares at her despite her impotence.

"I think we're near the-" Willow says as they turn a corner and stop.

Even though walls are blown away and such, they are clearly in the area where the Library used to be because the monsters are there, standing at the lip of the already open Hellmouth.

"-library. Wow. Check out the new floor plan." Willow finishes.

"I'll deal with them. Piper… you, Phoebe and Willow get the spell stuff away." Buffy says.

"I don't see any sacrifice people." Willow says.

"Neither do I." Piper says.

"They have to be around here somewhere - the ritual's not finished." Buffy says as she whips a stake out of her jacket and flings it at demon #3, knocking the talisman out of his hand. The demons react to this, looking at Buffy - startled and distracted.

"And you can't raise hell if you can't do the spell, right guys?" Buffy says.

A beat as the demons process this turn of events - then charge Buffy. She and the monsters trade blows, while Xander and Willow swoop in and snatch the chalice of blood from Demon #1 and the bag full of child's bones from Demon #2, respectively.

As Demon #1 and Demon #2 chase after Xander and Willow, and they play a game of keep away with the ritual items. They expertly duck blows and toss the stuff back and forth - leaving the demons frustrated.

Then Demon #1 ends the game by hitting Xander over and over, trying to weaken him.

Xander holds the chalice tight as he tries to fend Demon #1 off. "You picked the wrong guy, dude. I had lots of practice at this with my lunch money."

Willow is being chased by Demon #2. He nearly corners her, but she tosses the bag, yelling, "Piper!"

Piper catches the bag more out of instinct than anything else. She sees Demon #2, now more furious than ever - charging toward her. "Great. "

Buffy is still locked in furious battle with Demon #3. He is the largest and strongest of the three demons and is giving her a run for her money.

Demon #1 finally wrests the chalice of blood away from Xander as he readies himself for further attack - but the demon seems to have no more interest in him. Instead, Demon #1 flings himself and the chalice into the Hellmouth. Xander, stunned, takes this in.

"Okay. Guess I won." Xander says. Now the ground starts to shake, a tremor of the decidedly portentous variety starting to build. Xander processes this. A beat. Then the light goes on. He yells to Buffy, "The demons! They are the sacrifice!"

Piper raises her hands set to explode Demon #2 when it tackles her and starts pummeling her.

Spike sees Piper and decides what the heck and strikes at Demon #2, who staggers back from the punch. A beat as Spike cringes, then realizes that hitting the demon didn't hurt him in the head at all. "No pain..."

The Demon, just recovered from Spike's blow, lurches toward him. Spike pounds him again. And, again, no pain.

"I can hurt a demon..." Spike says.

With this new awareness, Spike goes to town on Demon #2, unleashing a dizzying torrent of pent-up violence on the unlucky fellow and going vampface in the process. His display is truly impressive, kicking and hitting until the demon is crumpled in a dying heap on the ground.

"Yeah! That's right! I'm back and I'm a bloody animal! Yeah!" Spike says as he raises Demon #2 over his head with a victory howl and hurls it into the Hellmouth, along with the bag of bones, Demon #2 managed to get from Piper.

"Noooo!" Xander says.

"Spike! Not in the-" Willow says.

"The demons are the sacrifices." Piper says.

The ground starts to tremble even more violently. Walls start to crumble. Spike takes in Willow and Xander's appalled stares.

"What? I was helping." Spike says.

Paige frowns, "I'm getting people out of here."

Buffy notes the ever destabilizing structure as she continues to fight Demon #3. She shouts to Paige. "Get them out of here. The building's going to come down!"

Paige grabs Piper and Phoebe's hands and orbs them out. She orbs back in and grabs Xander and Willow. Spike grabs onto Willow and they are orbed out.

Buffy continues to struggle with Demon #3. Emboldened by the near completion of the spell, the demon is stronger than ever - beating her closer and closer to the Hellmouth. She finds her stake on the floor and sinks it into the demon's chest. It screams and raises its arms for a killing blow. Then, suddenly, the demon is yanked off her by unseen hands. Buffy, confused, looks up to see Riley, in full commando garb, wrestling the demon off her.

Riley and the demon go hand to hand. Riley fights well - but it's clear that he's outmatched by the creature.

After a moment, Buffy recovers enough to join in again, yells to Riley, "Don't let him jump in the Hellmouth! If he does, we're finished!"

Riley nods his understanding and hits the demon hard, sending him staggering away from the lip of the Hellmouth. Just as it seems the two of them may best the demon, an overhear beam, loose from the tremors, falls. The beam separates Buffy and Riley from the monster, and clips Riley on the leg, hurting him but not pinning him.

Demon #3 is badly injured, near death - but using his last reserves to grab the fallen talisman and pull himself to the yawning maw of the Hellmouth.

Buffy and Riley see this and Buffy starts to crawl over the beam after the demon.

"I'm going in." Buffy says.

Riley grabs her belt and affixes a retracting cable he wears on his utility belt to it with a grappler's hook. They share a quick but powerful look of connection. "You're coming back out."

The demon is a few feet ahead of her as he reaches the edge of the Hellmouth and hurtles himself in. Without hesitation, Buffy does the same, diving in head first.

Riley anxiously watches the entrance to the Hellmouth, when the cable snaps tight in his hands. With tremendous effort, he starts pulling it up as fast as he can, unsure of what he'll find on the other end.

Buffy emerges struggling mightily to work her way out of the tunnel while she keeps hold of the demon. Riley rushes to help her, pulling the dying demon all the way out and lying it on the ground. Buffy crawls out, spent from the effort of her leap.

"Buffy. Are you-" Riley says.

The demon lying next to them dies and the tremors stop as the Hellmouth closes again.

Buffy and Riley are watching it, too stunned to feel their victory yet.

Outside Piper, Phoebe, Paige, Xander, Willow and Spike are standing away from the school. Then Buffy and a slightly limping Riley emerge from the wreckage. While Piper, Phoebe, Paige, Willow, Xander and even Spike are obviously happy that the world isn't ending – Willow, Xander and Spike are more than a little surprised to see Riley in action.

Riley, in turn, is shocked to see them there. He immediately tries to cover, launching into an unconvincing, blustering explanation. "Well, hey! Willow. Xander, right? What are the chances, huh? I was just passing by - and I thought I heard people inside-"

"You were just passing by... in your GI Joe outfit?" Willow asks.

Buffy, amused by Riley's scrambling, can't help but add, "No offense - but you are looking wicked conspicuous."

"I am? But it's... paint ball and then the aftershock and I-" Riley says.

"So you're one of the commando guys, huh?" Xander asks.

Riley tries the laughing it off method now. Weakly. "No, no, no. Commando, I mean…" He looks to Spike. "Do I know you?"

Spike's the one on the spot now. He replies with a hideously bad "American" accent. "Me? No. No sir. I'm just - an old pal of Xander's, here."

"Oh - I - Oh. That's nice." Riley says.

Spike nods, "Yeah."

They all start to move off.

Piper whispers to Riley, "You do look conspicuous."

Xander and Willow both look as though they feel strangely liberated.

"Good world saving back there, Will. The keep away thing was key." Xander says.

Willow takes this in, gratified. "You too. If you hadn't figured out that "demons are the sacrifice" thing - we'd all be hell babies by now."

Now they boast somewhat mockingly.

"What can I say? We kicked the apocalypse's ass." Xander says.

"Again." Willow says.

"Weird being back, wasn't it?" Xander asks.

Willow nods, "Yeah. Everything looked so much smaller. And more charred and ruin-y."

Riley really takes in Willow, Xander and Spike in their torn and dirtied clothes. He looks to Piper, Phoebe, Paige and Buffy with a knowing look. "So - what are you guys all doing here, anyway?"

They all share a look. Then Buffy replies - a simple throwaway as they leave behind the black remains of Gateway High. "We used to go here."

Piper whispers to Riley, "We'll tell you later."

The next day in Riley's dorm room in Lowell house. Riley sits on the edge of his bed - clearly distracted as he shoots total air balls at the Nerf basket hanging from his door. A quiet knock on the door interrupts him.

"Come in." Riley says.

Buffy pokes her nose in - enters. She seems somehow calmer. More resolved. "Hey. You never called, I didn't know if you..."

Riley anxiously cuts her off. It's clear that he's worked himself into a terrible state of agitation. "Oh, hey, sorry, I'm just. I'm a dead man. Secret. Highly. Or, it's supposed to be. Then you and your family find out, I can deal. You're all special. But last night with your friends was a disaster. I mean, could I have been less convincing? I was trained to be sneaky and stuff and I'm like - hi, paint ball, just passing by... I should have just given them my security code and rank-"

"You have a security code and rank?" Buffy asks.

Riley looks like he wants to kill himself. "No. Did I say - ? I... Oh, God... This is so not good. Everybody knows about me. I'm finished. It's the end of the world."

"No. It's not." Buffy says as she kisses him. A kiss that takes Riley by surprise at first, but which he quickly gives himself over to. It grows into quite a passionate embrace...


	96. Chapter 96: Three Faces of Phoebe

**Chapter 96: Three Faces of Phoebe**

In the kitchen Piper takes a tray out of the oven. She walks into the dining room where the table is covered with food. Leo is the only one sitting at the table.

"Voilá!" Piper says.

"Oh, it looks great, let's eat." Leo says.

"Wait, where is everybody?" Piper asks.

"I don't know. Pass the croissants please." Leo says.

Piper takes off her apron. "I don't understand, we were all supposed to eat together. You know, celebrate."

"Sisters. Butter." Leo says.

"Buffy! Phoebe! Paige!" Piper says as Paige orbs in and falls on her, knocking her to the ground. "Paige!" They stand up. "Wait, Paige, did you just orb in from another room?"

Paige nods, "Yeah, obviously the landing could still use a little work."

"You've been practising this?" Piper asks.

Paige smiles, "Yeah, I didn't wanna say anything until I knew for sure I could do it." She sees the food. "Uh, food, thank god, I am starving." She sits down.

"That's the orbing. It burns a lot of calories. Why do you think I married a chef?" Leo says.

"I-I can't believe your powers are already advancing. This is just another reason to celebrate." Piper says.

"Mm, Leo, butter." Paige says.

Leo passes the butter. "Mm, butter. You should try the frittatas they're great."

"You're both very welcome." Piper says.

"Oh, thank you, honey. I just wanna eat fast so I can get to work on time for a change." Paige says.

"Well, I understand but still, it's not every day that we vanquish the Source of all evil. The least you could do is wait for Buffy, Phoebe and Cole." Piper says.

Phoebe walks in. "Oh, don't bother. Buffy and Cole's not here and all I need is a caffeine IV." She grabs a jug and pours herself some coffee. She sits down.

"What is the matter with you people? Our mortal enemy is gone, dead. Is there nobody else besides me happy about this?" Piper says. "Where's Buffy?"

Paige gets up and puts her arm around Piper. "Absolutely, honey, I'm thrilled. Thank you for the spread, have a good day." She leaves the room.

"Buffy went with Willow this morning to visit Faith before their morning classes started." Phoebe says.

The Elders call Leo. "Hm, I'm being summoned."

"What, now? What do they want?" Piper asks.

"I don't know, maybe they want to congratulate you guys." Leo says.

"But..." Piper says.

"Gotta run." Leo says and he orbs out.

"Does he have to do that so brightly?" Phoebe asks.

"Well, that'll teach me to try and be in a good mood. What's the matter with you?" Piper asks.

"Mm, I don't know. I went to bed and I was really happy and then I woke up this morning and I just, I had this horrible feeling about Cole." Phoebe says.

"Cole?" Piper asks.

Phoebe nods, "Yeah, it's kinda hard to explain. It feels like a premonition that's trying to come out but it never quite does. But whatever it is it's not a good thing."

"Well, that doesn't sound supernatural, that sounds supernormal. You got cold feet. Every bride-to-be does. Trust me, even I did." Piper says.

"Just like that? Overnight?" Phoebe asks.

"What's overnight?" Buffy asks as she walks in from the front door.

"Cold feet," Piper says "Well, the only reason you haven't gotten married is because of the Source, and now that he is dead you are that much closer to taking that very long walk down the aisle."

"I don't know. It feels like there's something else." Phoebe says.

Piper nods, "Buffy how's Faith? And Willow?"

"She's doing good." Buffy says. "I think it helped Willow to go see Faith. Both of us had been busy with school that we hadn't had time to visit."

Later in the attic Phoebe is there looking at the Belthazor page in the Book of Shadows. Buffy and Piper walks in.

"What are you doing up here?" Piper asks.

"Nothing, just thinking." Phoebe says.

"About..." Buffy says.

Phoebe sighs, "Cole."

"He's a human now, you're not gonna find the answers you're looking for in that book." Piper says.

"Well, I've gotta find them somewhere because I'm starting to get scared." Phoebe says.

"Well, of course you're scared, getting married is a huge step." Piper says. "A step that Buffy had a brief glimpse of not too long ago."

"Don't remind me." Buffy says.

"I know that. It just feels like it's more than that." Phoebe says.

"Have you tried talking to him?" Piper asks.

Phoebe nods, "Yes, of course I have. He just keeps avoiding me like he did when he was..." She points to the Belthazor page.

"Belthazor is dead. Cole is a man now. A man that you love more than anything else in the world." Buffy says.

Phoebe nods, "I know. So why am I so damn confused all of a sudden, it's killing me."

"Maybe you're right, maybe you do need the book. What good is being a witch when you can't use a little magic when you're hurting." Piper says.

"I can not believe that you're suggesting that. What about personal gain?" Phoebe says.

"I can't believe it either. Especially after Willow's little personal gain spell." Buffy says.

"Well, just word the spell properly, avoid it, you should know how to do it by now. Just be pure, ask your heart for the answer. Just don't tell Paige or Willow. I don't want Paige thinking she can do it too. And Willow it would set her back. I mean to tell her it's wrong and then you turn around and do the same thing and I'm saying go ahead with it." Piper says as she leaves the attic.

"You need anything," Buffy asks.

"Would you stay and help me?" Phoebe asks.

"Sure, Pheebs." Buffy says.

In the foyer Paige walks in through the front door as Piper comes down the stairs.

"Ugh, I hate it when you're right." Paige says.

"Really? See I usually like it." Piper says.

Paige nods, "Remember that spell that I cast last week, the one to help Caroline get her son back? Well, it had a little side effect."

"What kind of side effect." Piper says.

"The one that gets me promoted. I know, personal gain… Especially after the whole deal with Willow. I've already beat myself up over it, you don't have to." Paige says as Kurzon appears behind Piper in the dining room. "Demon!" Paige pushes Piper out of the way. Kurzon throws an energy ball. "Energy ball!"

The energy ball orbs out and back in in Paige's hand. She throws is back at him, missing. He throws another at Paige and she orbs out. She orbs back in in mid-air and falls down.

"Enough of this. Bye-bye." Piper says as she blows him up but he gets put back together. "Uh-oh."

"Two witches. Damn her!" Kurzon says as he disappears.

Piper gets up. "Okay. Paige, are you okay?"

Paige gets up. "I'm fine, I'm fine. It's my ego's a little bruised, that's all."

"That was odd." Piper says.

Paige nods, "Yeah."

"Leo!" Piper calls out.

Leo orbs in. "What happened?"

"Oh, same old. Demon tried to kill us." Paige says.

Piper nods, "Yeah, a very powerful demon, strangely Source-like. Can't we get a freakin' day off around here?"

"Well, that's why the Elders summoned me. The Source's death has created a power struggle in the underworld, and killing you means direct ascension to the throne." Leo says.

Piper frowns, "Ugh."

"So vanquishing the Source meant nothing?" Paige asks.

"Well, it meant a lot actually. It set back evil decades but that doesn't mean it made you any less of a target." Leo says.

Piper sighs, "Yeah, but this demon didn't even seem to know who we were, which by the way I find insulting."

"Well, he knows now which means you better figure out who he is before he tries again." Leo says.

Paige nods, "Attic."

"Mm." Piper says.

Up in the attic Buffy and Phoebe are sitting at the table. Phoebe writes 'Should I marry Cole?' on a piece of paper and scrunches it up. They stand up as Phoebe lights the paper.

"Where love is strong my spirit weak, it is an answer that I seek, the question burns within this fire, so I may hear my heart's desire." Phoebe chants.

Buffy watches concentrating on Phoebe, augmenting her.

Piper, Paige and Leo walk in.

Buffy? Phoebe? We have a..." Piper says.

Phoebe puts the burning paper in a bowl and it explodes. Phoebe gasps.

"Phoebe?" Paige asks.

Two tunnels of wind appear in the attic.

"What?" Phoebe asks.

An elderly woman and a little girl appear.

"What's going on? How did I get here?" Elderly Woman says.

"That's an excellent question." Buffy says. "Pheebs?"

"Oh my god, what have you done?" Elderly Woman says looking at Phoebe.

"Me? Wh-Who are you?" Phoebe asks.

"What's the matter? Don't you recognise me? I'm you. Phoebe." Old Phoebe says.

"Phoebe? That's my name too." Little Phoebe says.

Buffy frowns, "Oh… My… Goddess. That is so the last time I augment one of your spells, Pheebs."

Little Phoebe is getting frightened. "Who are you people? And how did I get up here?"

"You don't have to be scared of us, honey. Everything's gonna be okay. Any ideas?" Phoebe says.

"It's your spell, don't look at me." Piper says.

Little Phoebe runs over to the window.

"It was your idea." Phoebe says.

"Excuse me?" Paige asks.

"You might wanna stop her before she climbs out the window." Old Phoebe says pointing towards the window.

"Whoa!" Buffy says and she runs over to Little Phoebe who's half way out the window. "Sweetie, hi, come here." She pulls her back inside. "Hi, I can explain. You are dreaming."

"Dreaming?" Piper asks.

Buffy nods, "Yes, dreaming. And you're gonna wake up in your room and everything's gonna be fine."

"I'm ten, I'm not stupid. Grams!" Little Phoebe says and runs out of the attic as Cole walks in.

"Wow, I do not miss that." Piper says.

"What's going on?" Cole asks.

"Cole." Old Phoebe says.

"Who are you?" Cole asks.

Old Phoebe smiles, "Maybe this will refresh your memory." She walks over and slaps him across the face. "You bastard."

"What was that all about?" Phoebe asks.

"Ask him." Old Phoebe says.

"Uh, maybe we should go look for Little Phoebe before she escapes into 2002." Leo says.

Piper nods, "Yes, we will do that and you talk to your future self. And fix this, fast."

"Future self?" Cole asks.

"Uh, what about the demon?" Leo asks.

"What demon?" Buffy asks.

"Uh, we were attacked downstairs. Paige." Piper says.

"I'm there." Paige says as she goes over to the Charmed Book.

Piper, Buffy and Leo head downstairs.

In the living room Little Phoebe is hiding in the corner, blocking her ears. Buffy, Piper and Leo are trying to get her out.

"Row, row, row your boat, gently down the stream..." Little Phoebe sings.

"Honey, you have to listen to me." Piper says.

"Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily, life is but a dream." Little Phoebe sings.

"We're just trying to help." Buffy says.

Little Phoebe repeats the song. Piper groans.

"She's your sister." Leo says.

"Yeah, don't remind me." Piper says.

"In a way this makes me glad I didn't grow up with you guys. If this is the way Pheebs was like at that age." Buffy says.

"Sadly it is." Piper says.

Phoebe walks in. "Having a little trouble with young Phoebe?"

Piper nods, "Yeah, enough to make me reconsider having children. Maybe we should just lie to her again."

"No. I think I have an idea." Phoebe says as she goes over to Little Phoebe.

"Stay away from me or I'll sick Prue on you." Little Phoebe says.

Buffy shakes her head, "Oh, yeah, don't go there."

Phoebe nods, "Phoebe, listen to me. I know that this is scary but I promise you you are safe here in this house. In your house. Our house. You know how Grams talks about magic all the time? And she likes to say anything's possible as long as you believe in it."

Little Phoebe nods, "Yes."

"Well, that's what happened. Magic brought you here, to your future. See that girl over there? That is Piper all grown up." Phoebe says as Little Phoebe's eyes widen. "Yeah! And that is her husband Leo. Mm-hm. And that there is our cousin Buffy, Aunt Joyce's daughter."

"Really?" Little Phoebe asks.

"I am," Buffy says.

"And I am..." Phoebe says.

"Me?" Little Phoebe asks.

Phoebe smiles, "Yeah. I wanna show you something." She holds up her photo album. "Do you remember this? Daddy sent it to you and me for Christmas."

"My album!" Little Phoebe says.

Phoebe nods, "Yeah, except it starts with pictures of you and it goes all the way back here to pictures of me. Why don't you go take it over there and look at it."

Little Phoebe goes and sits on the couch.

"Nicely done." Leo says.

"Ooh, yeah, at least I could get through one of my selves." Phoebe says.

"Having problems with geriatric you?" Piper asks.

Phoebe nods, "I know that woman up there is me when I'm old, but there is nothing familiar about her. I-I don't know how I got so... mean."

"She doesn't have any idea how to reverse the spell?" Buffy asks.

Phoebe shakes her head, "No, she doesn't even remember casting it. How does that happen?"

"The future changes with every choice we make. Some choices change it more than others. All that matters is she's here for a reason. They bother are." Leo says.

"Yeah, but why? What's the reason?" Phoebe says.

"To help you listen to your heart." Piper says.

Leo nods, "And until you do, they won't return to their times."

"I don't think they're ever going to because old Phoebe is not letting go of this grudge about Cole." Phoebe says.

Cole walks in. "Talking about me?"

"Oh my gosh. Who are you?" Little Phoebe asks.

"Sorry?" Cole asks.

Phoebe smiles, "That guy is Cole. He's our fiancé."

Little Phoebe smiles, "Wait, you mean he's our prince? The one who sweeps us off our feet."

Buffy and Piper laughs.

"She's talking about Cinderella. That was my favourite story when I was growing up. I can't believe that I forgot about that." Phoebe says.

"Well, maybe that's why she's here, to help you remember." Leo says.

Little Phoebe smiles at Cole.

"Don't you think you should help Paige find out who the 'visitor' who dropped in was, before he drops in again." Cole says.

Buffy nods, "Good idea."

"Okay." Phoebe says. "We'll be right back." She looks to Cole. "Uh, keep her company will you?" She kisses him on the cheek.

Cole nods, "Yeah, sure." They all leave. Little Phoebe smiles at Cole. "Hi."

Moments later they are all up in the attic with Paige as she shows them the Kurson page in the Charmed Book of Shadows.

"That's him." Piper says.

"Kurzon is an enemy of the Source who was banished from the underworld for inciting a failed coup. I don't understand, why didn't they just kill him?" Phoebe says.

"Probably because it's not that easy to do. You guys are gonna need the power of three at the very least." Leo says.

"But if he's the enemy of the Source, doesn't that make him our ally?" Paige asks.

Buffy shakes her head, "No, he's still evil, he's just a different kind of evil."

They hear Little Phoebe scream downstairs.

"Phoebe." Phoebe says and they head downstairs. They see Kurzon with Cole and Little Phoebe just before Kurzon disappears.

"Cole!" Phoebe says as she runs over to Little Phoebe.

"She's alright, she just fainted." Cole says.

Little Phoebe wakes up.

"Are you okay?" Phoebe asks.

Little Phoebe nods, "Yeah. I think so." She looks to Cole, "You saved me. It was so scary. He just came out of nowhere. And then everything went black."

Paige hands Little Phoebe a glass of water. "Here you go, sweetheart."

"Thanks." Little Phoebe says as she takes a sip. "Who are you?"

"Me? I'm Paige, your..." Paige says.

"Cousin. She's my sister." Buffy says. " My older sister."

Piper nods, "Just like with Buffy, we think of her as a sister."

Paige leans into Buffy and whispers, "Sister?"

"We'll explain it to you when you're older." Phoebe says.

Buffy nods and whispers back, "Like you they didn't know about me till later in life. It's easier to say you're a cousin than to explain how Little Phoebe has another sister she's never met."

"Ah good thinking." Paige whispers.

"What about that scary man? Where'd he go?" Little Phoebe asks.

"You don't have to worry about him anymore, sweetie." Phoebe says.

"Doesn't she?" Leo asks.

"Leo." Piper says.

Leo sighs, "I'm sorry, but we can't risk her running into Kurzon again, she's Phoebe's past."

Phoebe nods, "And Cole saving her means that he saved me too."

"Hello! He loves us, remember?" Little Phoebe says.

"I think I should take Little Phoebe someplace, someplace safe." Leo says.

"Do you really think Kurzon will come back?" Buffy asks.

Cole nods, "I do. I mean, why wouldn't he? He didn't fulfil his objectives."

"He's right." Phoebe says. Okay, you're gonna have to go with Leo for a little while, but don't worry he'll keep you safe."

"I don't wanna leave." Little Phoebe says.

"I know, but it's just for a little while, okay. It's for your own good. Come on." Phoebe says.

Leo nods, "Come on, take my hand." Little Phoebe walks over to him. "Now hold on tight."

"Are we going on a plane?" Little Phoebe asks.

"No, but you might see some clouds." Leo says as he orbs out with Little Phoebe.

Paige picks up the glass and heads for the kitchen. She sees the dagger on the floor and picks it up. "Where'd this come from?"

"That-that's Kurzon's, he tried to stab me with it but I got it away from him." Cole says.

"Really? You got it away from a demon? That's impressive." Buffy says.

"Why didn't he use his powers on you?" Piper asks.

Cole shrugs, "Who knows? The point is I stabbed him which means we have enough of his blood to scry for him."

The girls look suspiciously at him.

"Yeah, I'll go get a map and a crystal." Paige says as she leaves the room.

"Do you think Kurzon's targeting Little Phoebe?" Buffy asks.

"Why would he?" Phoebe asks.

"Well, the same reason Leo said, because she's you. And if he kills her then there's no Charmed Ones. Remember there is only a Power of Four if there is a Power of Three. Take out one of you and no more Charmed Ones." Buffy says.

"But how could he know I conjured her?" Phoebe asks.

"He's psychic?" Piper asks.

"Or maybe the Seer tipped him off." Cole says.

"The Seer? You think she's involved?" Phoebe says.

"Wouldn't surprise me." Cole says.

"Well, that's just great. Okay, well, we're gonna need a vanquishing spell. Cole, go with Piper, help her, tell her everything you know about Kurzon." Phoebe says, "Buffy why don't you come with me." She stands up.

"Where you going?" Piper asks.

"Well, we're gonna go try knock some sense into myself." Phoebe says.

In Phoebe's bedroom Old Phoebe is looking at a picture of Cole and Phoebe. Phoebe storms in Buffy following right behind.

"We need to send you back fast." Phoebe says.

"Fine with me." Old Phoebe says.

"Not for your sake, for all of yours, especially little Phoebe's." Buffy says.

Phoebe nods, "And the only way for you to do that is to answer the question that I asked when I cast the spell. Should I or should I not marry Cole? Listen to me, a demon attacked downstairs and nearly killed Little Phoebe, which means he nearly killed us too."

"Oh, I know what that means." Old Phoebe says.

"Then why won't you answer the question?" Buffy asks.

"Because if I were to say something that could change the future, other lives could be at stake too, not just ours." Old Phoebe says.

"Yeah, well, maybe you're supposed to change the future. Maybe that's why you were sent here. If there is one belief that you and I still have in common, it's that magic happens for a reason. Isn't it possible that you've been given a second chance?" Phoebe says.

"To do what?" Old Phoebe asks.

"To keep me from turning into a bitter old lady like you. Please, I have lost so much already. Don't make me lose myself too." Phoebe says.

"Sorry, I can't." Old Phoebe says.

"Then I guess you've doomed us both." Phoebe says and she leaves the room.

Buffy sighs, "Pheebs." Old Phoebe looks to Buffy. "She has a point you know."

"I know she does, Buffy." Old Phoebe says. "But I still can't do it. If I say something that could change the future, innocents could die. And that's one thing I can not let happen."

Buffy sighs and nods, "Hey how do I look in your future?"

Old Phoebe shakes her head, "I can't tell you Buffy. I wish I could. I love you but I can't do it I'm sorry. To tell you what you wish to know could alter future events. I will give you one hint though, Dawn."

In the conservatory Piper is writing a spell, Paige is scrying and Cole is pacing.]

"Are you done with that spell yet?" Cole asks.

"Almost. Could you please stop pacing, it's very distracting." Piper says.

Cole shakes his head, "No."

Phoebe walks in and sits beside Piper.

"How'd it go?" Piper asks.

"I still can't get through to her. Maybe Buffy can, I left her up there." Phoebe says.

"She didn't say anything about the future?" Cole asks.

Phoebe shakes her head, "Nope. She's worried about the consequences of changing it."

"But she is your future, you can't change that." Phoebe says.

Buffy walks into the conservatory, "Yes we can. I've been to the future twice now and I can honestly say that we can prove that it can be changed. Phoebe's not burning at the stake anytime soon. And neither Phoebe or Prue died at the hands of the dragon warlock. Well actually Prue did but we brought her back."

"How?" Paige asks.

"Let's just say this. Never ever say I wish." Buffy says. "In front of anyone."

Paige nods, "Well, maybe you all will let me cast Phoebe's spell and get myself my own sneak preview. Find out what happens if I take that promotion or not."

"You got promoted?" Phoebe asks.

"Yeah, by the way of a spell and her friend Scott got stuck with the consequence." Piper says.

Buffy frowns, "Paige you would think after what happened with Willow's spell. You would know to stay away from the personal gain stuff."

"If you don't vanquish Kurzon soon he'll become the next Source, the all of a sudden personal gain won't be so important because you'll all be dead." Cole says.

The crystal points to a spot on the map.

"Got him. He's across town." Paige says.

"Okay, bring the crystal, we'll track him on the way." Piper says.

They get up.

"I would stay out of my bedroom if I were you. Unless you wanna get slapped again." Phoebe says as she kisses Cole.

"Be careful." Cole says.

"Aren't you coming?" Paige asks.

Cole shakes his head, "What can I do? I'm not a demon anymore."

The girls leave.

In the car Phoebe looks to Buffy, "Did she say anything to you?"

Buffy shakes her head, "She doesn't want to change the future. I even tried changing tracks on her and asked about myself instead. She wouldn't budge on that either. Though she did give me a hint, Dawn. Whatever that means."

Somewhere they pull over and they get out so Paige can scry.

"I can't believe we lost him!" Piper says.

"Oh, god, just give me a second." Paige says.

"Alright, he might be still in the area." Phoebe says.

"He's at the house." Paige says.

"We'll never make it back in time." Phoebe says.

Piper gets an idea and looks between Buffy and Paige.

"Don't look at me." Paige says.

"Why? You did it this morning." Piper says.

"Barely, I went downstairs, alone, not across town with two passengers." Paige says.

"She orbed downstairs?" Buffy asks.

"Yeah she did." Phoebe says. "Okay, well, Paige, he'll kill Cole, we have to try."

Piper nods, "Split up. Phoebe your with Buffy. I'll go with Paige.

Paige orbs out without Piper.

"Hey!" Piper says as Paige orbs Phoebe out with her.

Buffy shakes her head, "She's learning." She takes Piper's hand and flames out.

At the manor Kurzon throws an energy ball at Cole. Cole falls to the ground as he throws a fireball at Kurzon, missing. Old Phoebe helps Cole up.

"I'm okay." Cole says.

Kurzon disappears and reappears behind them. He charges at them with a sword.

"No!" Old Phoebe says as she stands in front of Cole and Kurzon stabs her. He pulls the sword out and swings it at Cole. Cole grabs him and they struggle across the room. Paige and Phoebe orb in as Buffy and Piper flame in on the other side of the room.

"Spell, spell, spell, quick-quick-quick." Piper says as she pulls a piece of paper out of her pocket. Paige quickly orbs with Phoebe out and back in on the other side of the room next to Piper and Phoebe.

"Hell threw you from its inner core, but earth won't hold you anymore, since heaven cannot be your place, your flesh and blood we now erase!" Piper, Phoebe, Paige and Buffy chants.

Kurzon catches on fire and is vanquished.

Phoebe goes over to Old Phoebe. "Oh, no. Leo! Just hold on. Hold on."

"She saved me." Cole says.

"There's your answer." Old Phoebe says.

Leo orbs in with Little Phoebe.

"Leo, please, please, please, please." Phoebe says.

Leo rushes over and tries to heal her. "She's gone."

Old and Little Phoebe disappear.

"What happened?" Paige asks.

"The spell played out. You heard what you needed to hear." Buffy says.

Later Buffy, Piper, Paige and Leo are in the kitchen.

"Speaking of orbing up there, when do I get to do that?" Paige asks.

"Well, you shouldn't be in such a rush, you should be proud of what you accomplished." Leo says.

"I have to agree with Leo," Buffy says. "While I could have gotten us all back you still managed to help save the day since you orbed Phoebe back."

"We didn't save everyone." Paige says.

"No, but that's the great thing about the future, there's always time to change it." Leo says.

"Leo's right. I've witnessed two possible futures. One where Piper was living alone and both Prue and Phoebe were dead and I was missing. And one where Phoebe was burned at the stake. Neither of those are happening now because we changed them." Buffy says.

"So Phoebe won't die that way?" Paige asks.

"No, if I know Phoebe and I do, she's not gonna let her future turn out that way." Piper says.

"Piper is right. Phoebe won't let her future end like that." Buffy says.

"Yeah, but what about Little Phoebe? She went back to her time with all this knowledge of the future. Won't that cause complications?" Paige asks.

Piper shakes her head, "I doubt it. The minute she starts talking about magic, Grams will do some hocus pocus to erase all that knowledge."

"That's nice." Paige says.

"That's Grams." Buffy says.

"Well, I'm done, I am off to bed. I have a future of my own to change tomorrow." Paige says as she heads for the door.

"Have you decided what to do about your promotion?" Piper asks.

Paige nods, "Yeah, I'm gonna turn it down."

"Hmm, what changed your mind?" Buffy asks.

"The three Phoebe's. She used magic to change her future but I used magic to change Scott's and that's not fair. I did the rhyme, I will do the time. Goodnight." Paige says and she heads upstairs.

"So what do you think Phoebe's gonna do about Cole?" Leo asks.

"I don't know, but I don't think we're gonna have to wait forty years to find out." Buffy says.

"I have to agree with Buffy. I don't think we're going to have to wait that long either." Piper says.

Upstairs in Phoebe's bedroom. Phoebe's there looking at a photo of her and Cole. Cole walks in.

"Hi." Phoebe says.

"I just, um..." Cole says.

"Had to get out of the house?" Phoebe asks.

Cole nods, "Yeah, something like that."

"Well, at least you came back." Phoebe says.

"You didn't think I would?" Cole asks.

Phoebe shrugs, "I don't know. Um," she sits on the bed, "I've been having a lot of crazy thoughts lately, about us, and I guess I just thought that maybe you were feeling the same way too. I never told you why I cast that spell did I?"

"I thought it was to hear your heart's desire." Cole says.

"It was to find out if I should marry you or not." Phoebe says.

"Oh. And?" Cole says.

"Do you still want to?" Phoebe asks.

"Well, it's still a part of my plans that's for sure." Cole says.

Phoebe smiles, "Mine too. It's not that I don't still have cold feet, it's just hearing my past self remind me of Cinderella, and seeing my future self willing to... willing to die for you."

"I'm willing to die for you." Cole says.

"I'm gonna ask you a question and all I want is a straight answer, okay? Can you do that?" Phoebe says.

Cole nods, "Okay."

"Is there something that you're not telling me? About you? Something that I don't know?" Phoebe asks.

Cole sits next to her. "No." He hugs her.


	97. Chapter 97: Marry Go Round

**Author's Note: **Eleven Chapters left till we start season 5.

* * *

**Chapter 97: Marry Go Round**

At the church where Phoebe and Cole's wedding will be held. Buffy and Piper are arranging some flowers in vases while Phoebe's walking around wearing a microphone.

"Piper, did you check on the cake?" Phoebe asks.

Piper nods, "Yes."

"That's good because I don't want the cake to be delivered until after the linens arrive." Phoebe says.

"I checked on the cake. Could you please take off that microphone?" Piper says.

Phoebe nods, "Yeah, sorry, just checking the sound system." She takes off the microphone. "What about the limo? Buffy, honey, did you book the limo?"

Buffy nods, "It's all taken care of. Along with the DJ, the caterer, the table arrangements and the rice. In fact I made sure that the staff at the club would know that we are closed for a private party."

"Rice? No-no-no-no. We can't throw rice." Phoebe says.

Piper and Buffy look at each other and then at Phoebe.

"Why not?" Piper asks.

"Well, because the birds can't digest it. And they will blow up." Phoebe says.

Buffy nods, "Okay, so we'll throw bird seed. Or-or we'll release balloons."

"No-no, we can't release balloons either. They float to the ocean and the whales mistake them for squid and I can't be thinking about whales washing up on the beach during my wedding, you know what I mean." Phoebe says.

Piper smiles, "Honey, I know you want the perfect day but you need to relax a little bit, and breathe, breathing's good, breathing is your friend."

Paige walks in. "Whoa. Is this a wedding or a coronation?"

"Um, where is my dress?" Phoebe asks.

"Oh, I don't have it." Paige says.

"Ah-h-h, I'm not breathing. What do you mean? How could you forget my dress the day before the wedding? The bridal shop's closed tomorrow." Phoebe says.

Paige sighs, "Relax, it's open tonight, I'm planning on picking it up on my way to the rehearsal dinner."

Phoebe lets out a sigh of relief, "Oh."

"Alright, why don't we sit down." Buffy says.

Phoebe nods, "Oh, yeah, sitting is good." They sits on the pews. "I think I'm a little stressed out. You know, 'cause I just want tomorrow to be perfect, no glitches. Natural or supernatural, you know. No magic, no ghosts." She looks up. "You guys understand that? I just want tomorrow to be nice and normal."

Buffy shakes her head, "No glitches. You're kidding right? Remember Piper's wedding and Prue trashing it."

Phoebe glares at Buffy.

"Honey, I promise you we will have your perfect wedding. By this time tomorrow, you and Cole will be joined in holy matrimony." Piper says.

Later back at the Manor everybody is sitting around the table, including Darryl and Victor, having the rehearsal dinner. They are all giggling.

"And what about Phoebe, who was speed walking down the aisle." Piper says.

"I was not." Phoebe says.

Cole nods, "You left your dad." They laugh. "Okay, attention." He taps his glass with a knife and stands up. "I have something for my groomsmen, two fine gentlemen who I chose to stand by me on the most important day of my life, because well, they're the only ones I know."

"Wow, you have to admire his honesty." Leo says.

Cole picks up two gift bags and hands them to Darryl and Leo. "Here you go."

"Thanks." Leo says as he and Darryl look in the bags.

"Wow, cool, engraved golf balls. Titleist Pro V ones. Thanks, man." Darryl says.

"I don't golf." Leo says.

"Hey, I'll take them." Victor says.

"They've got my name on it." Leo says.

Victor takes them from Leo. "So?"

"And for my three beautiful bridesmaids whom I chose because they're my three best friends in the whole wide world." Phoebe says as she hands them a gift basket.

"Aww, Phoebe." Paige says.

"You shouldn't have, Pheebs." Buffy says.

Phoebe smiles, "There's a bonsai tree for balance and harmony and a dream catcher so that all your dreams will come true, just like mine have."

Paige smiles, "This is so great, tarot cards. My deck is totally trashed this is perfect."

Phoebe nods, "Yeah, that's just in case you need psychic services while me and my new husband are busy getting busy. So you don't have to completely rely on Buffy."

Buffy smiles, "Thanks Pheebs that is most thoughtful."

The phone rings.

"Oh, I hope that's the photographer." Phoebe says.

"Hey, Leo, I got an extra stogie, you wanna join me?" Darryl asks.

Leo shakes his head, "I don't smoke."

"I'll take that." Victor says.

"But I do eat chocolate." Leo says as they stand up.

"Leo, no, wait, wait, wait. No, Leo, we need to wait for everybody else." Piper says as Victor, Darryl and Leo leave the room. She gets up and heads into the kitchen followed by Buffy.

"See what future has in store for Cole and Phoebe." Paige says as she flips over the Lovers card. "Oh." Then she flips over the Despair card, then the Death card. "Oh, no." She looks over at Phoebe.

"You don't really believe that stuff do you?" Cole asks.

"Oh, I am so sorry. There's just so many details. You know, I practically bit Paige's head off today at the church because she didn't pick up my dress on time." Phoebe says.

Paige smiles, "Which is now in the attic. Yay."

"Excuse me, I'll be right back." Cole says as he leaves the room.

Piper comes back in with a plate of food. "So what did the cards say?"

Paige shakes her head. "Oh, nothing."

Buffy and Piper set down the trays.

"Try the cards again, see what comes up." Buffy says. "Got to get in some practice reading them. Don't want to overwhelm me while Phoebe's on her honeymoon."

Cole walks in.

"Oh, uh, maybe later." Paige says.

"So, I don't mean to spoil anybody's fun but I should be going." Cole says.

"Going where?" Leo asks as he walks back in.

"Hotel." Cole says as Phoebe hugs him. "Not supposed to stay in the same house as my bride the night before the wedding, right? But Phoebe has the number in case of emergency."

"Goodnight." Piper says.

Leo nods, "See you later."

Phoebe and Cole head for the door.

"So what are you gonna do on the last night as a single guy?" Phoebe asks.

Cole grabs his coat. "Ooh, if I told you that, you'd never marry me."

"I feel like I am standing at the edge of a cliff right now." Phoebe says.

"You do?" Cole asks.

"Yeah. And somehow I've never felt safer in my whole life. Are you okay?" Phoebe says.

"No. Not really." Cole says as he kisses Phoebe. "You have no idea how difficult you are making this for me."

"I do. But you have to go. You'll have me soon enough." Phoebe says.

"I hope so." Cole says.

"Cole, wait up." Buffy says as she walks into the foyer. "I have a small surprise for my soon to be brother-in-law."

"Cousin-in-law." Cole says.

Buffy shakes her head, "Everyone else already considers me a sister, Cole. You should to."

"Ok." Cole says.

Buffy smiles, "When you go to check out. Don't worry about paying. It's being taken care of. I went by today and I am having them send the bill to the club. It's the least I could do."

Phoebe smiles, "That's nice, Buffy."

Cole nods, "Thank you, Buffy. Well I better get out of here. Take care of my bride here."

Buffy smiles, "Will do."

Cole turns and leaves.

Later that evening in Paige's bedroom. Paige lays the tarot cards on the bed. "What does the future have in store for Phoebe and Cole?" She flips one card over to reveal Lovers, then Despair, and then Death. "Oh." She grabs the cards and rushes out of her room. She knocks on Buffy's door.

"What?" Buffy says as she opens her door.

"I have to show you and Piper something." Paige says and she rushes into Piper's bedroom, with Buffy following behind. Piper is there brushing her hair. "Buffy… Piper. Look, I can't keep this to myself any longer." She holds up the cards so that they both can see them. "This is Phoebe and Cole's tarot reading. They were lovers in the past, despair fills their present, but this is their future."

"Oh, please, this looks nothing like Death. Prue met him, Buffy and I know." Piper says.

Buffy nods, "Yeah he looks nothing like that."

"No, you're missing the point. This is a bad omen." Paige says.

Piper shakes her head, "Well, not necessarily."

"Look, Cole's a nice guy, fine, whatever. But face the facts, he was the world's greatest demon for what, a century?" Paige says.

"Yeah, but we've been through that." Buffy says.

Paige sighs, "Yeah, I know but a century's worth of blood and bad karma, you don't just walk away from that. God, I don't know, maybe I'm just worried."

"Well, have you ever considered that maybe you drew those cards because they represent your feelings and not Phoebe's future?" Piper says.

Paige nods, "It's a possibility."

They hear Phoebe scream.

Up in the attic, Phoebe is wearing her wedding dress which is way to big for her. Buffy, Piper and Paige come running through the attic door looking for a demon and see only Phoebe.

"You! You've ruined my wedding. And the bridal shop is closed tomorrow." Phoebe says.

"Now, uh, Phoebe, let's not blow this out of proportion." Paige says.

"My wedding dress could double as a circus tent. Okay, I think things are already out of proportion." Phoebe says.

"All I did was pick up the dress." Paige says.

"The wrong dress!" Phoebe says.

Paige shakes her head, "No, I checked the tag."

"Oh, really? Let me just look at that. Millie Platt. Do I look like Millie Platt to you? Do I?" Phoebe says as she throws the tag at Paige.

Paige picks it up and looks at it. "That's impossible."

"Okay, you know if you would have picked up the dress when I asked, we'd have time to fix this." Phoebe says.

Paige sighs, "Don't worry, I can sow, I will take in the seams, all of them tonight." A demon smokes in. He waves his arm and Piper flies across the room. Buffy and Phoebe get in a fighting stance as Phoebe's dress slips off. They kick him and he crashes into a cupboard. "Sword!"

A sword orbs off the table and stabs the demon. He turns into dust.

"You'd better do something about this mess." Phoebe says.

"There has got to be something in the Book of Shadows." Paige says.

"Not the demon, my wedding dress." Phoebe says and she gives it to Paige and storms out of the attic.

Buffy sighs, "This is beginning to turn out just like Piper's wedding."

Later Buffy and Piper are looking through both Book of Shadows while Paige sows Phoebe's dress. Leo orbs in with Cole.

"Are you hurt?" Cole asks.

Phoebe shakes her head, "Baby, you're not supposed to be here."

"Leo said it was an urgent call, I was worried." Cole says.

Phoebe smiles, "Thanks. I'm fine." She hugs Cole. "No demon is gonna stop me from marrying you tomorrow. Now my sister's another story."

"I said I was sorry." Paige says.

"What kind of demon attacked you?" Leo asks.

"This one. A Lazerus demon." Piper says.

"A Lazerus demon, you sure?" Cole asks.

Buffy nods, "Rare, high level demons, with telekinetic powers. Yep, that's the bad boy we popped."

"Has it resurrected yet?" Cole asks.

Piper frowns, "Resurrected?"

The Lazerus demon resurrects.

"Behind you!" Paige says as the demon uses his telekinetic powers and throws Piper and Buffy across the room. "Sofa!"

The sofa orbs out and orbs back in to where Piper and Buffy lands.

"No!" Cole says.

The demon uses his power and the chandelier above Phoebe drops on her head.

"Piper blow him up!" Paige says.

The demon smokes out.

Piper looks at Buffy and notices Buffy's bleeding, "Leo."

Leo rushes over to Buffy and heals her he then runs over to Phoebe and heals her.

Phoebe groans as Leo and Cole help her up.

Cole looks at Phoebe, "Are you okay?"

Phoebe nods, "I think so, yeah."

Piper looks to Buffy, "You?"

Buffy nods, "Yeah."

"Ok, he's gonna be back. The book says that Lazerus demons get stronger the longer they are out of cemetery ground." Piper says.

Paige frowns, "Cemetery ground?"

Cole nods, "It's the only way to keep them from resurrecting. You bury them."

"Which means there is no vanquish." Buffy says.

"So that means someone intentionally dug them up, to attack us, the night before my wedding." Phoebe says.

"The question is who, and why?" Leo asks.

"I know why. To stop the wedding. I did two tarot readings, Phoebe, they both said that marrying Cole would only cause death and despair." Paige says.

"What?" Phoebe asks.

Paige nods, "Well, I'm surprised he didn't tell you, he saw the first reading."

Cole sighs, "If I run scared every time things look dark for us, we never would've made it this far."

"That's true. Is there anything else bothering you, Paige, that I should know about?" Pheobe says.

Paige shakes her head, "No, not really."

Buffy nods, "Okay, good. Piper, Paige and I will be on demon watch tonight so that Phoebe can get some sleep."

"Ugh, I'm too wired to sleep." Phoebe says.

"Well, maybe I can help you relax with one of my aromatherapy treatments." Paige says.

"See, now this is the spirit. Everything will be fine as long as we stay together, stay calm." Piper says.

Moments later Buffy, Piper and Phoebe walk into Phoebe's bedroom.

"So we'll take shifts and I will go first, then Buffy and then Paige will wake you up in the morning." Piper says.

Paige walks in holding a jar of cream.

"What is this?" Phoebe asks.

"My face cream, also known as heaven in a jar, it's a special blend." Paige says.

"You made it?" Phoebe asks.

Paige nods, "Mm-hm. It's got patchouli oil for balance and confidence, and chamomile to relax your nervous system. I'm really sorry about your wedding dress. I want everything to go so great for you tomorrow."

Phoebe smiles, "It's okay." She hugs Paige.

Paige turns and leaves.

"She's trying." Buffy says.

"Yeah, I know, I know." Phoebe says as she smells the cream. "Couldn't hurt, right?"

"You still feeling tense?" Piper asks.

"It's not really tense, just, um, extremely alert." Phoebe says.

"Phoebe, Buffy and I know you want the Cinderella fantasy, but neither of us want you to be upset if everything doesn't go exactly as planned tomorrow." Piper says.

"Where is that coming from?" Phoebe asks.

"Well, Buffy reminded me of my wedding day, and I remember I wanted everything to be absolutely perfect." Piper says.

Phoebe nods, "And then Prue crashed through the front door on a Harley."

Buffy smiles, "Yeah, only Prue could make Piper's wedding day all about her."

Piper nods, "But the point is, I barely remember the ceremony, it's a total blur. And in the end all that matters is that you marry the guy that you love, and if you manage to do that your wedding was perfect."

"You know talking about Piper's wedding. It's a shame mom and Aunt Patty can't come this time." Buffy says.

Phoebe nods, "I know. But I'm having it in a public venue unlike Piper's which was here in the Manor. People might question how they can be there when their dead. But I'm sure they will be watching."

The next morning Buffy wakes to hear Phoebe yelling at Paige. She looks at her clock and frowns. She gets up and exits her bedroom as Piper comes out of hers.

"What happened? What time is it?" Piper asks.

"If my clock is right we have an hour till the wedding." Buffy says.

Piper's eyes go wide, "What?"

Phoebe screams and comes out of the bathroom. She has little red pimples all over her face. "Look at me."

"Whoa." Piper says.

"What do you have to say for yourself?" Phoebe says.

Paige smiles, "I fixed your wedding dress."

"Paige! This is all your fault." Phoebe says and she storms into her room. "You put a mojo on my face cream."

"I did not, those are all natural ingredients." Paige says as she, Piper and Buffy follow Phoebe.

Phoebe starts to cry. "If you have something to say to me, why didn't you just say it, Paige?"

"Okay, we all just need to take a deep breath." Buffy says. "Piper why don't you get ready first. Try and keep bathroom time under 10 minutes. Do your makeup in your room."

"Say what?" Paige asks.

Piper nods and heads for the bathroom.

"Don't think that I don't know how you really feel about Cole." Phoebe says.

Paige sighs, "Oh! I have been nothing but supportive of that demon."

"Ex-demon." Phoebe says.

"Oh, is that like ex-convict?" Paige asks.

"Alright, that is not necessary. We all just need to calm down." Buffy says.

"Face it, Phoebe. This wedding has been filled with nothing but bad omens from the start." Paige says.

"And they all seem to be connected with you now, don't they?" Phoebe says.

"Alright, that's it! Break it up. You go back to your corner and you, you're gonna get ready and we're gonna put lots and lots of makeup on you." Buffy says.

"Oh, face it. There's not enough spackle in the world to fill those craters. Step back." Paige says.

"Oh, now what are you doing?" Phoebe asks.

"Trying to prove to you that I'm not trying to sabotage your wedding." Paige says.

Buffy shakes her head, "I don't think..."

"Let the object of objection become but a dream, as I cause the seen to be unseen." Paige says.

"Magic. She just put magic on me." Phoebe says.

The spots disappear.

Buffy nods, "And it's working."

"It is?" Phoebe asks as she turns invisible. "My zits are gone?"

Buffy sighs, "Yeah, I can, I can honestly say that your face is completely clear."

"Woo hoo!" Phoebe says.

Later Piper, Paige and an invisible Phoebe are in the attic. Piper's looking through the Book of Shadows, she's now dressed. Buffy is downstairs in the bathroom getting ready.

"It's my wedding day. The one day of my life that is all about me and nobody can see me." Phoebe says.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to do it." Paige says.

Phoebe walks across the room holding a piece of paper as Paige follows her. "Stop following me, go away!"

"Hang on, Phoebe, don't lose it now." Piper says.

Paige holds up Phoebe's wedding dress. "Here, you can't walk around naked and I think it'll fit now."

"Ahh, Paige!" Phoebe says as she snatches the dress of Paige. "What difference does it make? I am invisible. My wedding is supposed to start in less than one hour and everyone I've ever known will be there, and I'm never gonna be able to face them again. Ugh!" She pushes some books off a table.

"Alright! This is all just a back fire to the vanishing spell. There's gotta be a reversal in here." Piper says.

Victor opens the door. "Hey, what's going on up here? Why is Piper the only one dressed. Where's Phoebe?"

"She is still putting on her face." Piper says.

"Wh-? I can't keep stalling this photographer forever. He's done portraits in every room in the house." Victor says.

"Send him out to the church." Phoebe says.

"Phoebe?" Victor asks.

"That was me. I'm working on my impressions." Piper says as she covers her mouth.

"Dad, go downstairs and wait for us there." Phoebe says.

"See? I'm working it into the toast." Piper says.

Victor leaves as Buffy walks in.

"Ugh, what's the use. I might as well call Cole and tell him it's off." Phoebe says.

"Oh, honey, we-we-we'll..." Piper says.

"I take it still no luck?" Buffy asks.

"Something you said is bothering me. Why would there be a backfire to the vanishing spell?" Paige says.

"Personal gain, I guess." Piper says.

Paige nods, "Yeah, but there wasn't any of that when I used it to help others, why Phoebe?"

"What, are you suggesting that there is outside magic at play here?" Buffy asks.

Paige nods, "Yeah. The same magic that dug up the Lazerus demon and then there's the acne and then the super-sized wedding dress."

"She's rambling. Should I yell at her again?" Phoebe says.

Piper shakes her head, "No! She might be onto something."

"Listen, we're not fighting each other here, we're fighting evil. We kick evil's ass every day." Paige says.

"Sometimes twice a day." Buffy says.

Paige nods, "Okay, today's a day just like any other day. Evil wants this wedding cancel? Screw that. We're not gonna go down without a fight. Okay, so what I need to do is get dressed, we head for the church while we look for a way to fix Phoebe. Are you with me?"

"Yes." Piper says.

"Yes! Phoebe?" Buffy says.

"Grab the book. Let's go." Phoebe says.

"Get the dress." Buffy says. "Phoebe, I'll flame you straight there. Be less questions that way on why you're not in the limo."

"Ok." Phoebe says.

Later at the church. Piper, Phoebe, Paige and Buffy are in the dressing room. And an unfortunate Phoebe is still invisible.

"Okay, this one's gotta work. It's the spell that reversed my enhanced breasts. Here." Paige says as she hands Piper a piece of paper.

"Guiding spirits hear our plea, annul this magic let it be." Piper says as she burns the paper with a candle.

"Can you see me?" Phoebe asks.

Buffy shakes her head, "Not even your breasts."

"Ugh." Phoebe says.

"That's it. That's the last reversal spell we have." Paige says.

Phoebe sighs, "It's okay you guys. You did your best."

Someone knocks on the door. Piper opens it. Cole's there.

"Come on, let's go. We'll leave you two alone to talk." Piper says as she, Paige and Buffy head out into the hall closing the door behind them.

Outside in the hall Paige stops them, "I have an idea. How about instead of reversing the magic we simply transfer it."

Piper nods, "That might work, Paige."

Buffy nods, "So who's going to be the recipient of the spell?"

"I think I should since I got Phoebe into this mess." Paige says.

Buffy shakes her head, "Are you sure you want to do that, Paige?"

Paige nods, "Yes. Besides you two have known Phoebe longer. You two should have the honor of being Phoebe's bridesmaids."

Buffy looks to Piper who nods. "Ok." They turn and walk back into the dressing room.

"The wedding's off." Cole says.

Paige shakes her head, "Not necessarily."

"Get everybody in their positions, we'll start with the processional, tell the quartet." Piper says as she takes Cole to the door.

"Whoa, what about Phoebe? She's invisible." Cole says.

"Not for long, we hope. So go on, and look for your bride walking down the aisle. Go on." Buffy says.

Cole leaves as Piper closes the door.

"Wait, hold on here, I'm a little confused. I thought we were out of spells." Phoebe says.

Paige shakes her head, "Mm-mm, not yet. You know how every attempt we've made to reverse your invisibility has failed?"

Phoebe nods, "Yes."

"Well, what if we don't reverse it, we just shift it from one sister to another." Paige says.

"Wait, you mean transfer the invisibility to you? No way, I won't let you." Phoebe says.

"Phoebe, every Cinderella needs a fairy godmother. Let me be yours." Paige says.

Phoebe sighs. "Paige..."

Paige smiles, "Please, I need to do this so you know that I'm not trying to stop your wedding."

Moments later Buffy and Piper walk down the aisle arm in arm and assume their places. The quartet plays the wedding march. Victor and Phoebe walk down the aisle.

"Where's Paige?" Darryl asks.

Leo shakes his head, "I don't know."

Invisible Paige pulls up a chair nearby and sits down. She sniffs. "I'm gonna cry."

"Thank you all for coming to honor the love between Cole Turner and Phoebe Halliwell." Priest says.

The Lazerus demon smokes in nearby.

"Oh, no." Paige says as she spots the demon.

"Before we get started, I must ask, is there anyone who has just cause why this couple should not be united..." Priest says.

Paige picks up a candle stick and hits the Lazerus demon on the head.

"Ugh!" Lazerus Demon says.

Paige pushes him out the door and the door slams shut. Everyone turns to look.

"This is your time, your platform..." Priest says.

The Lazerus demon uses his telekinetic power and Paige flies across the room. Everyone in the church hears.

"I'll check that out. Keep going." Piper says and she runs out of the church.

"Since nobody here can show just cause, it's my privilege to ask..." Priest says.

"You put her down!" Piper says from outside.

"Ahh!" Paige says from outside.

The hear a crash. Everyone turns to look.

"Excuse me." Buffy and Leo says as they turn and run out of the church.

"Keep going, please, just keep going." Phoebe says.

"As I was saying, it's my privilege to ask, who gives this woman to this man today." Priest asks.

Victor stands up, "Her sisters, her cousin, and I do."

"Son of a bitch!" Buffy says from outside.

"Ahh!" Paige says from outside.

"Piper, look out!" Leo says from outside.

They hear another crash. Phoebe drops her bouquet and runs outside. Cole follows.

In the other room Buffy and Piper are lying on the floor as Phoebe and Cole race in. The Lazerus demon uses his telekinetic powers on Leo and he flies across the room, knocking over Phoebe. The Lazerus demon picks up a chair. Phoebe runs towards the demon and he is about to throw it at her.

"Stop!" Cole says.

Buffy throws a fireball and the demon dusts.

"Where's Paige?" Phoebe asks.

"I don't know." Piper says.

"Neither do I." Buffy says.

"Leo, where's Paige?" Phoebe asks.

Leo shakes his head, "I can't get a read on her. Wherever she is her heart's not beating."

Cole sees Paige's blood spill onto the floor. "Over here."

Leo runs over and starts to heal her. Darryl and the Priest rushes in.

"What the hell is going on in here?" Priest asks.

"That's it." Phoebe says as she pulls off her veil. "The wedding is off! Tell everyone to get outta here. Go-go-go-go!" She pushes Darryl and the Priest out of the door.

Later after all the guests have left. Buffy, Piper, Phoebe, Paige, Cole and Leo are still there. Piper is on the phone. " Just send the food to the house. Yes, and the bill goes to Payson's P4. Not as sorry as I am. Thank you." She hangs up. "Caterer's taken care of."

"Thank you so much, Piper, I just, I can't deal with any of that right now." Phoebe says.

"It's okay, it's been a tough day." Buffy says. "How about you? How are you doing?"

"Uh, still a little shaky." Paige says.

Leo nods, "We nearly lost you. Lucky the demon hesitated when Cole yelled."

"Yeah, but why did he?" Phoebe asks.

Cole shrugs, "Maybe he was surprised somebody yelled at him."

"We should all just be thankful that we're alive." Leo says.

"And visible. Although I'm not sure how that happened." Paige says.

"I do. The magic you were under was supposed to stop the wedding, it wore off once the wedding was cancelled." Cole says.

"Oh, you mean when evil won? I am not stopping until I find out who sent that thing after us." Phoebe says.

"Speaking of the demon, the crispy critter needs to find its way back to a cemetery." Piper says.

"There's a cemetery not too far from here." Buffy says. "I can take it there."

"And what happens when my freeze wears off on the way?" Piper asks.

Phoebe nods, "I'll go with her. I wanna make sure it's in the ground for good."

"Let's all do it." Paige says.

Buffy nods, "Okay."

Later at the cemetery Cole is standing in front of a grave. The girls and Leo are catching up to him.

"I found a spot. This headstone's from the early 1900s. Nobody will come digging here anytime soon." Cole says.

"Piper, if you see anyone coming, freeze them." Leo says.

Cole starts digging.

"Don't worry, honey. It took Leo and me three times to get married. It'll happen for you and Cole. We just need to figure out what kind of evil stopped your wedding and why." Piper says.

"I have an idea. Why don't we just ask it?" Paige says.

Cole shakes his head, "Oh, don't be crazy. That Lazerus demon is a time bomb waiting to explode."

"I want to know who ruined the happiest day of my life." Phoebe says.

"So do I." Buffy says.

Paige tips the ash out of a box onto the ground.

"Phoebe, I'm asking you, please, for me. Don't do this." Cole says.

"Cole, I can't believe you don't wanna know." Phoebe says.

The Lazerus demon resurrects.

"One flinch and I blow you into briquette. Either that or she'll," Piper says as she points at Buffy, "will burn you alive."

"Who resurrected you?" Buffy asks.

Lazerus Demon points to Cole. "Ask him. You swore I'd never see a cemetery again if I helped you. You set me up."

"Cole, what is this demon talking about?" Piper asks.

"I have no idea." Cole says.

"Liar! You ordered me to attack them in the church. Is this how you reward your loyal servants?" Lazerus Demon says.

"Okay, Cole, what is going on, because I gotta tell you right now I am freaking out!" Phoebe says.

"Oh, what's the point you already figured it out." Cole says as he throws a fireball at the Lazerus demon and he turns into dirt.

"Oh, no. No, it can't be. No, it can't be. No." Phoebe says as she looks away.

Cole turns into the Seer.

"It's not. It's the Seer." Paige says.

"Not for long." Buffy and Piper says as Buffy powers up a fireball.

"No, don't." Phoebe says as she goes over to the Seer. "Where's Cole?"

"Unconscious in the mausoleum." Seer says.

"Why would you save us one day and try to kill us the next?" Paige asks.

"For the same reason. To keep the balance of power between good and evil." Seer says.

"Don't be cryptic. I hate cryptic." Piper says.

"I don't like it either." Buffy says.

Seer nods, "I had a vision. If you married Cole on this day, his love would've helped you evolve into a much stronger witch, too strong. I had to stop you and I did." She flames out.

"Bitch." Piper and Buffy says.

"Cole." Phoebe says.

"Go. I'll bury the rest of the demon." Leo says.

Buffy, Piper, Phoebe and Paige walk to the Mausoleum and enter it looking around for Cole.

"Cole?" Phoebe asks as they spot him and go over to him.

"Where's the Seer? She's in the cemetery." Cole says.

"Yeah, we know, we had a little chat." Piper says.

"I'm surprised she didn't kill you." Paige says.

Cole shakes his head, "It's not her style." He groans. "Killing's beneath her. She only does it if she has to."

"Come on, let's get you home." Phoebe says.

Leo walks in. "You okay?"

Moments later they are walking through the mausoleum heading towards the exit.

"I still don't understand. If the Seer wanted to stop Phoebe from marrying you, wouldn't she want to kill you?" Paige says.

"I don't know, you'd have to ask the Seer." Cole says.

They walk past a small chapel in the mausoleum.

"Look, a chapel." Leo says.

"A chapel in a mausoleum?" Paige asks.

"In this town Paige, that's normal. It's generally for ease of use for funerals. " Buffy says.

Piper smiles, "It's cute."

"And perfect." Cole says.

"For what?" Phoebe asks.

"A wedding." Cole says.

Piper and Buffy look at each other and then nod in agreement.

"I couldn't agree more." Buffy says.

"Neither could I." Piper says.

"Really?" Phoebe asks.

"You've got the rings." Paige says.

Leo nods, "And we're all here."

"Okay, I do. I-I mean, I will. Let's go." Phoebe says.

They walk inside. The Priest removes his hood. Cole hands Phoebe a rose and she ties it to his shirt. She pricks her finger on one of the thorns and it bleeds. Cole puts her bleeding finger in his mouth. They go through the ceremony and they place the rings on each other's fingers.

"Not two but one, then life be gone. You may kiss the bride." Priest says.

Cole and Phoebe kiss.

"We did it." Phoebe says.

Cole smiles, "Yes, we did."

They kiss again.


	98. Chapter 98: The I in Team

**Chapter 98: The I in Team**

Five hooded commandos hold taser rifles. They are moving stealthily, but with purpose, tracking something.

At the edge of the clearing, the first commando silently gestures for his team to spread out and for two of the men to move in. They comply, first using trees as cover, then, with a nod, charging into the brush.

It's quiet. Then – taser fire and sounds of a scuffle. Suddenly, both commandos are hurled back out - alive, but winded, a little beaten up. The others take in that sight for a beat, when their target flies out of the woods, flips in the air and lands on its feet.

It's Buffy. She moves quickly, taking advantage of the stunned commandos. One fires his taser at her, she uses another as a shield - he goes down. In a flash, she deftly takes out another. As she turns to face the First Commando...

"Lights!" Professor Walsh says.

Buffy can hear the distant echoes of "Lights!" and result in nearby Humvee headlights being switched on. The illumination momentarily blinds Buffy as Professor Walsh appears, silhouetted.

Professor Walsh steps into the beam, "Took a patrol team forty-two minutes to track you, and you neutralized them in twenty-eight seconds... You're as good as Riley said."

One of the commandos hurled out helps the other to his feet. They remove their hoods: It's Graham, and an unhappy Forrest. The First Commando removes his ski-mask - Riley.

Buffy glances at Riley, basking in Professor Walsh's favorable impression. "I was just lucky."

"I see. Well, still..." Professor Walsh says as she walks away. "Very impressive."

Buffy, disappointed that Professor Walsh took her comment to heart, looks at Riley, who looks back at her with pride. "I was being modest with the "luck" thing. You got that, right?"

Riley grins, "Got it."

Graham and Forrest pass by. Forrest doesn't say a word.

"Awesome, Buffy." Graham says.

Riley puts his arm around his girl and they walk off. "See? You're a hit."

Professor Walsh makes some notes. She glances up and watches Riley and Buffy walk off together. She looks as cold as ice, holding the look for a good long while.

The next day at Payson's P4 Buffy and Willow are sitting in the alcove, sipping coffee drinks. Willow listens patiently as Buffy regales her.

"...so then Professor Walsh says something like "You're as amazing as Riley said" and later Riley told me she couldn't stop talking about the move I made when I used one of the commando guys as a shield to block a taser blast - that's like twelve-thousand volts, took the guy almost two hours to recover." Buffy says as she takes a sip. "And how was your night?"

"Like a normal person's. Light on the action-packed. Hope tonight's plans aren't too much of a letdown for you, excitement-wise." Willow says. "You remember about tonight, right?"

"Here. The gang. You kidding? I'm so there. I miss you guys. We haven't spent any time together lately." Buffy says.

"You've been busy. Fighting armies and stuff. Not to mention other distractions of a more romantic—" Willow says.

"Look, Riley just walked in." Buffy says.

Riley is at the bar.

"You want to let him know you're here?" Willow asks.

"Nah, I'm just enjoying a good stare. Tell me more about your night." Buffy says.

"Well, spent most of it at Xander's, teaching Anya to play poker." Willow says.

"Well that sounds fun." Buffy says.

Willow sighs, "Yeah, except for the Anya part and the poker part."

"Will, I think you're gonna have to get used to - oh! A twinkie? That's his lunch? He is so gonna be punished." Buffy says.

"Everyone's gettin' spanked but me." Willow says.

"What?" Buffy asks.

"Nothing." Willow says.

Later in a side room of Lowell House, Riley and Buffy are locked in an intense embrace, kissing deeply. They break. Riley looks deep in her eyes. Their voices are soft and intimate.

"We don't have to do this." Riley says.

"I know." Buffy says.

"If you're not ready. I mean, if you'd rather wait..." Riley says.

"I'm ready. I want to do it." Buffy says.

Riley looks at her, brushes a strand of hair from her eyes and offers her a warm, comforting smile. "Okay."

They turn to face the large mirror. Riley pushes a hidden button and the thin green line of light passes over their faces.

"Retinal scan accepted. New retinal scan recorded: Halliwell, Payson."

The mirror slides open and they step into the elevator.

Buffy and Riley step into the elevator.

"Remind me to ask Professor Walsh how she keeps her secret underground elevators so sparkling white." Buffy says.

The door slides shut and they ride down. Riley watches Buffy as she, nervously, takes in her surroundings.

"You're going to do fine." Riley says as Buffy nods. "Just a tour."

"Took a tour of Washington D.C. with my parents once when I was eight. I got lost in the Smithsonian." Buffy says.

"Then it's a good thing we have the buddy system." Riley says as he takes her hand. The elevator comes to a stop. Riley looks at Buffy, indicating the microphone panel near the door. "That panel - Say something into it."

Buffy crosses to it, is about to speak, then stops. "My mind's a blank."

"New vocal code recorded and encrypted. Special Clearance – Halliwell, Payson. Identity number nine, one, four, two, three."

The elevator doors open.

They step out onto the landing. Buffy moves to the railing, transfixed. Riley sidles up next to her, enjoying her reaction. She senses his presence, but doesn't look at him. "My god... You said it was big. You told me. But you never said it was... HUGE."

"Don't like to brag." Riley says.

Buffy takes his arm, caresses it. "I had no idea, this is incredible. Not that I thought this was some, I don't know, fly-by-night operation... Unless it is. I mean, if you guys fly. At night. With those jetpack things. Have you got those?"

"Can't really talk about it." Riley says.

"It's unreal." Buffy says as she turns to him and they smile at each other, lean in to kiss...

"So. You like our little operation?" Professor Walsh says.

"Yeah. It's very... clean." Buffy says.

Professor Walsh nods, "Welcome to the Initiative." She hands Buffy a badge. "Your Visitor's pass. And I've assembled some reading material for you. Help bring you up to speed." She gives her a small stack of stapled pages.

"Oh. And here I was thinking I'd never get homework from you again." Buffy says.

"Oh, you can't take that home with you. Classified material. Highly sensitive. When you're through reading these pages, you'll have to eat them." Professor Walsh says.

Buffy looks up at Professor Walsh's stoic expression.

"She's joking." Riley says.

Buffy looks at Professor Walsh for confirmation.

"Don't worry; it doesn't happen often. Shall we?" Professor Walsh says as she leads Buffy and Riley to the lip of the operating theatre.

"Much of our hands on research with the HSTs is performed here. We call this the Pit." Professor Walsh says.

Buffy looks down at a couple of muscle-bound warrior demons at two examining stations. Each are significantly restrained and flanked by two armed guards as scientists work on them. "What do you call those?"

"Tough. Took eight of us to bring those two down." Riley says.

"They'll be under our control soon enough." Professor Walsh says. "Dr. Angleman..."

Dr. Angleman is down in the pit, giving instructions to a lab assistant, he looks up, offers a slight wave, then turns his focus on one of the Warrior Demons shackled to a table.

"He's head of our science team, a leader in the field of xenomorphic behavior modification." Professor Walsh says.

"Behavior modification?" Buffy asks.

Professor Walsh nods, "We've made significant advancements reconditioning the sub-terrestrials. Bringing them to a point where they no longer pose a harmful threat."

"I've seen." Buffy says as Professor Walsh looks at her, sharply. "On the Discovery Channel. With gorillas. Or sharks. They made them all nice, you never saw that?" She walks over to the armory. "What's over here?"

Buffy moves past, taking in the impressive arsenal, like a kid in a candy shop. As Professor Walsh speaks Buffy spots something on the rolling stand of a nearby monitor and picks it up - a gray earpiece with a tiny lens. Behind her, on the monitor, Buffy's face appears with a fisheye effect from different angles as she moves it around.

"The armory. You'll have to be cleared for use on each of these weapons. The more advanced arsenal can be complicated, but I'm certain, in no time, you'll pick that up." Professor Walsh says as she notices Buffy's holding the earpiece. "Don't pick that up."

"What is it?" Buffy asks.

Professor Walsh takes the earpiece from her, a little annoyed. "Roughly twenty-thousand dollars."

Riley steps in to smooth over everything. "It's a prototype for a COM-CAM... Communications camera. Soon to be standard issue. Gives us a direct com-link to Control when we're out in the field."

"Also monitors the heart-rate of the wearer. A valuable tool for research in stress and combat conditioning." Professor Walsh says. "If you'll follow me, I'll show you the HST containment area." She moves off.

Buffy gives Riley an oops look. He shakes his head: It's okay. They follow.

Short time later Professor Walsh, Buffy and Riley arrive where they started.

"Now, there's just a few other things to give you—" Professor Walsh says.

Buffy glances to her left. "Um, what's in there?"

Professor Walsh looks to see where Buffy is looking.

A woman in a lab coat is standing at a steel door which has a small window and a red light above it. She runs her security card through a card swipe, a loud BUZZ sounds and she enters.

"Research area. Very restricted for security reasons." Professor Walsh says.

Buffy watches as Professor Walsh removes her visitor badge and hands her a card with a magnetic strip and a sleek black pager.

"Your security card and pager..." Professor Walsh says.

"Oh, hey, I was thinking about getting one of these—" Buffy says.

"We're the only ones with the number. That's the way it stays." Professor Walsh says.

Buffy nods, "Right."

"Lose either one and there's hell to pay. And down here we mean that literally." Professor Walsh says holding out her hand. "Again, welcome to the team."

Buffy shakes her hand, and Professor Walsh walks off. Buffy shares a pleased and excited look with Riley, then holds up her new pager to admire it.

That evening at Payson's P4 Xander is near the bar, chatting up a lovely, well-built, young girl, Suzi.

"Suzi, is it? I can tell you work out. Obviously take good care of yourself. So I think I know what you need." Xander says as he holds up a chocolate bar. ""Honey Nut Yogurt Crunch" - Welcome to carbo-load country. Just a measly buck-fifty..."

Willow and Anya are in the alcove watching Xander and the girl. They see the girl shake her head and walk away.

"Okay, another no sale, but he's doing better." Willow says.

"She didn't throw a drink in his face..." Anya says.

"He's on a roll." Willow says as she checks her watch and cranes to look toward the entrance as Xander returns to the table, now eating the unsold bar.

"Xander, you haven't been paying any attention to me tonight – just peddling those processed food bricks. I don't know why." Anya says.

"Let me put it in a way you'll understand... Sell bars, make money, take Anya nice places, buy pretty things." Xander says.

"That does make sense. All right, I support you. Go sell more." Anya says.

"This was the only one I had on me. Besides, it's getting late. Maybe we should go." Xander says.

"Go? You can't go. Buffy hasn't gotten here yet." Willow says.

"Face it, Will, she's almost an hour late. Probably off living the life of Riley. I don't think she's coming." Xander says.

Willow shakes her head, "She is. She told me she was looking forward to quality time with just us." She spots Buffy. "See? Here she comes. With Riley. And some other guys."

Buffy is walking towards them with Riley, Forrest, Graham and a couple of other guys in tow. Anya appears particularly uncomfortable. "Hey, all. Sorry about the late-itude."

"Late? Really? Huh, hadn't noticed." Xander says.

"Hope you don't mind us tagging along." Riley says.

"No, no, of course not. The more, the... more." Willow says.

"This is Forrest, Graham, that's Tuck and he's Mason. We're going to get some drinks. Anybody wanting?" Riley asks.

"Coke, please. Tell them I sent you. You'll get the owner's discount." Buffy says.

Willow shakes her head, "I'm good."

"Owner's discount?" Riley asks.

"Well they would be on the house. Then we found out between myself, my friends and my family. We were losing a little bit of money. So now my friends and my family get the owner's discount. In another words you're paying what the item costs the club." Buffy says. "For example a coke would be two bucks. The club pays a dollar for the same item. We make about a dollar mark up on soft drinks before taxes."

Riley nods and he and his friends look expectantly at Anya.

Feeling anxious, Anya stands, indicating Xander. "We're going away. To dance. Over there."

"We are?" Xander asks.

Anya pulls Xander toward the dance floor as Riley and the boys move off, leaving Willow and Buffy alone.

"Anya seems a bit on edge." Buffy says.

"She's a little antsy around commando-types. Ex-demon issues." Willow says.

"Oh. Riley and his friends were throwing a little impromptu celebration in my honor. Made it, like, impossible, not to invite them." Buffy says.

"That's neat about the celebrating but... this was just supposed to be, you know... us. The Scooby core. I'd have understood if Piper, Phoebe and Paige would have been invited. I mean, I could've invited someone else if I knew it was going to be an open free-for-all." Willow says.

"Sorry. Didn't realize it was such a big deal. My total bad." Buffy says. "Who did you want to invite?"

"What?" Willow asks, caught off-guard.

"You said you wanted to invite someone." Buffy says.

"No, not- No one. I mean, I meant a hypothetical someone. Which is to say no one." Willow says. "What are we celebrating?"

"I'm in! The Initiative! Professor Walsh gave me the grand tour – and we're talking Grand as in Canyon. You'd never believe the size of it." Buffy says.

"That's really, again I say, neat. So, what do you mean, exactly - You've joined them?" Willow says.

"No. Not exactly. It just means now when I patrol, I'll have a heavily armed team backing me up. Plus, boyfriend going to work with me, a big extra perk." Buffy says.

"Buffy, do you really think this is a good idea? Does Piper agree with you on this? I mean, don't you think you're rushing things a little? Willow asks.

"I thought you liked Riley." Buffy says.

"Not with Riley. With the Initiative. There's a bunch of stuff about them we still don't know." Willow says.

Buffy nods, "I know that… Like, what?"

"Like, what's their ultimate agenda? I mean, okay, they neuter vampires and demons - then, what? They going to reintegrate them into society? Get them jobs as bagboys at Walmart?" Willow says.

"Does Walmart have bagboys?" Buffy asks.

"Plus, don't forget, there's that whole three-fourteen thing Ethan told Giles about." Willow says.

"And I always say a man who worships chaos and tries to kill you is a man you can trust." Buffy says.

"Bad info or not, Buffy, I think you should be asking some questions before you go off to enlist." Willow says. "By the way you didn't answer about Piper."

Buffy sighs, "I talked to Piper beforehand. I'm not to let them know I'm a witch. But she thinks it's a good idea. You know having backup for patrols." Her pager BEEPS five times. As she looks down at it, other BEEPS are heard emanating from the bar.

"When did you get a pager?" Willow asks. "What's going—"

The commandos make their way to the exit as Riley comes over.

"That's our cue. Mother wants us." Riley says.

Buffy looks at Willow, apologetically. "Will..."

"I know. Talk later." Willow says.

Buffy nods, and heads out with Riley. Willow watches them go hearing, "So, what's the big emergency?"

Later in the briefing room of the Initiative. Professor Walsh is going over the Polgara demon that is to be captured.

"This is your objective: Sub-T-67119 demon-class, Polgara species." Professor Walsh says. "Though visual confirmation has not yet been made, we're confident of the target's approximate position as it leaves behind a distinct protein marker. Dr. Angleman will brief you on its defenses."

Angleman steps forward and flips a clear overlay onto the illustration, now showing long pointed shafts of bone sticking out of the ends of the demon's arms, under its palms. "When threatened, bone skewers jut from the creature's forearms during battle. It's imperative, when ensnaring it, not to damage its arms. That's all you really need to—"

"Question." Buffy says.

Angleman stops. Had he heard right?

"Payson." Professor Walsh says.

The commandos look at each other, a little confused.

"Why exactly can't we damage this Polka thing's arms? Not that I want to. Just, in my experience, when you're fighting for your life, body parts get damaged. And better its bits than mine." Buffy says. "Or ours."

Everyone's stunned for a moment.

Dr. Angleman looks helplessly at Professor Walsh, then back to Buffy. "We wish to study the physiology of every sub-terrestrial's natural defenses. Part of the research we do here. Now—" Buffy raises her hand again. "Yes?"

The commandos turn toward Buffy.

"What do they want?" Buffy asks.

"Want?" Dr. Angleman asks.

"Why are they here? Sacrifices, treasure - or are they just gettin' rampage-y? 'Cause it's easier to predict their responses if –" Buffy says.

"They're not sentient. Just destructive, I believe..." Dr. Angleman says as he looks at Professor Walsh for help.

"They do have keen eyesight, though. I'd think you'd want to be suited up for this." Professor Walsh says.

"Oh, you mean, the camouflage and stuff. Thought about it, but on me, it's gonna look all Private Benjamin. Don't worry. I've patrolled in this blouse lots of times." Buffy says.

Professor Walsh looks at Riley, who offers an embarrassed smile. "Well why don't we just give Dr. Angleman our attention." Buffy's arm shoots up. "And save all questions until the end."

Buffy lowers it again.

"Actually, I'm finished." Dr. Angleman says.

"Oh. Well, then, Agent Finn, deploy the teams." Professor Walsh says.

Riley steps forward, "Okay, listen up. We'll be going in a four squad set-up. Team leaders: Gates, Taggart, Stavros... Alpha Team, you're with me."

"Report to TLs for assignments and weapon requisitions. Reminder: this is a zap and trap, people - capture, not a kill. Any questions?" Professor Walsh says regretting the moment she says it, she looks Buffy and says, wearily, "Payson."

Moments later Buffy manages to pull Riley a side out of earshot of everyone else. "Just thought you might like to know. I can't use my powers around these guys."

Riley nods, "I understand. You don't want to be exposed as a witch. I don't want you to be exposed either. So keep your powers as a back up. Only use them if you feel you have no other choice."

Later in the woods Riley, Buffy and the other three members of their team move through the woods, quietly.

Buffy, wearing all sorts of gear over her clothes, looks at Riley. "So I guess she hates me now."

"What?" Riley asks.

"Professor Walsh. The questions. An Initiative faux pas, yes?" Buffy asks.

"It's... a little unusual. She's just not used to it. Maybe 'cause you barely ever opened your mouth in her classroom. But I know she likes you. In fact, she liked you before I did." Riley says.

"Really?" Buffy asks.

Riley nods, "Told me so herself."

Buffy takes that in as they march on. "You think maybe I should get her a present or some—"

"Buffy, can we talk about this later? There's a dangerous Hostile out here and since I don't have your reflexes, I kind of need to focus." Riley says.

"Right. Right." Buffy says. "What do you mean Professor Walsh liked me before you did? You didn't like me?"

Riley keeps marching.

Moments later Riley and Buffy's team are now staked out. Riley is scanning the woods with binoculars, when Mason comes over, carrying a small, sleek walkie-talkie.

"Graham's on the talkie for you. Reception's not too good." Mason says.

Riley takes the walkie-talkie and speaks into it. "This is Alpha Team, go ahead."

Graham's voice comes over, tinny and garbled. "Yeah, we... a sighting… Hostile... tagged... and are in..."

Riley steps away from the others, trying to get a better signal. "Say again, Beta team. You're breaking—"

Suddenly there is a loud roar.

"Riley!" Buffy says as Riley turns in time to see the Polgara demon charging him. Before he can react, it slams into him hard, knocking him to the ground and sending the walkie-talkie flying. The demon moves in on him and is about to strike again.

Buffy flies in with a kick to the Polgara's head, knocking it back. She looks over at Riley. Recovering, he looks at her, then whips out his telescoping wand.

The Polgara demon roars. Buffy and Riley rush it... They battle the creature together. Mason and Tuck move in with netting as the third commando aims a taser rifle at the demon, trying to get a clear shot.

The demon takes some hits from Riley, then swats him away. Riley turns to see the demon grab Buffy, lift her off the ground, her feet dangling in the air...

Riley's baton comes down hard on the demon's arm and it drops Buffy, who immediately pummels the demon's torso with sharp punches...

In the midst of the fighting, the demon raises its arms and the famed skewering bones jut out. It swipes and jabs at Buffy, who barely manages to dodge the skewers at every turn...

Riley hits the ground and rolls out of the way, grabs his own taser and addresses the third commando. "Conner! On my mark!"

Buffy kicks the Polgara in the gut with both feet and falls onto her back...

"Now!" Riley says as he and Conner fire.

The demon is blasted by the two tasers, dazing it. Mason and Tuck throw the net over it, enraging the beast. It ROARS...

Buffy jumps to her feet and delivers a final blow, knocking the Polgara out.

The other commandos truss up their capture. Riley crosses to Buffy, both of them sweaty and breathing hard. After a moment, she looks at him.

"So... what do you want to do now?" Buffy asks.

Later in Riley's room at Lowell House, Buffy and Riley come together, in an embrace of raw passion and kiss as if there's no tomorrow. Her hands go to his face. He nuzzles her neck...

Buffy pries her shoes off with her feet as Riley's hands slip under her shirt, forcing it up, as he caresses her back...

Buffy unbuttons Riley's shirt. Pulls up his t-shirt and kisses his chest. As she has her way with him, Riley opens his arms, holding them out, away from his body...

Riley spins Buffy around - he holds her from behind. As his hands move all over her body, she closes her eyes, lost in the pleasurable sensation.

Then, deftly, he pulls her shirt off, over her head. His head drops down to her bare shoulders...

Buffy, now naked, falls back onto the bed. Riley, also naked, moves in above her, staring deeply into her eyes. He lowers himself to kiss her.

Buffy lets out a soft MOAN as they roll over in bed - putting her on top now...

Buffy and Riley balls-out making love - Family-Hour Style - their naked torsos pressed together, kissing passionately.

The next morning light streams across Buffy's face. Suddenly her eyes snap open, panicked. She rolls over and sees Riley's there, lying next to her, awake.

Riley looks at her and smiles affectionately. "Hey." He reaches over and strokes her hair as she gives him a relieved smile. "What's the matter? Weren't expecting to see me?"

Buffy moves in so they're nose to nose. "I never know what to expect." They kiss, lovingly. Then an electronic chirping is heard. Buffy breaks from the kiss, looking around. "Your robot bird sounds hungry."

Riley reaches over the end table, picks up his watch and shuts off the alarm. Then reaches for a pill bottle. "Reminder to take my vitamins."

"You're kidding?" Buffy asks as he pours out a capsule and swallows it. Then settles back down to cuddling on the bed. "You're quite the regimental soldier."

"I am how they trained me." Riley says.

"They? Who "they?"" Buffy asks.

"You know, the government. Plucked me out of Special Ops training for this." Riley says.

"What did they tell you it was for?" Buffy asks.

"Didn't. You learn in the military to follow orders, not ask questions." Riley says.

"I don't understand. Aren't you curious about all this science and research stuff they're doing?" Buffy asks.

Riley shakes his head, "I know all I need to know. We're doing good here. Protecting the public. Removing the Sub-terrestrial threat... it's work worth doing."

"What's three-fourteen?" Buffy asks.

Riley eyes her, draws breath to answer and his phone rings. Without another word, he answers it. "Riley."

"We have a situation. You're needed." Professor Walsh says.

"On my way." Riley says as he hangs up and starts dressing.

"What is it?" Buffy asks.

Riley shrugs, "Don't know."

"You're really not one for asking questions, are you?" Buffy asks.

Riley shrugs and smiles at her. "I'll leave that to you."

Later Buffy walks into the Manor to find Piper sitting in the living room waiting.

"Hi." Buffy says.

"Out all night, huh?" Piper asks.

Buffy smiles, "Yep."

"I'm not going to ask what you were doing, Buffy. You're an adult." Piper says. "Willow called though. You bailed on her last night?"

"Initiative." Buffy says. "Sent me and Riley's team after a demon."

"Okay." Piper says. "You didn't…"

"No Piper, I did it old school. No powers." Buffy says. "I also explained to Riley that I wouldn't and he understood."

"Good." Piper says.

"I guess I better go call Willow back." Buffy says and heads upstairs.

Piper shakes her head as Phoebe walks in from the kitchen.

"Well?" Phoebe asks.

"Well part of the night she was chasing demons. The other part I think she and Riley…" Piper says.

"I just hope he treated her right." Phoebe says.

"After Parker, so do I." Piper says.

Upstairs in her room, Buffy's on the phone. "Sorry, about bailing on you guys at the club..."

"Yeah, that's... I'm... Don't... worry about it." Willow says.

"'kay." Buffy says as her pager BEEPS. She glances at the message.

"Was that the pager I heard?" Willow asks. "They keep you hopping, don't they?"

"Yeah. Gotta go. See you." Buffy says as she hangs up.

Later in the Initiative, Professor Walsh walks as Buffy trails behind her. "It's a small job, reconnaissance. Probably a waste of a Slayer's abilities, but my boys are on assignment, and –"

"No, it's fine. I'm up for some action." Buffy says.

"I doubt you'll get any on this one." Professor Walsh says as they come to a table with a map. "We've had readings of a Class 3 sub-terrestrial moving through the sewer tunnels here." She points at the map. "Just on the north edge of town."

"Class 3?" Buffy asks.

"Low level threat. Minimal aggression, meager defenses. They barely read on our scanners, and very occasionally turn out to be raccoons." Professor Walsh says as she hands Buffy a blaster, a modified, souped-up-taser rifle.

"Wow. You're not crazy about raccoons, huh?" Buffy says.

"We always take precautions." Professor Walsh says as she fits Buffy with the com-cam. "All I need is for you to get a visual on the thing. This'll feed us the image and I can advise you from there. I don't want to put you in any unnecessary danger."

"Hey, danger is my birthright." Buffy says. "You know, Professor Walsh, there's still some things about all this that I'm not clear on."

"Well, when you get back we'll have a talk. All right." Professor Walsh says.

Buffy nods, "Good, okay. When I get back. Uh, am I supposed to salute you?"

Professor Walsh shakes her head, "No."

"'Kay." Buffy says and heads out.

Later in a sewer tunnel, Buffy moves down it, armed and ready. She comes to a point where the sewer segues off into a grotto-like area and takes note of a large puddle of water in front of her when she hears a snarling noise and raspy breathing. She squints into the black as

Two demons - the warrior demons from the Pit - emerge slowly from the darkness, wielding large battle-axes.

"Professor Walsh, are you getting this? That possible HST - make it a definite. And he's brought a friend. They're—" Buffy says as she hesitates, squinting at the demons, remembering seeing them in the Initiative.

Buffy's eyes narrow in seething anger. The demons continue moving in on her. She raises her blaster and fires - it sputters with sparks and shocks her. She flings it away...

Buffy shakes the sting off her hands...

SHUNK! A metal gate slams down, behind her, sealing the tunnel, trapping her with the two demons. She looks around. No escape. With the com cam taping her every move she doesn't know if she should flame out or not.

The demons split off to surround her. Buffy counters. She makes the first move and rushes Warrior Demon #1.

FIGHT. FIGHT. FIGHT. Buffy taking the worst of it, barely able to fend them off.

The two demons charge at Buffy with their axes raised and hit Buffy knocking the com-cam off.

Buffy continues to battle the two Warrior Demons. Much with the kicking and the punching and the hitting... Now that the com-cam has been knocked off her head. She decides to risk it. She powers up a fireball and throws it at Warrior Demon #1 and vanquishes it.

Warrior Demon #2 comes after Buffy again. She powers up another fireball and throws it vanquishing the second Warrior Demon.

In the Initiative Professor Walsh is standing by the monitors, signs papers on a clipboard as Riley comes up.

"Regret to report Hostile 17 is still at large. I've left Beta team to comb the area, but the tracer's—" Riley says.

"Riley. Something's happened. I... I don't know what to say... It's... It's about Payson." Professor Walsh says.

Riley's blood runs cold. "Buffy?"

Professor Walsh nods, "Two of our hostiles broke free and escaped into the tunnels. She went after them on her own. She's dead, Riley."

Riley is reeling from that bit of news, "What?"

"I did everything I could to stop her. Told her to wait for a back-up team. She kept insisting she didn't need any team, she could handle it herself." Professor Walsh says as she moves to put a comforting hand on his shoulder, then thinks better of it. Not her style. "I'm so, so sorry."

"I-I don't understand. How could this happen?" Riley asks.

"I know how much you cared for her. She was a very, very special girl..." Professor Walsh says.

Meanwhile, behind Professor Walsh, as she talks, the dark and blurred image on the monitors sways a moment and swings around to point at the lovely face of Buffy - on ALL FIVE MONITORS. As Buffy reattaches a loose connection...

"I was just beginning to... I didn't understand at first. But she had something." Professor Walsh says.

Riley looks up and past Professor Walsh and sees Buffy on the monitors - his expression of grief and shock slowly shifting to confusion. Professor Walsh is oblivious.

"I don't know... maybe I could've stopped her. It's hard not to blame myself—" Professor Walsh says.

Audio on the monitors POPS ON.

"Hello, Professor Walsh..." Buffy says as Professor Walsh's face drops and she slowly turns to see... "That simple little recon you asked me to do? Wasn't a raccoon. Turns out it was me trapped in a sewer with a faulty weapon and two of your pet demons on my hands. If you think that's enough to kill me you really don't know what a Slayer is. Trust me when I say you're gonna find out."

The monitor images swings away as Buffy smashes the camera against the stone wall. The monitors turn to snow.

Professor Walsh slowly turns back to Riley, who looks at her with a death glare. She shakes her head, slightly, somehow trying to deny the obvious. Before she can croak out a word, Riley turns on his heels and walks away. "Riley... Agent Finn, I order you to stop! Agent Finn! RILEY!"

At Giles apartment, Piper, Phoebe, Paige, Giles, Spike and Xander are there.

"It'll be dark soon. I think it would be wise for you to leave San Francisco. Giles says.

"I'm not going anywhere. Not until those bastards undo whatever they did to me. Put me back the way I was." Spike says.

"Sure, just explain to the nice scientist guys that you really miss torturing and killing innocent people." Xander says.

"Think that'll work?" Spike asks.

"Spike, Lord knows why I'm telling you this, but it's for your own good. As long as the Initiative's in operation, it's not safe for you here." Giles says.

"Correction." Buffy says as they all turn to see Buffy standing behind them, having entered surreptitiously from the back. "It's not safe for any of us."

"What happened?" Piper asks.

"They tried to have me killed." Buffy says.


	99. Chapter 99: Goodbye Iowa

**Author's Note: **To those asking for two or more chapters a day. Sorry it's not happening. I no longer do that except in the rarest of circumstances. I used to do that all the time. I rapidly got burned out trying to write two or more chapters a day, especially when I'm sometimes working on more then one story at once.

* * *

**Chapter 99: Goodbye Iowa**

"...so Maggie sends me down into the sewers with one of those blasto guns. Next thing I know, it's raining monsters." Buffy says.

"Hallelujah." Xander says. "What? She was asking for it."

"And this gate slams down behind me... and I try to use the gun, but it goes, pffft!"

"You're saying Maggie set you up?" Giles asks.

Buffy nods, "That's what I'm saying. She sent me on a one-way recon."

"Got to hand it to you, Goldilocks, you have bleedin' tragic taste in men. I have a cousin, married a regurgitating Frovlax demon, has better instincts than you." Spike says.

"What does my taste in men have to do with this?" Buffy asks.

"You think Riley was off knitting booties for your future offspring while Maggie was stringing you up?" Spike asks.

The others look on guiltily. They'd had the same thought. But this stops Buffy. She hadn't considered it.

"Riley? You think that he had something to do with this?" Buffy asks.

"Probably not. But we'd be remiss if we didn't think through all the possibilities." Piper says.

"Right... Remiss." Buffy says. "I - no... I mean, no. Maggie made sure he was nowhere around when she handed out the very special "make Buffy dead" assignment."

"Plus, Riley - he seems like he wouldn't tell a white lie, let alone a whole lot of big, fat dirty ones." Willow says.

"That's why they call them "secret" forces, Will. 'Cause they kind of keep the whole lying thing to themselves." Xander says.

"All I know is that Maggie has it in for me. And that means The Initiative has it in for me." Buffy says.

"Scary, on so many levels." Willow says.

"Right. I'm guessing the mad scientist isn't too keen on the fact that the entire Scooby Gang knows The Initiative is up to no good." Xander says.

"Getting us back to the "not safe for any of us" concept." Buffy says.

Giles shakes his head, "I still don't understand, Buffy. What happened that would make Maggie want to kill you?"

"I don't know. She didn't dig the fact that I was asking a lot of questions, that's for sure." Buffy says.

"So - you were getting too close to something." Phoebe says.

"Clearly. I can only imagine what she was so desperate to hide." Paige says.

Buffy starts gathering weapons from Giles' cabinet. "Everybody grab a weapon. We've got to move."

"And storm the Initiative? Yeah... Let's take on those suckers!" Xander says.

"I was more thinking that we'd hide." Buffy says.

Xander relaxes a bit, "Oh thank god."

Piper shakes her head, "Buffy I don't think hiding is the answer."

"We need to relocate to someplace we're less likely to be found. Come up with a plan." Buffy says.

"We could go to my house." Willow says.

Buffy shakes her head, "The Initiative guys know how close we are. They'll automatically check the places you hang out. " She looks at Piper. "Probably ought to call the club and let the managers know."

Piper shakes her head, "Buffy at least Phoebe, Paige and I can't just disappear. Leo and Cole would worry. Plus Phoebe and Paige could lose their jobs if they don't show up. I think it would be better if the three of us go home and pretend we don't know where the rest of you all are at."

"Piper." Buffy says.

"Were the Charmed Ones remember, Buffy. We can protect ourselves from these guys. Paige and Leo can orbs us out and I can freeze anyone who makes a threatening move against us." Piper says.

Buffy nods, "Okay." She turns to Xander. "Xander - what about your basement? The guys haven't seen us together much. And your basement's big enough –"

"Plus - mirror ball." Willow says.

"Cool. Come on down and boogie at Xander's hide-away." Xander says.

"Yes. Come boogie." Anya says.

"Absolutely not. I will not squat in that dank little hole." Giles says.

Spike frowns, "What? It was good enough for me, but you're above it all?"

"Precisely. Besides, I don't see why we can't stay right where we are. I doubt very much that those Initiative boys are going to come around here looking for –"

As if in answer, Riley enters. "Buffy."

Buffy sees him and they move together, extremely relieved and glad to see each other. Any doubts or questions they have are clearly overshadowed by their need for each other. "God, Buffy. Are you okay? What happened?:

"You know?" Buffy asks.

Riley nods, "I know something went down. Tell me."

"Maggie - she tried to kill me." Buffy says.

Riley tries to process this. It's difficult.

"It didn't work, but they're all upset anyway." Anya says.

"Okay. Listen. I need you to go over everything. Step by step. There must be some kind of mistake –" Riley says.

"There's no mistake. And how do you know something happened? Where were you?" Xander says.

Riley's spinning, trying to piece it all together. "I was on a mission, but I came back and... I - I'm not sure. Let's just, keep our heads. Not jump to any –"

"What?" Buffy asks as she follows his gaze. Sees that he's looking at Spike, who has also tensed.

"That's Hostile 17." Riley says.

"No, I'm just a friend of Xander's..." Spike says. "Bugger it. I'm your guy."

Riley pushes back from Buffy. Even more confused.

"That's - his name is Spike. It's a... really long story. But he's not bad anymore." Buffy says.

"Hey! What am I? A bleedin' broken record? I'm bad." Spike says. "It's just, I can't bite anymore, thanks to you wankers."

"We've been looking all over the place and you've known where he was all along?" Riley asks.

"It's not like that." Buffy says.

"Then what is it like? What's he doing here?" Riley asks.

"Leaving you swabs to your dramatics, thanks. Got my stories on the telly for that." Spike says. "By the by, if you are trying to kill her –" He gives Riley two thumbs up, before he bails.

"Buffy - what is this? You're hiding an HST?" Riley says.

Xander, fuming now, stands - gets in Riley's face a little. "Maybe you should back off and let her ask the questions, Jack. Your boss just tried to make monster food out of her."

Riley stops, realizes that everyone, save Buffy, is looking at him a little accusingly. "I didn't see much. I wasn't there... All I know is, Professor Walsh told me you were dead. But then I saw you on the monitors... This isn't Professor Walsh. There must be something making her act this way. Something, I don't know, controlling her..."

Piper shakes her head, "We think Buffy was becoming too inquisitive. That she may have been getting close to something Professor Walsh was trying to hide. Any idea what that might be?"

"What about 314? Maybe that's it –" Buffy says.

"Maybe she was trying to test you? What if it was only a drill –" Riley says.

"Then why did she tell you I was dead? Riley - this was no test –" Buffy says.

Giles nods, "I've heard rumors. That The Initiative isn't what we've been told. That, secretly, they are working toward some darker purpose... Something that might harm us all –"

"No. That's - that's not what happens there." Riley says.

"Riley –" Buffy says as she reaches for him, but he pulls back - reeling.

"You have no right... I mean, I think I would know if..." Riley says.

Buffy sighs, "Nobody's sure of anything yet. We're just trying to sort it out –"

Riley starts to head for the door. "I - I can't be here. I'll sort it out on my own."

"Riley –" Buffy says.

Riley shakes his head, "No. Just - I'm sorry."

"Riley." Piper says. "When you have things figured out. Call me at the Manor."

Riley simply nods and heads out the door.

The next day in Xander's basement; Buffy, Anya and Willow are watching cartoons. Buffy, worried and distracted, is clearly not enjoying the animated diversion.

On the TV the Roadrunner drops an anvil on the Coyote from about 10,000 feet. Coyote turns into an accordion guy, walks away.

"That would never happen." Buffy says.

"Well, no, Buff. That's why they call them cartoons and not documentaries..." Willow says.

Giles' head pops up from the other side of the blanket. "Must we have the noise? My head is splitting."

Willow sighs - turns the TV off. "Look who's a cranky bear in the morning."

"Yes. Can't imagine why I didn't sleep well in my beachball." Giles says.

"Every time you moved you made squeaky noises. It was irritating." Anya says.

"Really? I'm surprised you could hear it over your Wagnerian snoring." Giles says.

Buffy, upset by the arguing, interrupts. "Could we - not? Everything's screwed up enough without you two doing scenes from my parents' marriage."

Anya and Giles quiet, somewhat chastised.

"Sorry." Anya says.

"Thank you." Buffy says.

"It'll be okay. Riley's just confused, that's all." Willow says.

"I don't know. Seems like things could get heavier. I mean, his world's falling apart." Buffy says.

"And after you went through all that stuff with Angel..." Anya says. "You should get a boring boyfriend, like Xander. But you can't have Xander."

"That was the idea. Riley was supposed to be Mr. Joe Guy. We were supposed to do dumb stuff - like hold hands through the daisies going, "tra, la, la..."" Buffy says.

"Poor Buffy. Your life resists all things average." Willow says.

"So dump him. But you can't have Xander." Anya says.

Buffy sighs, "I'll try to remember that. Anyway, it's too late. I'm already at the "I hurt when he hurts, I smile when he smiles" stage."

"I hate that part." Anya says.

A look of determination crosses Buffy's features. "So - I just have to make it work."

"I bet you will." Willow says.

"No. No bet. I will make it work." Buffy says.

Xander comes down the stairs with a tray full of breakfast-y items. "Turn on the TV. Now."

Willow turns it back on. Xander puts the tray down.

On the TV a news reporter stands at a crime scene. "... San Francisco is still reeling from news of the crime. A source in the Coroner's Office tells us that the boy was stabbed by what looks like some kind of large skewer, and his body was then mutilated. Police have not named a suspect, and the killer is still at large..."

Xander turns the television off again. The mood in the room is grim.

"The Polgara demon had a skewer in his arm. That was the one Maggie specifically wanted us to bring back alive." Buffy says.

"She must have sent it after you." Giles says.

"But it got distracted. Oh, God . . ." Buffy says.

"Buffy. It's not your fault. How could you know?" Willow says.

Giles nods, "She's right. You mustn't blame yourself."

Buffy climbs off the bed, in battle mode. "I'm not going to. I'm going to the crime scene and see what I can find out. You guys research the Polgara demon - I want to know where it is. And when I find it - I'm going to make him pay for taking that kid's life. I'll make him die in ways he can't even imagine. Someone call Piper and give her a heads up. Tell her I might need her help." She looks down at her pajamas. "That... probably would have sounded more commanding if I wasn't wearing my Yummy Sushi pajamas."

Later Buffy stands at the scene where the boy was killed. Two medical examiners roll a stretcher with a small covered body past her. Buffy watches, pained. She walks the circumference of the crime scene and bends to look at some footprints when she spots Riley arriving. Glad to see him, wanting to make things right, she moves to him.

"Hey." Buffy says.

"Hey." Riley says.

Buffy sighs, "Look - I'm sorry about earlier. I know everyone came on pretty strong, and the Spike thing – it isn't as totally tweaked as it looks. Okay - maybe it is - but there's an explanation that almost makes sense..." Riley's face is hard. Cold. He's barely looking at her. "Hello? I'm apologizing here. And I think that's pretty big of me considering I'm the one who almost got made a demon sandwich. This is the part where you throw me a bone."

"Maggie's dead." Riley says as Buffy takes this in, stunned by the news. "You happy now?"

Buffy's appalled by Riley's coldness. "Happy? How can you say that? Of course I'm not. What happened? Who killed her?"

"That's classified." Riley says.

"Classified? Riley –" Buffy says, holding it together. "The Polgara. It got her - then it escaped. Didn't it?" Riley finally nods. Buffy can't contain her hurt at his behavior. "I'm going to find it. I'll find it and destroy it. Then you'll stop asking how "happy" all this death makes me." She turns and walks away.

Later Buffy enters Willy's bar, finds Willy behind the bar. He's understandably less than happy to see her. He gestures for her to move with him to a dark end of the bar - away from the customers. He glances around nervously.

"Aw man. You're killing me here." Willy says.

"I missed you too. Joint's jumping." Buffy says.

"Yeah, you know... I'm making some changes with my life. Getting away from my old image." Willy says.

"What, you mean, as a double dealing snitch?" Buffy asks.

"Uh huh. I know you're gonna think I'm blowing smoke - but after those apocalypse demons nearly did me in, I had an experience of the spiritual variety –"

Buffy doesn't have any time for this nonsense. "That's swell, really, but I still need to know if you've heard anything about a Polgara demon doing some killing over the last few days."

"See - that's the thing. I don't talk behind people's backs no more." Willy says. "And I'm trying to give the joint some class. It's Willy's "place" now, see? Brings in a better clientele." Buffy glances around the room a little dubiously. "And I got a deep fryer. These demons just go crazy for chicken fingers. If they see me dealing with you - then I'm just the same old Willy, working both sides of the street."

Buffy's just about had it. "I'm going to have to punch you, aren't I?"

"Just once, and it don't have to hurt - just make it look good." Willy says.

Buffy hauls back, but before she hits him - Willy yells with pain. "Not yet. I didn't touch you –"

"Okay, sorry, sorry. Go again." Willy says. "No! I can't talk to –"

Buffy hits him in the face. He cries out for real this time. Takes a long beat while he recovers. Buffy's all business. "The Polgara. What do you know?"

"Heard there was one around a week or two back. Word was you got him, you and those army guys." Willy says.

"And that was the last you heard." Buffy says.

Willy nods, "Yeah. Far as I know he's been off the streets."

Buffy takes this in. "What about those "army" guys? What's the talk about them? Anybody mentioned something called 314?"

"I've heard stuff. Mostly stories, you know." Willy says as he looks past her.

Buffy follows his gaze and, much to her surprise, sees that Riley has stepped into the bar. Again, his expression is dark, intense. Buffy, angry that he followed her, moves to him and speaks before he has a chance. "What are you doing? Following me?"

"You told me you were tracking the Polgara demon. I was going to help you." Riley says. "But now I see you're not hunting demons - you're socializing with them. Again. I thought you were supposed to be killing these guys, not buying them drinks."

"Smooth, Officer Riley. They teach you those undercover moves in special forces?" Buffy says.

"I'm serious, Buffy. What are you doing here?" Riley says.

Willy pipes up nervously, trying to help. "Just cooling her dogs like the rest of us. Now why don't you relax –"

"I want you to tell me. Who are you, really?" Riley says.

"No kidding, let me get you some chicken fingers on the house –" Willy says.

"Hey. Think you could shut up?" Riley asks.

"I'm just saying –" Willy says.

Riley shakes his head, "I said shut up. Or maybe you'd like to go back to the lab with me. I'm sure the coats would love to classify a - whatever you are."

"Leave him. He's human –" Buffy says.

"So - he's human. He just harbors demons.. Which makes him a good guy like you?" Riley says. "The truth, Buffy. Now."

Buffy also hardens. She doesn't put up with this crap. Not from anybody. "You have the truth. You're just too screwed up to see it now because of what happened to Professor Walsh. Now let me go –"

But she can see that Riley isn't listening. His focus has shifted to a lady who is trying to sneak out of the bar. This seems to be the straw for Riley. He loses it.

"Hold it - you!" Riley says as he casts Buffy off, grabs the lady. It's clear just from looking at her that she's a drunk, but no demon. "No leaving till I say so, got it?"

Riley holds the pistol to the poor lady's head. A tense moment - everybody's frozen and terrified.

Willy again tries to intercede. "Hey! We got new rules in here, no killing –"

Riley keeps the pistol to the lady's head. "Right. Except - it seems like the rules don't apply much these days, do they? Like, if I shot you right now, I don't know if I'd have a corpse on my hands or one pissed off vampire –"

"Riley –" Buffy says.

"I mean, who do you believe? First it sounds like lies. Then it sounds like truth..." Riley says.

Now the lady squeezes her eyes shut, mutters a prayer... This seems to wake something inside Riley, some kind of reason - he looks over to Buffy and sees her horrified expression.

"Riley, no." Buffy says.

Anguished, Riley turns back to the terrified lady, raises the gun up - as if going to pistol whip her - then slams it down hard on a bowl of nuts resting on the bar. The bowl explodes from the impact sending Willy cowering. The lady yelps and staggers away.

Riley looks at his hands - they're shaking terribly. He turns to Buffy - a look of desperation crossing his features. "What's happening to me?"

In Xander's basement, Riley is sitting on Xander's bed, head in hands. He's sweating and dizzy, shaking like a leaf.

Buffy moves to him, gently puts a blanket around his shoulders. He startles at her touch, but then seems to realize that it's her and calms a bit. "Why don't you lie down? You'll be more comfortable."

Riley pulls the blanket around him, but remains sitting. Buffy notices that Riley is scratching at his hand rather vigorously. She looks at his hand, gasps. He's scratched it until it's raw and bloody. "Riley. Stop –"

"I - I can't. It's like... something's crawling inside..." Riley says.

"No. You're hurting yourself. Come on –" Buffy says as she removes the scarf she wears on her head, and wraps Riley's hand in it. Looks at him tenderly. "Stop, okay?"

Riley nods, responding to her gentle touch. But then his look shifts to one of desperation. "I thought I knew. But I don't... I don't know anything."

"Shhhh. You're sick. Once you get some rest –" Buffy says.

"No. I don't know anything. I don't know which team I'm on. Who the bad guys are..." Riley says.

"Riley –"

"Maybe I'm the bad guy." Riley says. "Maybe I'm the thing you should kill."

Buffy takes Riley's hands - looks him firmly in the eye. "No. Don't even think that. Now listen to me. You just need to get some sleep. Come on, lie down."

After a long beat, Riley lies back. Buffy covers him with the blanket, which seems to have little impact on his violent shaking.

Buffy sits with him for a beat. "You're going to be okay..."

Riley doesn't respond to this, just closes his eyes. Buffy looks at him for a moment, worried. Then she gets up and crosses to the other side of the room, where Xander, Anya and Giles are researching.

"How is he?" Giles asks.

Buffy has switched into high slayer-mode now. She's ready to kick a little butt to help her boyfriend. "This isn't just grief making him act this way. Something's affecting him physically - and it's getting worse."

"You think Professor Walsh did something to him?" Anya asks.

"I don't know. But I'm ready to find out." Buffy says.

"That's going to be tough, what with Maggie's deadness and all." Xander says.

"She must have kept records somewhere. About Riley and 314 and all of it. And I doubt she was the only person at the Initiative who knew what she was up to." Buffy says.

"So what's the plan?" Xander asks.

"Giles and Anya will keep researching. Piper, Xander and I will go in undercover." Buffy says.

"Hey, remember before? No Xander. Not in a boyfriend-way or a lead-him-to-certain-death-way." Anya says.

"He's the only one with military experience." Buffy says.

"It's not like he was in "the Nam." He was G.I. Joe for one night." Anya says.

Xander sees her alarm, moves closer. Moved by her concern. "It's okay, Anya. I've backed Buffy up before."

"Can't you find another way to help these guys, like Xerox the handouts or something?" Anya asks.

"I'll be careful, promise." Xander says as he hugs Anya.

Buffy and Xander start gathering weapons, military gear, etc.

"How do you plan on getting inside The Initiative, Buffy? Surely their security system is almost impenetrable. And I doubt you wish to risk exposure flaming in there." Giles says.

"I have my clearance. I'm hoping Maggie never had time to revoke it." Buffy says. "And if she did I'll risk exposure."

"As for the whereabouts of the Polgara demon, Buffy, I'm afraid we haven't turned up much. There's been no report of him since his capture." Giles says.

"Then we'll just have to keep looking." Buffy says.

Later Buffy and Piper are dressed like scientists; lab coat, glasses and all.

Xander is in commando gear, covers them as they move cautiously through Lowell house. The place looks pretty empty.

"Things seem quiet." Xander says.

Buffy nods, "Usually are this time of –"

Guy runs down the stairs and they duck behind them. They go mercifully unnoticed as the guy barrels out the door.

Cautiously, they venture out again. This time they make it all the way to the mirrored entrance to the Initiative elevator. Buffy stops near the mirror.

Xander, a little confused, does the same. "Buff, maybe you should check the look later."

"Buffy wouldn't it have been easier to just flame us into the elevator?" Piper asks.

"We don't what security precautions they have, Piper. They may have it if you bypass one you can't get past the other." Buffy says. "Shhh. Just –" She stops as something occurs to her. She violently shoves Xander far away from the mirror.

"Ow! What was that for?" Xander asks.

"Sorry. It's just - I'm the only one who can pass the retinal scan." Buffy says.

"The - eeeew! I don't want to see that!" Xander says.

Buffy stands in the center of the mirror. Faces it.

"Retinal scan, Xander." Piper says. "It's checking her eyes to make sure she's her."

Buffy nods, "In a few seconds we'll find out if my clearance is still good."

The scan starts.

Xander watches nervously. "Or if we're about to die at the hands of fifty grief-fueled military goons..."

The elevator opens. Buffy breathes a sigh of relief.

Xander still looks a little uncertain. "Why am I not entirely comforted by the arrival of the man-sized microwave?" Xander asks.

Piper and Buffy ignores him and steps inside. Xander follows. The elevator doors close.

"Piper if anyone gets too close and starts to recognize me. You're going to have to freeze them." Buffy says.

Piper frowns, "Exposure?"

"We may have to risk it." Buffy says. "Riley's life is at stake here. Besides we need information on this 314."

The elevator opens. Xander covers Buffy while they step out.

Xander starts to lead the way, but stops - taking in the enormity of the Initiative operation with amazement. "Holy moly."

"I know." Buffy says.

"Wow." Piper says. "You said this place was big."

"I totally get it now. Can I have sex with Riley too?" Xander says.

Buffy just pushes him ahead. They turn a corner into a hallway where they see a pair of guys walking toward them, deep in conversation. She looks around and luckily there is no one else in the hallway. "Piper."

Piper freezes the two guys and they walk past them before Piper unfreezes them.

They overhear some scientists talking around a corner and stop. It's Dr. Angleman and a colleague.

"How many of the men are still out? The longer they go without their meds –" Dr. Angleman says.

"Everyone's off their schedules because of the Professor's death."

"It's dangerous. I don't want to think about the damage our guys could do under the stress of withdrawal, especially since they won't understand what's happening to them –"

"We've located all but a few. The last ones were in bad shape, but we've stabilized them."

"But Finn wasn't one of them, right?" Dr. Angleman says.

"No, but –"

"Find him. He's the one I care about. He's too important to the work to lose now." Dr. Angleman says.

Buffy takes this with concern.

Dr. Angleman and his colleague finish their conversation and go their separate directions.

Dr. Angleman comes down the hallway. Buffy signals for Piper and Xander to move with her as she follows after Angleman, slowly closing the gap between him and them.

Dr, Angleman walks down the lengthy hall, then turns and goes down another long hallway for some distance.

Finally, Angleman uses his passcard to enter a CLASSIFIED AREA. Buffy looks around her and sees the coast is clear and grabs Xander and Piper's hand flaming out and in on the other side of the door.

Dr. Angleman, Buffy, and Xander are now in a large document vault. The first level is all file cabinets and such, while the second level holds the computer data and is accessed by a catwakj which lines all four walls of the room.

Dr, Angleman moves to one of the file cabinets, but before he gets there, Buffy grabs him, throws him against the wall. Xander watches for intruders.

"You know, I don't generally like to kill humans - but I've learned it pays to be flexible in life." Buffy says.

"I was wondering when you'd turn up." Dr. Angleman says.

"Oh - darn - so this wasn't a surprise." Buffy says. "I want you to tell me what you did to Riley. And after that, we can take a tour of room 314."

"Somebody's coming, you know. I'm sure they've already seen you on the security monitors –" Dr. Angleman says.

Riley steps in from another entrance. "Monitors are non-functional at this time, sir." He stares hard at Buffy. "Went down about ten minutes ago."

"What? I didn't –" Buffy says.

"Thank God for small favors and worry about the details later, huh Buff?" Xander says.

"I agree, Buffy." Piper says.

"Finn. Take these people to the stockade, immediately!" Dr. Angleman says.

"Riley - he can tell us what we need to know." Buffy says.

Riley doesn't acknowledge her - but he also doesn't move to stop her. Angleman becomes visibly more terrified as he realizes that he has to fend for himself here.

"Maggie wanted me dead, didn't she?" Buffy asks.

"She did." Dr. Angleman says. "But understand, the Initiative has no interest in eliminating the Slayer. It was her own vendetta –"

"Why? Spell it out for me. I feel an attack of dumb blonde coming on." Buffy says.

"I don't know –" Dr. Angleman says.

Buffy tightens her grip, "Think harder."

"It was the - project." Dr. Angleman says.

"Project? 314?" Piper asks.

Dr. Angleman nods, "It - it escaped –"

Riley has gotten upset again. Can't tolerate this description of Maggie. "That's enough. You're making her sound like some psychopath. She wasn't like that. She was a brilliant woman –"

"She was. It's not –" Dr. Angleman says.

"All she was trying to do was help people - and this is how you want them to remember her?" Riley says.

"Riley. Listen - We heard Angleman say that she was feeding you drugs –" Buffy says.

Riley gets in Buffy's face. "No! You're doing this to me, aren't you? This all started because of you."

"If you'll just listen. All I'm trying to do is help you get to the truth –" Buffy says.

"You want truth? Then tell me! What did you do to her, Buffy?!" Riley says.

"Stop it! I didn't do anything!" Buffy says.

Riley moves to grab her again but she blocks him and hits him once, he staggers back - but doesn't fall. He's starting to come back at her, but Buffy backs away - not wanting this fight.

"Riley - stop. This is not about us. Everything we need to know is here. We just have to find out what was in 314 –" Buffy says.

Before she can finish - the hideously skewered body of a military M.P. lands in their path from the catwalk above. Everybody looks up - stunned. Sees Adam standing there, looking down at them.

"Me." Adam says.

Piper, Buffy, Riley, Dr. Angleman and Xander look up at Adam, who paces on the cat walk above them.

Adam speaks with the care and deliberateness of someone who is just learning the language. "I've been thinking... About the world. I wanted to see it. Learn it. I saw the inside of that boy, and it was beautiful, but it didn't tell me about the world. It just made me feel. So now I want to know about me. Why I feel. What I am."

Adam steps off the catwalk, lands easily in front of them. Riley, Buffy and the others react with stunned silence - both to his leap and his frightening, pieced-together appearance.

Adam reaches into a pocket in his vest and takes a floppy disk out of it that reads ADAM "So I came home." He slips it into a disk drive in his chest. Immediately begins to process information, which he relays to the others. "I am a kinematically redundant, bio-mechanical demonoid. Designed by Maggie Walsh. She called me Adam, and I called her "Mother"."

Dr. Angleman, alarmed, tries to get control of the situation. Speaks to Adam as firmly as he can through his fear. "Adam. Maggie would want you to stand down."

"Yes. But I seem to have a design flaw." Adam says.

"Oh God..." Dr. Angleman says.

"In addition to organic material, I'm equipped with GP2D11 infrared detectors, 140 MWS, microspec 4000 sensors, a harmonic decelerator plus DC servo..." Adam says.

Buffy notes the arm of the Polgara which now belongs to Adam. She gets it what happened. "She pieced you together out of parts of other demons."

"And man. And machine. Which tells me what I am, but not who I am..." Adam says. "Mother wrote things down. Hard data, but also her... feelings. That's how I learned I have... a job here. And that she loved me."

"She wasn't your mother - and she didn't love you." Riley says, disgusted.

"Is that really the issue?" Xander asks.

"Now's not the time, Xander." Piper says.

"She made you because she was a scientist." Riley says.

"Riley..." Buffy says.

Adam reaches into his vest again. Pulls out another disk: FINN. He switches it into his disc drive, starts reading information. "Riley Finn..."

Buffy, Piper and Xander tense, move to position themselves between Riley and Adam, prepared to act if they have to.

"Stop. Those files –" Riley says.

"Oh. Mother created you too." Adam says.

"Maggie's not my mother. I have a mother. A real –" Riley says.

"A birth mother. But after you met Maggie, she was the one who shaped your basic operating system. She taught you how to think, how to feel. She fed you chemicals to make you stronger, your mind and body... She said that you and I were her favorite children, her art. That makes us brothers... family." Adam says.

Unable to hear any more, Riley moves forward, menacing. Piper, Buffy and Xander tense, ready to intervene.

"No. I am not like you." Riley says.

Adam is completely unthreatened. He looks at Riley, fascinated. Moves closer, studies the expression on his face. "That's pain, isn't it? Why? Because your feeding schedule, the chemicals, have been interrupted? Or do you miss her? Tell me –"

"I'll kill you." Riley says.

"You won't. You haven't been programmed to." Riley says.

"I cannot be programmed. I'm a man." Riley says.

Adam pulls out another disk. "It's here. The plan she had for us. What happens. How it ends."

"No..." Riley says.

"Do you want to hear?" Adam asks.

"No!" Riley says as he pulls his gun. Aims it straight into Adam's face. Buffy rushes forward, grabs for Riley's arm but Adam smacks the gun out of his hand and knocks Buffy on her ass at the same time.

Riley reaches back and punches Adam. This doesn't seem to faze Adam a bit. He simply knocks Riley back with one hand. It looks effortless - but the blow sends Riley flying. Riley lands hard, dazed.

"Riley!" Buffy says. "Piper I think time for exposure is long past."

Piper sighs and nods as she raises her hands.

Buffy gets up powering up a fireball.

Xander tries to hit Adam with his gun - Adam swings it and Xander into a wall.

Buffy throws her fireball and he just seems to feed on it as the fireball does no damage.

"Energy, thank you." Adam says.

Piper uses her exploding power on Adam but nothing happens. "He's immune to my power."

Adam and Buffy go hand to hand. It's clear that his strength is superior to hers. She barely manages to stay on her feet.

Adam notices Dr. Angleman, who is trying to make his way to the door. Adam casts Buffy off him - and is on Angleman before anyone can react.

In a flash, Adam's skewer is extended and thrust through Dr. Angleman's head.

Riley is back on his feet. He catches Adam around the neck from behind with his utility wire. He tightens the wire, cutting off Adam's air supply - but Adam reaches behind him, spins Riley around to face him directly and without expression he skewers Riley in the side, piercing him through.

Fueled by rage, Buffy attacks Adam again and he is forced to let Riley go. Riley falls to the ground hard, in bad shape.

Again, Buffy and Adam go at it. This time, however, Adam is winning from the gate. He hits Buffy again and again, each blow more brutal than the last. Finally, she falls - landing next to Riley. Adam is moving in for the kill when he's distracted by pounding on the door. He turns to Buffy.

"Thank you. This was interesting." Adam says. He leaves off the fight and crawls back up the catwalk. He disappears through the open vent he came through.

Buffy moves to Riley, takes his hand. She can tell he's in pain. "Riley. Are you –"

Commandos - with Forrest and Graham – enter just then.

"You got a demon in here. It escaped through that vent." Xander says.

"It's not the Polgara. It kind of looks like a man –" Buffy says.

"Right, and you just happened to be in the neighborhood." Forrest says.

"We all saw it." Piper says. "If you don't want to believe that's your problem."

"They're telling the truth. I saw it. It killed Angleman." Riley says. "Go. Now."

A number of the men, save Graham, Forrest, and a few others, take off after Adam. The strain of speaking seems to have used the last bit of Riley's energy. He's passing out as Buffy lifts him.

"He needs a hospital." Buffy says.

Forrest moves forward, looking to Graham to help him. They take Riley out of Buffy's arms, but Buffy continues to grasp his hand. "We'll take it from here."

"No. I'm going with him –" Buffy says.

"It's a military hospital –" Forrest says.

Piper shakes her head, "So? She can get in and out of said military hospital. Without you ever seeing her. She could move him to another hospital and you would never find him. I seriously suggest you let one of us go with him."

Forrest frowns, "I seriously doubt that."

"Fine you want proof." Buffy says. She grabs Forrest arm. "You're coming with me." She flames out. She flames in on top of the Golden Gate bridge. "Believe?"

"What are you?" Forrest asks.

"I'm not only a Slayer but a witch." Buffy says. "Now are you going to do as I want?"

Forrest nods, "Seems I have no choice. Know this though if you go public."

Buffy nods, "You reveal my secret. Yeah. Same goes for your guys. We both have each other over a barrel."

Forrest nods, "So we do."

Buffy flames back into the Initiative with Forrest. She looks at Piper, "Go with Riley. I want to check in with Giles and let him know about Adam."

Piper nods as she looks at Forrest. "Lead the way."

The next day on campus Buffy and Willow walk together, talking intently among other students.

"So how's Riley." Willow asks.

"They say give him a few days he should make a full recovery. He's thinking about asking for a discharge." Buffy says.

"And you don't think they'll expose you?" Willow asks.

Buffy shakes her head, "They know that we both have something the other doesn't want made public. If they expose me, I expose them and vice versus."

"So Adam… He's that big a threat?" Willow says.

Buffy remembers, appears shaken as she confesses, "I could barely fight him. He fed off my fireball. And Piper used her exploding power and he was immune. It sounded like Maggie designed him to be the ultimate warrior. He's smart, and fast... He gave the commando guys the slip with no problem."

"There's got to be a flaw..." Willow says.

"I'd say the part where he's pure evil and kills randomly was an oversight..." Buffy says.


	100. Chapter 100: Saving Private Leo

**Q/A - Leana: **Prue won't be mentioned in Yoko Factor. I do have her mentioned in several season five chapters though starting with Witch's Tail.

* * *

**Chapter 100: Saving Private Leo**

Buffy and Phoebe are sitting at the table typing on their laptops. Paige races in as Piper holds out a plate.

"Wheat germ pancakes?" Piper asks.

"Ah, bagel." Paige says as she grabs a bagel.

"Bagel?" Piper asks.

Buffy shakes her head, "Piper is the best cook in the world and you would rather eat a bagel than something she made from scratch?"

"Has anyone seen my deposition papers? I thought they were in this folder with the cream cheese thing." Cole says as he holds up a folder with cream cheese spread over it.

"Try the one with the jelly stain." Paige says.

"Okay." Cole says as he picks it up. "I got it, thanks. Phoebe, don't forget my law firm's having a party tonight. I wanna show off my new bride."

"If I could finish my work here, that would be great." Phoebe says.

"Cole, pancakes?" Piper asks.

Cole shakes his head, "Trying to watch my cholesterol."

"How about you, Phoebe? I know you want some of these." Piper says.

"No, you know what I want? I want quiet. My advice column is due today." Phoebe says.

"No pancakes?" Piper asks.

"No pancakes. But, shh, with syrup on it would be good." Phoebe says.

"I'll take them, Piper. Slayer metabolism as you well know keeps me pretty hungry." Buffy says.

Piper smiles and mouths, 'Thank you.' She places a plate in front of Buffy with a stack of pancakes.

Leo orbs in.

"Oh, Leo, just in time for some delicious wheatgerm pancakes." Piper says.

Leo shakes his head, "Uh, no, I don't have time. I just came to get my toolbox."

"Alright, you know what? I'm not cooking for anyone other than myself and Buffy anymore. From now on you're all on your own." Piper says as she walks behind Paige.

Cole flicks his hand and the toaster pops up.

"My bagel." Paige says as she turns around, she bumps into Piper and Piper drops the plate of pancakes.

"Ohh." Piper says.

"Can everybody please be quiet!" Phoebe says as her laptop beeps. "Oh, no. My battery died."

Cole looks at the smoke alarm and it beeps.

"Smoke alarm." Leo says as he levitates up to the smoke alarm to try and turn it off.

Cole leans next to Phoebe. "You know, you'd get all the quiet you want if we had our own place." Leo turns off the fire alarm and levitates back to the floor. Cole kisses Phoebe. "Gotta go. I'm meeting my new personal assistant today. Bye."

"And I am off to quieter pastures." Phoebe says as she grabs her stuff and leave the kitchen. Leo sighs.

"Honey, you look tired." Piper says.

"I've been working double shifts. The Elders have been piling it on me ever since you guys took out the Source." Leo says.

"What's with the toolbox?" Paige asks.

"Leo poses as a handyman, it's actually how Prue, Piper, Phoebe and I met him. And then Piper fell hopelessly in love with said handyman." Buffy says.

"Ooh." Paige says.

Leo nods, "The Elders want me to check out a potential Whitelighter. She's a school teacher about to fall off the path, she needs some inspiration."

"Speaking of inspiration, it's the 60th anniversary of the battle of Guadalcanal and they're having a reunion for local veterans, so I RSVP'd for you." Piper says.

"Piper, I can't be seen there." Leo says.

"Well, no, it's okay, I told them that you were your grandson." Piper says.

Leo frowns, "Well, that's not it. I-I don't want to go. You would've known that if you would've asked me or talked to me about it instead of just making decisions for me." He grabs his toolbox and orbs out.

"I wonder what's up Leo." Buffy says.

In the conservatory, Phoebe is there typing on the laptop as Paige walks in.

"Phoebe, have you seen my keys anywhere?" Paige asks.

Phoebe shakes her head, "No."

"Ugh!" Paige says.

Piper walks in and sits down, followed by Buffy. "Leo is not answering my call."

"Is it an emergency?" Paige asks.

Piper shakes her head, "No. But I just wanna talk to him so I can figure out why he's so mad at me. I mean, I can't believe it's just because he doesn't want to go to the reunion."

"I have to agree with Piper. Something is up with Leo." Buffy says.

"Maybe because it's because, I don't know, he died at Guadalcanal." Paige says.

"Yeah, but he died a hero. Although, come to think of it, he doesn't really talk about it very much. Phoebe." Piper says as Phoebe continues to type on the laptop. "Phoebe, come on, what do you think?"

"I think, Piper, that I came in here to get away from all the chatter." Phoebe says as she closes the laptop. "Okay, I have a deadline." She gets up and pulls out the plug. "I am working Phoebe."

Paige looks between the couch cushions. "Ah, found 'em!" She sees Ghost #1 standing on the stairs. "Ah! Who are you?"

"What? Wait, you can see me?" Ghost #1 says.

"More like through you." Paige says.

Buffy and Piper goes to Paige.

"Paige, stand back. Phoebe?" Buffy says.

"What?" Phoebe says as Ghost #1 disappears and she walks in.

"We just saw a ghost, that's what." Piper says.

"Yeah, my first one too. I mean, that I wasn't related to. It was kind of cool." Paige says.

Piper shakes her head, "No, not cool. Unless he was friendly which considering who we are and what we do probably not."

"Well he could be like, Mark." Buffy says. "Or he could be like Jackson Ward."

"This is great. This is exactly what I need today. What do we do?" Phoebe says.

"You go back to your deadline. Buffy and I'll go get the books and brush up on our ghost busting." Piper says.

"No-no-no. I'll go do it." Paige says.

"You just said you were late for work." Buffy says.

Paige nods, "Yeah, but I mean, he's a ghost. Who knows where he came from, what era. He's like a piece of man hunk history."

"Knock yourself out." Piper says as Paige leaves the room.

"I'm going to help her. Since I already know one way to vanquish a ghost. And let's just say I don't want to do that again." Buffy says and heads upstairs.

Piper walks over and picks up a photo of Leo in his army uniform.

Later in the Conservatory Buffy and Paige are looking through both Book of Shadows while Piper is going through some of Leo's stuff. Phoebe's in the dining room typing on the laptop.

"Did you know there's a potion in here to vanquish ghosts?" Paige asks.

Piper nods, "Yeah, uh, you pour it over their bones. We used it a couple of years ago. That's weird, look at this." She holds up a medal.

"What is it?" Buffy asks.

"Leo's medal of honor. And it's just stuffed in his old army file like it doesn't mean anything." Piper says.

"Aww, maybe he's just being humble." Paige says.

Piper shakes her head, "No, it's not that, it's something else. I know it, I know him."

"There's also a spell to vanquish ghosts. It should be in the book somewhere." Phoebe says.

"Yeah it's in there alright. Despite my wanting to burn it." Buffy says.

"Why?" Paige asks.

"You have to be ghost to say it." Buffy says. "We did that almost three years ago. I drank a potion that stopped my heart so I could be a ghost and say it."

"Oh." Paige says.

"That was one of the three times, I've died." Buffy says.

Paige's eyes go wide, "Oh!"

The power goes off.

"Oh, no, no, no. I didn't save any of it. I just lost half my document." Phoebe says.

"Alright, relax, I'll check the circuit breaker." Piper says.

Phoebe sighs, "I really need to get my own place."

"Sorry?" Piper asks.

"Nothing." Phoebe says.

"Would you like me to check and see if the battery for my laptop works in yours, Pheebs?" Buffy asks.

"Sure Buffy that would be great." Phoebe says as she walks into the kitchen

Buffy goes to check the laptops and shakes her head sighing. They don't match. She knew it was a longshot. She walks into the kitchen just as the lights come on.

"Power's on!" Piper calls from downstairs.

"Sorry Pheebs, yours doesn't match with mine." Buffy says.

"That's okay Buffy. Thanks for checking though." Phoebe says as Piper comes up from the basement. "Uh, call me on my cell if you need anything. Okay, I've gotta go." She leaves as Paige walks in.

"Nice job with the lights, sis." Paige says.

Piper shakes her head, "I can't figure out what keeps tripping the breaker."

"Maybe it's a ghost." Paige says as she holds up a photo. "Found this in the file. The guy to the left of Leo. Does he look familiar?" Buffy and Piper look at the photo. "That's our ghost. He was killed in action. His brother's on the right. They died the same day as Leo. Could be a reunion he wants to avoid having."

"Leo? Leo, I mean it this time." Piper says.

Leo orbs in. "What? What is it?" Piper shows him the photo. "Nathan."

Piper nods, "Yeah, we just met him. He looked pretty good, a little transparent, but otherwise he looked pretty good. For a dead guy. Talk to me."

Leo shakes his head, "There's nothing to talk about."

"Hey, Wyatt." Rick says as Buffy, Piper and Paige back away from the voice. Rick and Nathan walk through the wall. "You're right, little brother. He is the spitting image of his grandfather."

Rick grabs a kitchen knife.

"Rick, don't!" Leo says.

Rick throws the knife, hitting Leo in the chest. Leo falls to the floor.

"Rick? How did he know your name?" Nathan says.

Leo pulls out the knife and the wound heals itself.

"Leo." Rick says.

"I can explain." Leo says as he gets up.

"Rick, let's go. Rick, come on, let's go!" Nathan says as they disappear into the wall.

Moments later they are in the living room.

"I can't believe they've been holding on this long just to hurt me." Leo says.

"What I don't understand is why they're not transparent anymore. I mean, other than the walking through walls thing, they kind of seem normal to me." Paige says.

"They've been practicing. Corporealising so they can move things." Leo says.

"Yeah, like butcher knives." Piper says.

"Well, they're holding onto their pain, that's what keeps them from moving on." Leo says.

"Their pain? Leo, they just tried to kill you." Buffy says.

"Yeah, lucky they're not Darklighters otherwise you would've been killed. Again." Paige says.

Leo shakes his head, "You don't understand, we were friends. We grew up together down in Burlingame. I went to school with Nathan. When the war came we made a deal with our recruitment officer that we would enlist as long as they kept us in the same unit."

"You were close." Buffy says looking at Piper.

"Yeah." Leo says.

"So, um, what do they think you did?" Piper asks.

Leo sighs, "We just got transferred onto the island. We got ambushed outside the air field. Heavy artillery, order fire. They couldn't keep up with the injuries, the bodies. And I heard Rick's voice." He goes on to tell them how Nathan and Rick died. "I should've stayed. I should've tried to save Nathan and get him outta there."

"Then you would've all died in the tent. And all the guys in the field that you did save would've died too. You did the right thing." Piper says.

"And Leo, god sakes, you were awarded the medal of honor, posthumously I might add." Paige says.

"I didn't deserve it." Leo says.

"Right, so I suppose you didn't deserve to be a Whitelighter for sacrificing your life to save others." Piper says.

Leo sighs, "Were those lives any more important? Then Nathan's or Rick's? Or anyone else in that tent? You know, a good friend put his life in my hands and I left him to die. All the good that I've done since then, can't erase that fact. Maybe I didn't deserve to become a Whitelighter."

"Hey, news flash, friends don't kill each other, okay. I say we douse their dusty bones with our magic potion and vanquish their sorry asses." Paige says.

Leo shakes his head, "No, you can't do that. They didn't do anything wrong."

"Okay, so what do you suggest?" Buffy says.

"If I could talk to them, make them understand why I did what I did. Then maybe they can move on." Leo says.

"Maybe you all can. We need to find where they were buried so we can summon them. Before they try to hurt anybody else." Piper says.

"Yeah, like us." Paige says.

Moments later Paige hangs up the phone. "Found them. Rick and Nathan Lang, buried November 22nd, 1942 at the local V.A." She walks into the living room where Buffy, Piper and Leo are.

"Okay, where's the books? We need the summoning spell." Buffy says.

"Already ahead of you." Paige says as she holds up a piece of paper. "Who are you gonna call?"

"Cute. Lets go." Piper says.

The Elders call Leo.

"Wait, something's wrong. It's Maria, the teacher, she's in trouble. I have to go to her." Leo says.

Rick and Nathan pop their head through the wall.

"But what about the ghosts? I thought we had to find them before they hurt someone else." Paige says.

"If something happens to one of my charges..." Leo says.

"No-no, it's okay. Um, go, and-and just meet us there when you're done. It's all gonna be okay." Piper says as Leo orbs out. "Let's go."

A couple hours later Buffy, Piper and Paige walk in through the front door.

"Okay, you can get the vanquishing spell and I'll get. Leo!" Piper says.

"Uh, don't you mean potion? Remember, the spell only works if you're dead." Paige says.

"Right. Spell potion, whatever. Leo!" Piper says.

"So does that mean we're not interested in helping them move on?" Paige asks.

"To hell maybe. That's what they deserve. We went to the VA to help misguided ghosts, not killer ghosts." Piper says.

Buffy sighs, "We don't know for sure that they killed that guard."

Piper glares at Buffy and Paige.

Paige sighs, "Vanquishing potion, I'm on it."

Buffy nods, "I'll grab the spell we used for Jackson Ward. But I'm telling you now. Someone else can die. I don't want to make this number four."

Phoebe stands on the stairs wearing the black outfit.

"Phoebe." Piper says.

"What's the matter? Don't you recognize me? What do you think?" Phoebe says.

"You look beautiful." Buffy says.

Phoebe smiles, "Thank you."

"Wow, Cole is kinda splurging lately, huh?" Piper asks.

Phoebe nods, "Yeah, and I am not complaining. I enjoy being the bell of the ball."

"Well, sorry, Cinderella, the ball's been cancelled. We have killer ghosts." Piper says.

Phoebe laughs. "You're kidding? You are not kidding. Okay, well, is it possible that you guys can maybe handle this without me?"

"Phoebe, they tried to kill Leo." Paige says.

"What?" Phoebe says.

Buffy nods, "They're holding a grudge against Leo. Come on Paige let's go get the potion and that spell."

"Okay, and I will call Cole and tell him no to the party. I guess I can tell him no to anything." Phoebe says as she picks up the phone.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Piper asks.

"Nothing, nothing. Cole wants us to get our own place." Phoebe says.

"What, you mean move out?" Paige asks.

"Yeah, you know, like normal married couples do." Phoebe says.

"We didn't." Piper says.

Phoebe sighs, "Yeah, but you're not normal."

"Neither are you." Buffy says.

Phoebe sighs, "Look, I don't wanna fight about this, but I just don't like the feeling that sometimes I have to choose between my sisters and my husband."

"It's not about that and you know it." Piper says.

"How long are we all gonna stay here? You know, another year? Another five years? Another fifty years? At what point do we move on with our lives and not let evil dictate with them?" Phoebe asks.

Buffy sighs, "You're right. Go to your party. We'll take care of the ghosts."

"Uh, you guys hate me right now." Phoebe says.

Piper shakes her head, "No, we don't."

"No." Buffy says.

"Yes they do." Paige says.

"Look, we can talk about this later. Right now you need to go take care of your man and I need to take care of mine. It's as simple as that. We don't need the power of three to do this." Piper says.

Phoebe heads for the door.

"You know, I've got a bone to pick with you. Seeing as how you practically forced me to move in here." Paige says.

"Where's Leo? I already called for him twice. Leo! You're half-Whitelighter, see if you can sense him." Piper says.

"Sense him? I've never done that before." Paige says.

"You can do it, Paige. It's just like the orbing. Clear your mind. Focus."

Paige closes her eyes for a moment, then opens them. "I think he's in trouble."

"Well, go find him. Now." Piper says.

Buffy grabs Paige's hand as she orbs out.

At Maria's place, Leo is sitting on the floor beside Maria, crying as Buffy and Paige orbs in.

"Leo." Buffy says.

Leo sighs, "I tried to stop them but I couldn't."

"Okay, come on. Come on. Let's get up." Paige says as she and Buffy pull him away from Maria. "Let's go over here. That's it." They sit on the couch. "Okay, what happened?"

"They're getting even with me. They killed her because of me." Leo says.

"Who? Rick and Nathan?" Buffy asks.

Leo nods, "Because I left them to die. They're making me pay." He cries.

"Come on, let's get you home." Paige says.

Leo shakes his head, "I don't have my powers anymore."

"What happened?" Buffy asks.

"I can't orb or heal." Leo says.

"But how?" Paige asks.

"It doesn't matter. I shouldn't have been given them in the first place." Leo says.

Buffy shakes her head, "That is not true. Your powers must be tied to your emotions like ours. That means you can get them back. You just have to pick yourself up. Don't let them defeat you. You are not responsible for their actions."

"Aren't I? They're ghosts because of me. Their rage comes from something that I did. If I can just give myself to them." Leo says.

"They'd kill you. Because without your powers you're defenceless, like a mortal. Okay, we've got to get you home." Paige says.

Leo sighs, "No! Nobody else is gonna die because of me. You understand? These are my demons, not yours!"

"Okay, just, just give me a minute. I-I am gonna go and I'm gonna get Phoebe and Piper, I'll be right back, I promise. Paige stay with him don't leave him alone." Buffy says as she flames out into the elevator at the apartment where Cole's party is going on. She exits the elevator and heads straight for Phoebe and Cole.

"Mmm, maybe. Now who's disappointing who." Phoebe says.

"You could never disappoint me." Cole says as they kiss.

"Sorry to interrupt." Buffy says.

"Buffy, what are you doing here?" Phoebe asks.

"I thought I'd track you down first, Leo needs our help bad." Buffy says.

Phoebe looks at Cole.

Cole nods, "By all means. Go." He kisses Phoebe quickly.

"Okay." Phoebe says.

"Call me." Cole says.

Phoebe and Buffy enter the elevator and when the doors close, Buffy flames out with Phoebe.

At the Manor in the attic, Piper has set up candles and a potion on a table. She puts some things in a pot.

Rick appears behind her and grabs a knife.

Piper turns around and he throws the knife. She freezes it in midair. She unfreezes it and it drops to the ground. "I'll kill you."

"That potion only works on my bones. Remember?" Rick says as Nathan appears behind her. She spins around and he stabs her. She falls to the floor. Rick and Nathan kneel beside her. Rick covers her mouth. "No calling out for help, Mrs. Wyatt, not this time. Not that he can help you anyway."

"Rick, let's go, man, let's go." Nathan says.

Rick shakes his head, "No, no, I wanna enjoy this. Every last beat." He reaches inside her chest and squeezes onto her heart. "Your husband's next." Piper stops breathing. "There."

Buffy flames in with Phoebe.

"Hey!" Phoebe says.

"Piper!" Buffy says.

They race over to her. Phoebe feels for a pulse.

"We'll be back." Rick says as they disappear.

Phoebe starts doing CPR.

"Paige!" Buffy calls out as Paige orbs in. "Get Leo back here now."

Paige orbs out and a moment later she orbs back in.

"Come on, breathe." Phoebe says.

Buffy dials her cell phone, "Hello my sister isn't breathing and were getting no pulse. 1329 Prescott Street. Hurry." A moment later Paige orbs in. "Where's Leo?"

Paige shakes her head, "He wasn't there when I got back, I knew I shouldn't have left him. Where's the ambulance?"

Buffy shakes her head, "Still not here."

"Is she...?" Paige asks.

"No, as long as we keep the blood flowing she still has a chance. Buffy, put some pressure on her wound please." Phoebe says.

Buffy hands the phone to Paige and gets down on her kneels and places her hand on the wound applying a little Slayer strength.

"Piper!" Leo calls from downstairs.

"Leo, upstairs, hurry!" Phoebe says.

Leo runs in. "What happened?"

"Where have you been?" Phoebe asks.

"I went looking for them." Leo says.

Rick and Nathan appear.

"And here we are." Rick says.

Nathan punches Leo and he lands on a table, breaking it. Paige lunges at Rick and he turns invisible. She goes right through him landing into some boxes. She looks up and he slaps her.

Buffy looks at Phoebe, "Whatever you do don't stop."

"You can't hurt us, but we can hurt you." Rick says and he picks up the knife and aims at Phoebe.

"Wait! You don't want them, you want me! You wanna get even, get even with me!" Leo says.

"You're right. I trusted you with my life and you left me!" Rick says as he punches Leo in the face.

Piper's spirit floats out of her body. "What's going on?"

"Piper?" Phoebe and Buffy says.

Piper sees her body. "Oh. Oh my."

"We need to get the Book of Shadows!" Buffy says as her Book flames out and flames in next to her. "Woah. Ok!"

Rick and Nathan beat up Leo.

"You were our friend and you left us to die." Rick says.

"Quick, find the spell, you know the one Buffy." Piper says.

Buffy opens her Book and flips to the spell for a ghost to vanquish another ghost. She finds the page and turns it to face Piper, "Here."

Rick holds a knife above Leo.

"Do it." Nathan says.

"Ashes to ashes..." Piper says.

"What the hell?" Nathan asks.

"Spirit to spirit, take their souls, banish this evil." Piper says.

"No." Rick says and he and Nathan are vanquished.

Piper starts floating up. "Uh, little help here, people."

"Damn it, Leo, do something. You're a Whitelighter for a reason, because you did good things." Paige says.

"Think of all the lives you've saved, all the good you've done." Phoebe says.

"And all the lives you won't save if you give up now, including your wife's." Buffy says.

"Piper." Leo says as he rushes over to Piper's body. "Come on, damn it, breathe." He starts CPR. "Don't die, not this way. Because of me." His powers come back and he starts healing her. Her spirit returns to her body and she gasps.

"Well, it's about time." Piper says as Paige giggles. "That was close." Leo hugs her. "Really close."

"At least it wasn't me this time." Buffy says.

"Yeah but you better watch it Buffy," Piper says. "I'm closing in. That's two for me."

Buffy laughs and hugs Piper.

At the Guadalcanal reunion Elderly people have gathered in a room as Buffy. Piper and Leo arrive.

"Come on. You belong here." Piper says.

Leo shakes his head, "I don't know, I still don't think it's a good idea."

Buffy smiles, "Your grandfather would want you to be here."

They walk into the room.

"Hey, you. Dear, god. I'm looking at a ghost." Elderly Man #1 says.

"You know him?" Piper asks.

Leo nods, "Yeah."

"You're related to Leo Wyatt, aren't you?" Elderly Man #1 says.

Buffy nods, "Yes, this is his grandson, Leo Wyatt the third."

"Billy, Frank." Elderly Man #1 says as two men stand beside him. "I want you to meet the grandson of the man who made it possible for you to be born. His grandfather died, saving my life, sixty years ago. You wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for that man."

Billy smiles, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Wyatt." He shakes Leo's hand. "My dad's been telling stories about your grandpa since I was a boy. I'd like you to meet my family. Hey, guys, come here."

"Franklin, Serdez..." Elderly Man #1 says as another two men walk over. "He's kin to Leo Wyatt. He's the one who saved your butts too."

Franklin smiles, "God bless you, son." He shakes Leo's hand. Other elderly men wander over to Leo and they all shake his hand.

"A pleasure to meet you." Elderly Man #2 says.

"Nice meeting you, son." Elderly Man #3 says.

A woman walks over to Piper and Buffy. "What's going on? Who is that?"

Piper looks at Buffy and smiles, "My hero."


	101. Chapter 101: We're Off To See The Wizard

**Chapter 101: We're Off To See The Wizard**

Buffy, Piper and Paige are in an elevator on their way up to Phoebe and Cole's apartment.

"Cole's a demon again, that is what's going on." Paige says.

Piper shakes her head, "Do you want us to lose a sister, because that's exactly what's gonna happen if you blurt it out like that. Besides, we only know that Cole is dealing with demons, not that he is a demon."

Paige sighs, "If he looks like a demon and walks like a demon..."

"That's ducks, that's not Phoebe's husband. The love of her life, her best friend..." Buffy says.

"Alright." Paige says.

"Look, this isn't gonna be easy for her to hear, especially since she's happier than she's ever been." Piper says.

The elevator opens and they see Phoebe standing near the window.

"Or not." Paige says.

"Hi. Come on in." Phoebe says.

"Pheebs, what's the matter? You look..." Buffy says.

"Terrible? Yeah, I haven't slept in a couple of days." Phoebe says.

"Why? What's the matter?" Piper asks.

"Uh, you guys should probably sit down." Phoebe says.

"That's funny, we were just coming to ask you to do the same thing." Paige says.

Buffy glares at Paige, "Not now." She, Piper and Paige sits at the table.

"Okay, so, what I'm about to tell you is really big. We're talking huge." Phoebe says.

"See, she knows." Paige says.

Buffy glares at Paige.

"Knows what?" Phoebe asks.

"Uh, you tell us." Piper says.

"Uh, okay, I-I'm, uh... I'm pregnant." Phoebe says.

Buffy looks at Phoebe, her eyes wide, "You're what?"

"Oh my god, from Cole?" Paige asks.

"I don't even understand how this could've happened. We were being so careful. It's the last thing I expected right now." Phoebe says.

"Just wait." Paige says.

"Does Cole know?" Piper asks.

Phoebe shakes her head, "No, not yet. I should've told him, I know, but I didn't know how to. Besides, I don't want him to think that I'm not happy about it."

"Are you?" Buffy asks.

Phoebe sighs, "I don't know. I mean, part of me is obviously. I love Cole. But then there's another part of me that's scared to death. I mean, there' so many changes and it's all happening so fast. I'm not sure I'm ready for this."

"Oh, honey, you should've told us when you found out, and then you wouldn't have to go through it alone." Piper says.

Phoebe nods, looking at Piper, "I know, but I wasn't sure how you would feel about it."

"Me? Why?" Piper asks.

"Because I know how hard you and Leo have been trying." Phoebe says.

"Oh, honey, this doesn't have anything to do with me, it has everything to do with you. And-and I'd be thrilled to be an aunt. Don't worry about me." Piper says.

Buffy nods, "As would I, Pheebs."

"So when are you gonna tell Cole?" Paige asks.

"I don't know. He's got so much on his plate right now, you know, with starting his new job and everything." Phoebe says.

"You're gonna have a lot on your plate too, more than you realise." Paige says.

Piper nods, "Yeah, like how many hours he's gonna be working and that he's not gonna be home a lot."

"That's not what I'm talking about, Piper." Paige says.

"What do you mean, Paige?" Phoebe asks.

"It can wait." Buffy says.

They hear the elevator.

"Oh, god, that's Cole. He can't know I told you before I told him. Hurry, outta here, orb or flame." Phoebe says.

"I thought Cole had a no orbing and flaming policy." Paige says.

Phoebe shakes her head, "No, he doesn't want you orbing or Buffy flaming in, he doesn't mind you orbing or Buffy flaming out."

Buffy grabs Piper and Paige's hands. "Good luck." She flames out with them.

Moments later at the Manor, Leo orbs in. "What is the emergency?"

"Phoebe is pregnant." Piper says.

"What? Really?" Leo asks.

Paige nods, "Yeah, I think she deserves to know she's carrying a demon child, don't you?"

"You don't know if Cole is a demon." Buffy says.

Paige sighs, "You and Piper don't know he's not."

"Well, okay, we'll do some more digging and-and we'll find some solid proof." Piper says.

Paige shakes her head, "No, I think she deserves to know now, Piper, Buffy."

"She doesn't need the stress, Paige." Buffy says.

"Even if she's in danger?" Paige asks.

"Cole would never hurt her. He couldn't even hurt her when he was a demon." Piper says.

"Are you both willing to bet her lives on it?" Paige asks.

"Okay, do you want my advice or don't you?" Leo asks.

"Depends on what side you're on. And if you take theirs, it better not be because you're sleeping with Piper." Paige says.

"Help!" A wizard says as he appears.

"Whoa." Piper says.

"Please, you've gotta help me." Wizard says.

Buffy powers up a fireball, "Help you? Who are you?" A guard appears and throws an energy ball at the wizard, vanquishing him. Buffy throws the fireball at the guard vanquishing him. "Wh-? What an idiot. Doesn't every demon know by now who's house this is?"

The wizard appears in the conservatory. "Not every demon. Fortunately for me."

"But he just vanquished you." Paige says.

Wizard shakes his head, "No, not me. An illusion. One of my little tricks. Comes in handy for saving my life and what not."

"You're a wizard?" Leo asks.

"In the flesh, for lack of a better term." Wizard says.

"Wait a minute, you just tricked us into vanquishing one of your enemies." Piper says.

"My enemies are your enemies." Wizard says.

"Says you. Leo, friend or foe?" Paige asks.

Leo shakes his head, "I don't know, I've never met a wizard before. Only heard about them."

"I can't tell." Buffy says. "My spidey-sense is not going off right now."

"Please, give me a little credit." Wizard says as he walks into the living room and they follow. "Why would I seek out the Charmed Ones if I were evil?"

"Okay, look, you need to stand still or you're gonna go poof like your friend in there." Piper says.

"Oh, you're the touchy one aren't you? I've heard about you. Peeper?" Wizard says.

"Piper." Buffy and Piper says.

"Whatever." Wizard says.

"What do you want?" Leo asks.

"Revenge. On the Source. For slaughtering my kind centuries ago. And for that I'll need your help." Wizard says.

"Well, maybe you haven't heard. There's a new Source. The old one is dead." Buffy says.

"Yeah, we already kicked his sorry ass." Paige says.

"He didn't die. He was reborn into a new sorry ass. Wait, that didn't come out right." Wizard says.

"Are you kidding me? After everything we went through, he found an escape hatch?" Piper says.

The wizard taps his staff twice on the floor and a whole cooked chicken appears. He pulls off a drumstick and starts eating it. "Our only chance to stop him will be tonight before he receives his full powers at the coronation."

"Tonight? How do we do such a big job in such short notice?" Paige asks.

"We'll steal the Grimoir." Wizard says.

"Oh, what's that?" Paige asks.

"Evil Book of Shadows." Leo says.

"The Source has to lay his hand on the book as he says the oath, otherwise he doesn't get his powers." Wizard says.

"So we steal a little book and we stop the Source? What's the catch?" Buffy asks.

"The catch is it's protected in a secret chamber by his best guards. Now, I know how to get there but I can't fight them alone. What do you say? Partners?" Wizard says.

Piper freezes him. "I so don't trust him."

"Alright, I'll check with the Elders, see what they know. You better get Phoebe. In case he's right, you're gonna need the power of three at the very least." Leo says and he orbs out.

"I'll go get her." Piper says.

"No, no, you've got the fire power, you stay here, I'll go." Paige says.

"No," Buffy says. "I'll go. We don't want you spilling the beans on Cole. Not until we know for sure. We'll tell her as a group, okay." She flames out.

At the Bay Mirror in Phoebe's office, Phoebe is on the phone. "Yes, of course I am aware that there is a deadline but Elise threw my column out at the last minute. Oh, oh, how hard can it be to write an advice column? Let me show you how hard." She slams the phone down and knocks off her cup of coffee.

"Bad time?" Buffy asks as she walks in.

"Yes. Uh, no, whatever. What is it?" Phoebe asks.

Buffy sighs, "Uh, well, we, uh, we need the power of three."

"What? Now? Can't it wait?" Phoebe asks.

Buffy shakes her head, "Cliff notes version, we didn't kill the Source like we thought, he was just reborn. And now if we don't help a wizard stop him from getting coronated tonight, he becomes all powerful. Shall we?"

"So let him get coronated." Phoebe says.

"Sorry?" Buffy asks.

"Well, why not? What's the worse that can happen?" Phoebe asks.

"You mean other then going through all of what we went through the last four years again? What's wrong with you?" Buffy says.

"I don't know. I'm just, I'm having a really bad day right now. Okay, uh, I'll meet you at the manor but I have to find Cole first and fill him in." Phoebe says.

Buffy nods, "Okay."

"By the way, Buffy. What did you guys stop by for this morning?" Phoebe asks.

Buffy sighs, "Piper and I wanted to wait till we had proof, Pheebs. You know that vampiric demon that turned Paige." Phoebe nods. "Paige met him at your apartment."

"Oh." Phoebe says. "So?"

"And Paige seemed to think…" Buffy says.

"Cole is a demon again?" Phoebe asks.

Buffy nods, "I don't know if I believe it myself Phoebe. But we do have to ask what that demon was doing there."

Phoebe nods, "I understand." She grabs her coat and heads for the door. "I'm going to go prove Paige wrong. Then I'll meet you at the manor. By the way Buffy, thanks for telling me."

"What are sisters for. I just wish we could have waited till we had proof one way or another." Buffy says.

"I know." Phoebe says.

Later Buffy flames into the Manor to find Piper and Paige waiting for her.

"Where's Phoebe?" Piper asks.

"Proving Paige wrong." Buffy says.

"Buffy you didn't." Piper says. "You told her about Cole?"

Buffy nods, "She took it pretty well though. Probably better than Paige had told her."

Piper sighs, "Buffy we decided to wait till we had proof and it was the right time to tell her. The thing is now she is going to try and prove Paige wrong and may not be able to help us. You might as well have crowned the new Source yourself."

"Oh, goddess, I think you're slightly exaggerating." Buffy says.

Piper shakes her head, "No, I am not. We need Phoebe for the plan to work."

"She said she would be here." Buffy says. "What plan?"

"Follow me!" Piper says as she and Paige lead Buffy into the kitchen.

The kitchen has turned into the large underworld building where the coronation will take place. The wizard, guards and the dark priest are standing there.

"Alright. Piper, I think I like the other kitchen better. This is an illusion, right?" Buffy says.

"Please, tell me she's not the brains of the family." Wizard says.

Buffy frowns, "Look you want our help. It's better not to piss off a Slayer."

Piper sighs, "Grimoir, dark priest, body guards, and this mystery man over here is the Source." She points to a dummy wearing a black suit but has no face.

"Did you not get a good look at him or did he actually not have a face?" Buffy asks.

"I didn't get a good look at him." Wizard says.

"Well, it doesn't really matter anyway because he may not even be here. All we want is the Grimoir." Paige says.

Buffy nods, "Alright, what's the plan?"

"We learn from his mistakes." Piper says.

"Not mistakes. Miscalculations." Wizard says.

Piper shakes her head, "Uh, you didn't have any backup, your illusions didn't buy you enough time and you got caught. I'd call those mistakes. This time we'll go for a bigger distraction and since the bodyguards are already after you, you show up and they're bound to chase after you."

"Thinning out demonic ranks." Paige says.

Buffy nods, "That sounds good."

"Easy for you to say, you're not the distraction." Wizard says.

"Paige'll orb Phoebe and I in and Buffy you'll flame in, Phoebe and I will keep the demons busy, and Buffy, you and Paige will snag the book.

"I'd say it's simple but I doubt it will be. What's the catch?"

Piper nods, "It's like both Book of Shadows, only it protects itself from good. So you'll use this sack, we'll put a spell on it so it can hold the Grimoir..."

"Piper? Buffy?" Phoebe says as she comes in the kitchen. "Demon!"

"Phoebe, no!" Piper says.

Phoebe jumps up to kick the dark priest and the illusion disappears. Phoebe lands on the table. "Hello, confusion."

"I can't work like this." Wizard says.

"Phoebe, this is the wizard, and that was one of his illusions." Piper says.

"An illusion." Phoebe says as the wizard taps his staff and two women appear beside him and start massaging him. "Um, like those?"

Piper nods, "Yeah, don't mind him, he's been at it all day, the pig."

"Not that I'm not happy to see you, Phoebe, but why are we seeing you? Considering what Buffy told you.

"I'm not about to shun my wiccan duties, Paige, no matter what." Phoebe says.

"But what about what Buffy told you?" Paige asks.

"I love Cole, and I trust him even if you guys don't. And we can discuss our problems later, I came here to help you with... Merlin." Phoebe says.

"I trust you Pheebs," Buffy says. "And if you trust, Cole. Then I do too."

"Please, Merlin was an overrated hack. Tell me he's not the only wizard you people have heard of." Wizard says.

"Thanks, Buffy."

"Well, does Harry Potter count?" Paige asks.

Piper sighs, "Alright, enough. You can live your life of instant gratification later, after we're done. Get rid of them."

"You call this a life?" Wizard says as he taps his staff and the women disappear. "This is no life. Illusions are as empty to me as they are to you. They're only a reminder of a reality long since lost. Of a world filled with wizards, of friends, of family. It's all an illusion without family. Help me stop the Source. Help me right this wrong."

Later in the coronation room. Paige orbs in with Piper and Phoebe as Buffy flames in holding the sack. Piper blows up a guard and another jumps on her. Phoebe starts fighting with a guard and the dark priest uses his telekinesis powers on Buffy and Paige, knocking them to the ground.)

"Piper, now!" Phoebe says as Piper blows up the dark priest. Buffy and Paige crawls towards the Grimoir. A guard goes to throw an energy ball at Paige. "Paige, look out!"

Buffy grabs Paige and flames out just as Phoebe points to the guard and fire comes out of her hands, vanquishing the guard.

Phoebe looks at her hand in shock as Buffy flames back in with Paige.

"What was that?" Piper asks.

"I have no idea." Phoebe says.

The wizard runs in. "What are we waiting for?"

"Let me try this, Paige. I want to see if the one time with my Book of Shadows was a fluke." Buffy says and Paige nods, holding open the bag. "Grimoir!" The Grimoir flames into the sack.

"Got it." Paige says. "Looks like it's not a fluke."

"Yeah looks like I got a version of your telekinetic orbing." Buffy says.

"Let's get out of here." Wizard says as Paige orbs out with Piper and Phoebe.

Buffy takes a look around and then flames out.

Back at the Manor as Paige orbs in with Piper and Phoebe.

"We did it! We got it." Wizard says.

Buffy flames in and sits down.

"Yes, and now we are going to destroy it. Paige, go get the Book of Shadows, when need some potions." Piper says.

Paige nods, "Right." She puts the Grimoire on the table and leaves the room.

"Wait, destroy it? We might be able to use it." Wizard says.

"I'm going to call Giles," Buffy says. "See if he knows anything on how to destroy it." She walks over to the phone dialing.

"For what? It's evil." Piper says, before looking at Phoebe. "Do you want to sit down?"

"I think I just want to go home." Phoebe says.

"Well, this is home too." Piper says.

"I don't feel good. It just didn't feel right." Phoebe says.

Piper nods, "Well, that's probably just because it's-it's new and your power is escalating."

"How is it escalating? I levitate, I have premonitions." Phoebe says.

"Well, you had fire power in your past life." Piper says.

"I was evil in my past life, remember?" Phoebe says.

"Well Buffy has a fire power." Piper says. "And premonitions."

"She's also the Slayer. We always thought her fire power came from the Slayer side." Phoebe says. "Not from her witch side."

"Can we get back to the Grimoire!" Wizard says.

"No." Piper says and she freezes him. Phoebe runs away. "Phoebe, wait."

Later Piper has potions lined up on the coffee table. She picks one up and throws it at the Grimoire, which is on the floor. The potion explodes but doesn't harm the Grimoire. "Okay. That was the strongest one I had, I don't know what else to do."

"I'll tell you what to do. Keep it." Wizard says.

Paige shakes her head, "You know, maybe we should go see Phoebe, she didn't look so well."

"Paige, we'll go over there after we destroy this book." Buffy says.

"I think you're being hasty. The Grimoire could bring us great powers." Wizard says.

"Listen, we already have powers, we don't need evil ones too." Piper says as Phoebe walks in through the front door. "Phoebe?"

"I have to talk to you guys." Phoebe says.

"What is it?" Piper says as Phoebe sits on the couch. "You, you stay where I can see you."

"Honey, what is it? What's the matter? Whatever it is, it's gonna be alright." Buffy says.

"No, it won't. I had a premonition, and Paige you were right, Cole is evil." Phoebe says.

"Oh, honey, I didn't wanna be right." Paige says.

"What exactly did you see?" Piper asks.

"Everything. Killing, fireball throwing, working with other demons. Oh, god, Cole is a demon." Phoebe says.

Buffy sighs, "It's okay, Phoebe, just take a breath."

"What's taking so long?" Wizard says.

"Quiet." Piper says.

"I have a baby on the way, and I have this new power. I don't know if I can handle this." Phoebe says.

"It's okay, you're not alone, you have us." Paige says.

Leo orbs in. "Okay, we've got big problems, where's the wizard?"

"Shh, in there. We've got big problems in here. Cole, demon Cole. What were you gonna say about the wizard?" Buffy says.

"Um, can you handle this right now?" Leo asks.

"Do I have a choice?" Phoebe asks.

"What's taking so long?" Wizard asks.

"Shush!" Piper says.

"Uh, well, according to the Elders, some Wizards are evil and if he is, it's not good." Leo says.

"I knew it, then he wants the Grimoire for himself." Piper says.

"That don't make sense." Buffy says. "My spidey-sense never went off on him."

"Probably. There's a spell in there that can consecrate a weapon and make it strong enough to kill the Source." Leo says. "Buffy can you tell every demon is evil?"

"Isn't that a good thing?" Paige asks.

Buffy shakes her head, "Not always, no. Some are able to mask their presence."

"There's your answer. He likely was masking his presence from you." Leo says. "No Paige. If he kills the Source he becomes the Source. And he'll have enough magic to resurrect his people."

"What's taking so long?" Wizard asks.

Piper frowns, "Wait a minute." She storms over to the Wizard. "I can't believe we let that slimy Lord of the Rings wannabe use us."

The illusion wizard and the Grimoire disappear.

"Another illusion?" Paige asks.

Piper nods, "On a loop no less, he was just waiting for an opportunity to take the book."

"We need to get it back fast." Leo says.

"How?" Buffy asks.

"We gotta go back down to the underworld." Piper says.

"We couldn't even find the coronation site without the wizard." Paige says.

"What about a summoning spell?" Phoebe asks.

"We'd need his blood." Piper says.

"Cole. I was just thinking maybe he'd know something, he is a demon after all." Paige says.

"I can't even think about Cole right now let alone talk to him." Phoebe says.

"Maybe we could go with you and watch your back." Paige says.

Buffy shakes her head, "That's an awful lot to ask of her right now."

"I know, but what choice do we have? There's gonna be a coronation tonight unless we stop it." Paige says.

Moments later Buffy, Piper, Phoebe, Paige and Leo are at Phoebe and Cole's apartment.

"Anything?" Leo asks.

"He's not here." Phoebe says.

"Have you tried his office?" Paige asks.

Phoebe shakes her head, "I'm beginning to wonder if he even has an office."

Julie shimmers in. "He does."

"Who are you?" Piper asks.

"I know who she is. Where's Cole?" Phoebe says.

"Safe from you." Julie says.

"Alright, do you wanna punch her or should I?" Buffy asks.

"I should've known all along." Phoebe says.

"You've ruined him. Made him pathetic, weak, good." Julie says.

"And I take it you have a problem with that?" Phoebe asks.

"Yeah, I have a big problem with that." Julie says.

"Uh, Phoebe, what's going on here?" Piper asks.

"You're just a means to an end. A way to sire a magical child. But now you're hurting him and I can't allow that." Julie says.

"Oh no?" Phoebe says.

Julie shakes her head, "No." She throws an energy ball at Phoebe and Phoebe levitates up so the energy ball misses.

"Two can play at that game." Phoebe says. She throws fire at Julie and Julie cartwheels out of the way.

"Okay, now..." Piper says.

"Piper, don't. This is my fight." Phoebe says. "You too, Buffy." She throws fire at Julie, this time getting her.

"Phoebe." Buffy says.

Julie screams and is vanquished.

"Home wrecker." Phoebe says.

"Okay, Phoebe, you're scaring us." Paige says.

"What?" Phoebe asks.

"Phoebe, fire throwing is an upper-level demonic power." Leo says.

"Oh my god. What's happening to me?" Phoebe says as she shimmers out.

Later back at the Manor, Paige is scrying.

"Maybe you should go back down to the underworld." Piper says.

"I already tried, I-I can't sense her anywhere." Leo says.

"Well, she's gotta be somewhere. Doesn't she?" Buffy says.

The crystal points to a place on the map.

"Got her." Paige says.

At Cole's apartment...

"Are you okay?" Phoebe asks.

"What happened? What did you do?" Cole says.

"I vanquished him." Phoebe says.

"Oh, but he was our last chance." Cole says.

"No it wasn't." Phoebe says.

Piper, Paige and Leo orb in, Buffy flames in a few seconds later.

"Oh, thank god we found you." Paige says.

"It's too late." Phoebe says.

"What do you mean?" Buffy asks.

"What are you talking about?" Leo asks.

Phoebe picks up the Grimoire.

"Hey, I thought only evil could touch that book." Paige says.

Phoebe nods, "That's right."

"Phoebe, what's going on?" Piper asks.

"I'm embracing my new destiny." Phoebe says as she and Cole flame out.

"What the hell was that?" Buffy asks.

"That was the Source. And his queen." Seer says.

"You did this, you poisoned her." Piper says.

"Maybe we should just vanquish you." Paige says.

Seer shakes her head, "You can't. Not without the power of three. And even with Buffy you can't make a power of three without Phoebe." She disappears.

"I can't believe this is happening." Paige says.

"Leo, where'd she go?" Buffy asks.

Leo tries to sense her. "I can't sense her. They must be in the underworld."

"Okay, so, orb us down there and we'll drag her home kicking and screaming." Piper says.

"There is no way we can find the coronation site without the wizard." Paige says.

"Piper and I don't care, we can't just leave her there." Buffy says looking at Piper who nods in agreement.

"We don't have a choice, we'll have to find another way." Leo says.


	102. Chapter 102: The Yoko Factor

**Chapter 102: The Yoko Factor**

Buffy is searching, looking for Adam's lair. She comes upon a cave entrance, as she powers up a fireball. As she takes a step forward she hears a twig snap. She whirls, comes face to face with… Forrest.

"Don't shoot." Forrest says.

Buffy hesitates a long moment before extinguishing the fireball. "Give me a reason not to."

"You killing humans, now?" Forrest asks.

"Not yet. Beating you senseless should do just fine." Buffy says.

"I could have a patrol here in under a minute…" Forrest says.

"And I could be gone in less time. Or do you not remember my little show and tell?" Buffy says,

Forrest nods, "Ok let's make this simple then. You go your way, and I'll go mine."

Buffy steps toward the cave. Forrest does too. Both stop to glare at one another. "I'm checking out that cave."

"My orders exactly." Forrest says.

"Alone?" Buffy asks.

"We're spread a little thin right now, so yeah. Family's tearing apart -" Forrest says.

"Family? What kind of family are you guys? The Corleones?" Buffy says as they enter the cave.

"Weren't until you showed up." Forrest says.

"What, no girls in the club?" Buffy asks.

"You think you're the first girlfriend Riley's ever had? There's one big head on that skinny little body - no, you're just the first one ever got him to commit treason. Riley had a career. He had a future 'til he met you and yeah, I got a problem with that." Forrest says.

"A future? A future doing what? Illegal experiments? Torture? Murder? I guess killing someone isn't a problem for you." Buffy says.

"Less and less. Now why don't you get the hell out of here before I –" Forrest says as he grabs her shoulder - pissing her off. She shakes him off, interrupting his threat.

"Touch me again you'll find out what Slayer strength is like." Buffy says. "Or maybe I'll just see how far up your ass I can shove a fireball."

"Think it's about time you showed me, then." Forrest says.

"Yes." They turn to see the cave entrance is blocked - by Adam. "I think that would be interesting."

Adam prepares to skewer Forrest.

Buffy leaps across the cave and grabs Adam's skewering arm just as the blade juts out, throwing off his aim. Buffy and Adam square off. Without looking back, Buffy grabs Forrest by the shirt, bunching it up in her fist and shoves him back hard, toward the entrance of the cave.

"Get out of here." Buffy says.

"Not moving." Forrest says.

Buffy strikes at Adam with all she's got. He doesn't move. He knocks her back. "GO!"

Adam turns to see Forrest aiming the blaster right at him. The sight is interesting to him. Forrest fires - at point blank range. Electric energy courses through Adam's entire frame, rippling blue shock waves around his body, making his whole form violently vibrate. Buffy watches from the ground. Finally it stops - the last ray of energy wriggles into Adam's chest plate - energy absorbed. Adam rights himself.

"Thank you." Adam says.

Buffy runs toward Adam. "I could have told you that would happen. I threw a fireball during out last encounter. He ate it right up."

With one lightning-fast thrust, Adam impales Forrest.

Buffy rushes Adam.

Adam throws the dead body of Forrest onto Buffy.

Buffy hits the ground, momentarily pinned by the dead weight - face to face with dead Forrest.

Adam picks up Forrest's dropped blaster.

Buffy flames out as Adam fires at where she was at. She flames in somewhere in the woods. Flaming has greatly drained her with the head wound she has from her fight with Adam. She passes out.

Later in the evening Buffy regains consciousness. She just lies there a moment, not moving. Then suddenly bolts upright with a gasping intake of air. She gets her bearings. Stands. Instant pain nearly makes her knees buckle beneath her. She grabs a tree trunk for support.

Buffy takes one small, painful step. "Leo!"

Leo orbs in and takes a look at Buffy and grabs a hold of her orbing Buffy back to the Manor. He sets her down on the couch and holds his hands over Buffy and begins to heal her.

"Leo?" Piper asks.

Leo shakes his head, "I don't know. But she's hurt bad."

Buffy's wounds close up and she smiles, "Thanks, Leo."

Leo nods, "How did this happen?"

"Adam." Buffy says. "Piper we need to get everyone together."

Piper nods, "I'll call Paige. Get her back. I doubt Pheebs will answer since she's evil now."

Buffy nods, "I know. I'll get Xander and Giles. Can you call Willow? I'll call Riley."

"Alright. Speaking of Riley. How's he doing. You know recovering, transitioning to civilian life?" Piper asks.

"He's been doing ok. But if what I heard is any indication. Their saying he committed treason." Buffy says.

"That's not good." Piper says.

"By the way my exposure problem." Buffy says and Piper nods. "Adam killed Forrest." She walks over to the phone and dials Xander.

Piper looks at Buffy a moment and then walks into the kitchen dialing Paige.

"Hello?" Xander asks.

"Xander, it's Buffy." Buffy says.

"Hel-lo?" Xander asks.

"Xander?" Buffy asks, confused.

"Ah, just kidding, this is an answering machine. At the tone, leave a message." Xander says as Buffy hears the…

Beep!

"Xander, call me. I think we need to get the gang together." Buffy says.

Buffy, feeling a little humiliated that she fell for Xander's trick, hangs up.

In the kitchen Piper is on the phone to Paige. "Yeah get back here. Leo orbed Buffy home. He had to heal her. She said it was Adam. Okay, thanks. No I don't think I'm going to try Phoebe. I'm not sure she would answer to help us."

In the Foyer Buffy is on the phone again.

"… for Rupert Giles and I'll return your call as soon as possible."

Beep!

"Giles. It's me. Just … call me." Buffy says as she hangs up.

In the kitchen Piper is dialing. She tried Willow's dorm and left a message. Buffy had told her that Willow sometimes stayed with Tara and given her that number for emergencies also.

"Hi. This is Tara. Please leave a message."

Beep!

"Hi, uh, Tara? It's Piper Halliwell, Payson Halliwell's cousin. You might recognize her as Buffy if Willow told you about her. Anyways I'm looking for Willow. If you see her, would you tell her to call? It's pretty important. Thanks." Piper says.

In the Foyer Buffy is on the phone.

"Hello?" Riley says.

"Riley. It's Buffy." Buffy says.

"What is it?" Riley asks.

"I have some bad news. I was out looking for Adam's lair. Ran into Forrest and Adam. Not together though. Forrest and I were checking out the same cave. Adam came up behind us. I tried to get Forrest out there, but…"

"What is it?" Riley asks.

Buffy sighs, "Forrest is dead." Riley is too stunned to speak. "I'm so sorry… There was a fight. Adam killed him. I barely got away."

Riley softly moans.

"I know nothing I say can make things better. But I swear to you, we will find and destroy this thing. Right now you need time. Take what you need, I can…" Buffy says.

"I have to go." Riley says.

"Are you sure? You…" Buffy asks.

The only answer Buffy receives is a dial tone.

Later at Giles' apartment, spread out around the couch by the fireplace, everyone looks tense - sitting clustered in mini-factions: Xander and Anya on a chair, Willow and Tara at the computer, Giles in the kitchen area where he cracks the seal on a new bottle of scotch and pours himself yet another drink.

Buffy looks over Willow's shoulder, scanning the computer screen, which is again filled with unintelligible characters. They are looking at the information on a disc that Spike had acquired for them. Piper and Paige remained at the Manor to work on potions to use against Adam.

"It's all weird and jumbley." Buffy says.

"It's still encrypted." Willow says.

"Willow's been working really hard on it, though." Tara says.

"Okay. So how long before you… uncrypt it?" Buffy asks.

"Hours. Days, maybe. Anyone suggesting months would not be accused of crazy talk." Willow says.

Giles is drunkenly in a mood of false cheer, "Whatever happened to Latin? At least when that made no sense, the church approved."

"I can't just wait around, Will. That disk is no good to me unless you crack it soon-" Buffy says.

Willow obviously fumes at this.

"Hey! We worked hard getting that! Xander delivered clothing." Anya says.

"The church approved." Giles says and he chuckles to himself, retroactively appreciating his joke.

"Sorry everyone, but we're on a clock here. Adam was at that cave. Maybe he was there for a reason. I can go back, scope it out, track him if I have to…" Buffy says.

"Right! And maybe you'll get lucky and he'll still be there and he can rip your arms off for you! Buffy, you can't go back alone." Willow says.

"You never train with me anymore. Adam's gonna kick your ass." Giles says.

Buffy frowns, "Giles?!"

"Sorry! Didn't mean to be so honest. Terribly sorry." Giles says.

"So she doesn't go alone. Giles, weapons all around—" Xander says.

"You're not coming, Xander. You'd get hurt. It'll be easier for me if I'm not worrying about protecting you." Buffy says.

"Oh. Okay. You and Willow go do the superpower thing. I'll stay behind and putter around the batcave," Xander says as he indicates Giles, "with crusty old Alfred here."

Giles, still working at being chipper, pours another drink. "Ahh. I am no Alfred, sir. You forget - Alfred had a job."

"Willow stays behind too. I'll do it alone." Buffy says.

"Great. And then, when you've got your new no arms, we'll all say, gee, it's a good thing we weren't there getting in the way of that!" Willow says.

Tara and Anya make eye contact, uncomfortable. Tara slowly gets up and leaves her spot next to Willow, moving quietly toward the kitchen area.

"Right, and maybe we can help in other ways. Need some fightin' pants, Buff? I could go get you some fightin' pants." Xander says.

"Guys, you're just making this harder." Buffy says.

"Wow. We're already getting in the way. We're good at this, huh, Xander?" Willow says.

"Right. I'm so good at it you might have to ship me off to the army to get me out of the way." Xander says.

Now, unnoticed, Anya leaves Xander's side and also heads toward the kitchen…

"The army?" Buffy asks.

"You didn't know I knew about that, did you? You two talking about me behind my back." Xander says.

"Us talking about you?" Buffy asks.

"Besides - when is there any "us two?" You two are the two who are the two. I'm the other one." Willow says.

"Uh-huh. But maybe that all changes when I'm doing sit-ups at Fort Dix." Xander says.

Giles laughs, "Fort Dix. Heh heh…"

"Are you drunk?" Buffy asks.

"Quite a bit, actually!" Giles says, happily.

Buffy shakes her head. "Well, stop it. This is stupid."

"Stupid. So you finally have the guts to say it to my face…" Xander says.

"I don't think you're stupid, Xander, so stop being an idiot and help me fix things. I need both of you. I need you all the time, just not now. Adam is dangerous—" Buffy says.

"Wait. How do you need me? Really." Willow says.

"I need you a lot. You're great, with, with the computer. Usually." Buffy says.

"Right you are. And I'm great with the pacing and the saying of "hmmmmm" and "ahhhhh," and "Good Lord!"" Giles says.

"And you're coming along with your magic." Buffy says. "You know this is crazy."

"No it's not! It's all finally making perfect sense and I'm not going to miss a moment of it." Giles says as he moves to sit down and misses the chair.

"And if I did join the army I'd be great. You know why? Because maybe they'd give me a job that couldn't be done by any well-trained Border Collie." Xander says.

"That's it. I'm going to bed!" Giles says as he heads for the stairs, unbuttoning his shirt as he goes.

"Sure, you'd be wonderful in the army - you think the umbilical cord between you and Anya would stretch that far?" Willow asks.

"I knew it. I knew you hated her." Xander says.

Giles' shirt sails over the banister and lands on Xander's head.

"Hey, I'm not the one being judgmental, here. I'll leave that territory to you and Buffy." Willow says. "Or excuse me is it Payson now."

"Judgmental? If I was any more open minded about the choices you two make my whole brain would fall out." Buffy says.

"Oh. And superior. Don't forget that. Just because you're better than us doesn't mean you can be all superior." Xander says.

"Guys, stop this. What happened to you today?" Buffy says.

"It's not today. Buffy, everything's been wrong for a while. Don't you see that?" Willow says.

Buffy sighs, "Willow, what do you mean things have been wrong? Things don't have to be wrong, do they?"

"Buffy, things haven't been right since Tara. We have to face it. You can't handle Tara being my girlfriend." Willow says.

"No, it was bad before that. Since you two went off to college and forgot about me, just left me in the basement to –Tara's your girlfriend?" Xander says.

"Bloody hell!" Giles says from upstairs.

Buffy has had it. "Enough. All I know is that you want to help, right? Be part of the team?"

"I don't know anymore—" Willow says.

"Clearly not wanted—" Xander says.

"No. You said you wanted to go. So let's go. All of us. We'll walk into that cave with you two attacking me and the funny drunk drooling on my shoes. Maybe that's the secret way to kill Adam." Buffy says.

"Buffy—" Xander says.

"Is that it? Is that how you can help? You're not answering. Go on. How can you possibly help?" Buffy asks. They all freeze, stunned by what Buffy just said. "So… So I guess I'm on my own. And you know what? I'm starting to get why there's no ancient prophesy about a Chosen One and Friends. If I need help, I'll go to someone I can count on." Buffy says as she flames out.


	103. Chapter 103: Primeval

**Chapter 103: Primeval**

Buffy sits on the edge of her bed, looking alone and worried. She is holding a framed photo of her, Willow and Xander, arms around each other, grinning. She stares at it and doesn't notice Piper coming in until she sits down next to her.

"You want to tell me what happened?" Piper asks.

"You remember that demon that got you, me, Prue, and Phoebe so mad that it split the triquetra and stripped out powers?" Buffy asks as Piper nods. "That's basically what happened last night at Giles' except no demon. I don't understand Piper, how to make it all better."

"You start by going and apologizing, Buffy. I don't know what the argument was about. But I know Willow, Xander and even Giles are your friends. They have stuck beside you for four years. Friends like that come along once in a lifetime. Go talk to them." Piper says.

Buffy sighs, "I need some time to think, thanks Piper."

Piper nods as she heads out of the room.

Buffy sighs and then flames out and into the cave she and Forrest met Adam in. She walks through the cave looking around wondering what Adam was doing here. She comes to a widening in the cave. This could be it. She takes a deep breath powering up a fireball and walks into what is obviously Adam's lair. Luckily Adam is not there. Her eyes quickly scan the space, landing on a bank of computers that are dark and abandoned.

Buffy makes her way out of the cave at an urgent pace. She comes to a point where it branches off in a few directions. Suddenly sensing something, she stops, whips around throwing a fireball at Spike, who dives out of the way.

"Easy, Sheriff. Watch where you point that thing." Spike says.

"What are you doing here?" Buffy asks.

"Looking for a little weekend getaway place. Shove off." Spike says.

"Adam's been using these caves. I found his lair." Buffy says.

Spike stops, reacting with feigned shock. "What? Cripes, that's all I need - running into that goon. I ducked in here last night. Soldier boys were out in force. Lots of activity."

"And Adam's cleared out of here. Whatever he's planning, it's about to go down." Buffy says.

Spike nods, "Look at little Nancy Drew… What about those disks I nabbed? They oughta tell you something."

"The disks? Oh, I - Willow has them." Buffy says.

"Well, I'd get on that. Can't ignore valuable information just 'cause you two birds fell out, can you?" Spike asks.

"Right…" Buffy says.

Spike starts off down one of the cave branches. Buffy eyes him as he goes. "'Course, you do what you want. No worry of mine, now is it?"

Buffy pulls out her cell phone and dials.

"Hello?" Tara asks.

"Is Will there?" Buffy asks.

"Um, yeah, she's right - I mean let me check." Tara says.

"Yeah Buffy?" Willow says.

Later on campus Buffy, Xander, Willow and Giles all warily approach each other from four separate directions.

"Where's Anya?" Buffy asks.

"Oddly, Anya opted not to join us despite all the fun we had at our last meeting." Xander says.

"And I don't think Tara felt welcome." Willow says.

"Why? Because of the things we said?" Buffy asks as Willow nods. "Will - who told you we were talking behind your back. Specifically?"

"I - well –" Willow says. "Spike - specifically. But –"

"And who told you we thought you'd be better off joining the army?" Buffy asks Xander.

"That's not… exactly what he said." Xander says.

Buffy looks to a blustering Giles.

"You know, Spike can be quite convincing when he - I'm very stupid." Giles says.

"He played us. He wanted us to fight. To split us up." Buffy says. "That's where it all came from. The stuff we said last night."

"Of course. Piffle. Let's move on." Giles says.

"I'm moving." Xander says.

"Me too." Willow says.

Buffy sighs, "Good. Great."

But there is no joy in their reconciliation. It's clear from the uneasy silence that there's still a lot of hurt between them.

"So - why do you think Spike made with the head games?" Willow asks.

"He's all dressed up with no one to bite? He's got to get his yaya's somehow." Xander says.

"I think it's more than that. I think it's Adam." Buffy says.

"Spike is working for Adam?! After all we've done for –" Xander says. "No good. I can't even act surprised."

"I went to Adam's lair just now. Adam was gone and Spike "just happened" to be there. He made a big noise about how I should check out the information on those encrypted disks –" Buffy says.

"Oh! Hey - I decrypted them!" Willow says. "Well. They decrypted themselves but I almost had it."

"Decrypted themselves? Kinda defeats the purpose, yah?" Xander asks.

"What did they say?" Giles asks.

"A bunch of stuff we already knew about 314 - but it also said there's some "final phase" where Adam manufactures a bunch of creepy cyber-demonoids just like him. There's a special lab down in the Initiative, but it didn't say where it was." Willow says.

Buffy nods, "Adam fed Spike the disks. It has to be. He wants me to know all about his evil guy assembly line. And this lab is in the Initiative?"

Willow nods, "Hidden somewhere."

"Give this demon his due. He thought this one out." Buffy says.

"What do you mean?" Willow asks.

"You know how the Initiative has been so overcrowded? Those demons were too easy to catch. It's like they wanted in that place –" Buffy says.

"The Trojan horse." Giles says.

"The demons are going to attack the Initiative from inside." Buffy says.

"Demons versus soldiers… Massacre massacre…" Xander says.

"…and Adam gets neat piles of parts to start building his army. Diabolical yet gross." Willow says.

They all take this in a moment.

"Does anybody else miss the Mayor? "I just want to be a big snake."" Xander says.

"I gotta shut him down, Giles. The final phase is about to start." Buffy says.

"We need to warn the Initiative –" Giles says.

"They won't listen to me." Buffy says.

"Riley?" Willow asks.

Buffy shakes her head, "They consider him a deserter. Anyway he… he got some bad news, kinda took off. Which is fine with me."

Xander raises his hand, "Okay, I'm confused again. Adam has this evil plan, why's he so anxious for you to know about it?"

"Oh, he wants me down there. Probably figures I'll even out the kill ratio." Buffy says.

"He's not worried you might kill, oh, say, him?" Xander asks.

Buffy shakes her head, "He's really not."

Later back at Giles apartment Piper, Paige, Giles, Willow, Xander and Buffy look over an array of weapons and spell materials, which are laid out on the coffee table, couch and floor…

"We have no lack of supplies - I only wish I knew which ones would kill Adam." Giles says.

"According to Riley, Adam's power source comes from a uranium core embedded somewhere inside his chest. Probably near the spine." Buffy says.

"Great. So we just ask him to lie down quietly while we do some exploratory surgery." Xander says.

"What about magic? Some kind of… I don't know, uranium extracting spell." Willow says as Piper shakes her head. "I know. I'm reaching."

"Perhaps a paralyzing spell. But I'm afraid I can't do the incantation for one of those –" Giles says.

"Right. Don't you have to speak it in Sumerian or something?" Willow asks.

"Why can't these spells be translated into English." Buffy says.

Giles sighs, "I do speak Sumerian. The difficulty is, only an experienced witch can incant it - and you have to be within striking distance of the subject."

Piper nods, "Problem is you have several experienced witches but not one of us speaks Sumerian."

"See what you get for taking Spanish instead of Sumerian?" Xander asks.

"What was I thinking?" Buffy asks.

"So - no problem. All we need is a combo Buffy with her witch power and slayer strength and Giles' multi-lingual know-how." Xander says as Giles shoots him a glance. "Yeah, don't tell me, I'm just full of helpful suggestions."

"As a matter of fact, Xander, you are." Giles says. The others now look at Giles. "The spell requires actually three people not including Buffy, who would be the fourth."

Buffy nods, "So who does the spell?"

Giles nods, "Well I should be one."

Willow nods, "I think Paige or I should be another. No offense Piper but your power will be useful defending us from demons."

"That was my thinking also, Willow." Piper says. "I think it should be Paige. Willow your power too would be useful in defending against the demons."

Willow nods, "Okay."

"I guess that leaves me for number three." Xander says.

"Alright were ready to go. Get what you need and I'll flame in with Willow, Giles and Xander. Paige you orb behind us with Piper. We'll go straight into the elevator." Buffy says. "While I doubt many people will notice us flaming in. I still want to minimize the risk of exposure."

Later in the elevator Buffy flames in with Giles, Willow and Xander. A second later Paige orbs in with Piper.

"Nervous?" Willow asks.

"No way. I'm full of that good old Kamikaze spirit." Xander says.

"Xander. Just because this can never work is no reason to be negative." Giles says.

"Game faces, guys. We're going in." Buffy says. "Before we go in I just want to say I'm sorry. I hate that things have been so strained between all of us."

"It's not your fault. Spike stirred up trouble." Willow says.

"But - I think trouble was stir up-able. I think we've all sort of drifted apart this year…" Buffy says. "Don't you?"

"Maybe a little. But, you know, first year of college. Hard to keep the high school gang together." Willow says.

"But I want it together. I miss you, and Xander - and Giles." Buffy says. "And it is my fault. I've been a bad friend. I got so caught up in my own stuff."

Willow shakes her head, "You're the Slayer and a Charmed One, Buffy. Your stuff is pretty crucial."

"I mean Riley. And - Riley, mostly." Buffy says.

"I wasn't exactly Ms. Available either. I kept secrets. I hid things from everyone." Willow says.

"That's not your fault. I mean, you were going through something huge –" Buffy says.

Willow nods, "I wanted to tell you. But I was so scared…"

"You can tell me anything, Willow. I love you. You're my best friend." Buffy says.

"Me too. I love you too." Willow says.

Through all this Giles, Xander, Piper and Paige have been listening and smiling.

Buffy looks at everyone, "Let's promise to never not talk again –"

"I promise. I promise…" Willow says.

"As do I, Buff." Xander says.

"And I." Giles says.

"Shall we do this?" Piper asks as she raises her hands using her exploding power on the elevator doors.

The doors are forced opened with Piper's exploding power and Xander and Giles wrench them open the rest of the way.

"Okay. If we stick together, we'll be fine. Everybody ready?" Buffy says as everyone nods. "Good. Let's –" A dozen armed commandos face them, their rifles pointed at them. "…do this."

Moments later in the Command center Piper, Paige, Buffy, Willow, Giles and Xander stand before Colonel McNamara who's looking the things through Giles' leather bag. They're surrounded by the armed soldiers.

"Colonel –" Buffy says.

"Shut up. Got some nerve, lady." Colonel McNamara says.

"You've got to listen –" Buffy says.

"You think you and your friends can just keep waltzing into a government installation, brandishing weapons like, like-" He removes and old fossilized gourd with numerous symbols and etchings inscribed upon it. He squints at it.

"It's a gourd." Willow says.

"Magic gourd." Giles says, sheepishly.

Colonel McNamara eyes them all. "What kind of freaks are you people?"

"Adam is here, Colonel. In the Initiative." Buffy says.

Colonel McNamara hesitates. "Nice try."

"Those overcrowded containment cells of yours? Compliments of Adam. He's pulling a Trojan Horse on you, Colonel. Waiting for his moment –" Buffy says.

"Every inch of this installation is under constant, twenty-four hour surveillance." Colonel McNamara says.

"Including the secret lab?" Willow asks.

"Including everything!" Colonel McNamara says. "What secret lab?"

"The one Adam's using. The one built for the final stage in the 314 project." Buffy says. "And you have no idea what I'm talking about, do you?"

"I know everything that goes on around here. A tick on a mouse couldn't get in without my knowing it. And if Adam wants to try, we're ready for him." Colonel McNamara says.

Piper shakes her head, "Exactly how do you plan to get close enough to Adam to remove his power source?"

Colonel McNamara looks at her for a beat before answering. "Hit him simultaneously with multiple taser blasters. Incapacitate him with as much voltage as we can muster."

"Great plan. Right up there with "duck and cover"." Xander says.

"I've seen Adam hit with a taser blast, Colonel. He feeds on it. And now you want to provide him with an all-you-can-eat buffet." Buffy says.

"You telling me my business?" Colonel McNamara says.

Buffy takes a step forward, laying into him. "This isn't your business. It's mine. You, the Initiative, the boys at the Pentagon… You're in way over your heads. Messing with primeval forces you've got no comprehension of."

"And you do." Colonel McNamara says.

"I'm the Slayer and a Charmed One. You're playing on my turf." Buffy says.

Piper looks at Buffy and shakes her head.

"Maybe up there. Down here I'm the one in control." Colonel McNamara says.

With that - FOOM! The lights go out. Darkness. Replaced immediately with blue-gelled emergency lights, revolving red lights above the doorways.

"Sir, the power grid's down. Backup's not responding. We're locked in." Dixon says. Buffy and her friends exchange a look. "Colonel. Containment Area's been breached. Hostiles are loose."

"How many?" Colonel McNamara says.

Dixon looks up at him, ashen-faced. "All of them, sir."

Colonel McNamara swallows hard.

Buffy crosses to him. "It's Adam." Colonel McNamara looks at Buffy, shaken. "I'm the only one who can stop him now and you know it. Let me handle Adam. You just get your people out of here."

Nervous soldiers eye their commanding officer expectantly as do Buffy and her friends.

"Sir. Awaiting orders." Dixon says. "Sir?"

Colonel McNamara snaps out of it and addresses the commandos. "You men… follow me. We have to take the armory. Now!"

"Colonel –" Buffy says.

"These people are under arrest. Do you understand?" Colonel McNamara says.

The guards nod as he exits, followed by a group of commandos. The doors shut. Dixon and Stavros watch them go. And the second they turn back…

CRACK-CRACK! Buffy clocks Dixon with a right cross, and in the same follow-through motion, kicks Stavros in the head. They're both out cold before they hit the ground.

"We've got to find Adam." Buffy says.

"On it." Willow says as she moves quickly to a terminal and starts typing.

"Buffy, in order to perform the enjoining ritual we're going to need a place that's close to you and quiet." Giles says.

"Uh, checking the monitors, I'd say world war three just broke out. A quiet little corner won't be easy." Xander says.

"First things first…" Buffy says as she looks over Willow's shoulder as Willow works.

Xander peers out the window on the door, keeping watch. Muffled explosions, getting louder, come from outside. "Anybody else getting that warm, sitting duck feeling?"

"How we doing, Will?" Buffy asks.

"Hold on, hold on, look at this. According to this, there's air ducts and electrical conduits all running into…" Willow says as she points at the monitor, "… there."

"So?" Buffy asks.

"So, there's no there, there. Look." Willow says.

Willow points out a blank area of the screen, next to the schematic.

Piper, Buffy and Giles look over Willow's shoulder.

"It's Adam." Buffy says.

"Are you sure?" Piper asks.

"Right behind room 314." Buffy says.

"What?! Are you telling me a top secret government operation has rooms they're not telling us about? If we survive, I'm writing my Congressman." Xander says.

"Is it unlocked or does Paige and I need to get you guys in?" Buffy asks.

"It's unlocked… Every lock in the Initiative's been disengaged." Willow says as she looks up. "Except the exits."

"Demon open house." Xander says.

"Great. So we know we're going to 314. Now all we have to do is get there." Buffy says. "Question is which would be better trying to cross from here to 314 or just flaming and orbing there."

Piper shakes her head, "We might want to walk, Buffy. You need to save as much of your magic and strength for Adam."

"You're right, walking it is." Buffy says as she walks out the door.

Xander grabs a fallen blaster as he, Piper, Paige, Giles and Willow follow Buffy out.

They move low and fast through the war zone that used to be the Pit.

A demon rears up before them. Buffy swiftly gives it a hard kick to the kneecap, cracking it. The demon goes down, cradling its injury. Buffy slams it in the face and it's out. They continue.

A hairy demon comes running at them, Xander blasts it, not even stopping. It falls to the ground, writhing in charged agony.

Further on, a round of machine gun fire is fired at them. Buffy tackles Willow, the others also hitting the deck.

"Come on!" Buffy says as she leads them to the entrance to the Restricted Area, just six feet away. She yanks the door open and hustles the others inside.

Moments later they burst into the lab. Close the door behind them. Buffy checks around. She studies the area of wall, she runs her fingers across it. "It's here."

Willow joins her. "How do we open it?"

Buffy finds the seam in the wall and pulls the doors open, flooding the room with light. She peers into the connecting corridor to the secret lab, then turns back to the others. "Once I'm in - barricade it. Giles - this place okay to be Magic Central?"

"It … should do." Giles says as he peers out the 314 door."

"Long as we don't get all blowed up or nothin'." Willow says.

"And what are the odds of that?" Xander asks.

"How long before the ritual kicks in?" Buffy asks.

"Five minutes, give or take." Giles says.

"I'll move fast, then." Buffy says as she looks at Willow and Piper. "I'm counting on you two to protect them when they cast the spell."

Piper and Willow nods as Buffy crosses to the door.

"Buffy, I still don't like you going in alone." Xander says.

Buffy stops and looks at him. "I won't be." She gives a small, enigmatic smile then enters the corridor. Closes the heavy doors behind her. Giles and Xander work together to shove a laboratory table over to the doors, barricading them.

Explosions and the sounds of carnage grow louder outside as Paige kneels to the floor, unzips Giles' bag and removes various ritual supplies. She starts spreading them out around the floor…

Buffy enters the secret lab from the corridor, and immediately freezes when she sees Riley, across the room, sitting. "Riley?" Riley slowly looks up at her. She runs to him. Then realizes… something's wrong. "Are you hurt? Say something."

Riley struggles for a beat, trying to form words. But he can't. He then looks past Buffy, his eyes registering alarm. Buffy spins around, ready to trade blows, and comes face to face with Professor Walsh and Dr. Angleman who are now zombies.

Buffy stares at them in terrified revulsion. After a shocked beat - she turns to Riley, fear and suspicion crossing her features. "Riley? What is this? Why won't you talk to me?"

"He can't." Adam says.

Buffy turns to see Adam, standing in the doorway. Advancing on her, slowly. He has all the time in the world.

"He's not programmed to. He's part of the final phase now, as you were supposed to be –" Adam says.

"Me?" Buffy asks.

"You should be fighting the demons. Evening the kill ratio." Adam says.

"Sorry - Maybe it's the Slayer or the witch in me, but I don't jump through hoops on command. I've never been one to toe the line." Buffy says.

Adam considers this. "Oh. Kill her."

Before Buffy can react, Forrest shoots out a hand and grabs her from behind.

"I thought you'd never ask." Forrest says.

Buffy shakes her head, "Do you remember my show and tell?" She flames out.

She flames in behind Professor Walsh who has a bone saw. She kicks her, sending her flying against a wall. The concussion causes a glass beaker on a wall shelf unit to fall and shatter on the surgical table next to Riley.

In 314 Willow and Piper stand watching the door as Paige, Xander and Giles sit cross-legged on the floor, in a triangular configuration, mid-ritual. Both doors now barricaded. The petrified rune gourd between them, surrounded by four burning candles. On the floor, to Paige's right, is a deck of tarot cards and she refers to a thick, decrepit book in her lap.

"By the generous will of the Ancients, the almighty power of the Divine Spirits… Your supplicants humbly beseech thee to behold us, and that which we possess… the moieties of the One, the Avatar…" Paige says.

In the secret lab Buffy turns and engages Forrest, though his considerable strength puts Buffy more on the defensive as he drives her back.

Riley, who, fueled by his concern for Buffy, forces out a single word, "B-Buffy!"

Forrest taunts Riley by slamming Buffy with a brutal punch. "Shut up and watch me kill your girlfriend, Finn. That's an order."

Riley as, through sheer will and sweaty concentration, he creeps his hand along the table, over to the largest piece of broken glass.

In 314 Paige turns over a tarot card and lays it down before her. "Spiritus… The Spirit…" She turns another card and lays it before Xander. "Animus… Heart…" She turns over another and lays it down before Giles. "Sophus… Mind…" She lays a final card down in the center, at the base of the gourd. "And Manus. The Hand."

Giles, Paige and Xander close their eyes as Paige continues, "We enjoin that we may inhabit the vessel - the hand - daughter of Sineya, First of the Ones."

Orange light begins to spill out of cracks in the gourd, dimly at first, gaining in intensity.

In the secret lab Forrest grabs Buffy, lifts her high in the air. Instinctively, she grasps at an overhead wire, which gives way, sparking.

Riley grimaces as his fingers try to grip something inside his open wound. Then, with a grunt and mighty effort, he yanks his hand up in front of his face. Held between his thumb and forefinger is a dark gray circuitry chip, attached to a piece of metal and dripping with blood. He turns his attention over to Forrest and Buffy.

Buffy flames out just as Forrest tries to slam her down onto a surgical table. She flames in and kicks Forrest as Walsh and Angleman come at Riley.

Riley yanks the tubes out of their chests. Both zombies fall to the ground in writhing heaps. Then Riley slugs Forrest, who barely registers it.

"Look who's come off the bench." Forrest says.

Forrest is about to strike back at Riley, forgetting about Buffy for the moment. She takes the opportunity to give Forrest a hard kick to the kidneys and pull Riley to the side.

"I need to get to Adam. Like now. Are you able -?" Buffy asks.

"Go." Riley says.

Buffy nods and exits into the monitoring room. As Forrest recovers, Riley readies himself to take him on.

In the monitoring room Adam is at the monitors, watching the carnage on the floor. "Mother always knew you were going to prove to be a threat to her work." He turns around.

"Yeah, well, Professor Walsh was no dummy. A little light on the sanity, yeah –" Buffy says.

Adam attacks as his skewering arm juts out and he attempts to impale her. Anticipating it, Buffy manages to grab and break off the skewer.

"Broke your arm." Buffy says.

"Got another." Adam says. And with that, his other arm transforms - in an Iron Giant-like fashion - into a machine gun/rocket launcher combo. "I've been upgrading."

Buffy takes off across the room as Adam fires the machine gun at her, strafing the wall. She dives behind a console.

Adam aims his "arm" at the console. A rocket rotates into position.

In 314 Piper and Willow half watch the door and half watch Paige, Giles and Xander who are bathed in the orange light emanating from the gourd. They're breathing heavily, faces drenched in sweat.

"We implore thee: Admit us, bring us to the vessel! Take us now!" Paige says as their heads simultaneously snap upward, as if staring at the ceiling.

In the secret lab Buffy is crouched behind the console, desperately thinking of her next move.

Adam fires a rocket at the console. KA-BOOM! He squints into it and sees, Buffy standing up.

But at the same time this is not Buffy, she is now something much more. An Uber-Buffy, exuding enormous power, charged with energy. Her eyes glow a fiery, incandescent orange.

"You can't last much longer." Adam says.

"We can. We are forever." Uber-Buffy says, her voice taking on an eerie quality – sounding kind of like the Borg on Star Trek when they speak, multiple voices at once.

Slowly at first, then more forcefully, Uber-Buffy begins speaking in tongues. Or, more specifically, to incant in Ancient Sumerian, "sha me-en-dan. Gesh-toog me-en-dan. Zee me-en-den. Oo-khush-ta me-ool-lee-a ba-ab-tum-mu-do-en."

Adam is more fascinated than concerned. "Interesting." He fires his machine gun at Buffy.

"Im-a sheng-ab." Uber-Buffy says.

The bullets dissolve into tiny white clouds a few feet from Uber-Buffy as if her aura was made of acid.

Adam is now more concerned than fascinated. "Very … interesting." He launches a rocket at Uber-Buffy.

"Kur." Uber-Buffy says.

The rocket morphs into 3 birds that fly up and off.

Adam raises his arm to fire again, Buffy gives a small wave. His arm weapon morphs back into his demon arm. He is becoming enraged, swings at Buffy. She dodges it, and then starts trading blows with him. This time, as opposed to the past, Adam is on the ropes. She's faster, stronger…

"How… can you…?" Adam asks.

"You could never hope to grasp the source of our power." Uber-Buffy says.

In a last ditch effort to regain control of the battle, Adam rears up, and Uber-Buffy puts her fist through his chest… Adam tries to beat her off, but can't.

After a moment, Uber-Buffy pulls her fist out. "But yours is right here." She opens her hand - inside is a uranium core in its lead casing.

Riley enters in time to see Adam drop dead. "Buffy?"

Uber-Buffy doesn't answer. She holds out the uranium core and opens her hand. The core begins to levitate, rising higher, then hovering. She focuses her brilliant orange eyes at it.

The core suddenly becomes immersed in blue flame and vanishes.

Riley moves to Uber-Buffy, though she doesn't seem to notice him at first as she's lost in some rapture. He touches her face, she looks at him. She moves to kiss him when suddenly she throws her head back and collapses into him.

In room 314 Paige, Giles and Xander's heads snap down to their chests. Their eyes flutter open, as if waking from a dream. They appear as exhausted as they are exhilarated by the experience. They share a spent look.

"Wow… That - that was…" Paige says.

WHAM! The outside door to 314 comes crashing in, the table barricade falls away. And standing in the doorway is the Hairy demon. Piper raises her hands and the Hairy demon explodes.

Suddenly there is pounding on the door to the secret lab, they brace themselves. The door's kicked in by Buffy, who enters with Riley. Piper, Paige, Giles, Xander and Willow react with surprise and relief upon seeing them. And they crowd around them.

"Buffy!" Piper and Giles says.

"Wasn't it amazing?" Paige asks.

"You were great." Xander says.

Buffy shakes her head, "We were great."

"We still got men out there." Riley says.

Buffy all business, starts heading for the door, giving orders to the others as they fold in behind. "You guys get to the exits, get 'em open somehow. Riley, try and organize the soldiers, pull 'em back. I'll take point."

"You up to this?" Willow asks.

"I seriously am." Buffy says.

As she says it a demon appears in the doorway. She powers up a fireball and sends it flying to the demon vanquishing it.

Buffy and Piper battle the demons and vampires, using a combination of powers and weapons.

Riley barks orders to Graham, who hesitates at first, eyeing Riley. Then, after a beat, Graham nods and forwards the orders to the other grunts.

Paige, Xander, Giles and Willow, help with the commando evacuation, guiding the commandos to the elevator and safety.


	104. Chapter 104: Long Live the Queen

**Chapter 104: Long Live the Queen**

In the attic Piper is making potions while Buffy and Paige looks through the Book of Shadows.

"Damn it, I have read through this fifteen times, there is nothing even remotely helpful about how to save Phoebe." Paige says.

"Ditto." Buffy says closing her own Book.

"I told you, she made a choice. There's no magical cure for that." Piper says.

"Yeah, well, she's pregnant, Piper, so she's being influenced by the baby inside." Paige says.

"And we could've helped her overcome that but she chose Cole." Piper says.

Buffy sighs, "As much as I hate to say it, Piper has a point."

Paige nods, "Will you just stop with the potions already? You've already over run the kitchen, I'd say we have enough."

"This one duplicates my freezing power plus it scalds the flesh, so we should only use it in a dire emergency." Piper says.

"No! I will not scald Phoebe's flesh, she's still our sister." Buffy says.

Leo orbs in. "Buffy. Paige." They walk over to him. "How is she?"

"She's like Piper light. All the personality without any of those messy emotions." Paige says.

"Rumor on the demonic grape vine is the new queen is killing upper level demons. Word is she killed two just last night." Leo says.

"What does that mean?" Buffy asks.

"It means it looks like Phoebe's working from the inside for the good guys." Leo says.

"That's great." Paige says.

Buffy shakes her head, "I think there is more to this than we know."

"Since when do you guys believe rumors that are spread by demons?" Piper asks.

Later in the dining room Piper is showing them the potions. "These are meant to slow an attacker down but not do real serious harm, it's kind of like magical mace."

"Sounds reasonable I guess." Paige says.

"These are a little more lethal - explosives, paralytics, your garden variety of poisons." Piper says.

"So you're gonna poison Phoebe?" Buffy asks.

"Buffy, she's carrying the spawn of the Source, she's throwing fire from her hands. If she shows up here, we'll do what we have to do to protect ourselves." Piper says.

"You're not even giving her a chance." Paige says.

"Paige, we gave her every chance in the world to come back to us and she threw it in our faces. She chose the Source of all evil over her own family." Piper says.

Phoebe flames in. "Surprise!" Piper quickly grabs a potion and throws it towards Phoebe. Phoebe throws fire at the potion, disintegrating it. "Nice to see you too, Piper."

"What do you want?" Buffy asks.

"Oh, and here I thought you'd be happy to see me." Phoebe says.

Buffy sighs, "I am happy to see you. But since you haven't answered our calls or helped us when we defeated Adam. And since you chose Cole over us. It still begs the question of what do you want."

Piper nods, "Unless you're here to tell us you filed for a divorce, we don't really have much to talk about."

"Oh that's not true. For instance we could talk about how rigid you are. It's really not a very attractive quality." Phoebe says.

Piper picks up another potion.

"Wait. Phoebe, what are you doing here?" Leo says.

"I had a premonition. We have an innocent to save and not a lot of time." Phoebe says.

"That is so great. Look, I told you." Paige says.

"Don't get excited, it's not what you think. I haven't changed my mind, I'm not leaving Cole and I'm not renouncing my crown. It's just I've never ignored a premonition in my life and I'm not about to start now." Phoebe says.

"Uh, Phoebe, you're evil. You're like the queen of all evil, literally." Piper says.

"That's beside the point." Phoebe says.

Buffy shakes her head, "No Pheebs, that is the point. You really can't have it both ways."

"I say we do it." Paige says.

"What?" Buffy and Piper asks.

"Excuse us." Paige says as she pulls Piper and Leo aside. Buffy moves over to them. "Look, this is what we've been hoping for. A sign that there's still good in her. Why else would she care about saving the innocent?"

"As much as I hate to say it, because it's a trap." Buffy says.

"Buffy, Piper, this could be our only chance." Paige says.

"I think Paige is right. By helping her do good, it might sway her back to our side." Leo says.

Piper sighs, "Fine."

Buffy nods, "Okay."

"Okay, you're on, we'll follow you." Paige says.

Piper grabs some potions.

"What's that for?" Phoebe asks.

"Insurance." Piper says.

Piper, Paige and Leo orb in to an alley as Buffy and Phoebe flames in.

"Argh, why do I always have to land in the mud?" Paige says.

"Come on, over here." Phoebe says as they stand behind some wooden crates.

"How do you know when he's gonna get attacked?" Leo asks.

"I know." Phoebe says as Gregory walks around the corner. "There he is."

Malick shimmers in behind him. Piper freezes Gregory. Malick looks around.

"Hey." Piper says as she goes to blow him up and Phoebe knocks into her. She blows up a bike nearby.

"No, Piper." Phoebe says as Buffy powers up a fireball. She grabs Buffy's wrist causing Buffy to throw the fireball wide. "No, Buffy."

"What are you doing?" Piper asks.

An energy ball appears in Malick's hand.

"Stop." Phoebe says as she walks towards Malick.

Malick kneels down. "My queen."

"Leave that innocent alone. Go." Phoebe says as Malick shimmers out. Piper, Buffy, Paige and Leo stare at her. "What? One of my subjects."

"How-how-how could you do that? How could you just let him go?" Piper asks.

"I don't know why you're so upset, we saved the innocent didn't we?" Phoebe says.

Piper shakes her head, "I can't talk to her, you talk to her."

"Phoebe..." Leo says.

"Things are not as black and white as they used to be. Okay, I can't just go around killing demons anymore." Phoebe says.

"Why not? We heard you just killed two last night." Paige says.

Phoebe nods, "Yeah, well, that was different, he was getting on my nerves. I promised Cole I wouldn't kill anymore. And killing Malick would've been a huge betrayal."

"Malick? You're on a first name basis with the demons?" Buffy asks.

"If you were just gonna order him to stop you could've done that on your own. Why did you even come to us?" Leo says.

"Because I missed you guys! Okay, is that so wrong? I missed you." Phoebe says.

Leo shakes his head, "Phoebe, you can't be the queen of the underworld and a Charmed One. You can't have it both ways."

"That's exactly what I said back at the Manor." Buffy says.

"Why not? Just because it's different doesn't mean that it can't work. And you all miss me too even though I'm sure Piper probably doesn't want to admit it to herself." Phoebe says.

"Of course we miss you, honey." Paige says.

"Well, you can have me back. You can have the power of three back. You just have to be willing to meet me half way." Phoebe says.

"Phoebe, you can't protect the innocent and save demons, it just doesn't work that way." Piper says.

"Apparently it does. He's alive isn't he?" Phoebe says.

Buffy shakes her head, "Yeah, but your friend Malick is gonna come back."

"You don't know that." Phoebe says.

"That's what they do, Phoebe, they come back. They snarl and come back." Piper says.

Paige nods, "Yeah, and now we have to worry about protecting him instead of trying to save you."

"You think I need saving?" Phoebe says.

"Are you kidding me? That baby inside you has corrupted you more than you think." Buffy says.

"Buffy." Phoebe says.

Buffy shakes her head, "Don't Buffy me. This is insane, what you are saying is insane. You cannot come back, you cannot work with us as long as you are married to the Source."

"So what do you want me to do? Do you want me to leave my husband?" Phoebe asks.

Piper nods, "Yes."

"That is not fair!" Phoebe says.

"It's not fair, Phoebe, but you have to pick a side, good or evil. That's how it works. Even though it means giving up someone you love, you have to choose." Leo says.

"I'm really sorry you feel that way." Phoebe says and she flames out.

"I can't do this." Piper says and she starts to walk away.

"What about Greg?" Paige asks.

Piper unfreezes him.

Greg goes over to where his bike was chained. "Oh, no, not again." He sees Buffy, Paige and Leo. "Did you guys see anyone take off on a chromium orange bicycle?"

Buffy shakes her head, "No, sorry."

"Why did I bother locking it?" Greg says and he walks away.

"Uh, what should we do?" Paige asks.

"We'll follow him." Buffy says.

Later at a AA meeting. Buffy, Paige and Leo are standing at the back of the room.

"The only requirement for membership is the desire to stop drinking. There are no dues or fees for membership, we are self-supporting for our own contribution. We do not wish to engage in any controversy..."

"So do you really think Piper's okay?" Leo asks.

Paige shakes her head, "I don't know but I think it's good that she's feeling something again."

Buffy sighs, "No Leo I don't. Out of the three of us, she's known Phoebe the longest since childhood. For Phoebe to do what she's done. To Piper it's like Prue dying all over again. We've lost another sister, Leo."

Leo nods, "Your right Buffy."

Paige nods, "Go talk to her, okay, remind her that we have a demon to fight. Maybe that'll do her some good and take her mind off Phoebe."

"Right, right. What about you two?" Leo asks.

"We're, I'm fine. Listen, I don't think Malick's gonna attack in front of all these people, so just go get Piper and bring her back before the meeting's over, okay?" Buffy says.

Leo nods, "Okay, yeah." He turns and leaves.

30 minutes later everyone is leaving.

"Tray, congratulations on your thirty days." Greg says as he heads for the door.

"Leo." Paige and Buffy whispers as they follow him outside.

Greg stops when he sees Paige and Buffy following him. "You two again. Are you two following me?"

"Yes, strangely we are and we would love to explain it to you but it would be so much better if we could go talk inside by the crowd." Paige says.

A demon appears in the alley and throws and electric bolt towards Greg. Paige knocks Greg out of the way.

"What the hell?" Greg asks.

"Leo!" Paige says the demon throws another electric bolt and this time hits Greg on the shoulder. He pulls out an athame. "Athame!" The athame orbs out of the demon's hand and into Paige's. Buffy powers up a fireball and throws it vanquishing the demon. She and Buffy races over to Greg, who is bleeding. "Damn it, where are our sisters!"

At Payson's P4 Leo is still frozen and Piper is unconscious on the floor. Paige orbs in with Buffy and Greg.

"Oh my god, Piper." Buffy says as she races over to Piper and sees the empty glass beside her.

Paige touches Leo and he unfreezes.

"And a good sister..." Leo says as he looks around. "Buffy… Paige, wh-?"

"You were frozen, Leo, and I'm guessing demons didn't get her." Paige says.

Leo shakes his head, "No, more like inner-demons. I can't believe she froze me. Are you two okay?"

"Barely. It was a different demon this time; they really want that guy dead. You're gonna have to heal him and orb him somewhere safe." Buffy says.

"Then what?" Leo asks.

"Then we're gonna put this family back together. Can you heal Piper?" Paige says.

"No, I can't heal self-inflicted wounds." Leo says.

"Great, now we're down two sisters." Buffy says.

Paige slaps Piper gently and she wakes up.

"Aaahh." Piper says.

Later back at the Manor in the kitchen, Buffy and Piper are sitting at the table. Piper has her head down, while Paige mixes together some ingredients in a blender.

"How many hangover cures do you have?" Piper asks.

"A lot. There was a time in my life when I needed these often." Paige says.

Piper looks up. "Ugh."

Buffy shakes her head, "After trying to drown my worries in beer, Piper. I would have thought you wouldn't drink so heavily."

The blender makes an awful racket and Piper groans.

"I'm sorry, Paige… Buffy, I don't know what got into me. I mean, it's one thing when your sister has a husband that you can't stand, it's another when he is the Source of all evil." Piper says.

Paige pours the stuff from the blender into a cup and takes it over to Piper. "Drink up, we've got some work to do."

"We can't lose her. I can't lose another sister, I don't think I'll survive it." Piper says.

Buffy lays a comforting hand on Piper, "I know how you feel. After Prue I don't know how I would be able to handle it either."

"How are you doing it Buffy?" Piper asks.

Buffy smiles, "I have you and Paige."

Piper nods in understanding. When Prue died all three of them were grieving. They barely pulled through it because they didn't have anyone to lean on. This time was different as they had each other to lean on.

"I've been thinking about it. Phoebe was different today." Paige says.

"Yeah, she was nuts." Piper says.

"Yeah, but she cared, about us, about Greg. Something has changed and I think now is our chance to get her back." Paige says.

"How?" Buffy asks.

"Well, I think we storm the penthouse, bring the crystals, we still know the spell, we vanquish the Source the same way we did the last time." Paige says.

Piper sighs, "Yeah, but now this time the Source is Cole. Do you really think she's gonna say a little spell with us to vanquish him?"

"If she doesn't we die." Paige says.

"Is that supposed to be comforting?" Buffy asks.

"Actually, yeah. The good in Phoebe is fighting to the surface, we saw that today. I don't think she's just gonna stand by and watch Cole kill us." Paige says.

"Are you willing to bet your life on that?" Piper asks.

"Aren't you? What about you Buffy?" Paige asks.

"You know, you're pretty amazing, Paige. I mean, a year ago you were an only child." Piper says.

Paige nods, "And I don't want to be again. Let's go." Piper grabs her drink and she and Buffy stands up. "There we go. I'll get the crystals." They walk to the bottom of the stairs and see Phoebe walking through the foyer. "Phoebe."

"Cole is gonna kill Greg Conroy, and I can't let that happen." Phoebe says.

"So what do you wanna do?" Piper asks.

"I think that we have to vanquish Cole." Phoebe says.

Paige smiles, "I knew it, I knew she was ready."

"We have to use Greg as bait." Phoebe says.

"Bait? But he's an innocent." Buffy says.

"I know, but Cole's looking for him, he'll find him wherever he is so he's safest here." Phoebe says.

"So we have Leo bring Greg here but then when Cole arrives Leo's gotta orb Greg outta here." Paige says.

"And then we vanquish Cole." Phoebe says.

"I'll get the crystals." Paige says as she goes upstairs.

"Phoebe, um, we know how much you love Cole, I'm really..." Buffy says.

"I can't get emotional about this now, Buffy, if I do I won't be able to go through with it." Phoebe says.

Paige comes back down with the crystals. "Ready."

"Leo, bring Greg." Piper says.

Leo orbs in with Greg.

"So how long do you think till Cole gets here?" Paige asks.

Suddenly, Phoebe changes into Cole.

"Sooner than you think." Cole says and he throws a fireball at Greg and Greg is incinerated. He flames out.

Moments later Buffy flames in as Piper, Paige and Leo orb in to Phoebe and Cole's apartment. Cole walks into the living room.

"You evil son of a bitch." Paige says.

Piper blows up Cole and he disintegrates into fragments which fly around in a circle. Paige places the crystals on the floor around him.

"Phoebe, get out here and help us damn it." Piper says as the fragments of Cole is pulled back together. "Paige."

Cole hits Paige and is knocked across the room. One of the crystals she was holding bounces along the floor. "Don't make me kill you."

Piper blows up Cole again and Leo heals Paige.

"Phoebe, you heard what he said, he's gonna kill us, help us!" Buffy says.

Phoebe comes out of the bathroom as the fragments of Cole are pulled back together and a fireball appears in his hand. Phoebe picks up the crystal that bounced across the floor.

"I'm sorry, it's, it's for the best." Cole says.

Phoebe nods, "I know it is." She walks over to Cole and the fireball disappears as she kisses him.

"Phoebe?" Piper asks.

Phoebe moves away from Cole. "I'm sorry too." She places the crystal in its place and the trap is activated.

"Phoebe, no. No!" Cole says.

Phoebe shakes her head, "I'm sorry, baby, I'm so sorry."

"Prudence, Penelope, Patricia…" Piper says.

"Payson, Melinda..." Buffy says.

Fire appears near Cole's feet.

"Ashford, Helen, Laura and Grace..." Phoebe says.

"I will always love you." Cole says.

"Halliwell witches stand strong beside us." Paige says.

"Vanquish this evil..." Phoebe says.

"From time and space." Phoebe, Piper, Buffy and Paige says.

They vanquish Cole in a huge explosion, making the windows shatter. Phoebe walks to the middle of the room and cries.

Later back at the Manor Piper is leaning against the wall at the bottom of the stairs.

Leo walks in. "Hey."

"Hey." Piper says.

Leo sighs, "Why don't you go up and see her."

"I don't know what to say. I can't imagine... I mean, if it had been you..." Piper says.

Leo hugs her. Buffy and Paige walks in through the front door.

"Hey." Paige says.

"Hey." Piper says.

"Hey." Buffy says.

"Hey." Piper says.

"How's she doing?" Paige asks.

Piper shakes her head, "I don't know, she hasn't come down yet."

"How long have you been standing there?" Buffy asks.

"A while." Piper says.

"Maybe we should go see her." Paige says.

Piper nods, "Okay." They start to go upstairs and Piper stops. "What if she wants to be alone?"

"She's gonna be alone a lot. Maybe right now she needs us." Buffy says.

Piper nods, "Right."

They go upstairs and walk into Phoebe's bedroom. Phoebe is lying on her bed crying. Piper goes over and lies beside her. Paige then goes and lies in front of her. Buffy then goes and lies behind Piper and they comfort Phoebe.


	105. Chapter 105: Womb Raider

**Author's Note: **Three More chapters left for season 4. One BTVS (Pangs - Which was originally a Thanksgiving Episode with a Thanksgiving dinner and modified simply to being a Source/Adam vanquishing feast.) One Angel (I Will Remember You.) And One Charmed (Witch Way Now.) Then it's on to season five starting with A Witch's Tail Pt. 1 and 2. And then Buffy vs. Dracula. "I Will Remember You" has a surprise for Buffy, a surprise that has been done before by other writers.

* * *

**Chapter 105: Womb Raider**

Buffy, Piper, Paige and Leo are sitting at the kitchen table having breakfast. Leo is reading the paper.

"So he asked me out again last night, but he was so quiet during dinner, ugh, I swear I could hear his stomach digesting." Paige says.

"I always preferred quiet men, they make good listeners." Piper says.

"What's that, dear?" Leo asks.

Phoebe walks in.

"Oh, hi, sweetie, come sit, eat." Piper says.

"Oh, no, I can't, that smell." Phoebe says as she sits down and covers her nose.

"It smells good." Leo says.

"Morning sickness, Leo." Buffy says.

"Morning and night. It's more like around the clock sickness." Phoebe says.

"Well, did you at least get a good night sleep?" Piper asks.

"The nightmare came back." Phoebe says.

"With the Seer?" Paige asks.

Phoebe nods, "She wants my baby, I know it. I'm afraid that she's gonna summon me to her at any moment."

"She could only get to you when you chose evil, you're safe now." Leo says.

"I swear to you, the Seer will never lay a finger on your baby." Buffy says.

"Yeah, she'll have to get through us first." Paige says as Piper nods in agreement.

"Thanks, guys." Phoebe says.

"Are you okay?" Piper asks.

"Yeah, you know, pain comes in waves." Phoebe says.

"Honey, you lost your husband, it's okay to be very upset." Buffy says.

"No, I can't, I have to stay strong for the baby. He's all I have left of Cole." Phoebe says.

"I'm gonna go check the Book of Shadows, there might be some magical protection against the Seer." Paige says as she gets up.

"Uh, missy Paige, you need to go to work." Piper says.

"Well, I'll be late, Phoebe doesn't need to be stressed while she's pregnant." Paige says as she leaves the kitchen and Phoebe follows.

Moment later Phoebe walks back into the kitchen. "Oh, whoa." She touches her forehead.

"Another hot flash?" Buffy asks.

Phoebe nods, "Uh-huh, it's when I move too fast."

"Phoebe, that's not really a typical pregnancy symptom I don't think. Maybe it's time we get that baby checked out." Piper says.

"I just haven't had a chance to make..." Phoebe says.

"A doctor's appointment? Well, I have one, it's yours." Piper says.

"Aren't we supposed to find out about the fertility test?" Leo asks.

"Yeah, but, uh, Phoebe needs that appointment more than we do right now." Piper says.

"I have to agree with Piper, Leo. This is something Phoebe should see a doctor for now instead of later." Buffy says.

"How can I go to the doctor when I have a demonically challenged baby? Who knows what effects the Seer's tonics had on the little guy." Phoebe says.

"This is my point exactly, and if it'll make you feel better, I'll go with you so I can put the freeze on if anything goes wrong. You're going. Into the stirrups for you." Piper says.

"I'll go too." Buffy says. "My finals are over as of yesterday anyways."

Later at the Doctor's office Phoebe is laying on a bed, while Buffy and Piper stands beside her. The doctor is looking at her chart.

"Your hormone levels are unusually high for a mother in her eighth week. Have you seen a doctor since you found out you were pregnant?" The doctor says.

"I was under the care of a Seer." Phoebe says.

Piper nods, "It's kind of like a new age doctor."

"Well, you really should've seen a doctor before today, a real doctor." The doctor says.

Phoebe nods, "Do you think that there could possibly be something wrong with my baby?"

"Well, let's just take a peek shall we? Why don't you lie back and I'm gonna do an ultrasound. Now this gel's a little bit cold." The doctor says as he squirts some gel on Phoebe's tummy. The doctor, Buffy and Piper turn away for a second and suddenly flames shoot out of Phoebe's head. She gasps and the flames disappear.

"What? What's wrong?" Buffy asks.

"Hot flash. A very, very hot-hot-hot flash." Phoebe says.

"Not a good sign." The doctor says.

"Well, yeah, she's been getting those a lot lately." Piper says.

"No, not like this one, I mean, it felt like my head was on fire for real." Phoebe says.

"Let's just have a look, okay." The Doctor says as he starts the ultrasound and the baby shows up on the screen. "Oh, there, see?"

"Oh." Phoebe says.

"There's your little..." The doctor says as he suddenly gets electrocuted and he is pushed against the wall.

Buffy goes over and helps him up. "Hi, here you go."

"What-what happened?" The doctor asks.

"That's a good question." Piper says as she freezes him. "What happened?"

"Well, it's about time. My head was on fire like a tiki torch a few seconds ago." Phoebe says.

"What?" Buffy says.

"Do not change the subject. Did your baby just electrocute the nice doctor man?" Piper asks.

Phoebe nods, "Yeah, I think so. But he was just protecting himself because that gel was really cold."

"Protecting himself? Unborn babies don't perform magic tricks in the first trimester, Phoebe." Buffy says.

Phoebe frowns, "What is going on?"

"I don't know but don't panic, okay, we'll wrap up here and we'll go home and panic." Piper says. "Buffy I highly suggest when were done here you flame her straight home."

Back at the manor in the attic Paige has opened to 'The Seer' page in the Book of Shadows. "It says here the Seer has served multiple Sources. Looks like she's been around for thousands of years."

Buffy flames in with Phoebe.

"Hey." Buffy says.

"What's going on?" Leo asks.

"My baby did magic." Phoebe says.

Buffy nods, "And almost killed Piper's doctor. Oh and Piper is driving home we didn't want to take the chance that Phoebe would have another hot flash in the car."

"It was self-defense." Phoebe says.

"Well, I guess that's what you get when you breed with the Source of all evil." Paige says.

"Okay, can we not say breed. You know, I'm not a horse. And Cole wasn't all evil, he was part good, and I'm all good, so this baby has a lot of good in him." Phoebe says.

"What if there's not?" Buffy asks.

Phoebe sighs, "Then there will be. My love was able to save Cole, it'll save our son too."

Buffy nods, "Let's hope so."

"No, we'll make it so. Okay. So what did you find out about the Seer?" Phoebe says as Piper walks through the door.

"Well, she's immune to spells and charms but the book does classify her as an upper level demon." Paige says.

"So we can make a vanquishing potion." Leo says.

"Mm-mm, not without a tissue sample." Piper says as she walks through the attic door.

"Actually, the Seer mixed her own blood into my prenatal tonic." Phoebe says.

"Nasty." Piper says.

Buffy scrunches her nose, "Gross."

Phoebe nods, "Yeah, and Cole kept some extra bottles in the safe at the penthouse."

"You think you're ready to go to the penthouse? You haven't been there, you know, since, since he died." Paige says.

"I don't think I'll ever be ready but I can't keep borrowing your clothes." Phoebe says.

"Okay, let's go." Buffy says.

"Wait, don't you have to work?" Phoebe asks Paige.

"Ah, I'll take the afternoon off, who needs vacation time." Paige says.

"Paige, you can't keep..." Phoebe says.

Paige smiles, "Yes, I can."

"Thank you. Bitch!" Phoebe says as she pushes Paige and she smashes through the window. Darryl is on the pavement heading towards the house and ducks as the glass pours down. As Paige is falling, she orbs out and orbs back in the attic.)

"What the hell was that for!" Paige asks.

"Uh, I don't know, you'd have to ask him." Phoebe says.

"Okay, why did your mommy push Paige out the window?" Buffy asks Phoebe's stomach.

"No, it's not like that. It's just, he took over for a split second, I had no control." Phoebe says.

"But why me? I have nothing against that little f... fetus." Paige says.

"I'm sure he's sorry." Phoebe says. "Aren't you sorry? Kids at this age, they don't know any better, you know."

"Okay, I think I'd better go check with the Elders, see what they know about this baby." Leo says and he orbs out.

"Whatever it is, I'm sure it has something to do with the Seer. Let's go get that blood." Piper says.

They walk down the stairs and Darryl walks up.

"What was that out there? Flying practice?" Darryl asks.

"Baby shoved me out the window." Paige says.

"Wait, hold on a second. I left four messages here, has anybody in this house learned the magic of a telephone?" Darryl asks.

Buffy shakes her head, "Darryl, it's been a very rough week, literally."

"Right. Phoebe, how you holding up?" Darryl asks.

"Uh, depends on what part of the day you ask me." Phoebe says.

"Look, I know you've got a lot to deal with already, but there's some business I don't think can be put off any longer." Darryl says.

"I'm sure it's pressing, but not as pressing as the demon that's after Phoebe." Piper says.

They all walk into the foyer.

"Don't count on it. Cole worked at a high profile law firm. Right now you three are the only ones who know he's dead." Darryl says.

They put on their coats.

"Listen, can this wait, we really need to get to the penthouse." Paige says.

"Good, 'cause that's where I need you to handle this business." Darryl says as they leave.

Later at Phoebe and Cole's old apartment. There is a black stain on the carpet and the windows are still broken. Buffy, Piper, Phoebe, Paige and Darryl exit the elevator.

"It has to look like Cole left in a hurry, that means packing up all of his stuff and personal belongings." Darryl says.

"Are you okay?" Buffy asks Phoebe.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm sorry, so why do you want me to pack up his stuff?" Phoebe asks.

"I, uh, made an appointment for you at missing persons today." Darryl says.

"Wait, you want Phoebe to report Cole as missing?" Paige asks.

"She has to otherwise somebody else will and she'll become the prime suspect in his disappearance." Darryl says.

"So you want me to pack up his stuff so it looks like he left me." Phoebe says.

Darryl nods, "That's right. We cannot give the police any reason to suspect foul play. I mean, technically you four did kill him." He spots the black stein. "What is that?"

"Well, that's where we, you know." Piper says.

Darryl looks around. "This place looks like a crime scene. Is there anything you can do?"

"Let the object of objection become but a dream, as I cause the seen to be unseen." Paige says.

The stain disappears and the room returns to normal.

Phoebe smiles, "Thanks."

Paige moves closer to Phoebe. "I just wish I could make the rest of your pain go away that easily."

"So do I. Murdering witch!" Phoebe says as she hits Paige in the face and Paige is knocked to the floor.

"Phoebe!" Piper and Buffy says.

"The baby made me do it." Phoebe says.

"You know what? Now we split up. Phoebe, Buffy and Darryl go pack, Paige and I'll find the Seer's tonic." Piper says.

"Okay, where is this baby that everybody keeps talking about? Is it an invisible baby? Am I gonna step on it?" Darryl says.

Buffy shakes her head, "No, Darryl, it's a little more complicated than that." She heads into the bedroom with Darryl and Phoebe.

Phoebe moves over to the bed where a huge white teddy bear is. "Cole gave this to me the day he found out I was pregnant."

"Look, I'll start packing his stuff up, okay? And you put your own things together." Darryl says.

Buffy nods, "I'll take the dresser, why don't you get the closet, Pheebs."

Phoebe opens the closet door and a portal opens to the Seer's cave. Phoebe starts to get sucked into it. Darryl and Buffy grabs holds onto Phoebe's legs.

"Piper! Paige!" Darryl says.

"I've been waiting for you." Seer says.

"Get away from me. You can't have him!" Phoebe says.

"I only want what's mine!" Seer says.

"We're losing her!" Buffy says.

Piper and Paige run in and try to pull Phoebe back in.

"Let go of me!" Phoebe says as she grabs the Seer's earring and rips off her earlobe. Buffy, Piper, Paige and Darryl pull her back into the room and the portal closes. Phoebe holds up the earlobe. "Here's your tissue sample."

Back at the Manor in the kitchen Paige is making the potion. Piper picks up a plate of fruit.

"Okay, I'm gonna bring this to Phoebe, you stay here, I don't want you provoking her baby anymore." Piper says.

"Provoking him? Like it's my fault." Paige says.

"Oh, you know what I mean. Piper says as she walks into the dining room where Buffy and Phoebe are sitting. Phoebe is holding earphones to against her tummy. "What are you doing?"

"Shh, I'm playing Mozart for the baby to bring out his peaceful nature. Studies show that babies can hear and remember songs from the womb." Phoebe says.

"Sounds like a load of crock to me. But if it works more power to ya Pheebs." Buffy says.

"How about you eat something since you haven't had anything to eat all day." Piper says.

"No, I've been nauseous all day." Phoebe says.

"You've been a little fresh all day." Buffy says.

Phoebe picks up a piece of watermelon and it changes into a piece of meat. "I'm thinking about trying acupuncture, I hear that helps." She goes to take a bite of the meat.

"Phoebe, don't!" Piper and Buffy says.

Phoebe drops the meat. "Aw, I'm gonna puke."

"Maybe your baby would prefer to listen to Ozzy." Piper says.

Leo orbs in. "The Elders believe the Seer's making a sudden play for the Source's throne but she needs Phoebe's baby to do it."

"The Seer wants to be the Source? What could that possibly have to do with my baby? He's not due for another seven months." Phoebe says.

"Well, it doesn't matter because next time we will be ready for her." Buffy says.

"Next time?" Leo asks.

"Yes, the Seer tried to steal Phoebe from the penthouse. How's that potion coming?" Piper says.

Paige comes in holding a saucepan. "It's done, it just needs to cool a little bit." Phoebe throws fire at Paige and she drops the saucepan. "That baby needs a serious time out."

"Go, go, go into the kitchen." Buffy says.

Paige goes back into the kitchen.

"So much for the vanquishing potion." Leo says.

"How come your baby only attacks me?" Paige asks.

"I don't know, Paige, he must resent you. You know, you never really liked his father." Phoebe says.

"With good reason. Hey, maybe you resent me and the baby's just modeling after mom." Paige says.

"Paige, how can you say that?" Phoebe asks.

"Alright, enough, the two of you will not address each other, you will not set foot into the same room until further notice, got it?" Piper says. "You, you got enough ear left to make another batch of that potion?"

"Yes." Paige says.

"Then do it." Piper says. "You, you're gonna hit the Book of Shadows and you're gonna figure out a way to control Chucky there. Buffy if you please, go help her."

"I can't, I told Morris I'd meet him at missing persons in a half an hour." Phoebe says.

"I would strongly advise against that. Your baby..." Leo says.

"Is fine, just as long as he doesn't feel threatened and doesn't meet anyone with unresolved issues with his father." Phoebe says.

"I heard that!" Paige says.

"Phoebe, how can you say that? How can you risk going out in public with... in your condition." Piper says.

"Because if I don't report Cole missing, someone will, and the police will be knocking on our door. Besides, Morris put himself on the line, I can't let him down." Phoebe says.

Buffy sighs, "I'll go with her, in case there is any trouble." Piper nods as she and Phoebe head for the door.

"And I will hit the book and figure out how to deal with... demonic fetuses." Piper says.

Later Buffy and Phoebe walk into the police station.

"Please be good and I promise I'll eat a huge steak tonight." Phoebe says.

Darryl walks over to them. "You're gonna meet Inspector Miles, he's train to spot liars, so just answer his questions as honestly as you can, okay?"

They walk into a room.

"Morris tells me that you think your husband might have left town?" Inspector Miles says.

Phoebe shakes her head, "I don't know what to think. Last Wednesday we had a huge battle and he just never came back."

"Did he leave anything?" Inspector Miles asks.

"Nothing. I checked the penthouse myself. Clothing, personal belongings... gone." Darryl says.

"What was the fight about?" Inspector Miles asks.

"My sisters. I have three sisters. Well two actually the third is my cousin but she's like a sister. Anyways they didn't approve of me marrying Cole." Phoebe says.

"Why not?" Inspector Miles asks.

"They're just different. Oil and water, you know, fire and ice, heaven and..." Phoebe says.

"Hell?" Inspector Miles asks.

Phoebe nods, "Bingo."

"So you'd say that your husband has a dark side then?" Inspector Miles asks.

Phoebe nods, "Yes."

"Has he ever hurt you?" Inspector Miles asks.

Suddenly, some books fall off a shelf above the inspector and land on him.

"Are you okay?" Darryl asks.

"Here, let me help." Buffy says.

"Stop that right now. Um, Inspector, I know it doesn't seem like my husband's a great guy but I would advise you not to say anything negative about him right now." Phoebe says.

"Listen, ma'am, I've gotta call them as I seem them. You turn up pregnant and he takes off, your husband fits the classic profile of a dead beat dad." Inspector Miles says.

The inspector continues picking up the books and a fireball appears in Phoebe's hand.

"Make it go out." Buffy whispers.

"I can't make it go out." Phoebe whispers as she flings the fireball into the trash can.

"Phoebe? Uh, I'm mean fire!" Darryl says.

"Move away, move away, move away." Inspector Miles says as he grabs the fire extinguisher and puts out the fire.

"Why are you doing this to me?" Darryl whispers.

"It's not her fault, it's just the baby doesn't like when anybody talks bad about Cole." Buffy whispers.

"Ooh!" Phoebe says as she grabs her stomach.

"What's wrong?" Inspector Miles asks.

"My stomach, it's like something's t-tearing." Phoebe says.

"Come on, let's get you outta here." Buffy says.

Moments later back at the Manor Buffy flames in with Phoebe into the foyer. "Piper?" Piper, Leo and Paige race into the foyer. Phoebe is still holding her stomach. "She's getting worse."

"Can you do something?" Piper asks Leo.

Leo holds out his hands and tries to heal Phoebe and then shakes his head, "No."

"Stand back, stand back." Phoebe says as flames shoot out the top of her head. She groans and falls to her knees.

"Alright, you stay out of her sight for your own safety, go." Piper says.

Paige runs around the corner.

"Oh, make it stop, make it stop." Phoebe says.

"Leo, go get some ice water or something." Buffy says as Leo goes into the kitchen. She and Piper holds Phoebe. "It's okay, just try to breathe through it. Breathe, breathe."

The tall man appears.

"Buffy… Piper, look out!" Paige says.

Piper tries to blow him up but nothing happens. "Uh-oh."

Buffy throws a fireball but the tall man seems unaffected by it.

Leo runs back in. "Hey!" He grabs a chair and throws it at the demon. He sucks the whole chair inside of him, kind of like a portal.

"Get up, get up, come on." Piper says as she and Buffy helps Phoebe up.

"Whatever you do don't touch him." Leo says.

"You can't run from me, I'll always find you." Tall man says.

Paige runs in. "Phoebe, I'll orb you out of here."

"Paige, no!" Buffy says as Phoebe kicks Paige and she falls into the tall man. They disappear.

"That wasn't me, it was the baby, I couldn't control him." Phoebe says.

Later in the attic Buffy and Phoebe are sitting on a couch looking through both Book of Shadows as Leo orbs in.

"Did you sense her?" Buffy asks.

Leo shakes his head, "No, if she's in the underworld I can't get a read on her."

"If anything happens to Paige I will never forgive myself." Phoebe says.

Piper walks in carrying some iced tea. "Anything on that demon?"

"I think so, come look." Buffy says.

Piper puts down the tea and looks at Buffy's Book.

"Oral tradition tells of a giant whose body served as a portal to other dimensions. Because he was imprisoned centuries ago, nobody knows what this demon's name is or if he even exists." Piper says.

"It gets worse. There's no known vanquish for him, the Source was so threatened he condemned the giant to spend eternity in a cage." Phoebe says.

"The Seer must have set him free to capture Phoebe." Leo says.

"But he got Paige instead thanks to me." Phoebe says.

"No, that had nothing to do with you. How are you feeling?" Buffy says.

"Uh, better, I think the baby's resting. It's when he's active and using magic that it hurts the most." Phoebe says.

"Here, have some iced tea, it will cool you off." Piper says as she hands Phoebe a glass.

Phoebe goes to have a sip and then throws it across the room. "What the hell? I can't even enjoy some iced tea!"

"Uh, it wasn't iced tea." Piper says. "It was a binding potion. Paige suggested it to help control the baby and I couldn't tell you because if I did he would've stopped you..."

Phoebe sighs, "He stopped me anyway. He knows things that I don't know. He's trying to take control of me."

"You can't let that happen, if he takes control he'll never let go." Leo says.

Phoebe nods, "I know. It's not me and it's not Cole, it's the Source." She suddenly gets a premonition of the Seer killing Paige.

"I saw the Seer, she was killing Paige." Phoebe says.

"How can you get a premonition without touching anything?" Leo asks.

"Leo if I can get them in my sleep, then it's possible to get them without touching anything." Buffy says. "Though it is unusual for you Pheebs to get one without touching something."

Phoebe nods, "Maybe the Seer sent it to me."

The tall man appears.

"That is not all she sent." Piper says.

"Come with me now or your sister dies. You've already seen how." Tall man says.

"No, Phoebe, don't." Buffy says.

"It's a trap." Leo says.

"It doesn't matter, I have to save Paige, it's the only chance left." Phoebe says.

"No." Leo says as Phoebe pushes him out of the way. Buffy and Piper gasps. "You're letting your baby control you, Phoebe."

"That wasn't the baby, that was me. I got Paige into this mess, I'm gonna get her out of it." Phoebe says.

Piper pulls the Seer vanquishing potion out of her pocket. "Oh, no you're not. Not if I kill the Seer first." She heads towards the tall man and a beam of blue light shines out of Phoebe's hands. It hits the tall man and Piper, knocking them to the ground. The potion bottle breaks and Piper cuts her hand. "Damn it! Did that come from you?"

"I'm sorry, Piper, I can't let you take the fall for me." Phoebe says.

"Well, why not?" Buffy asks. "That's what sisters do Pheebs. And you know that."

"You can't use the baby's powers like that." Leo says.

The tall man gets up. "Come here, witch."

The blue light comes out of Phoebe's hand again and starts to vanquish the tall man.

"Phoebe, don't!" Piper says as the tall man is vanquished. "Phoebe, nobody has ever been able to vanquish that demon. Do you realize what you just did?"

Phoebe's eyes turn black.

"Piper, that's not Phoebe anymore." Buffy says as Phoebe flames out. "The baby has taken control."

Moments later Piper closes the Book of Shadows. "There's nothing left, we've tried everything."

Buffy sighs closing her own Book. "She's right."

"Well, there's gotta be something missing, something we haven't thought of." Leo says as he turns his back to her and paces across the attic. Buffy and Piper disappears. "Maybe if we summon a demon, someone who knows the way to the Seer's lair, he can lead us to Phoebe and Paige."

In the Coronation room in the Underworld, Buffy and Piper appears in the cage.

"Oh!" Piper says.

"Oh, thank god it worked." Phoebe says.

"So are we. Where are we?" Buffy says.

"Uh, trapped in a cage." Paige says.

"Mm-hm, okay, so let's bust out." Piper says.

Paige shakes her head, "No, you can't use your magic in here, it'll just bounce off and probably kill us."

"Repeat the oath after me." Dark Priest says.

"Ah, what's going on out there?" Buffy asks.

"The Seer's being coronated as the new Source." Phoebe says.

"Huh." Piper and Buffy says.

Paige nods, "Yeah, then she's gonna sacrifice us."

Piper sighs, "Let's get this straight, you guys summoned us to a cage where our powers don't work, so we can all die together!"

"Well, the plan has some flaws admittedly." Paige says.

"We just have to stay positive. We have the power of four here, there is nothing stronger than that, right?"

The Seer starts glowing and floats up into the air.

"Are you sure there's nothing stronger than the power of four?" Buffy asks.

"Well you were pretty strong the other day, Buffy. You know when you defeated Adam." Paige says.

"What?" Phoebe says.

"Later." Buffy says. "When were not about to die."

The Seer floats back down the ground. She turns to the cage and gets a shock when she notices Piper and Buffy.

"What an unexpected surprise. You just made my..." Seer says as flames shoot out of her head and she groans.

"It's the baby. He has too much power for her. That's how I felt, it felt like I was gonna explode." Phoebe says.

"What are we gonna do?" Paige asks.

"We need to make her tap into the baby's power, all of it." Phoebe says.

"How the hell are we gonna do that?" Paige asks.

The flames disappear as the Seer smiles, "I command all in attendance to witness the power of the Source."

"The modified Power of three spell?" Piper asks.

"Uh, okay." Phoebe says.

"The power of four will set us free, the power of four will set us free." Buffy, Piper, Phoebe and Paige chant as a blue beam of light hits the cage but the spell protects them. "The power of four will set us free, the power of four will set us free."

"What's wrong?" Dark Priest asks.

Seer shakes her head, "Nothing's wrong!"

Buffy, Piper, Paige and Phoebe continue chanting and the blue light rebounds back and hits the Seer. It then rebounds onto every demon in the room and they are all vanquished.

"Where did everybody go?" Buffy asks as she kicks the cage and one of the sides fall off. They get out looking around.

"The blast took everyone out. The Seer, the council leaders." Phoebe says.

"Well, I'd say that the scales of good and evil just dramatically tipped in our favor." Piper says.

"Look, the Grimoire, still untouched." Paige says.

Phoebe nods, "It's time we get rid of that book once and for all."

Later back at the Manor Buffy, Piper, Phoebe and Paige are sitting on the couch in the living room as Leo orbs in.

"Well, the Grimoire has a new home in a mountain of rock in the West Andes." Leo says as he sits beside Piper.

Piper smiles, "Thanks, honey."

"Sure." Leo says as he kisses Piper.

"How many times have we vanquished the Source now?" Piper asks.

"Three, but who's counting." Phoebe says.

"Did we get him?" Buffy asks.

"I think that'd be safe to say based on how the Elders are reacting, it's like a holiday up there. They still can't believe you did it." Leo says.

"Yeah, well, let's not forget the cost." Piper says.

"Well, I gotta say after all this, I'm still looking forward to having a good baby in this house." Leo says.

"Yeah, I haven't had a chance to talk to you about that yet. I heard from Dr. Harris today." Piper says.

"And?" Leo asks.

"And we're in for a rough road." Piper says.

"Rough road? What does that mean? What did he say?" Leo asks.

Piper smiles, "Shh, it's okay, it doesn't mean that we're giving in or giving up, there are a lot of options in the world, don't worry."

"Don't worry, Leo. I'm sure the Charmed line isn't supposed to end with us." Phoebe says.

"I have to agree with Phoebe." Buffy says. "If we all remember Melinda's vision. We will have many more generations of Halliwell witches."

"Um, Phoebe," Piper says as she gets up and picks up the letter, "I found this in Cole's safe. It's for you." She hands it to Phoebe.

In Phoebe's bedroom, Phoebe's reading the letter.

_If I'm dead right now, I know it was at your hand. No one else in heaven or hell had power over me. Please don't cry, I was dead before I met you, I was born the day you loved me, and my love for you will keep me alive, forever._

Phoebe lays on her bed. A breeze blows through the window as Phoebe hears Cole's voice.

"Help me."

Phoebe sits up wondering if she imagined it.

"Phoebe."

"Cole?" Phoebe asks.


	106. Chapter 106: Pangs

**Q/A - Leana - **Yes I did skip the Charmed episode "Bite Me". It has no place in this story. In "Bite Me" you see the Charmed version of vampires. Those vampires do not mesh with the BTVS version of vampires which are the ones you see in this story. I decided to skip than to try and rewrite it to make it work**.**

* * *

**Chapter 106: Pangs**

A young, sweet-faced student-type, Jamie, takes a short-cut through the woods. He looks behind him, sees nothing, and he keeps going. He looks back again, nothing again, and this time when he turns back to keep going, he's face to face with Buffy, her arm up, fireball in hand.

"Looking for me?" Buffy says.

Jamie jumps and yelps. "Holy- What do you want? I've got money—" Buffy backhands Jaimie. His head is thrown back... "Hey!"

Buffy flinches... what if she was wrong? But then his head whips back to face her, and she sees he's in vampface. "Look who's home."

Jamie's innocent demeanor is gone. He snarls at her. "Slayer."

Buffy throws the fireball, but he ducks it. She kicks, sweeping his legs from under him. He goes down, but surprises her by popping back up again fast and throwing a punch which she ducks and returns with brutal speed.

"Why don't you just go back where you came from? Things were great before you came. We ruled this campus. You've ruined everything." Jaimie says.

Buffy punches him again, he absorbs the blow. He punches at her. She ducks it, grabs his shoulder, spins him... "And they say one person can't make a difference." She powers another fireball throwing it and he dusts. Job done, but Buffy seems unsatisfied. She looks around, as if sensing something else, turning curiously in place.

Deep in the shadows something lurks. It moves, and moonlight falls across a face. It's Angel, watching Buffy.

Buffy can't identify what she's feeling. She walks off slowly, unresolved.

The next day Buffy, Willow and Anya stand among a small crowd of college students.

"Of all the duties of a dean, one of the most pleasant is to see a colleague realize a dream..." Dean Guerrero says.

The Dean is speaking from a dais set up in a cleared building site. Other campus officials flank him. A banner across the front of the dais says: U.C. SAN FRANCISCO CULTURAL PARTNERSHIP CENTER. Off to one side, Xander, dressed in work clothes and a hard-hat and leans on a shovel, stands with other construction-type guys, listening idly to the speaker.

"Ladies, gentlemen, students, I present to you, Professor Gerhardt of the Anthropology department." Dean Guerrero says.

Some polite applause as the Dean steps aside next to his wife and the curator, Professor Gerhardt, takes his place.

"When I first realized we were outgrowing the current Cultural Center, I was concerned. Then I realized it was like seeing one's child grow up, and move on to better things. In this case, a spacious new facility to be built on this site..." Professor Gerhardt says.

"Look at him. Have you ever seen anything so masculine?" Anya asks.

"You mean Dean Guerrero, or his wife?" Buffy asks.

"I think she means..." Willow says as she indicates Xander.

"Oh. Right. Very manly. Not at all Village People." Buffy says.

"So much sexier than the outfit from his last job." Anya says.

"I miss the free hot dogs on sticks." Willow says.

"I'm imagining having sex with him right now." Anya says.

Buffy and Willow look at Anya.

Professor Gerhardt finishes her speech and Buffy applauds along with the crowd, but...

"What a load of horse hooey!" Willow says.

"We have a counter point?" Buffy asks.

"Thanksgiving wasn't about blending cultures, it's about one culture wiping out another. Then they make animated specials about the parts with the maize and the big big belt buckles. They don't show you the next scene where all the bison die and Squanto takes a musket ball in the stomach." Willow says.

"Okay, for some of that you were channeling your mom, right?" Buffy asks.

"Well, sort of. That's why she doesn't do Thanksgiving, or Columbus Day. You know, destruction of the indigenous peoples. Which sounds, I know, a little overwrought, but really she's right." Willow says.

"Yeah, I guess so. I never thought about it that way."

Professor Gerhardt steps out from behind the dais, and takes up a small shiny shovel. "And thus... a symbolic beginning!" She turns over the ritual spadeful of dirt.

"What's she doing? Xander said he was going to dig! I want to see Xander dig!" Anya says.

"This part's just ceremonial." Willow says.

"Well it bites. She's not rippling at all." Anya says.

The ritual done, the crowd begins to disperse. Xander and two other construction guys step forward and start to dig in earnest.

"There he is." Buffy says.

"Ooh. Look at him." Anya says.

"Very... diggy." Willow says.

"Soon he'll be sweating. I'm imagining having sex with him again." Anya says.

"Imaginary Xander is quite the machine." Buffy says.

Xander plunges his shovel into the dirt and looks up at his little audience... he smiles and waves... then his smile drops, and he goes with it...

BOOM... a six-foot chunk of earth collapses in on itself. Xander falls and finds himself thrown into a dark buried chamber. Adobe walls, a large crucifix on one of them... it's an old Spanish mission.

Xander, dirty and shaken, picks himself up and looks around."Ow. I'm okay! I'm... okay..." He stares at his surroundings.

The next day at the Manor, Willow is talking, but Buffy is distracted. Buffy keeps glancing at the window.

"While they were pulling Xander out, I heard some of the Anthro profs talking about it - man, were they excited. It's the old San Francisco Mission, which everyone thought was lost." Willow says.

"Uh-huh." Buffy says.

Piper walks into the living room from the kitchen, "Tea, Willow?"

"Yes, please. Thank you Piper." Willow says as Buffy's looking at the window. "Is there something out there?"

Buffy shakes her head, "No. Sorry. A lost Mission? I mean, a hairbrush, I can understand, but how do you lose a Mission?"

"Huge earthquake in 1812. Everyone assumed the Mission was leveled but instead they just built over it. It's like what happened in the thirties with that church the Master was in. Doesn't it make you wonder what else is there, right under our feet?" Willow says.

"Well the Manor itself was rebuilt after the 1906 earthquake." Piper says.

"Wow, really?" Willow asks. "I didn't know that."

"Mostly? I've found sewers full of demons." Buffy says.

"Oh, right." Willow says.

"So Willow. You coming to our little get together to celebrate our vanquishing the Source?" Piper asks.

Willow smiles, "Sure. Maybe we can do a triple celebration you know vanquishing the Source, welcoming Phoebe home and defeat of Adam."

Buffy shakes her head, "With how we had to vanquish the Source I don't think adding Phoebe to the mix with a welcome home is the right thing."

"Maybe your right. Just a double celebration. You know you guys and Xander and Tara and Giles…"

"Sounds like fun." Buffy says.

Buffy goes to the window and looks out into the darkness.

"We could not invite Anya!" Willow says.

Buffy shakes her head, "I don't know... She and Xander seem pretty tight lately."

"Grumble grumble." Willow says.

Later at the Old Cultural Center Buffy, Piper and Willow make their way into a crime scene, now abandoned by the police. The lights are out and Piper and Willow carry flashlights.

Buffy starts searching the room, seeing the clean scissors, the floor still stained with blood. "Never get used to this. One day she's at the Friendship Ceremony, the next day she's on the news."

"The coroner's office said she was missing an ear. So, I'm thinking maybe we're looking for a witch. There are some great spells that work much better with an ear in the mix." Willow says.

"A witch?" Piper asks.

"A bad witch?" Willow asks. "I mean no disrespect Piper. But if Phoebe can go evil even temporarily. Couldn't another witch go evil also?"

Piper nods, "You have a point, Willow."

Buffy moves on to looking in the display cases.

"Or... or maybe an ear-harvesting demon. Like, it's building some kind of other demon completely out of ears..." Willow says.

Buffy pictures that, makes a face.

"Ooh. Thought. We're assuming that someone else cut off the ear. What if it was self-inflicted, like Van Gogh?" Willow says.

"So... she viciously stabbed herself to death, dumped the knife, then she cut off her own ear." Buffy says.

"No. She cut off her ear, then she killed herself, then she dumped the... I'm really off my game, aren't I?" Willow asks.

Piper smiles, "It's okay."

"Hey, look. Something's missing from this case." Buffy says looking in one of the display cases. "Early eighteen-hundreds. Chumash knife. There's a picture." She picks up a drawing of the missing knife and looks at it.

"What's it look like?" Willow asks.

Piper looks at the picture, "Definitely no athame. Looks like something caved a hundred years ago."

The next day back at the Manor Giles watches as Buffy unloads groceries in the kitchen.

"Pretty darn scary... I mean, it was more like a riot than a Ralph's. I thought I was going to have to put some Slayer moves on this one lady who was completely hoarding the pumpkin pie filling." Buffy says.

"And, at some point you're going to tell me about the murder. That is why you had me over, remember?" Giles says.

"Oh. Well, the knife was some kind of Indian artifact. Chumash. That's all we've got." Buffy says.

"The Chumash Indians? They were the original inhabitants of this whole area. Interesting. Of course, maybe the murder weapon was simply a convenient choice—" Giles says.

Buffy starts rummaging around in the cupboards. "Guy had a big ol' scissors right there. The knife was picked out for a reason. Piper where's the turkey pan."

Piper comes into the kitchen and goes to a cabinet opposite the one Buffy was looking in. "You know you don't have to do this by yourself, Buffy."

Buffy looks at Piper and then sighs, "Sure why not. I'm over my head anyways. Where's the harm in having a chef help ya." She looks back at Giles. "How 'bout that ceremonial knife, huh? Pretty juicy piece of clueage, don't you think?"

Giles nods. "Yes, all right. I'll look into the Chumash connection. See if there's some ritual significance to the ear removal."

That evening Buffy and Willow walk near the Espresso Pump.

"But you have whipped cream. I saw it in your fridge." Willow says.

"That was the whipped cream in the canister. You know..." Buffy says as she imitates aerosol whipped cream sound. "It's only right if you whip it yourself."

"Yay. And then we can churn our own butter and make sweaters out of sheep!" Willow says.

Buffy looks at her, recognizes the teasing. "I swear, this'll be the last thing. Anyway, I have an appointment to go see this priest Giles called me about. He thinks he might have some information—"

"Buffy? Hey! Buffy!" Riley calls out.

They look up to see Riley trotting across the street.

"Hi. I didn't see you at all. Where'd you come from?" Buffy asks.

"Oh, just across the street, and... and a couple blocks down. Hey, Willow." Riley says.

Willow smiles, "Hi. You know, I think I'll just let you two... Hey, look, they're selling coffee in the... coffee shop. Yum." She ducks into the Espresso Pump.

Willow ducks around the corner into the shop, and slams into someone standing and looking out at the street.

"Ow."

Willow steps back, sees who she hit. "Ang—" Angel presses his hand over her mouth. "Evil. You're all evil again."

Angel lets her go. "I'm not evil. I'm here to help Buffy."

"What's going on?" Willow asks.

"My friend had a vision. Buffy's in danger." Angel says.

Alarmed, Willow glances back at Buffy, who is happily chatting with Riley - no obvious danger there.

"So tell her. Help her." Willow says.

"If she sees me it'll be worse." Angel says. "You know how I feel about her. If there was any way..."

Willow nods, "Sorry. Yeah. I know."

"It's just, everything's different now." Angel says.

"So I've heard. Hey, is Cordelia really working for you? That's gotta be... a special experience. Of all the people you could've hired—" Willow says.

"Will. I'm here to protect Buffy. I don't have a whole lotta time for personal stuff." Angel says.

Willow nods, "Right. How can I help?"

"Well, if you can just tell me..." Angel says. "Who's that guy?"

Buffy and Riley continue to talk outside.

"...it'll be just like it was when I was a kid. Only without me building a fort out of my mashed potatoes." Buffy says.

"Sounds like fun." Riley says.

"Hey, you know what? If you're around, you know, and you don't have anywhere to go... Well, you should come. I'm a great cook. Well actually Piper's the great cook and while I want to do it myself. She'll probably be doing it all."

"That sounds so great. But I'm out of here tonight, I'm catching flight back to Iowa." Riley says.

"Iowa. That's one of the ones in the middle." Buffy says.

Riley laughs. "My folks are there. My sister's getting married."

"Wow, congratulations. For your sister that is."

"Thanks." Riley says.

"Well, you have fun at the homestead." Buffy says.

"Always do. What's the line - "Home's the place that, when you have to go there –"

"- they have to take you in. That's what they say." Buffy says.

Riley smiles and leans down and kisses Buffy. "I'll see you when you get back."

Later Buffy walks through an empty church. Carved images, stained-glass images of angels look down at her as she walks. "Hello? Father Gabriel?" She sees an open side door. She exits into a courtyard, full of arches and vines. "Father? Are you out here?"

Buffy rounds a corner to see the priest, dead, hanged, dangling from an archway. Hus stands beside the body. He reaches up, knife glinting... "Goddess…"

Hus severs the ear from the man with a brutal stroke of his knife. He tucks the ear into a pouch tied at his waist. Buffy delivers a spinning kick that throws him away from the body. He brings up the knife.

"You can't stop me." Hus says.

"You're very wrong about that." Buffy says as she throws a punch, but he blocks it with his free hand. Throws her and they tumble, come up facing each other again.

"I am vengeance. I am my people's cry. They call for…" Hus says pointing to himself, "…Hus, for the avenging spirit, to carve out justice."

"They tell you start an ear collection?" Buffy asks.

Furious, he lunges. They spar, end up on the ground.

Buffy gets the upper hand, taking Hus' knife as they grip each other, Hus just holding the knife away. He looks at it with concealed fear.

"You slaughtered my people. Now you kill their spirit. This is a great day for you." Hus says.

Buffy hesitates, weakens, and Hus breaks free, wrenching his knife from her and rolling away. He comes up, stands before her silhouetted and turns into a flock of birds, which fly off into the sky. Buffy looks up after them, startled. She stands alone and empty-handed.

Back at the Manor Piper is putting the turkey into the oven while Buffy peels potatoes. Giles stands in the doorway listening to Buffy's exploits at the church.

"We're clearly dealing with a spirit of some kind. It's very common for Indian spirits to change to animal form." Giles says.

"Well it's plenty uncommon for me to freeze up during a fight. I had the guy, I was ready for the takedown and I stopped! And "Native American"." Buffy says.

"Sorry?" Giles asks.

"We don't say Indian." Piper says as she puts four yams in the oven as well.

"Yes! Right. Always behind on the terms. Still trying not to refer to you lot as 'bloody colonials'." Giles says.

"The thing is, I like my evil like my men: evil. You know, straight up, black hat, tie you to the railroad tracks, soon my electro ray will destroy metropolis BAD. Not all mixed up with guilt and the destruction of an indigenous culture." Buffy says.

Giles nods, "This spirit warrior - Hus, you called him? - has killed innocent people."

Buffy nods, "We need to boil these and put them through a ricer, Piper?"

Piper nods, "Right, Buffy."

Buffy looks back to Giles, "I want to stop this guy. I just wish there was a non-slayee and non-Charmed way to do it.

They hear the doorbell.

"I've got it." Paige says.

"Thanks, Paige." Buffy says.

In the foyer Paige opens the door. She sees Willow laden down with books. On top of the books are two packages of frozen peas. On top of the peas is a determined scowl.

"Hey." Willow says.

"Hey! Peas?" Paige asks.

Willow indicates her head, "Peas."

Paige takes the peas as Willow dumps books onto coffee table in the living room.

Giles comes out of the kitchen and sees the books, "What's all that?"

"Atrocities! I got the full poop on the Chumash Indians and our fabulous buried Mission." Willow says as they walk back into the kitchen.

"These are frozen." Paige says as she hands the can of peas to Buffy.

Buffy sighs, "You said you were gonna get fresh ones."

"Atrocities?" Willow asks.

"Peas. You know, in the little pods... you were gonna shell them." Buffy says.

"I didn't have time. I was busy reading about the Chumash war." Willow says.

"The Chumash were peaceful." Giles says.

Willow nods, "Oh, they were peaceful, all right. They were fluffy indigenous kittens! 'Til we came along."

"They're gonna be mushy." Buffy says.

Piper shakes her head, "Buffy they'll be fine. We can make do."

"What happened to the Chumash?" Buffy asks as she hands the can of peas to Piper.

"How about imprisonment? Forced labor? Herded like animals into a mission full of bad European diseases?" Willow asks.

"Boy, the Cultural Partnership center really didn't stress any of that stuff." Buffy says.

"Not even a diorama. And it gets better. The few Chumash who tried to rebel were hanged, AND, when a group was accused of stealing cattle, they were killed, men women and children, and for proof to bring back to their accusers..." Willow says.

Paige shakes her head, "Those poor people."

"They cut off their ears." Giles says.

"So Hus wasn't kidding with that "rightful vengeance" routine. He's recreating all the wrongs that were done his people." Buffy says.

Giles shakes his head, "And he's not likely to stop."

Piper nods, "So it's up to us to stop him."

"What's up to us?" Phoebe asks.

"Hus." Buffy says. "Chumash spirit who's out for revenge for his people. But we'll wait till after dinner, right?"

"You sure we shouldn't be helping him?" Willow asks.

Giles shakes his head, "No, I think perhaps we WON'T be helping the angry spirit with his rape and pillage and murder."

"Well, okay, no, but we should be helping him redress his wrongs. Bringing the atrocities to light!" Willow says.

"Well, if the history books are filled with them, I'd say they already are –" Giles says.

"Giving his land back!" Willow says.

"Well, maybe we could do that –" Buffy says.

"It's not exactly ours to give." Giles says.

"I don't think you want to help. I think you just want to slay the demon and then go la la la." Willow says.

"Of course we don't, Willow." Piper says. "They suffered unjustly. If we can make this right we should try. But were not going to let him kill anymore innocents either." She kneels down, opens the oven door and bastes the turkey. She closes the oven door again.

Giles pulls Willow aside, speaking so Buffy, Piper, Phoebe and Paige won't hear.

"Willow, I have reason to believe Buffy herself may be in particular danger from this menace." Giles says.

"Oh. You mean" Willow says as she mouths the next part. "Angel." She nods speaking again, "I saw him too."

"Not terribly stealthy of him." Giles says.

"I think he's lost his edge." Willow says.

"But Buffy doesn't know –" Giles says.

"No no! Not a peep." Willow says.

Giles nods, "Well, good, but this is why we need to keep a level head about this menace."

"And I happen to think mine is the level head and yours is the one that things would roll off of." Willow says.

Giles is about to reply when there is a knock at the door.

Phoebe goes to the front door and opens it to reveal Xander and Anya.

Xander looks weak and sweaty. "Hi."

Phoebe stares at Xander, looking concerned. "Xander. You look like death. Are you okay?"

Buffy walks into the foyer, "You didn't bring rolls?"

Moments later Xander is on the couch with a blanket. Willow pores through books, many of which are open on the coffee table. Buffy sits facing Xander, stirring pumpkin pie mix with a whisk. Phoebe and Paige sit on either side of Buffy. Anya sits beside Xander, tending his brow. Giles hovers.

"The doctor couldn't figure out what was up with me. Said I had a lot of symptoms that didn't connect." Xander says.

"I think they connect." Buffy says.

"What, to this Chumash spirit vengeance guy?" Xander asks.

"Didn't you say the Chumash got all diseased, holed up in the mission?" Buffy asks.

Willow nods, "Yeah. This has a better account of everything. Lists the various..."

"Various? As in..." Xander says.

"Well, the important thing is not to panic." Paige says.

Phoebe looks at Buffy, "Maybe we should call Leo?"

Buffy nods, "Yeah."

"Leo!" Phoebe calls as Leo orbs in.

"Well, you just recited the mystical panic-causing incantation so little hope there. Tell me about the various." Xander says.

"Yeah?" Leo asks.

"Well, they did suffer from malaria, some smallpox." Willow says.

Phoebe motions towards Xander, "We think Xander may have been infected by a Native American spirit from the Chumash tribe. You think you can try and heal him?"

Leo nods, "I can try."

"I was gonna say smallpox –" Anya says.

Leo moves over to Xander and kneels down next to him. He holds out his hands and tries to heal Xander.

"Plus, you know, a little Syphilis, basically standard sort of –" Willow says.

"Syphilis?" Xander asks.

Leo shakes his head, "Sorry Xander. Whatever it is, it's not healing."

"Thanks for trying, man." Xander says.

"But this is probably mystical, and it'll all go away as soon as –" Willow says.

Leo smiles, "No problem."

"As soon as what? We still don't know what we're gonna do." Buffy says.

"Maybe I can find something." Willow says as she flips through books. Anya takes the first book Willow was looking through.

"Well let's give him some land, I'm sure that will clear everything right up." Giles says.

"Giles, the sarcasm accomplishes nothing." Buffy says.

"Well, it was sort of an end in itself." Giles says.

"Can we come rocketing back to the part about me and my new syphilis?" Xander asks.

"Oh, that'll make you blind and insane, but it won't kill you. The smallpox will." Anya says.

"Sweetie... not helping." Xander says.

"There might be a wiccan spell that could cure it, something regular medicine doesn't know about. I think there was a potion..." Willow says.

Phoebe shakes her head, "Willow remember that time Buffy and Piper had the Arroyo fever?"

Willow nods, "Yeah."

"We tried casting a spell. It had personal gain issues. There is no potion or spell that will work without personal gain. Don't bother trying." Phoebe says.

"You're going to get vesicles. Then pustules. They have pictures." Anya says looking at the book in her lap.

"I hate this guy." Xander says.

"He's just doing what was done to him." Willow says.

"I didn't give him syphilis!" Xander says.

"But you freed his spirit, and after a century of unrest he saw you as one of his oppressors." Giles says.

"So he rises up and infects the first guy he sees? That's not fair." Xander says.

Willow sighs, "Like you've never woken up cranky."

"But why the others? Why them particularly?" Paige asks.

"So let's take this guy out! It is for to be slaying sometime soon, yeah?" Xander asks.

"Well, that's sort of the question before the court." Buffy says.

"Question?" Xander asks.

"There's two sides to it." Willow says.

"To slaying him? Well, the representative from syphilis votes "yea"." Xander says.

Leo shakes his head, "It's not that simple, Xander."

"He's a vengeance demon! You don't talk to vengeance demons, you kill them!" Xander says.

"I didn't know you felt that way." Anya says, quietly.

"What? I didn't mean - you're an EX-vengeance demon, it's totally different..." Xander says.

"Sure. It's okay." Anya says, hurt.

Xander sighs, "Anya..."

"Anyway, he's a spirit, not a demon." Willow says.

"Yes, we've never faced this exact sort of spirit. We really don't know what will kill it."

"Uhm I think the Spirit spell would work." Paige says. "Problem is you have to be dead to say it. None of the others would work as they require potions."

"Again with the killing!" Willow says.

"Yes, Willow, we all appreciate your perspective –" Giles says.

"Some vengeance is justified, you know..." Anya says.

"I don't think anyone "appreciates" the truth of this situation..." Willow says.

"You know I didn't mean you..." Xander says.

"I think we do..." Giles says.

Buffy stands. "This is no good." Everyone stops. "It needs more condensed milk." She walks into the kitchen as Giles follows her.

"Buffy, Xander is in real danger. Are you sure the solution is pie?" Giles says.

Piper looks back at Buffy and Giles, "Something going on? I heard a lot of yelling in there."

"Over bickering and confusion? I'll take pie." Buffy says.

Giles sighs, "We will find a solution –"

"And we will have a nice dinner. Okay? Both. End of story. Everything is going to be perfect."

"Hus won't stop. Vengeance is never sated, Buffy. Hatred is a cycle. All he will do is kill." Giles says.

Piper sighs and turns to Giles, "This spirit is a Charmed matter. This is not something Buffy can handle as a Slayer. We have pretty much two options. Either help it to move on. Or try and vanquish it. Since it has no bones. Only thing that will vanquish it is the spirit to spirit spell. And that requires someone to die to say it. So the only recourse is to try and appease it somehow. So it can move on."

Suddenly Giles thinks of something. "Apart from Xander, Hus has targeted authority figures - Father Gabriel, the curator of the Cultural Center... who fits this pattern?"

"The Dean. Dean Guerrero, he's the king of us - and he was at the ceremony..." Buffy says.

Giles nods, "Likely candidate. We'll need to warn him."

Buffy looks at Piper, "I understand your reasoning, Piper. But as long as this spirit is killing innocents. He has to be vanquished. And since we can't do spirit to spirit we will have to find another way."

Buffy and Giles goes back into the living room.

"Will, isn't there anything in there about how to stop a Native American spirit guy? Some nice, non judgemental way to, you know, kill him?" Buffy says.

"I'm not helping you kill him! I'm not on board." Willow says as she gathers up her books, holds them to her.

"Will, what choice do we have?" Buffy asks.

Will stands. "This isn't a Western, Buffy! We're not at Fort... Halliwell, with the cavalry coming to save us! It's one lonely and oppressed warrior guy who's just trying to –"

"— kill a lot of people?" Buffy says.

"I didn't say he was right..." Willow says.

"Will, you know how bad I feel. This is eating me up but even though it's hard, we have to end this. Yes, he's been wronged, and I personally would be ready to apologize..." Buffy says.

"If we could talk to him –" Willow says.

Buffy sighs, "All right. Whatever happens, someone should go warn the Dean."

"I'll go. I need the air.' Willow says.

"Not alone." Buffy says.

"I'll go." Anya says.

"Me too." Xander says.

"You sure you're up to it?" Phoebe asks.

Xander nods, "I'm up to it."

"We'll keep looking for a... solution." Giles says.

Buffy nods, "His house is up past the gym. And guys... hurry. Dinner's in an hour."

Later Buffy is setting the table with probably more energy than she needs. Giles, Phoebe and Paige are researching. Piper is in the kitchen finishing up on the last minute details.

"I hope the others are okay..." Buffy says.

There is a WHINE of arrows overhead. Two of them embed in the wall beside the stairs, two more go deep into the sofa.

Willow, Xander and Anya walk away from the Dean's Residence. They stop near a bike rack.

"Well, that was a waste of time." Xander says.

"I think he thought we were crazy." Willow says.

"Maybe Anya shouldn't have opened the conversation with "Everybody got both ears?"" Xander says.

"I liked his wife." Anya says.

"So what do we do now?" Xander asks.

"We could stay, and stand watch, but I don't know—" Willow says.

Angel steps out of the dark next to them. "Willow—"

Xander and Willow jump.

"Angel!" Xander says.

Anya is not flustered. "This is Angel. He's large and glowery, isn't he?"

Xander steps between Anya and Angel.

"I'm not evil again! Why does everyone think that?" Angel says.

"Angel's here to protect Buffy." Willow says.

"I haven't been evil for a long time." Angel says.

"She's not supposed to know he's here. Angel, you have something new?" Willow says.

Angel nods, "Yeah. All the Chumash weapons are missing from the cultural center. Something's up. Where's Buffy?"

"At the Manor. She just sent us out to check on Dean Guerrero." Willow says.

"He's fine. Lots of ears." Anya says.

"Why the Dean?" Angel asks.

"We think he's going after someone in charge. A leader." Willow says.

"He's a warrior. To a warrior the leader means the strongest fighter." Angel says.

"Buffy." Xander says.

Angel nods, "He's formed a raiding party."

"We've got to get back there!" Willow says.

"I'll call her. You get back fast." Angel says.

"How can we –" Xander says.

Angel strides to the bike rack. He pulls a lock, snaps it.

At the Manor Phoebe, Paige, Buffy and Giles move behind the sofa.

The phone rings.

Giles reaches up and grabs it. "Hello... Yes... Yes we're well aware of that, we're under siege now. Thank you." He hangs up.

"Who was that?" Phoebe asks.

"A... Someone. We need a plan." Giles says.

"I could go get you guys weapons?" Buffy says.

Phoebe nods, "Might be a good idea."

"I have a better idea." Paige says. "Call for them."

Piper walks into the living room from the kitchen. "Well dinner is ready." An arrow comes flying at Piper hitting her in the shoulder.

"Piper!" Phoebe says.

Piper dives for cover.

Paige orbs over to Piper. "You okay?"

Piper nods, "Hurts like heck but yeah. What's going on?"

"Our Chumash friends are attacking us." Paige says.

"Oh." Piper says.

"How many?" Buffy says.

"There's the leader, upstairs, and another one with him. And three at the living room windows." Giles says.

Buffy frowns, "Five total. Too many. Paige get Piper upstairs and call for Leo. Then go get Willow, Xander and Anya and orb them back."

Paige nods as she orbs Piper upstairs.

Buffy sighs, "I hope this works. I've only done this twice. And the first time was an accident. Crossbow!" A crossbow flames into her waiting hand. "Good." She hands the crossbow to Giles.

Buffy and Giles stand up. She faces toward Hus, he faces into the living room. She throws a fireball at Hus, who ducks out of the way. Giles fires through one of the living room windows.

Xander, Willow and Anya are coming up the front steps of the Manor. They see the Chumash are there. Xander moves instantly across the yard to one of the Chumash in front of the living room window. Along the way he picks up a heavy flowerpot. He brings it down, with a crash, on the warrior's head - the warrior falls aside.

Willow and Anya each grab garden tools, rushing to join Xander. Another warrior dives at Willow and Anya, knife in hand. They fight back, flailing at his head.

Inside Hus, still at the window over the stairs, utters a war-cry and jumps into the room, crashing through the window. He ends up at the base of the stairs. Buffy holds out hand, "Athame!" An athame flames into her hand as she jump to meet Hus. They engage. The knives flash and clash.

Paige orbs to Giles, "Willow, Xander and Anya are outside. Their fighting two of the Chumash warriors."

"I could use something other than this crossbow." Giles says.

Paige nods, "Knife!" A knife orbs into her hand and she hands it to Giles. The remaining two warriors jump inside through their windows. Giles grabs a heavy object off a table and clobbers one of them over the head. He falls aside.

The remaining warrior charges Giles, they end up fighting near the doorway by the kitchen.

Hus' knife slashes Buffy's arm, making a cut. She strikes back. He is uncut. "Giles! These guys! They don't die!"

Giles is on the ground, trying to keep his opponent's hands from his throat. "Bit busy over here..."

"Paige!" Buffy says. "We have to find a way to vanquish these guys."

Outside Xander is trying to help Willow and Anya. He has picked up a long-handled something of his own and is joining the fight... "Get away from them!" ...when he realizes there's nothing at the end of his handle. He stares at it. A beat later, he is plucked out of the fight entirely, from behind. "Hey!"

It's the warrior whom he hit with the flowerpot, dirt still marking his face. He picks up Xander and throws him through a living room window and Xander lands on the living room floor. The warrior launches in after him and they struggle on the ground.

Angel comes up the walk and sees Willow and Anya, still fighting: garden implements vs. knife.

Willow has gotten over her reluctance and is hitting the warrior hard in the head with her hoe. "Why. Won't. You. Die?"

Angel grabs the warrior and twists his neck. The warrior drops, his knife clattering to the courtyard floor beside him. Willow and Anya look at Angel gratefully.

"What's he like when he is evil?" Anya asks.

Inside the dazed warrior whom Giles hit with the object, gets up. He steps around the back of the sofa, closing in behind Buffy, who is still fighting Hus, knife drawn and raised...

Piper comes down the stairs and raises her hands causing the warrior attacking Giles to fly back from the force of exploding power.

Outside the warrior who got his neck snapped by Angel suddenly grabs him from behind.

Angel struggles with him and yells to Willow and Anya, "Help the others!"

Willow and Anya enter through the door, arriving at the Xander-vs.-warrior tussle. Together they try to pull the warrior off Xander, hold him.

Buffy and Hus continue their knife fight. In an exchange of kicks and blows, both knives are knocked out of their hands. They fall. Buffy and Hus pick them up. She slashes at him. She cuts his arm, leaving it bloodied. Confused she looks at her knife - sees that it's his stone one - they traded knives.

"Your knife. It can kill you." Buffy says.

Hus yells... an angry scream that deepens, and roughens and turns into an ursine growl as, incredibly, he morphs into a giant real live bear!

The bear towers on it hind legs and roars, seeming to fill the space.

Buffy fights the bear! It slashes at her with its massive claws.

The bear roars and knocks Buffy across the room.

Xander is helping Anya and Willow restrain their captive warrior. But, seeing Buffy's sitch, he waves and shouts, trying to draw the bear's attention away from Buffy. "Hey! Gentle Ben! Over here!"

Buffy moves in close, within range of the huge paws, and plunges the knife into the beast's heart. It roars and collapses to the floor. It turns briefly into the Chumash man, and then into the mist, which dissipates... gone forever.

The four other warriors all wisp away too.

Piper, Paige, Phoebe, Buffy, Willow, Anya, Xander and Giles move together, still looking at where Hus' body briefly lay.

Outside Angel stands alone now... the warriors have disappeared. He looks in the window, sees Buffy as she looks around at her family and friends... she's all right.

Angel hesitates for a second - drawn to her. But he turns and walks away.

Inside Buffy glances toward the window - was something there? No.

Later Piper, Paige, Phoebe, Leo, Buffy, Willow, Xander, Giles, and Anya, all sit around the dining room table. The turkey, half-carved, is on the table, as well as the other food. Everyone eats and looks tired.

"I feel lousy." Willow says.

"I thought the turkey came out rather splendidly." Giles says.

"Well thank you Giles." Piper says.

Willow nods, "It was yummy, I just... did you see me? Two seconds of conflict with an indigenous person and I turn into General Custer."

"Violence does that. Instinct takes over." Giles says. "Well, good work, everyone."

Buffy sighs, "Thanks."

"Come on, you should be very pleased." Giles says.

"It wasn't exactly a perfect get together." Buffy says.

"I don't know. It kinda seemed right to me. A bunch of anticipation, a big fight and now we're all sleepy." Xander says.

Giles nods, "And we did all survive."

"Well. I guess that much is true." Buffy says.

"And you know what?" Xander asks. "I think my syphilis is clearing right up."

"That's nice..." Anya says.

"And they say romance is dead. Or maybe they just wish it." Buffy says.

"And maybe we started a new tradition this year." Willow says. "Maybe not. But anyway, we all worked together, that was like old times."

"Yeah. Especially with Angel here and everything." Xander says.

"What?" Piper, Phoebe and Paige asks.

"Angel?" Buffy says.


	107. Chapter 107: I Will Remember You

**Chapter 107: I Will Remember You**

Angel winds up an old clock and sets it on the desk in his office. He then checks the table's surface. Puts a pencil down at one end and watches it roll across his desk.

Cordelia and Doyle watch form the outer office.

"When did he get back?" Cordelia asks.

"Late last night." Doyle says

Cordelia nods, "And?"

"Ah, he seemed fine." Doyle says

Cordelia sighs, "He saw Buffy. He was in San Francisco for three days, tracking her and that thingymagiggy you saw in your vision." She looks at Angel trying to adjust his desk. "Where is the crabby scowl, the morbid gloom?" She turns to Doyle. "This just means that it cut deeper then usual. Batten down the hatches, here comes Hurricane Buffy."

"You think?" Doyle asks as Cordelia gives an exasperated sigh. "Maybe he's over her."

Cordelia pats Doyle on the shoulder, "You have so much to learn little Irish man." She turns and sees Angel take a stake out of his desk drawer testing its tip with his finger. "Oh, my God!" She runs into the office with Doyle right behind, "Don't do it, Angel!"

"Listen to me, man, it's not worth it." Doyle says.

"It's not?" Angel asks, slightly confused.

"No! You can't let her get to you like this. You'll meet someone else. Just give it some time." Cordelia says.

Doyle holds out a hand, "Why don't you let me have that?"

"Because I need it to level my desk." Angel says as he bends down to stick the tip of it under one of the table's legs. "The floor is uneven." He straightens up with a smirk. "You two thought.."

Cordelia nods, "Doyle did. You know how he jumps to conclusions, - 'cause you saw Buffy."

"It wasn't a social call. I was there to protect her. I stayed out of sight. She didn't even know I was there." Angel says.

Cordelia looks at Angel, shocked, "Really? " Angel nods. "So you avoided her."

"Look, Buffy is always going to be a part of me, and that's never going to change. But she's human and I'm –" Angel frowns and looks down "- not. And that's also never going to change. We said our good-byes, no need to stir any of this up again."

"You don't want to 'stir', but if my ex came to town and was all stalking me in the shadows and then left and then didn't even say 'hello' I'd be.." Cordelia says.

"A little upset." Buffy says from the door. Angel looks at her, his mouth dropping open. "Wouldn't you?"

"Buffy! - Buffy's here - in town. - What brings you to.." Cordelia says.

Buffy nods, deciding a lie is best, "I came to see my father." She looks over at Angel. "Thought I'd stop by."

"What a surprise!" Cordelia says with a fake laugh.

Buffy smiles, "Cordelia how are you?"

"Good. I'm good. You?" Cordelia says.

Buffy looks at Angel, "I've been better. Oh I've been meaning to say something to you Cordelia. I thought we were friends you know. That last little barb before we graduated, hurt."

"What barb?" Cordelia asks.

"The one about me never leaving San Francisco." Buffy says.

"Oh, sorry." Cordelia says. "Anyways, this is Doyle. And he gets visions of people in trouble. Much like you do I guess."

"Nice to make your.." Doyle says.

Cordrlia takes Doyle's arm and pulls him out of the office "And this is us leaving you two alone."

Buffy closes the door behind them then turns back to Angel, who's having trouble meeting her eyes.

"Well, umm, it's good to.. Can I get you anything?" Angel says.

Buffy frowns, "How about - an explanation? - Who do you think you are coming to my town and following me around behind my back?"

"I'm sorry." Angel says.

"What is this? Some new torment you cooked up just for me?" Buffy says.

Angel sighs, "No, I don't want to torment.."

Buffy shakes her head, "What is it? You can see me, but I can't see you? What are we playing here?"

"We're not. I'm not playing anything. I wrestled with this decision.." Angel says.

Buffy frowns, "Which you made without me."

Angel sighs, "I tried to do what I thought was right. It's complicated how this all happened, Buffy, you know? It's kind of a long story."

"You're new sidekick had a premonition, I was in it, you came to San Francisco?" Buffy says.

"Okay, maybe not that long." Angel says.

Buffy sighs, "You didn't feel that I was important enough to even tell me that you were there."

Angel looks at her for a moment, "I'm trying to explain. It's because I felt that you're important that I didn't tell you."

"I'm a big girl now, Angel. I'm not in High School anymore. A lot has happened in my life since you left." Buffy says.

"I know. I respect that." Angel says.

"And I don't need you skulking around, trying to protect me." Buffy says as Angel looks away. "Unless, of course, I'm in some gigantic fight to the death, which - I was last night. That was you, helping me, wasn't it?"

"I was in the neighborhood - skulking." Angel says. "I'm sorry if I handled this wrong. I mean, what else was I supposed to do?"

"I don't know. - I just know that when you're around, whether I see you or not, - I feel you - inside - and it throws me." Buffy says.

Angel sighs, "Throws me, too."

Buffy nods, "So let's just stick to the plan. We keep our distance until a lot of time has passed. Given enough time we should be able to.."

"Forget?" Angel asks.

"Yeah. - So, I'm gonna go - start forgetting." Buffy says.

As Buffy turns to go a green skinned Samurai demon with a curved sword and a red jewel in his forehead crashes through the window behind Angel and attacks him. Angel barely avoids the first stroke of his sword by rolling across his desk.

"Angel!" Buffy says as she kicks the demon back against the wall, Angel comes up and throws an ax at it.

Angel slides across the floor, picking up the demon's sword and stabs it in the gut while it is still wrestling with Buffy. Some of its fluorescent green blood runs down the sword onto Angel's hand. The demon jumps back causing Buffy to land on top of Angel, pulls the sword out and jumps out of the window.

Angel and Buffy stare at each other as they slowly untangle themselves and get up.

"Friend of yours?" Buffy asks.

"Never saw it before." Angel says.

"It was rude. We should go kill it." Buffy says.

Angel smiles, "I'm free."

"Got somewhere I can change?" Buffy asks.

Later in the sewers Angel and Buffy are tracking the demon.

"It's heading towards the ocean." Angel says.

"Are you sure?" Buffy asks

"It's wounded. I can smell its blood." Angel says.

Buffy nods, "Oh. Great. - Handy skill." Angel stops to look at her as she continues on. "Maybe if your crack staff hadn't run off at the first sign of trouble they could have helped us with some research. Find out what this thing is and why it wants to kill us."

Something rustles and Buffy spins around, powering up a fireball.

"It's just a rat. - So, you can put that down." Angel says as Buffy extinguishes the fireball. "It's not a vampire. I don't know why you did that anyway."

"Reflex." Buffy says. "Besides it's a lot handier then your fighting ax."

"Unless he chops it in two and maybe takes some of your hand with it." Angel says.

Buffy sighs, "Look can we just get on with the hunting? I'd like to get this over with before dark."

Angel nods, "I can handle this myself."

"You bailed me out last night. I'd like us to be even.' Buffy says.

Angel walks past her, "We're keeping score now."

Buffy looks around, "Are you getting anything? Because I sure smell sewer." Angel touches a green spot on the wall of a tunnel junction, smells his fingers, then heads down that tunnel. "Tunnel number one it is."

Moments later Angel is emerging out of the mouth of a tunnel. He's blinking his eyes, frowning.

"Angel? You okay?" Buffy asks.

Angel shakes his head, "I feel weird.'

Buffy sighs, "I know. I do, too. I mean, I only came to see you so I could tell you face-to-face not to see me - face-to-face anymore, - and I know there is a fly in the logic ointment here somewhere, but.. The next thing I knew we're being attacked by this mutant ninja demon thing, and then we're on the floor on top of each other, and it's just really confusing being around you."

Angel grimaces, "No, I meant I felt weird from the demons blood." He kooks down at his hand. "It's powerful."

Buffy looks away, "Oh. Okay." She turns to walk on quickly. "Let's just rewind Buffy's little outburst and pretend it never happened."

"No. I-It is confusing. And I.. When we're apart - it's easier." Angel says as Buffy stares at him. "It hurts - every day. But I live with it." He slowly steps closer to her. "And now you're - you're right here - and I can actually reach out.. and - it's more then confusing - it's unbearable."

Buffy inches closer to him, "But we have to bear it, right? I mean, what else can we do? It doesn't work with us. It can't."

"No, I-I can't give you a life, or a future or anything a real girl would want." Angel says.

Buffy inching closer, "No matter how much we miss each other."

"Or what we feel in the moment." Angel says.

"If we let something happen here - we'd want more. - And nothing's changed. We'd only end up having to leave each other again." Buffy says.

"And that's the best case scenario." Angel says.

Buffy sighs, "Oh, Goddess." She turns away. "I was really jonesing for another heartbreaking sewer talk."

"I'm sorry." Angel says.

Buffy turns back to him angry, "You know, I'm actually on the brink of something back home. I'm actually heading towards a pretty good life now that.."

"I'm out of the picture. - That's why I left. I want you to have it." Angel says.

"Could we just - find this thing and get this finished?" Buffy says as she sees rungs leading up. "What if it went up?"

Angel sighs, "Into the day, where it knows I can't follow."

Buffy gets ready to go up, "But I can."

"Uh, I.." Angel says and reaches out to touch her then balls his hand up into a fist and pulls it back. "I don't want you going after it alone."

"Look, it's best all around if we just split up. I can handle it." Buffy says.

"There's a dive on Second near Beach, The Lone Bar. Demons go there sometimes when they need to get patched up." Angel says.

Buffy starts to climb, "Got it."

"Be careful." Angel says then he turns and walks down the dark tunnels.

Two glowing green eyes watch him from behind. Suddenly the demon jumps out and attacks him from behind slicing across the palm of Angel's right hand as he spins around. Angel looks at the blood on his hand then vamps out and attacks. They fight.

The demon slices off the head of Angel's battle-ax, and Angel manages to knock the sword out of the demon's hand. The demon pulls his short sword and they continue fighting. In the end Angel manages to grab the demon's sword hand and turns its hand to stab it in the heart with its own sword. The demon falls back as Angel stares at the glowing green blood that covers his cut right hand.

The blood swirls around and sinks into his cut, which closes up in front of his eyes. A light races from his right hand through his whole body as Angel collapses with a strangled cry.

Angel comes back up gasping for air and he hears the sound of a heart beating. He stares at his hand in disbelief, "I'm alive."

Back at Angel's Office, Cordelia and Doyle are walking in.

Doyle sees the destruction in Angel's office, "Woah, when they fight.."

Cordy runs past him, "Oh, my God!"

"What?" Doyle asks.

"She killed him!" Cordelia says as she picks up a handful of dust. "Oops! My bad." Brushes off her hands. "It's just dust I forgot to sweep under the rug."

"What, are you trying to give me a heart attack?" Doyle asks.

"Hey, don't blame me if he's too cheap to hire a Cleaning Lady!" Cordelia says. The door opens and Angel walks into the outer office a dazed expression on his face. "What's wrong? What happened? - Did you do it with Buffy?" Doyle steps closer to Angel staring at his chest. "Watch it, Doyle, don't get too close. - Hey, you walked in the front door - from the street! You got.."

Angel looks at Doyle, "Yeah."

"An umbrella!" Cordelia says.

Angel walks past them and stand in the sun streaming in through the window.

"He's alive, Cordelia." Doyle says.

"Alive?" Cordelia asks.

"Buffy and I were attacked by some kind of demon. I- I tracked it - and killed it." Angel says and holds out his right hand. "A-and some of its blood mixed with mine."

Doyle lays two fingers on Angel's wrist, "And you wound up with a pulse?"

Angel nods, "I want to find out what kind of a demon that was. Ow, my back. It hurts. Everything's.."

"More real, now that you're real?" Doyle asks.

Angel nods, "Yeah. I'm mortal now. I have a mortal body." He stares at where Cordelia is standing. "And I'm so - hungry!"

Cordelia jumps out of his way as he comes charging towards her, "Look out, he's gonna eat.." Angel grabs one of the donuts sitting on the little refrigerator behind where she was standing and stuffs it in his mouth. "everything in sight!"

Angel opens the fridge, takes a bite out of an apple, "Oh my God. Food." He takes a bite out of something else. "This is unbelievable. This is so.." He smells the apple. "You know, I forgot how good it all tastes when you're alive!"

"Yeah, and they didn't even have Cookie-dough-fudge-mint-chip when you were alive." Cordelia says.

"Mmm, I want some! Can you get that?" Angel says.

Cordelia shakes her head, "It'll go straight to your thighs."

Angel still trying bites of everything, "Uhm, chocolate! Oh, chocolate!"

"All right, all right, we need to focus here. We need to try and find out.." Doyle says.

Angel talks with his mouth full, "I love chocolate!" He drinks out of a yogurt container and makes a face. "Uh, but not, as it turns out, yogurt. Urgh!"

"Orsen! We're in a situation here." Doyle says.

Angel nods, "Right." He takes a deep breath and closes the fridge. "I know. You're right. Let me think - and now my stomach's killing me. - Cordelia, find Buffy. She' in Santa Monica near the Lone Star. Tell her I killed the demon."

Cordelia turns to go, "Okay."

"Oh, wait! Don't tell her what's happened to me. Not until I know what it means." Angel says.

Cordelia nods, "All right."

Several moments later Angel is looking at a woodcut of the demon in a book. "That's it."

"It's called a Mohra demon. They're pretty powerful assassins, soldiers of darkness kind of thing. They take out warriors for our side, like you and Buffy." Doyle says. "Needs vast amounts of salt to live."

"It was heading towards salt water." Angel says.

"Veins run with the blood of eternity. There it is. Its blood has regenerative properties." Doyle says.

Angel stares fascinated at his reflection in a window, "Which explains what happened to me. But it doesn't explain why."

Doyle closes the book, "Hey, what difference does it make, man? The demon's dead, you're alive! It's happy fun time."

Angel spins to confront Doyle, "What's going on here, Doyle?"

"I don't know. I thought the only way for you to be made mortal was if the Powers That Be or the Elders stepped in." Doyle says.

"What, they could have done this? How come I keep getting the feeling that you're not telling me everything." Angel says.

"Because I'm not. We're both on a need to know basis here." Doyle says.

Angel paces, "I need to know about this. Is this permanent? Am I - am I normal Joe now? Can I have a normal life? I want to speak to the Powers That Be or the Elders."

"Woah, woah, woah! That's easier said than done, bud. The Powers That Be don't live in our reality. You have to approach them through channels. Dangerous channels. And the Elders you have to have a Whitelighter to get a message to them."

"So the Elders are out then. You know what? Start approaching the Powers That Be!"

Doyle sighs, "All right. All right. Maybe we can try the Oracles. But hey, if they turn you into a toad - don't say I didn't warn you."

Later Angel and Doyle are in some underground chamber. There is a white stone arc in one wall.

Angel reads the foreign inscription above it, "The Gateway for Lost Souls." He turns to Doyle. "Is under the post office?"

"It makes sense if you think about it. Now listen, the Oracles are finicky and unpredictable. You do get in, don't dilly-dally. Ask your questions, get out." Doyle says.

"Aren't you coming?" Angel asks.

"Not allowed. I'm just a lowly messenger, you're a warrior.. if your heart is pure - and I do this right.." Doyle says as he puts some herbs in an urn. "We beseech access to the knowing ones.. We may just survive." He puts a lighter to the urn and it fills with high flames. The arc glows and fills with light. "You're in."

Angel steps through the light into a white marble chamber. Two glittery figures confront him.

"Come before us, lower being." Man says.

"What have you brought us?" Woman asks.

"Was I supposed to.." Angel says.

"You call us forth and bring us no offering?" Man asks.

Angel takes off his wristwatch, "I brought you this."

Woman holds out her hand and the watch flies to her, "I like Time. There is so little and so much of it."

"Well?" Man asks.

Angel nods, "What's happened to me?"

Woman steps to one side of Angel, "It's true then, brother."

Man steps to the other side of Angel, "He is no longer a warrior."

Angel nods, "It was the demon's blood. It wasn't the Powers That Be that did this? Or the Elders?"

"The Powers That Be? Did you save humanity? Avert the Apocalypse?" Man says. "Elders do not interfere with one not of their own, a witch or future Whitelighter. They would not do this."

"You faced a Mohra demon. Life goes on." Woman says.

Angel nods, "My life as a human. I'm not poisoned or under some spell?"

Woman looks up, after a beat, "The Auguries say no. If it has happened it was meant to be."

"From this day, you will live and die as any mortal man." Man says.

"Privy to all the attendant pains - and pleasures." Woman says.

Man nods, "That which we serve is no longer that which you serve. You are released from your fealty."

The woman and man walk away from him.

"That's it? I'm free?" Angel asks.

Man holds up his hand and Angel goes flying backwards out of the arc to land on top of Doyle.

Doyle helps him up, "Angel, it didn't work?"

"Yes, it did." Angel says.

"You just went in this instant." Doyle says.

Angel stares at the arc, "What?"

"Look at your watch." Doyle says.

"I can't do that, Doyle. Next time remind me to bring a gift?" Angel says.

"I knew I forgot something. So, what happened? What did they say?" Doyle says.

Angel sighs, "They're a little confusing, but.. - the gist of it is - it's real. - I'm free."

"I can't believe this." Doyle says.

Angel nods, "Me either. I mean, what do I do now? - I have this whole new life spread before me. I don't know where to begin."

"Right. It's overwhelming. You can pretty much do whatever you want now. The question is, what do you want?" Doyle says.

Later Buffy is walking in a park overlooking the beach. She feels something and turns around to see Angel stepping through a shadowed arch in a hedge. She watches as he walks out into the sun towards her and they kiss.

Later Angel and Buffy sit at opposite sides of his kitchen table.

Angel pours some tea, "Would you like some more?"

"No, thank you." Buffy says.

"I'm really sorry I kissed you like that." Angel says.

"You are?" Buffy asks.

"Well, not for the kiss itself.." Angel says.

Buffy sighs, "Good. I mean, 'cause - as far as kisses go I thought it was well above average."

Angel smiles, "It was incredible. I just - I-I think, maybe we'd be asking for trouble rushing back into things." Buffy looks at him. "Not that I don't want to - rush. Believe me, I do."

"Right. You spoke to the Oracles and they said you were cured for good. But how do we know that they really speak for the Powers? I mean they could be - pranksters." Buffy says. "I could call Leo and have him talk to the Elders…"

"Or there could be another loophole." Angel says.

Buffy nods, "Exactly. And then the two of us would be in even deeper and it's 'grr' all over again."

"It would be smart to wait a while. See if this mortal thing takes." Angel says.

"Exactly. And even if it does, it's still complicated." Buffy says.

Angel nods, "You're still the Slayer and a Charmed One. And I'm not sure what I am now. I don't know what my purpose is. I can't just wedge myself into your life back in San Francisco. It wouldn't be good for either of us. Not to mention the fact that you just started college. And what about slaying or your Charmed duties. I mean, if you had me to worry about, you might not be as focused."

"Are you going to pull out a pie chart on me now? Because I get it, it's not necessary." Buffy says.

Angel gets up with a sigh and moves to the chair next to her, "I'm not saying I don't want you. You know how much.. I'm just saying it's worth the wait to be sure this is right. I need to be sure you won't get hurt again."

Buffy gets up, "You know it's a good thing I didn't fantasize about you turning human only about 10 zillion times, because today would have been a real let down. - So how does the mature plan go? You call me? I call you? What?"

Angel gets up and steps over to her, "We stay in touch - just not.."

"Literally. - Funny." Buffy says as they stare at each other, then she walks past him. "Okay, I'd better.."

Angel turns to look after her, "Right. Remove the temptation."

Buffy spins back towards him, "So, we'll - talk soon."

Buffy puts her hand on top of his on the counter. They both stare down at their hands. Angel turns his hand to grab hers then reaches out and pulls her into a kiss. They stumble up against the fridge and Buffy jumps up to wrap her legs around his waist. Still kissing, Angel carries her over to the kitchen table, sweeps the stuff on it on the floor and lays her down on it.

Later Buffy yells, "Peanut butter, preferably crunchy!"

Angel's head pops up above the door of the fridge, "I got it." His arms piled with food he makes his way back to the bedroom with some strategically placed props all that's preserving his dignity. He dumps the stuff on the bed and slips under the sheet.

Buffy wearing a black robe smiles at him, "The perfect yum." Angel feeds her a spoon of ice cream. "Mmm, this is a dream. You're human for like a minute and already there is Cookie-dough-fudge-mint-chip in the fridge."

"God, I love food." Angel says.

Buffy feeds him some ice cream on a chocolate waffle, "Food is good."

Angel nods as he kisses her, "Why didn't you ever tell me about chocolate and peanut butter?"

"Well, I figured if your vamp taste buds couldn't really savor it, then it would only hurt you, you know? By the way, I'm over the whole needing to be mature thing. That time you just spent in the kitchen? That was enough time apart." Buffy says.

Angel smiles, "Too much." They kiss and some ice cream drips from his spoon on his chest. "Okay, mortal coordination leaving something to be desired."

"Wrong. It's just right." Buffy says.

Angel laughs as she licks up the ice cream then pulls her down into a kiss.

Later Angel and Buffy are lying peacefully in bed.

Buffy has her head on Angel's chest, "It's a good sound. Thump-thump. Thump-thump."

Angel smiles, "It feels pretty amazing."

Buffy nods, "I'm so glad we didn't logic ourselves out of this. We'll make it work, right?"

"We will." Angel says.

"Oh, I'm so sleepy, - but I still want.." Buffy says.

"What? You couldn't possibly.. Not that I wouldn't.." Angel says.

"No, no. I'm spent. Pleasantly numb even. You?" Buffy says.

Angel smiles, "For now."

"No, I - want to stay awake - so this day can keep happening." Buffy says.

Angel kisses her on the forehead, "Sleep. We'll make another one like it tomorrow."

"Angel? This is the first time I ever really felt this way." Buffy says.

"What way?" Angel asks.

"Just like I've always wanted to. Like a normal girl, falling asleep in the arms of her normal boyfriend. It's perfect." Buffy says.

Angel kisses the top of her head as she falls asleep.

Later Angel is watching Buffy sleep. He hears the door open and gets up, careful not to wake Buffy. He comes out of the bedroom shrugging into a robe as Doyle comes down the stairs.

"Hey, that." Doyle says as Angel holds up his hand for him to keep his voice down and Doyle continues more softly. "Mohra demon regenerated more than just you."

"What?" Angel asks.

"I had a vision. It regenerated itself." Doyle says.

"Where?" Angel asks.

"In the tunnel where you fought it. Then it was in some sort of factory. I thought I tasted salt. Could have been the margarita." Doyle says.

Angel paces, "No, it needs a lot of salt to live."

"Well, it was very much alive in this vision, and angry if I might mention." Doyle says.

Angel nods, "I'll have to kill it again."

"Yeah, but you're human now. They released you." Doyle says.

Angel pulls on some pants, "You want to let that thing roam free? You saw it in a factory. There is a saline plant in Redondo, We'll start there."

"Yeah, but if it can regenerate itself, how can you kill it?" Doyle asks.

"We'll figure it out. Just grab the book of Kelsor. You'll read, I'll drive." Angel says. "Doyle?"

Doyle looks at Buffy sleeping on Angel's bed, "I think we should bring someone a little - supernatural?" Angel pulls a sweater over his head and looks where Doyle is looking. "Don't you want to wake the girl?"

Angel shakes his head, "Not for the world."

At to the saline plant Doyle is reading from the book: "Okay. This is not good. It doesn't just come back - it comes back bigger and stronger. I think we should go back and get Buffy."

"I know what I'm doing." Angel says.

"This isn't your average demon we're fighting here. It nearly licked you before and now your mortal." Doyle says.

Angel nods, "If this thing with me and Buffy is going to work, I need to be able do this on my own. I can't keep risking her life every time some minion of hell.. Just tell me how to kill it."

Doyle reads from book, "Uh, It regenerates until the dark future it envisions is upon us. Oh, to kill the beast one must bring darkness to 1000 eyes."

"Funny, I only saw two." Angel says.

Doyle smiles, "Keep up the glib. It makes me feel like we have a chance." Angel sees two corpses and gags from the smell. "Take it easy, mate."

Angel coughs, "The blood."

"It's never an easy sight. It's part of being human now." Doyle says.

"I'm going to kill that thing." Angel says.

"Just remember that it's brutal, deadly, and here!" Doyle says as he looks up.

The Mohra jumps down on them from above and they start fighting it. They're clearly overmatched and Doyle gets knocked out pretty early. Angel keeps getting back up, but the thing is pretty much wiping the floor with him and he finally turns to run.

At the office Cordelia is putting sticky notes on things in the office.

"Angel? - Cordelia." Buffy says as she comes in.

Cordelia hold up and ornate ax, "Is this antique?"

"Byzantine." Buffy says.

"Mmm." Cordelia says.

"Where is Angel?" Buffy asks.

Cordy shrugs, "I've decided not to feel sorry for myself. I'm taking matters into my own hands, organizing a little 'going out of business' sale to subsidize the severance package Angel never bothered setting up for me."

"Did he leave a message about where he went?" Buffy asks.

"You know I'm in real pain here and all you can do is talk about Angel. Has it even occurred to you how this whole turning human thing might affect me?" Cordelia asks.

"Regrettably - no. Look, if you know where he is, just tell me?" Buffy says.

Cordelia sighs, "He told me not to tell you."

"Is he in trouble?" Buffy asks as Cordelia makes a face. "Cordelia, what are we, in second grade here? Tell me!"

Cordy shakes her head, "Oh, you want to talk about being mature? Maybe it's time that *you* grew up and realized that you can't have everything. You can't have Angel and save the world. And anyway, it's your fault that he went to fight that thing by himself without.."

"What thing?" Buffy asks.

Back at the saline plant Angel is just trying to stay alive as the Mohra demon keeps coming after him. Angel climbs on the lid of a salt silo and when the demon jumps up and hits him they both crash through.

Mohra puts a foot on Angel's neck, "The end of days has begun and can't be stopped. For anyone of us that falls, *ten* shall rise."

As the Mohra lifts his sword to stab Angel.

Buffy jumps down on it from above, knocking it off Angel. She's got the demon's sword, "You hurt my boyfriend."

"A great darkness is coming." Mohra says.

"You got that right." Buffy says.

They fight. Mohra manages to wrap its morgenstern around Buffy's sword and pull it from her hand.

Buffy kicks it into the wall. "Come on, this is the great warrior of darkness?"

They fight some more. Buffy manages to step on the chain of its morgenstern and kick the demon so it has to let go of it. It picks her up and throws her into the wall.

"Together you were powerful. Alone, you are dead." Mohra says and picks her up by her throat. "What do you think of the great warrior now?"

Buffy flames out just as Angel picks up a handful of salt

"Little bland." Angel says and throws it in the demon's eyes as Buffy flames back in. "Needs salt."

The Mohra grabs Angel and throws him across the silo. Buffy and the demon keep fighting.

Angel looks up at the demon, "The light of a thousand eyes.. The jewel in its forehead! You have to smash the jewel."

Buffy picks up the morgenstern and does just that.

"No!" Mohra says and vanishes in a bright light.

Buffy runs over to Angel and takes his head in her lap.

"Buffy, are you all.." Angel says.

"Shh, you're all right. That's all that matters. Shh, you're all right." Buffy says and she kisses the top of his head. "And it's over. And we're together."

Later Angel is back with the Oracles.

"You again." Man says.

"What have you brought me?" Woman asks.

Angel smiles, "Famille Rose vase." He throws her a black vase. "Ching dynasty. Circa 1811."

"Lovely." Woman says.

"Why are you here, lower being?" Man asks.

"The Mohra demon said the end of days had begun. That others were coming, soldiers of darkness. I need to know if he was telling the truth." Angel says.

"As far as such things can be told." Man says.

"What happens to the Slayer when these soldiers come?" Angel asks.

"What happens to all mortal beings. Albeit sooner in her case." Woman says.

Angel frowns, "She'll die? - Then I'm here to beg for her life."

The Oracles turn and walk away. "It is not our place to grant life or death." Man says.

"Then I ask you to take mine back." Angel says and the oracles stop walking and turn back to him. "Look I can't protect her or anyone this way, not as a man."

"You're asking to be what you were, a demon with a soul, because of the Slayer?" Woman asks.

Man turns to leave again, "Oh, this is a matter of love. It does not concern us."

"Yes, it does. The Mohra demon came to take a warrior from your cause - and it succeeded. I'm no good to you like this. I know you have it in your power to make this right. Please." Angel says.

"What is done cannot be undone." Man says.

"What is not yet done can be avoided." Woman says.

"Temporal folds are not to indulge at - the whims of lower beings." Man says.

"You are wrong. This one is willing to sacrifice every drop of human happiness and love he has ever known for another. He is not a lower being." Woman says.

"There is one way. But it is not to be undertaken lightly." Man says.

Woman nods, "We swallow this day, as though it had never happened. Twenty-four hours from the moment the demon first attacked you, we take it back."

Angel licks his lips, "Then none of this happened and Buffy and I.. What - what'll stop us from doing the exact same thing again?"

"You and her. You and her alone will carry the memory of this day. - Can you carry that burden? Can you ensure she can?" Woman says.

"Why would Buffy have to?" Angel asks.

"She is with child." Man says. "The child is destined. The daughter of a Charmed One. The child must survive."

"Child?" Angel asks. "She's having my child?"

"Yes," Woman says. "A child blessed by both the Elders and the Powers That Be. She and her cousin, the first born of the eldest Charmed One, will both be Champions unlike the world has ever seen. She is Dhampir. He is Twice Blessed."

Later back at Angel's office Buffy wearing a long flowery dress is pacing Angel's apartment. Angel comes down the steps to his apartment. "I'm guessing that expression isn't because they were all out of fresh OJ at the deli. - What happened?"

"Nothing happened. - I just.." Angel says.

"Where have you been?" Buffy asks.

"I went to see the Oracles. I asked them to turn me back." Angel says.

"What? - Why?" Buffy asks, shocked.

Angel sighs, "Because more than ever I know how much I love you."

Buffy backs away from him, "No. No, you didn't."

Angel follows her, "And if I stayed mortal one of us would wind up dead, maybe both of us. You heard what Mohra said."

"Mohra is dead. We killed him." Buffy says.

Angel nods, "He said others would come."

"They always come. And they always will. But that's my problem now, not yours, remember?" Buffy says.

"No, I won't just stand by and let you fight, maybe die, alone." Angel says.

"Then we fight together." Buffy says.

Angel sighs, "You saw what happened last night. If anything I'm a liability to you. You take chances to protect me, and that's not just bad for you, it's bad for the people we were meant to help."

"So what? You just took a whole 24 hours to weigh the ups and downs of being a regular Joe and decided it was more fun being a superhero?" Buffy says.

"You know that's not it. How can we be together if the cost is your life, or the lives of others?" Angel says as Buffy just stares at him and after a moment he takes her into his arms. "I know. I couldn't tell you. I wasn't sure - if I could do it if I woke up with you one more morning."

Buffy sniffles, "I understand. - So, what happens now?'

"The Oracles are giving us back the day, turning back time, so I can kill Mohra before his blood makes me mortal." Angel says.

"When?" Buffy asks.

Angel looks over at the clock, "Another minute."

Buffy begins to cry, "A minute? No. No, it's not enough time!"

"We don't have a choice. It's done." Angel says.

"How am I supposed to go on with my life knowing what we had? What we could have had?" Buffy says.

Angel nods, "You will have to. As I understand it. It would have been only me that would have remembered. None of it would have happened. Problem is I got you pregnant."

"What!" Buffy says.

Angel nods, "Your pregnant. It's the only reason you will remember the day."

Buffy touches her stomach as tears falls from her eyes, "I'm having a baby?"

Angel nods, "That will be the only thing that will still have happened from the day after its rewound."

Buffy smiles as she reaches up and touches his face, "Thank you, Angel. Thank you for such a wonderful gift."

Angel smiles, "Take care of our daughter, Buffy. I'll always love her. But you know why I can't be there for her."

Buffy nods, "I know. I'll make sure she knows about you. What a good and wonderful man you are."

They kiss and then Buffy looks over at the clock. The minute is almost up.

Buffy begins to cry not only for the child she carries but for the fact that the perfect day is about to be wiped away as if it never happened. The only reminder that it did would be her child.

There is a white flash and the day has been rewound.

Angel is leaning against his desk blinking, looking around. Buffy is standing next to the door, also blinking and looking around. And then their eyes meet and they know that they remember the day that no longer happened.

"Goodbye, Angel." Buffy says.

Angel nods, "Goodbye, Buffy. Take good care of her."

The Mohra crashes through the window behind Angel with a scream. Angel just turns, grabs the clock from his desk and coolly smashes the Mohra's jewel with it. The Mohra goes up in a flash of light.

Buffy nods and wipes a tear from her eye. "Goodbye, Angel." She flames out.


	108. Chapter 108: Witch Way Now?

**Author's Note: **Last Chapter for season 4. On to Season 5, starting with A Witch's Tail.

* * *

**Chapter 108: Witch Way Now?**

Road workers are working on the street right outside the manor. It is very noisy.

Buffy looks out the window from the living room. "Did they say how much longer this was gonna go on for? I have finals to study for."

"Three weeks, which means three months." Leo is holding a picture frame on a wall. "A little higher. "Buffy maybe you should think about staying at Willow's so you can get some peace and quiet to study."

"We'd better hope no demons attack, that'd be a bust, especially if one of us goes flying out the window." Paige says from where she is sitting on the couch.

Buffy absentmindedly rubs her stomach, "Maybe."

"I wouldn't worry about that too much, Paige, there's so much chaos in the underworld they're too busy fighting each other." Leo says.

"Well, I hope it lasts. I almost forgot what it's like to lead a normal life. It's gotta go a little higher." Piper says.

"Normal?" Buffy asks. "You call what happened last week normal?"

Piper sighs, "Buffy what happened last week was more a Slayer threat than a Charmed One. You have to remember the two are not mutually exclusive."

"I need a ladder." Leo says.

"Leo, just hover." Paige says.

"And last week you were saying it was a Charmed problem." Buffy says. "Still I guess you're right, Piper. We've been doing this for four years, going on five. And it's been awhile since I've thought that Slayer related demons are not Charmed related demons that there is in reality two factions of demons in the world."

Piper looks to Paige, "No, no, no, I don't wanna jinx anything, I'd rather we not use magic unless we absolutely have to, thank you very much."

"Come on, Piper, relax a little. Use it or lose it, lady." Paige says.

Leo hovers up and holds the picture against the wall.

"Fine." Piper says.

Leo marks the wall with a pencil and hovers back down.

"Ah, see, no major disaster struck." Paige says.

Phoebe walks in through the front door. "We have a huge problem."

"You were saying?" Buffy asks.

"Cole tried contacting me again." Phoebe says.

Leo frowns, "What, more whisperings?"

Phoebe shakes her head, "No, this time he was channelling through a TV psychic while I was at work. He sounded so desperate."

"Wait, did anybody else notice?" Piper asks.

Phoebe nods, "My highly suspicious assistant. How am I supposed to move on with my life when I keep being haunted by his afterlife?"

"Leo, what do you think?" Buffy asks.

"I think you need to do something fast." Leo says.

"No, I mean, how is he holding on?" Buffy says.

Leo shrugs, "I don't know, I guess because he's half demon, it must be some kind of astral plane."

"Well, whatever, we can't risk him contacting me again. I have to figure out a way to get to him and find out what he wants." Phoebe says.

"Honey, what he wants is you. I mean, why else would he be hanging on?" Paige says.

Suddenly, everything freezes including Leo.

"Piper, why is Leo frozen?" Buffy asks.

Piper goes over to him and waves in front of his face. "Well, this is very strange."

Paige looks out the window and all the work men are frozen too. "Uh, guys, I think you oughta take a look at this." Buffy, Piper and Phoebe go to the window. "So much for not performing any magic, huh Piper."

"Me? I didn't do that, I couldn't freeze all that stuff." Piper says.

An elderly man appears. "But I can."

The girls spin around.

"Who are you?" Phoebe asks.

"I'm the Angel Of Destiny, and I've come to change yours." Angel of Destiny says.

Buffy, Piper, Phoebe and Paige back away from the Angel of Destiny. Piper is trying to freeze him.

"He's not freezing, why isn't he freezing?" Paige says.

"You're wasting your time." Angel Of Destiny says as the girls back into a table and fall on top of each other. "I am beyond your powers." They get back up. "Besides, I pose no threat to you."

"Well, forgive us for not believing that but the last being we met who could freeze time was a demon." Piper says.

"Actually, it's because of a demon that I've come to see you. Which in and of itself is very rare. We Angels of Destiny normally don't intervene except in extraordinary situations. Mozart at age seven, Michelangelo, Albert Einstein... Britney Spears." Angel Of Destiny says.

"Britney Spears, really?" Buffy asks and the Angel of Destiny nods.

"I don't understand." Phoebe says.

Angel of Destiny smiles, "You four have accomplished something that few others ever dream of. By vanquishing the Source of all evil, you have fulfilled your shared destiny, much earlier than anticipated. Truth be told, some of us did think you'd never achieve it at all, but that's really beside the point. What's important is you have and because of that we're offering you a reward, a chance to chart a new destiny, one of your own design."

"A reward?" Buffy asks.

Angel of Destiny nods, "You can continue to remain as you are, charmed, vested with all your witchly powers, and of course demonic burdens. Or..."

"Or?" Piper asks.

"You can choose to relinquish your magic and lead normal lives again, unaccounted, free, we'd wipe the entire slate clean, nobody would come after you again. Well, what do you say?" Angel Of Destiny says.

"What do we say? Are you kidding? You can't just freeze the whole world and come in here and drop a bombshell like that and expect a quick decision. I don't care who you are." Piper says.

"I don't think you quite grasp the uniqueness of this opportunity." Angel Of Destiny says.

Piper shakes her head, "No, I'm grasping it but that is beside the point. The least you could do is give us a little time to think about it."

"Think about what? No time needed. Thanks but no thanks. Right?" Paige says.

"I agree with Paige." Buffy says. "I assume I would still be the Slayer?" Angel Of Destiny nods. "Then having my powers would make that job much easier."

"Yeah, right, of course right. But, you know, as long as he's offering, maybe we should talk about this. Just talk about it. Over there. Right, right over here please, now, excuse us." Phoebe says as she pulls them across the room.

"You can't be serious, Phoebe, you of all people, you love being a witch." Paige says.

"I know I do, but I..." Phoebe says.

"But what? What has changed?" Paige asks.

"Oh, I don't know, I became queen of the Underworld and nearly died carrying baby Lucifer. That's what changed, Paige." Phoebe says.

"Phoebe think for a second. I lose my powers I go back to just a Slayer with an early expiration date. Without powers it may come sooner than we think. I really want to keep mine." Buffy says. "They make my life easier."

"Paige, it's just that we've been doing this a lot longer than you have, and I'm not trying to discount all the good that we've done or that we could do. But at the same time I'm not gonna minimize the costs. Paige, I can't get pregnant because of what we do." Piper says.

Phoebe looks to Buffy, "I understand where you're coming from Buffy. We all know you will still be the Slayer. But wouldn't you like to lighten the load a little. If you're not a witch anymore you won't have half the battles you were before. Besides Faith is getting released from prison in a year, right? You'll have her help and Willows of course. She'll still be a witch. Punching out demons just isn't as much fun as it used to be."

"So what are you gonna say?" Paige asks.

"She's saying you both need some time, which I'll grant, but not too much time. After all, other people's destinies are tied to yours. And since it's your charmed destiny that's at stake here, majority will rule. Two sisters and a cousin or all three sisters will decide the fate of all four. So consider your choice wisely. Perhaps what happens next will help you to decide." Angel Of Destiny says as he disappears.

Everything unfreezes and Piper's cell phone rings.

Leo comes in. "Hey, did you just freeze me?"

Piper shakes her head, "No, dear, the Angel of Destiny did."

"Who?" Leo asks.

Piper picks up her cell. "Yeah, you'd better check with the Elders and make sure he's for real. I'm not kidding." Leo orbs out. Piper answers her phone. "Hello?"

"Don't talk just listen." Darryl says.

"Darryl? What's wrong?" Piper asks.

"Apparently you guys are about to be put under surveillance." Darryl says as Piper motions for Buffy, Phoebe and Paige to come over and listen. "An FBI agent named Jackman called me into his office today. He did a search on unsolved cases. Apparently your names came up on way too many witness lists."

"What do you mean? What does he know?" Phoebe asks.

"I don't know, but I'm gonna try find out. In the meantime just lay low and whatever you do don't use any magic." Darryl says as they hang up.

"So are we screwed?" Paige asks.

"Maybe, but that would take destiny out of our hands and I don't think that's what the angel meant." Piper says.

"Okay, icksnay on the angelnay talk." Buffy says.

They head for the stairs.

"I still don't understand how coming up here is gonna help." Paige says.

"Actually it's pretty simple." Phoebe says as she turns on a stereo and points it at the window. "So you guys have been home all day, right?"

Buffy nods, "Yeah."

"Yeah, so?" Piper asks.

"So there's no way he would've had time to bug the inside of the house, he's gotta be listening from the outside." Phoebe says as she walks over to the Book of Shadows.

"Is it ironic that here we are presented with the opportunity to give up our powers and now we suddenly can't even use them." Piper says.

"Except not using our powers doesn't necessarily mean that we won't be exposed. We still have Cole to worry about." Phoebe says.

"Phoebe, you can't make contact with Cole." Buffy says.

"Yeah, but if I don't he will, and then what? The FBI is outside and if they find out about us it's gonna be the same thing as last year and we don't want that now do we?" Phoebe says as she turns to the "To Find a Lost Love" spell in the Charmed Book. "So I'm gonna cast the "To Find a Lost Love" spell. I mean, if Cole's soul is on some astral plane, it should astral me there, right?"

"Are you sure he even has a soul?" Paige asks.

Phoebe nods, "Well, what else would be calling out to me? Cole needs closure and so do I."

"We will create a distraction outside in case your spell inside creates any fireworks. Buffy why don't you stay up here and help in case something goes wrong." Piper says.

"Good idea." Buffy says.

"Be careful." Paige says.

Buffy watches as Paige goes outside and gets the construction workers attention as Piper goes and freezes the guy in the telephone van. Piper then gives Buffy a thumbs up. She turns down the stereo and looks to Phoebe, "You're on."

Phoebe sits in a circle on the floor which has five lit candles around it. She reads a spell from the Book of Shadows. "Writher my love, wherever you be, through time and space, take my heart near to thee." She collapses on the floor.

Buffy watches as she stands looking over her own Book of Shadows. She has it turned to the page for the reversal spell, ready to cast it.

Phoebe screams as Piper and Paige run in.

"Phoebe." Piper says.

Phoebe screams again.

"Something's hurting her." Paige says.

"Something is killing her." Piper says and looks to Buffy. "You got the reversal spell?"

Buffy nods, "Return thy love, wherever she be, through time and space, bring her back to me."

Phoebe sits up with a jolt and gasps.

"Okay, you're okay." Piper says.

"Oh my god, what was I thinking?" Phoebe asks.

Someone knocks on the front door and rings the doorbell.

"Uh-oh, I hope the freeze didn't wear off." Paige says.

"So do I." Buffy says.

They head downstairs into the foyer as Piper opens the door.

"Agent Jackman, FBI." Agent Jackman says as he holds up his badge. "We should talk."

They walk into the dining room and Agent Jackman follows. He puts a thick folder on the table and slides it over to the girls. "In case you're wondering, that's just a copy."

They look in it to find photos of themselves being spied on.

"Pursued to agenda trust, Agent Jackman." Phoebe says.

"If I wanted to expose you, I could've done that six months ago when that file first crossed my desk." Agent Jackman says.

"Expose us as what?" Paige asks.

"Witches. It's the only logical explanation for all the unsolved cases, the missing persons, the mysterious deaths." Agent Jackman says.

"Prove it." Buffy says.

He gets out a tape recorder and presses play.

"Something's hurting her." Paige says on the tape.

"Something is killing her." Piper says on the tape. "You got the reversal spell?"

"Return thy love, wherever she be, through time and space, bring her back to me." Buffy says on the tape.

Agent Jackman stops the tape.

"That doesn't prove anything." Piper says.

Agent Jackman smiles, "No, but it implies everything, especially when coupled with that file. You think your newspaper wouldn't run that story?"

"What do you want?" Phoebe asks.

"Believe it or not, your help. See, I specialize in occult style slayings, that's why I was watching you in hopes of catching a serial killer. A witch hunter." Agent Jackman says.

"Alright, I've heard enough of this nonsense." Piper says and she tries to freeze Agent Jackman but he doesn't.

"Uh, wait a second, he froze before." Buffy says.

Agent Jackman pulls out an amulet out of his shirt which is hanging around his neck. "This time I was prepared. Like I said, I specialize in this stuff. There's supposed to only be a few of these amulets left in the world. Got this one off the witch hunter we're after." He tucks it back under his shirt. He hands the girls a photo of the witch hunter. "Her name is Selena. I traced her genealogy all the way back to the witch trials. I think killing you people's in her blood, it's what she lives for. I mean, why else would she had burned her last three victims at the stake."

"Why are you telling us this?" Piper asks.

"Well, because I thought you were gonna be her next victims, but now that I know who you really are and what you can do, I need you to help me find her before she kills again." Agent Jackman says.

"Do you have any idea where she is?" Phoebe asks.

"I did for a while, I had her in custody once but she got away." Agent Jackman says as he puts a plastic bag of stuff on the table. "These are some of Selena's personal belongings and from what I know, if you use your powers on them you might be able to find her. Now you do that, I'll make sure those files disappear forever. You don't," he pulls out his card, "well, you figure it out." He grabs his bag. "Call me." He leaves.

Paige shakes her head, "I don't trust him."

"Neither do I." Buffy says.

"Gee, you think?" Piper asks.

Phoebe nods, "Maybe we should take the Angel of Destiny up on his offer."

"Great, so we'd be free and so would Selena, who for all we know could be a warlock." Paige says.

"No, warlocks don't burn witches at the stake, they just steal their powers." Phoebe says.

"Exactly. Powers, Phoebe, the very things we were given to do good with, remember?" Paige asks.

Phoebe sighs, "Huh, yeah, Paige, I remember."

"Guys." Piper and Buffy says.

"Do you really or has all that dark magic just kinda gotten into your brain." Paige says.

"Guys." Piper and Buffy says.

"I can't believe you're so willing to just throw away our powers." Paige says.

"Paige, you don't know the hell that I've been through. You didn't live it." Phoebe says.

"Oh, really? I was just turned into a vampiric demon and then I was shrunk and then we switched bodies and..." Paige says.

"Okay, imagine going through that for years. All I'm asking is for my life back." Phoebe says.

"Yeah Pheebs. I've been through all of it with you, Piper and Prue remember. And as much as I would love to retire I can't. Even if I gave up my powers I would still be a Slayer. I would still be out there night after night fighting demons. Having powers makes that job easier." Buffy says.

"Okay, guys, enough, we need to focus." Piper says.

"What about you, Piper? What do you think?" Paige asks.

Piper sighs, "I think we need to see this through like the angel suggested. So Paige, you are gonna go up to the attic and get started on this stuff." She hands Paige Selena's stuff. "We will meet you there. Scoot." Paige goes upstairs. "Leo! You can orb it's alright."

Leo orbs in. "What about the FBI agent?"

"Uh, he already busted us. But supposedly all he wants is our help." Buffy says.

"Did you find anything out about the Angel of Destiny?" Phoebe asks.

Leo nods, "He's legit and so is his offer."

"Okay, um, can you do us a favor and go get Darryl and make sure that Agent Jackman is legit too. And meanwhile, we have a witch hunter to find. Don't ask, just go." Piper says as Leo orbs out. Phoebe moans. "Having a crappy day?"

Phoebe nods, "Yeah."

"Cole?" Buffy asks.

Phoebe nods, "Yeah."

Later in the attic Piper is reading from the Book of Shadows while Paige makes a potion.

"Before the flame subsides, let the wax from the candle drip onto the crystal. Once consecrated scry with the crystal for the one who is sought." Piper says.

Paige drips a candle into a pot and it explodes. "Ain't magic grand."

Phoebe walks in, talking on the phone. "Okay, bye." She hangs up. "That was Morris. He confirmed that there is a serial killer on the loose doing exactly what Jackman said."

"They're all over it." Buffy says as she stares out the window absentmindedly rubbing her stomach.

Paige starts scrying on a map.

"He also said that Jackman has more information on us than he shared, including our genealogy. Dating all the way back to Melinda Warren." Phoebe says.

"I wouldn't mind getting a hold of that." Buffy says. "We could fill in some of the family tree that we don't have full names for."

"Well, what does that mean?" Paige asks.

"They're gonna keep checking." Phoebe says. "Buffy is something wrong?"

"It means he's going through an awful lot of trouble to get as much information on us as possible. I got a bad feeling he's not gonna let us off the hook so easily after this is all over." Piper says.

Buffy looks to Phoebe and shakes her head, "Nothing's wrong other than you and Piper wanting to give up our powers."

"What, he's just gonna keep using us afterwards?" Paige asks.

"Great, Charlie's freakin' angels. This just keeps getting better and better." Phoebe says before looking back at Buffy. "Besides me and Piper wanting to give up our powers I mean. You seem a little I don't know distracted."

"Just thinking." Buffy says.

The crystal points to a spot on the map.

"Got Selena. Do we still go after her?" Paige says.

"Well, we don't have a choice. We can't let her run around burning people at the stake." Piper says.

Moments later at Selena's house. Paige orbs in a room with Piper and Buffy flames in with Phoebe. Piper opens a door slightly and peeks through it. She sees Selena and some men in the next room.

"She has body guards. Lots of body guards." Piper whispers.

"I wonder why Jackman didn't tell us about them?" Phoebe asks.

"Probably figured we wouldn't help if we knew." Piper says.

A bodyguard walks in through a different door and shoots his gun at Paige. Piper freezes the bullet in mid-air.

"Paige. Buffy." Piper says as she knocks the bullet out of the air. "Did you not have the sense to sense if anybody else was in the room before you brought us here?"

Another bodyguard comes in through the other door and shoots. Paige gets a fright and orbs out. Phoebe grabs the bodyguard and pushes him against a cabinet.

In the other room Selena is there heading for the door as Paige orbs in front of her.

"Going somewhere?" Paige asks as Selena takes a swing at Paige but misses. Paige hits Selena and knocks her unconscious. Buffy, Piper and Phoebe race in. "We're gonna need some serious memory dust after all this is over."

"Yeah, well, we've gotta get out of here." Piper says.

"Paige you take Phoebe and Piper. I got Selena." Buffy says.

Phoebe sees Cole in the corner of the room.

"Phoebe." Cole says.

"Cole." Phoebe says and He disappears. Buffy and Piper turns to look. "I swear he was just there."

A bodyguard runs in and shoots. Piper freezes him. "Time to go."

Buffy grabs Selena and flames out as Paige orbs out with Piper and Phoebe.

Later back at the manor Agent Jackman knocks on the door as Piper answers it and he walks in. "Where is she?"

"In there." Piper says as Agent Jackman pulls out his gun. "Whoa! Whoa! You don't need that, she's unconscious."

Agent Jackman puts it away and they go into the living room where Selena is unconscious on the couch.

"Did she put up much of a fight?" Agent Jackman asks.

Phoebe shakes her head, "No, but her bodyguards did."

"Bodyguards? She had bodyguards?" Agent Jackman asks.

Buffy nods, "Yeah, lots of them with lots of guns and they weren't shy about using them either."

"Oh, must have known we were closing in on her." Agent Jackman says.

"Still, don't you think it's odd that a serial killer has hired guns protecting her?" Paige asks.

"Well, maybe she's not working alone." Agent Jackman says.

"Or maybe you're just not telling us everything." Phoebe says.

"Maybe I'm not. What are you gonna do about it?" Agent Jackman asks.

Piper shakes her head, "Well, for one thing, we're not gonna let you take her without a warrant."

"You know, you're all the same. You think that just because you have gifts, powers, that you're above it all, you're special. Well I'm no different." Agent Jackman says.

"Oh really?" Buffy asks.

Agent Jackman nods, "Yeah. Your arrogance is your Achilles heel, that's why witch hunters and demons are always after you and they always will be. I wouldn't trade places with you for the world. Oh, ah," he pulls out some paper, "here's your warrant."

"So when do we get our files?" Paige asks.

"When she's in jail and I feel I'm safe." Agent Jackman says.

Phoebe frowns, "Safe from what?"

"Safe from you." Agent Jackman says as he picks up Selena. "I don't wanna be another one of those people who mysteriously disappear around here." He leaves with Selena.

"I knew he'd never give up those files. In case anybody is wondering we are officially screwed." Piper says.

Phoebe shakes her head, "Not necessarily."

"No, we are not giving up our powers. Last time I checked were still tied fifty-fifty." Paige says as she storms over to the couch and sits down.

Phoebe sighs, "Paige, I don't wanna give up our powers either. But I don't wanna give up our lives even more. He's just gonna keep using us."

"Unless we let the angel wipe the slate clean. Look, Paige, we said we would wait to decide until this thing played out and it has. And frankly if the angel hadn't made this offer I'd probably think differently and I'd think let's just keep fighting. But I'm tired of fighting and Jackman's right, it is never ending." Piper says.

"Unless we end it ourselves." Phoebe says.

"Well I'm not changing my mind so don't bother trying." Buffy says.

Piper sighs, "Buffy."

"No." Buffy says she turns and storms out of the room.

Phoebe sighs, "So do we need to talk to Leo about this first?"

"No, it doesn't have anything to do with him, it's just us. And he will understand." Piper says. "I just hope Buffy will with time."

Paige sighs, "You guys are only seeing the bad. What about all the wonder of being witches, the stuff you introduced me to in the first place. You're gonna let all that go?"

"Paige, it doesn't balance out anymore. And after everything that we've lost, it doesn't seem worth it." Phoebe says.

"What about all the good we've done. Doesn't that count for anything?" Paige says.

"Of course it does but that's exactly why we have this choice to make. He said we fulfilled our destiny, we've done it. This is supposed to be our reward for that." Piper says.

Paige nods, "Yeah, well, pardon me if it didn't seem like much of a reward, because without being witches I wouldn't have sisters."

Upstairs in Buffy's room Buffy is lying on her bed crying.

Later Piper, Phoebe, Paige and the Angel of Destiny are in the attic.

"Are you sure about this?" Angel of Destiny asks. "What about Buffy?

Phoebe nods, "Yeah. As sure as we're ever gonna be. And Buffy more or less abstains. She's locked herself in her room and won't come out."

Angel of Destiny nods, "You understand this decision is final. There'll be no changing your minds."

"We understand." Piper says.

"Very well." Angel of Destiny says as he closes his eyes and raises his arms.

"Hold it. Just so we're clear this wipes the entire slate clean. No read the fine print technicalities, no more demons, no more vengeful warlocks." Piper says.

"And we won't have to worry about Agent Jackman anymore, or anyone else who might have found out we were witches?" Phoebe says.

Piper nods, "Exactly. Just free to lead normal lives with no demonic aftertaste."

"Absolutely." Angel of Destiny says. "Well of the kind you face as witches anyways. As long as Buffy lives with you there may be attacks she has to deal with as the Slayer."

"Will we remember? Being witches that is." Paige says.

"Oh, you'll remember everything. It doesn't change your history, only your future." Angel of Destiny says.

"And what about the books?" Buffy says from the attic door.

Angel of Destiny looks to Buffy, "It'll pass to some future descendent."

Piper looks to Buffy, "Are you okay?"

Buffy simply shakes her head.

"What about Cole? Will he keep trying to make contact with me?" Phoebe asks.

"I don't know, I have no control over that. He exists beyond time and space, outside destiny's reach." Angel of Destiny says.

"What is it?" Piper asks.

"It's just that he's still holding on, that's why he appeared to me. So maybe if I can tell him that I don't have the power to save him, then he'll be able to move on for good." Phoebe says.

"I don't think that's such a good idea considering what happened last time." Paige says.

"I have to agree, Pheebs." Buffy says.

Phoebe sighs, "I can't leave it like this. I owe him more than that."

Later Phoebe astral projects back in her body after casting the spell to talk to Cole and gasps.

"Are you okay?" Piper asks.

Phoebe nods, "Yeah, let's do this."

"Uh, well, we've been thinking a little bit." Piper says.

"Are you having second thoughts?" Phoebe says.

Buffy sighs, "Not about the decision unfortunately."

Piper nods, "About Jackman and Selena."

"Yeah, a lot of things don't add up. His extensive knowledge of witches, how he got a hold of that amulet." Paige says.

"The fact that he came in alone to pick up Selena." Piper says.

"The bodyguards." Buffy says.

Piper nods, "We just wanna make sure we've done the right thing before it's too late to do anything about it."

"Okay." Phoebe says. "Is that okay?"

"Hm? Oh, sure, absolutely. Frankly, I thought you were being a bit premature anyway. Especially when you didn't actually have the majority yet." Angel of Destiny says.

"Well, then why didn't you say something?" Piper asks.

Angel of Destiny smiles, "Oh, can't, free will and all. Let me know when you're ready." He disappears.

"So now what?" Paige asks.

"Leo!" Piper calls out.

Leo orbs in with Darryl. "We were just coming to get you."

"Why? What did you find?" Buffy asks.

"Another genealogy Jackman has besides yours." Leo says.

Paige nods, "Oh, yeah, we know Selena's a descendent of witch hunters."

Darryl shakes his head, "No, Jackman is. Selena is a daughter of a witch."

"What?" Piper asks.

Darryl nods, "She is not a suspect, she's a victim. They have her in a safe house because somebody's trying to kill her."

"Please tell me we didn't just help a witch hunter get a witch." Paige says.

"Oh my goddess." Buffy says.

"Oh my god." Phoebe says.

Later in a park Jackman has Selena tied to a stake. He lights the wood surrounding her feet. Paige orbs in with Piper and Phoebe as Buffy flames in.

"Come to save your sister witch have you?" Agent Jackman says.

Piper nods, "Actually, yeah." She tries to freeze the fire but nothing happens.

"You see, I buried the rest of the amulets around here in anticipation of your arrival. Your powers are useless here. However..." Agent Jackman says as he pulls out a gun and grabs Phoebe. "Mine aren't. Move and she dies."

"It was his plan all along. He's gonna kill us anyway. Ouch!" Phoebe says.

"Hey, how's it feel to be powerless, huh? Mortal. You're a discourage from mankind, a blasphemy. Burning will be your justice too." Agent Jackman says.

Phoebe hits Agent Jackman and knocks him to the ground. "Get Selena."

Buffy, Piper and Paige race over and try to put the fire out while Phoebe fights with Agent Jackman. Selena's pants catch on fire.

"Piper, her leg. Buffy, what are you doing?" Paige asks as Buffy jumps onto the wood and knocks over the post Selena is tied to. "Buffy!"

Agent Jackman points his gun at Phoebe. "Saving her life just cost you yours."

Cole appears behind Phoebe. Agent Jackman shoots his gun and the bullet heads for Phoebe. Cole waves his hand and Phoebe and Agent Jackman swap places. The bullet hits Jackman.

Phoebe sees Cole. "Cole."

"I couldn't very well let you die now could I?" Cole asks.

"I don't understand. How are you...?" Phoebe says.

"Here? Let's just say I picked up a few powers lately, quite a few actually." Cole says as he starts to leave but stops. "I'm not giving up on us, Phoebe. Ever." He disappears.

Selena coughs.

"Paige, you've gotta go get the ambulance." Buffy says.

"You'll be okay." Paige says and Buffy nods as she races off.

The next day at the Manor, Leo is there, pacing as Buffy, Piper and Phoebe walk in through the front door.

"Where's Paige?" Leo asks.

"Oh, she had to park down the street because the driveway was blocked." Buffy says.

"Well, that's ridiculous, I'll go talk to them and tell them to move." Leo says.

Phoebe shakes her head, "Oh, no, it's not a big deal."

"And to think twenty-four hours ago that was our biggest problem." Piper says.

"How'd it go?" Leo asks.

"Uh, well, it looks like we got away with everything so far." Buffy says.

Phoebe nods, "Thanks to Selena testifying for us."

"What about how Agent Jackman died?" Leo asks.

"They're stumped. They can't figure out how he shot himself from twenty feet away." Piper says.

"What are they gonna do, subpoena Cole?" Phoebe asks.

"You guys stopped one of their own from killing again, I think they'd be grateful." Leo says.

Piper nods, "Yeah, one would hope. At least until they find those files on us."

Leo shakes his head, "They won't. I sorta orbed them into a volcano."

"You what?" Phoebe and Buffy asks, shocked that Leo would do such a thing.

"Uh, excuse me, are you allowed to do that?" Piper asks.

Leo nods, "Well, my job is to protect my charges and that's all I did."

Piper kisses him. "Thanks. Maybe sometime soon you won't have to protect your charges. Are you okay with that?"

"Whatever you guys decide I'll support. I mean that." Leo says.

The front door opens and Paige walks in. Suddenly, Leo and everything else freezes.

"Uh-oh." Buffy says.

"The door's stuck." Paige says as the Angel of Destiny appears. "Oh, you." She walks over to Buffy, Piper and Phoebe.

"Well, still ready to retire?" Angel of Destiny asks.

Phoebe shakes her head, "Actually, I don't think so anymore. We saved someone and it felt good, it felt right. Besides, I got a little taste of what life would be like without my powers and I didn't like it at all."

"And you?" Angel of Destiny asks Buffy.

Buffy sighs, "I was never on the fence I was always against it. Phoebe and Piper told you I abstained simply because I was having a hard time accepting they wanted to give it all up. I don't want to lose my powers. They make my job as the Slayer easier."

"What about you?" Angel of Destiny asks Piper.

"Majority rules, right? Might as well make it unanimous. What can I say, we're masochists." Piper says.

"We are?" Paige asks.

Piper nods, "Yeah, sometimes. But Phoebe's right, this isn't a choice we have to make, it's who we are."

"You realize you won't get this opportunity again." Angel of Destiny says.

Phoebe nods, "We understand."

"Very well." Angel of Destiny says as he starts to leave but stops. "By the way, thought you'd like to know, neither decision would've affected yours and Leo's personal destiny. Or Buffy's personal and Slayer destinies."

"What?" Piper asks.

"You'll find out soon." Angel of Destiny says as he glances down at Piper and Buffy's stomachs.

"Oh my god." Phoebe says.

"What?" Piper asks.

"Don't you get it?" Phoebe asks.

"What?" Piper asks again.

"Don't you get it?" Phoebe says excitedly to Paige and Buffy. "She's pregnant!"

"Who's pregnant? I'm pregnant?" Piper asks.

Phoebe and Paige scream in excitement and hug Piper.

Buffy smiles as she absentmindedly rubs her own stomach.

"Hi baby." Phoebe says to Piper's stomach.

They giggle. The Angel of Destiny smiles and disappears out the front door.

Then realization sweeps across Piper, Phoebe and Paige's faces at what the Angel of Destiny said.

"What personal destiny was he referring to for you I wonder, Buffy?" Piper asks.

Buffy smiles, "You're not the only one who is pregnant."

Piper, Phoebe and Paige's jaws drop.

"How?" Paige asks.

Buffy smiles, "It happened when I went to see Angel in Los Angeles." She went on to tell them of the day that she would never forget. Of a day that Angel had been human.


	109. Chapter 109: A Witch's Tail Pt 1

**Chapter 109: A Witch's Tail Pt. 1**

Buffy, Piper and Phoebe are walking up the stairs.

"Okay, Piper, I can't be late getting to the office today. I have a radio interview with those morning guys, Pip and Skeeter." Phoebe says.

Piper nods, "That's Skip and Peter." They walk into the hallway. "Could you forget about your advice column for two seconds? Come see where we're putting the nursery."

Buffy rolls her eyes, "She means her nursery. No one's building me a nursery."

"You're putting it in your closet. I've seen your closet, there's a lot of shoes, honey." Phoebe says. "No offense Buffy but where would we put a nursery in your room. Piper had two walk in closets."

Piper shakes her head, "No, not anymore."

Buffy sighs, "I guess. It would just be nice is all."

They walk into Piper's room and into the emptied out closet.

"Look, it's perfect." Piper says.

Leo is there making a hole in the wall to fit a window.

"It's a little cramped though, don't you think?" Phoebe asks.

"That's why I'm adding a window to bring in the light and create a sense of space." Leo says.

They walk back into the bedroom.

"Aww, you guys are very cute but why are you doing all of this now? I mean, both yours and Buffy's due dates are not for months." Phoebe says.

"Well, demon activity has been light, so it's a good time to get ahead." Piper says before looking at Buffy. "Buffy don't worry once Leo is done with the nursery he said he would build you a crib and a changing table for your room."

"You did, Leo?" Buffy asks.

Leo pokes his head out of the nursery, "Yes I did Buffy. It's my gift to you."

"Thanks." Buffy says, smiling.

"Speaking of ahead, I can't believe you guys didn't notice my billboards down town." Phoebe says.

"Oh, honey, of course we noticed them. You can see them from a passing 747." Piper says as they laugh.

"We would've told you how proud we are of you, but you never slow down to give us a chance." Leo says.

"Yeah Pheebs." Buffy says.

"Well, you know, nothing perks up a girl's career like sending her husband straight to hell. Okay, well, I've seen the nursery and it's absolutely beautiful but I really have to go to that interview." Phoebe says.

"Uh, honey, I know your work is very important to you but guess what? Buffy and I are having a baby." Piper says.

Phoebe smiles, "Aw, I know."

"Yeah, so how about you take a couple of minutes to be Aunt Phoebe." Piper says.

"Oh my god, you are so right. I'm so sorry. Okay, what do you need?" Phoebe asks.

"An opinion. We we're thinking..." Buffy says.

Paige orbs in. "Positions! Bogey in three, two, one..." Suddenly, a demon wearing no shirt and a black and white mask appears. He blows a dart at Paige with a blowgun and she ducks. The dart hits a teddy bear and its head shrinks. Buffy, Piper and Phoebe gasp. Piper blows up the demon and vanquishes him. "So much for the theory that Borneo demons are impervious to magical powers. I can't wait to tell the local witch doctors."

"Okay, excuse me, can we refrain from blowing up demons in the nursery?" Leo says.

"Oh, honey, it was just one." Piper says.

Leo sighs, "Piper, you're going to be a mom and an aunt, you need to start thinking about the safety of our daughter and Buffy's." He looks to Paige. "And you, you're getting so caught up with this magical kick, I mean, look at your hair. It's so red from the potion you blew up last night."

"Do you have any idea how much this would cost in the salon?" Paige asks.

"I love your new 'do, honey, I think you look beautiful." Phoebe says as she gives Paige a quick hug. "Okay, bye."

"Thank you." Paige says.

"Honey, sweets, toots... I appreciate that you're very concerned but Buffy and I are still witches and Buffy's still a Slayer on top of that and we do still have innocents to protect and demons to fight. We can't just crawl in a hole." Piper says.

Buffy nods, "Piper's right, Leo."

Later in Piper's room, Buffy and Piper are sitting on the bed sorting through some boxes. Leo is in the closet sanding down the window frame.

"Leo, I can't believe you found all of our baby stuff." Piper says.

"Yeah where did you find mine? I didn't know mom had saved any. I know I didn't bring it with me." Buffy says.

"Grams was a bit of a pack rat." Leo says.

"Actually Buffy," Piper says. "Remember when we packed you up for the move? We only brought the essentials remember?" Buffy nods. "Some other stuff like this has been up in the attic waiting for you.

"Wow, Piper. I don't know what to say." Buffy says.

"You can thank Prue. She knew you would want the stuff. So she went back to San Francisco and had Mr. Thomas open the house and allow her to get some more stuff out. Picture albums, your baby stuff, a few mementos. The rest of the stuff is all waiting in the attic." Piper says as she pulls out a pink album. "Baby book. My baby book." She opens it up. "Oh, look how squishy I was."

Leo nods, "You were so adorable."

"Leo, you can't even see the picture." Piper says.

Buffy sighs, "You look so cute."

"Well, I'm your Whitelighter. I've been watching you ever since you were a baby." Leo says.

"Uh-huh, yeah, see that's too creepy to think about. I never knew that mom kept a baby book for me." Piper says before looking at Buffy, "What's wrong?"

"Well, why not? I mean, you started one for our daughter. I always thought you and your mum were a lot alike." Leo says as he picks up the window and tries to get it up to the frame.

Buffy shakes her head, "Nothing. Just a reminder of the fact that I missed out on so much of you guys growing up."

"It's strange to think that she went through everything I'm going through right now. I don't think you ever really know how much your mother loves you until you become one yourself." Piper says before she looks at Buffy, "Honey what happened between Aunt Joyce and Grams won't happen with us."

Buffy nods, "I know."

Leo drops the window frame and he groans in pain. "Ow!"

"Oh, are you okay?" Piper asks.

Leo nods, "Yeah."

"Here, um, why don't you let us help you?" Buffy asks as Piper nods in agreement.

"No, it's heavy." Leo says.

Buffy and Piper walks over to him, still holding the album.

"Well, see, that's kind of why we wanted to help you with it." Piper says.

"Piper… Buffy, when are you two gonna accept the fact that you both are pregnant?" Leo asks.

"When are you gonna stop being so overprotective?" Piper asks.

Leo sighs, "Look, all I'm suggesting is that you both slow down."

"Okay, Leo, Neither Buffy nor I are going to be one of those women that sits on their ass and eats Bonbons throughout their whole pregnancy. That's just not the woman you married and that's not who your sister-in-law is either. Besides, generations of Halliwell women raised perfectly normal children before us. They all got through it and so will we."

Leo shakes his head, "Not all of them."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Buffy asks.

Leo sighs, "How far along in Piper's baby book have you gotten?" Piper flips through the rest of the book and the pages are blank. "There was no one there to finish it after your mother died."

"Oh." Piper says.

"Like I said, you are a lot like your mother. She was careless too. She thought she was invincible. She was wrong." Leo says. "And despite that I hate saying it Buffy, you're just like your mom also. She too thought she was invincible. She died fighting a demon just like Patty did."

Buffy and Piper look at each other. Neither of them had known exactly how Joyce had died. Buffy had come home and found her mother laying on the floor her eyes staring off into space.

Later Phoebe has returned from work with Mylie. Mylie is sitting on the couch in the living room while Phoebe dries Mylie's legs with a hair dryer.

Paige walks in the foyer through the front door and puts her bag and umbrella away. "Okay, I just cut work on the day of my big promotion and sped through a rainstorm to get here, what is the 9..." She walks into the living room. "…11?"

"Phoebe found a mermaid." Leo says.

"Actually, she found me. On the way to a very important court date, I might add." Phoebe says.

"Hi, I'm Mylie." Mylie says as she shakes Paige's hand. "You must be Paige. You have a very big underwater fan base."

"You're a mermaid? You guys actually exist?" Paige asks.

"Uh, excuse me. When you said, uh, sea hag, did you mean like old woman hag or evil magic hag? Because see, I'm not really in the battle mood today." Piper says.

"Neither am I to tell the truth." Buffy says.

"Uh, she's kinda both." Mylie says.

Piper sighs, "Uh-huh."

"Forget that. What's life like under the sea? Does your skin get wrinkly? Does algae pose as a personal hygiene problem." Paige says.

"Okay, guys, why don't we let her up for a little air." Leo says.

"No, it's okay, I don't mind. Actually, there's nothing like being a mermaid. Swim in the open sea all day, explore endless wonders, it's pure freedom." Mylie says.

"Sounds like heaven. I'm sure you want to get back. I can drop you off at the beach on my way..." Phoebe says.

"Wait, you don't understand. It was a great life. For the first few hundred years." Mylie says.

"Mermaids are immortal." Leo says.

Mylie nods, "Yeah, we can spend eternity at sea. Because our hearts are, well, some say are as cold as the water. But sometimes a mermaid gets lonely and her heart warms and she wants more."

"Is that what happened to you?" Paige asks.

"Mm-hmm. The ocean's floor is littered with bones of mortals who died for love. I had to know why." Mylie says.

"Now these bones, um, could they be bones of mortals that perhaps the sea hag killed?" Buffy asks.

"Buffy." Paige says.

"What?" Buffy asks.

"So you said you wanted to feel love, is that why you went to see the sea hag?" Leo asks.

Mylie nods, "Yes. If a mortal professes his love to a mermaid, she becomes human. The sea hag agreed to give me legs but if I didn't find love before her deadline I would have to give her my immortality."

"All that for a guy? Boy, did you get taken for a ride." Phoebe says.

Paige sighs, "Phoebe."

"What?" Phoebe says.

"But I did find love, I-I mean I think I did. But I might be dead before I get to find out for sure. Craig's getting on a plane to New York soon." Mylie says.

"Oh, no-no-no, this is good. Because all we gotta do is find the fish lover, get him to spill his guts and then we don't have to face the sea hag." Piper says

"Piper!" Paige says.

"What?" Piper asks.

Paige sighs, "If your boyfriend's love can make you human why don't you just tell him you're a mermaid?"

"You mean, that I'm a genetic freak with a fish tail coated in glandular slime?" Mylie asks.

"She raises a good point." Leo says.

Phoebe nods, "Yeah."

"You may be half fish, but you're still a woman and women, you know they generally know when a man's in love even before he does." Paige says.

"Oh, puh-lease! If I wrote that slop in my column I'd be driven out of town." Phoebe says.

"Okay, that is it. Can I see you three in the kitchen?" Paige says as she, Buffy, Piper and Phoebe go into the kitchen. "Okay, what is going on with you guys?"

"I'm sorry, like you need a man to be complete. That kind of thinking dates back to the days we all had tails." Phoebe says.

"Maybe Phoebe's right, maybe we just throw the mermaid back into the ocean and we keep the manor a hag-free zone." Piper says.

"I'm in agreement with Piper here." Buffy says.

"Who are you people and what have you done with my sisters?" Paige says, turning to look at Phoebe. "Let's start with you. What is going on in that head of yours?"

"I keep thinking about the court date I'm missing." Phoebe says.

"Okay, so you're dumping all over our innocent?" Paige asks.

Phoebe sighs, "I don't mean to be. Paige, I've been fighting so hard to get my life back. If Cole shows up and we're still married, then it was all for nothing. I need my freedom."

"Okay, fine. Go meet the judge, just hurry back and we'll deal with Mylie." Paige says.

Phoebe walks out of the kitchen as Leo walks in.

"Where's she going? Everything okay?" Leo asks.

Paige nods, "Yeah, Buffy, Piper and I were just about to discuss how best to vanquish the sea hag."

Buffy shakes her head, "No, you said we were gonna deal with Mylie, you didn't say anything about doing anything with the sea hag."

"Yeah that was what you said." Piper says.

"What is up with you two and these demon avoidance issues you suddenly got?" Paige asks.

"I think if we can protect Mylie and avoid a run-in with the sea hag, I'm all for that." Leo says.

"What is going on with everybody? We're talking about the sea hag, the mysterious monster of the deep blue sea, the one who's name strikes fear in the hearts of sailors everywhere." Paige says.

"Okay, somebody's been watching way too much discovery channel." Piper says.

"You're probably right but she's an interesting evil specimen. She reminds me of this water demon that I read in the book. She kills in the most fascinating way." Paige says.

"Paige." Buffy and Piper says.

"What?" Paige asks.

"We know how it kills." Buffy says.

"What'd I say?" Paige asks.

"It killed mom." Piper says.

"It's okay, you didn't know." Leo says.

"I believe Piper and I are in agreement that we don't see any sense in going up against a demon like this if we don't have to." Buffy says as Piper nod in agreement.

Paige sighs, "Okay, maybe we can get Craig to confess his love for Mylie. I'll ask her what flight he's on and maybe I can stop him from getting on that plane. But if it doesn't work we're gonna have to come up with a plan B to vanquish the sea hag."

Piper nods, "We know, Buffy and I will check both Books.

Paige leaves the kitchen.

"Are you two okay?" Leo asks.

"Yeah." Buffy and Piper says.

Later Buffy, Piper, Leo and Mylie are there watching the weather report on TV.

Piper lowers the volume. "Now the book says that the sea hag has power over her natural environment, would that be, like, rainstorms?"

Mylie nods, "Yeah. Rainstorms, hurricanes..."

"Hurricanes?" Buffy and Piper asks.

Mylie nods, "Even tidal waves."

"Leo, she said tidal waves. How far do tidal waves travel?" Buffy asks.

"Excuse us." Leo says as he, Piper and Buffy move away from Mylie. "What's gotten into you two?"

"I don't know, I just don't feel like myself." Piper says.

"Same here." Buffy says.

Leo sighs, "Well, our job is to keep the innocent calm. Do you think you two can do that while I go talk to the Elders and see if they can help us control the sea hag?"

Piper nods, "Sure."

Leo orbs out. The front door opens and Paige and Craig walk in. They walk into the living room.

Craig smiles, "Hey."

"You came." Mylie says.

Craig nods, "Yeah, Paige told me your life was in danger. What's going on?"

"I really need to know how you feel about me." Mylie says.

Craig sighs, "I can't believe we're back on this. What, are you two in on this joke or what?"

"It's no joke, you have to tell her how you feel about her, her life depends on it." Paige says.

"What is this? The delusional girls club? Come on." Craig says. "Tell me what's happening."

"I can't." Mylie says.

"You can't? You yank me out of a business meeting, your friend ambushed me at the airport, I miss my plane and you can't tell me why?" Craig says.

"No." Mylie says.

"Okay, buddy, look. You obviously wouldn't be here if you didn't care, so why don't you just tell her that you love her for crying out loud." Piper says.

"Piper, relax." Paige says.

"What?" Piper asks.

"If he does not do this then we've gotta fight the evil-" Buffy says as Paige stops her. "Person."

"You know what, I'm outta here." Craig says as he starts to leave.

"Craig wait. You wanna know what I'm hiding from you? Okay." Mylie says.

Mylie takes the flowers out of a vase and sits on the couch.

"Mylie? No, don't!" Piper says.

Mylie tips the vase water onto her legs and her legs turn into a mermaid tail. "Please don't be afraid. It's still me."

Craig backs away, frightened. "What are you? Geez." He races out the door.

A gust of wind blows in the living room and the sea hag appears.

"Did you find a vanquishing spell?" Paige asks as Buffy and Piper starts to back away. "Piper, freeze her."

Piper tries to freeze the sea hag but nothing happens. A water ball forms in the sea hag's hand. "I can't."

The sea hag throws the water ball at Paige and Paige is surrounded by a tunnel of water. The sea hag throws another ball at Buffy and she flames out. The sea hag throws another water ball at Piper and Piper ducks behind the couch. The water ball hits the wall. The sea hag turns to Mylie.

"Piper!" Mylie says as Piper stays behind the couch, frightened. Buffy equally frightened has flamed in upstairs in the attic. "Piper, help me! Piper! Help!"

Piper hears a splash of water and Paige coughing. She comes out from behind the couch.

Paige is standing there, soaking wet. "What happened to you? Where's Buffy?"

Later in the conservatory Phoebe has returned home and Buffy is back downstairs.

"She took our innocent? How could you let that happen?" Phoebe says.

"I don't know. I think I had a panic attack. I couldn't breathe or move." Piper says.

"I think I had a similar reaction I flamed out and up to the attic and Paige had to almost literally drag me back downstairs." Buffy says.

"Okay, but she took our innocent." Phoebe says.

"Let's give Piper and Buffy a break, okay." Leo says.

Piper shakes her head, "No, she's right, we froze up, Mylie's gone and it's mine and Buffy's fault."

Leo shakes his head, "No, it's not your fault. It's both Buffy and your hormones. Both of your maternal instincts are kicking in."

"More like taking over." Paige says.

Leo sighs, "It's natural for a mother to feel protective of her baby."

"But they've been handling demons ever since they got pregnant. Why the sudden change today?" Phoebe says.

"I don't think either of us knows, we just, we don't." Buffy says as Piper nods in agreement.

Paige sighs, "Let's just focus on finding Mylie. What did you get on the sea hag?"

"There's a vanquishing spell, power of three, I, I have it somewhere." Piper says.

"Okay, what about a location? Did the book say where we can find her?" Paige asks.

Buffy and Piper shrugs.

"The Elders say she keeps a cavern on a remote island. She keeps it hidden with charms and spells. The only way to track her is with a mermaid." Leo says.

"Well, unfortunately we're fresh out of those." Phoebe says.

"Okay, yeah, well, where were you when this all went down?" Buffy asks.

"I had my own demon to deal with." Phoebe says.

"The good news is, is that the sea hag can't steal Mylie's immortality unless she's willing to give it up." Paige says.

"Which could be any minute." Leo says.

"True, if she gives up hope, she might wanna die." Paige says.

Leo nods, "Alright, I'll find Craig, we may need him."

"Try the airport, he was headed to New York." Paige says.

Leo orbs out.

"Buffy and I'll try to locate the sea hag." Piper says.

"Oh, honey, I'm sorry, I might've been pushing too hard. Why don't you both let me and Paige worry about the sea hag?" Phoebe says.

Buffy shakes her head, "No, 'cause we've got to..."

"Rest. If not for both of your sakes then for my nieces. All this stress can't be good." Phoebe says.

Paige nods, "She's right."

Buffy and Piper lay down on the couches.

In the Attic Phoebe is reading through a spell Paige has written as Paige is pacing up and down. "This is really good. Adding Eastern thinking to Western wicca." Paige's phone rings. "It should definitely break through the sea hag's protective charms. Are you gonna answer your phone?"

Paige shakes her head, "Uh, no, it's my boss. I've been gone all afternoon."

"Okay, then can we turn it off?" Phoebe asks.

"Do you think it's possible to get promoted and fired on the same day?" Paige asks.

"Paige, please, just turn off the phone." Phoebe says.

"You know, maybe in our new destiny this job just isn't meant to be." Paige says.

Phoebe sighs, "Okay." She grabs the phone and slams it on the table.

"Okay, interesting. Phoebe?" Paige says.

"Mm." Phoebe says.

"What is going on?" Paige asks.

"He's back." Phoebe says.

"Who?" Paige asks.

Phoebe sighs, "Cole."

Paige frowns, "What?"

Phoebe pulls the letter opener out of her purse and shows Paige. The tip of it has been eaten away from acid. "This is his blood. Blood is not supposed to do that."

"You stabbed him?" Paige asks.

Phoebe nods, "Yeah."

"Good." Paige says.

"He wants me back. He wants me back and I just wanna run. As fast and far as I can. I swear, if I had your power, Paige, I would orb myself to a rock in the middle of the sea. He has put me through so much and I just, I don't want to go through it again." Phoebe says.

Paige sighs, "Okay, running is not the answer. Don't give him that power over you. You have built a great life for yourself."

"That doesn't matter. I'm too tired to fight him. And I don't even know if I could. He's got all these new demonic powers now." Phoebe says.

"You know what? Turn your anger towards the sea hag. After we deal with her, I'll test Cole's blood and come up with a magic way to keep him from you, okay?" Paige says.

"Okay. Thank you. Let's see if this spell that you wrote works. I will go find Piper and Buffy." Phoebe says.

Paige sighs, "Oh, Piper and Buffy. I'm kinda worried about them. They picked maybe the worst time to come up with a massive demon phobia. You think they're gonna be okay to take on the sea hag?"

"Well, I think pregnancy is an emotional time and anything can happen." Phoebe says.

Buffy and Piper walks in.

"We'll be fine. Okay, let's go, we've got a job to do." Piper says.

"You sure you two are up to it?" Paige asks

"Well, Piper at least doesn't have a choice. It's a power of three spell, right? One, two, three." Buffy says pointing at Piper, Phoebe and Paige.

"Should we wait for Leo to find Craig before we go?" Phoebe asks.

Piper shakes her head, "No, Mylie needs us now."

Phoebe hands them each a piece of paper.

"Okay, if the spell works, it should take us straight to the sea hag." Paige says.

"Powers of the witches rise, find the hag who speaks in lies, balance chakras focus chi, lead us through the cruel cruel sea." Buffy, Piper, Phoebe and Paige says.

Nothing happens but then suddenly Phoebe falls to the floor. "Whoo!"

Buffy, Piper and Paige look down to find Phoebe turned into a mermaid.

"Oh." Paige says.

Later at the beach Buffy flames in while Piper, Phoebe and Paige orb in.

Phoebe falls into the water. "Hey!"

"Sorry, couldn't hold you." Paige says.

Phoebe tries to get up.

"Phoebe, you can't stand, you don't have legs." Piper says.

"Okay, well, why me?" Phoebe says as she throws a little tantrum. "Why did I get the tail? We all said the spell together!"

"Maybe because you're the best swimmer?" Buffy says.

"Yeah, at the Y! But this is the ocean! It is very cold and I am allergic to shellfish!" Phoebe says.

Piper shakes her head, "Okay, forget that. Do you sense the sea hag? Is she close?"

"How should I know?" Phoebe asks.

"Well, maybe if you put your head underwater." Piper says.

Phoebe frowns, "And get my hair wet?"

"Phoebe, you're a mermaid." Buffy says.

Paige nods, "You should be able to sense the sea hag. My spell worked but not the way I envisioned it."

Phoebe holds her nose and dives underwater.

Leo orbs in. "I found Craig. He was on a plane on his way to New York. Why am I standing in the ocean?"

"Phoebe's a mermaid." Piper says.

"Oh. Well, that would explain it." Leo says.

Phoebe pokes out of the water. "Whoo! Dive in! The water's great."

"Phoebe, get back here this instant!" Buffy says.

Phoebe dives back under and pops back up next to them in a second flat.

"The call of the sea's intense. Just like Mylie said it was." Phoebe says.

"Well, ignore it. Did you find the sea hag?" Piper asks.

"Now that you mention it there was a stench under the water." Phoebe says.

"That could be the sewage treatment plant." Leo says.

"We'll take our chances, follow the stench." Buffy says.

"How?" Phoebe asks.

Buffy shrugs, "I don't know. Get in touch with your inner fish. And then when you find the cavern, call for Leo and we will orb and flame there."

"Okay." Phoebe says and dives back in the water and swims away.

"That's actually the most fun I've seen Phoebe have since Cole died." Paige says.

"Which time?" Leo asks.

"Good point. Okay, you guys ready? T-minus sea hag and counting. Piper… Buffy, have either of you got the power of three spell?" Paige says. "Piper… Buffy, are you two okay?"

"I'm fine. Everything's under control." Piper says.

"Yeah I'm good." Buffy says.

"She's calling. Let's go." Leo says.

"Come on, come on, let's go." Paige says.

Piper, Paige, Leo and Buffy join hands and start to orb out. Buffy and Piper lets go of their hands and Leo and Paige orb out without them. They lean against a rock, frightened.

In the sea hag's cavern Leo and Paige orb in.

"Where's Buffy and Piper?" Phoebe asks.

"Piper let go of my hand." Paige says.

"Buffy let go of mine." Leo says.

The sea hag throws a waterball at Paige and she ducks.

"Enough with the water. Shell!" Paige says.

The shell orbs into Paige's hand. It reveals a bloody spot on Mylie's chest. The sea hag flicks her arm and seaweed appears tightly around Paige. Paige drops the shell into the water. Phoebe dives down to get it. Leo grabs a sword and swings it at the sea hag. She disappears and reappears and throws a waterball at Leo. He is surrounded by a tunnel of water. Phoebe jumps out of the water and throws the auger shell at the sea hag. It attaches itself to her and she screams. She turns into a pile of dust. The tunnel of water disappears from Leo and Paige frees herself from the seaweed.

"Is everyone okay?" Phoebe asks.

Paige nods, "Yeah."

Leo goes over to Mylie. "No, she's dying."

"Can you heal her?" Phoebe asks.

Leo tries to heal Mylie but it doesn't work. "It's no use, she's not human."

"No, not yet. Get Craig, hurry." Paige says.

Leo orbs out.

"She should've stayed in the water. She could've avoided all of this." Phoebe says.

"Can we stay positive please?" Paige asks.

Moments later Leo orbs in with Craig.

"Get your hands off me!" Craig says as he looks around. "What, what just happened? Where am I?"

"Somewhere off the north Atlantic would be my gut instinct." Phoebe says.

"How... What... Who are you people?" Craig says.

"Witch." Paige says.

"Angel." Leo says.

"Mermaid." Phoebe says.

"Don't you mean witch?" Paige asks.

Craig looks at Mylie lying unconscious.

"I know this is hard to accept, but all that matters is she's dying and you can help her." Leo says.

"What can I do?" Craig asks.

"Tell her how you feel. Your love can save her." Paige says.

"My love? How can I love her? I mean, look at her. She's got a..." Craig says.

"Really beautiful heart." Leo says.

"Now you know what she is, but who she is, you've always known that." Phoebe says.

"I do love you..." Craig says.

Mylie turns human as Leo quickly takes off his coat and hands it to Craig. Craig covers Mylie's naked body as Leo heals Mylie and she wakes up. She sees Craig and smiles and they kiss.

"Thank you. Thank you for everything." Mylie says.

"Okay, I hate to cut this short but I can sense Piper and Buffy's panic and I think we should get back to them and let them know that everything's alright." Leo says as Paige and Leo walk over to Phoebe. "Phoebe, take my hand, I'll orb you back."

Phoebe shakes her head, "Nope, I'm staying in the ocean."

"Okay, just meet us back at the beach. You swim so fast you'll probably beat us there anyway." Paige says.

"No, I'm staying in the ocean, I'm not going back." Phoebe says.

"I don't understand." Paige says.

"Paige, it's everything that Mylie said it was. It's complete freedom." Phoebe says.

"The call of the sea. It'll turn her heart cold if she lets it." Mylie says.

"Okay, Phoebe, get out of the water." Leo says.

Phoebe backs away. "No."

"Phoebe, take my hand." Paige says.

"No!" Phoebe says.

"Phoebe, fight it!" Paige says.

Phoebe shakes her head, "I don't wanna fight it. I just wanna be free." She turns and swims away.)

"Phoebe!" Paige says.

* * *

**Author's Note: **I have been trying to find a way of making season five finale work. Seven BTVS Episode go together. And 4 Charmed Episode go together. Tough Love through The Gift are one right after another. They leave off where the other began. Bargaining Pt. 1 & 2 and Afterlife are one right after another. For Charmed you have Oh My Goddess Pt. 1 and 2 and then you have Vallholley of the Dolls Pt. 1 and 2. Both the BTVS season six premiere and Charmed season premiere are resolutions for the season five finales.

There is only a handful of ways of doing this. Oh My Goddess and Vallholley of the Dolls back to back and Tough Love through After Life back to back.

Or separate the episode. Do say Oh My Goddess and then Tough Love through Afterlife and then do Vallholley of the Dolls. Problem with this scenario is Piper would not be grieving during the time Buffy is dead as she would be as Paige said, in Vallholley of the Dolls, getting increasingly chipper.

I can't really put Oh My Goddess and Vallholley of the Dolls between The Gift and Bargaining. Well I guess I could if I really wanted to. It's just Buffy would not be in those four episodes. It would just be Dawn, Piper, Phoebe and Paige.

That leaves either Oh My Goddess and Vallholley of the Dolls either before or after the BTVS episodes. In the end I'm putting them after. So what you got is this Tough Love through The Gift (BTVS Season Five Finale), then Loss (an amalgamation of several different episodes detailing Buffy's funeral) then Bargaining Pt. 1 and 2 and Afterlife (BTVS Season 6 premiere) before doing Oh My Goddess (Charmed Season Five Finale) and Vallholley of the Dolls (Charmed Season Six Premiere)


	110. Chapter 110: A Witch's Tail Pt 2

**Chapter 110: A Witch's Tail Pt. 2**

Buffy, Piper and Paige are sitting on the couch. Leo orbs in, he is soaking wet.

"Leo, the Persian." Piper says.

"I found Phoebe." Leo says.

"You did? Well, why didn't you bring her?" Buffy asks.

Leo sighs, "She's too fast... and slippery."

"It's official. Phoebe's on the run." Paige says.

"On the swim, technically." Leo says.

"Well, what the heck's she swimming from? She's got billboards, TV interviews, she got her divorce, she should be loving life." Piper says.

"That's right, you two don't know." Paige says.

"We don't know what?" Buffy asks.

"Well, I didn't wanna make either of you mad, you know, you both getting so panicky and all." Paige says.

"Yes, we've established, Buffy and I were spineless cowards in the face of evil. Now, what don't we know?" Piper says.

"Cole's back." Paige says.

Buffy and Piper starts to panic.

"What? Why don't I know about this?" Leo asks.

"Well Phoebe told me confidentially." Paige says.

Leo sighs, "Yes, but I'm your Whitelighter. As a witch you have a duty to let me know this sort of thing."

"I have a greater duty to my sister." Paige says.

"Excuse me, but he's the former Source of all evil." Leo says as Piper and Buffy tries to get their attention. "This is not something you just sweep under the rug." Buffy and Piper falls on the floor. Leo and Paige run over to them. "Take a deep breath, take a deep breath."

Leo and Paige help Buffy and Piper and they sit on the couch.

"Does he want our babies?" Buffy asks.

Paige shakes her head, "Oh, no honey, of course not. He's in love, he wants Phoebe back."

"Hey, that's it. If Cole and Phoebe declare their love..." Leo says.

"Cole's love is the problem, not the solution." Paige says.

"Paige, I know you hate Cole..." Piper says.

"Yeah, I do, I loathe and despise him, but that's not the point. Mylie said that mermaids are cold hearted, maybe that's why my spell turned Phoebe into a mermaid in the first place." Paige says.

"Wait a minute, we're talking about Phoebe here. Since when did Phoebe become cold-hearted?" Buffy says.

"Well, maybe she's been in the deep freeze ever since Cole came back." Paige says.

"So where do we go next?" Leo asks.

"I don't know. Book Of Shadows, library of congress, internet. Anywhere we can to get rid of Phoebe's tail." Paige says.

The next morning in the kitchen, Paige is there on the phone. "I am so sorry I am missing work, Mr. Cowan. I-I it's just my sister, she's had a fishing accident. Of course I'm grateful for the promotion, of course I am. And I'm gonna prove to you how grateful I am as soon as I get there and... Mr. Cowan?" Leo orbs in. "Hello?" She hangs up.

"I lost Phoebe." Leo says.

"You lost Phoebe?" Paige asks.

Leo nods, "Yeah, somewhere in the Gulf of Mexico. I was tracking her and, she's getting harder to sense. I think the mermaid in her is starting to take over."

"I'll just have to find a way to turn her back." Paige says as she sits down. "Look through these books." She places a book in front of her.

"Uh, you've been working on this all night?" Leo says.

"Yeah." Paige says.

"What have you learned so far?" Leo asks.

"I've learned that mermaids are cold blooded, they like shiny baubles, sea chanteys are the only songs they know, and my adoption file is short one document." Paige says.

Leo shakes his head, "You lost me with that last one."

Paige sighs, "Leo, it's my first day as a social worker and I'm already screwing up and failing big time. This kid's adoption is gonna fall apart without me."

"Well, you can't let that happen." Leo says.

Paige smiles, "I'm so glad you agree. I was thinking I can just cast a spell from here and create a file..."

"That's not what I meant. Go to work." Leo says.

"But what about..." Paige says.

Leo shakes his head, "But what about what? You're just an orb away."

"You sure you can handle this alone?" Paige asks.

"I'm not alone, I have Piper and Buffy." Leo says.

"Buffy and Piper. Okay, Leo, I don't know if it's because they're afraid of the demons or they have guilt over Phoebe, but they're not doing so well. I had to come down here to get any work done at all." Paige says.

"What do you mean?" Leo asks.

Paige sighs, "Go up the attic and see for yourself."

Leo nods and leaves the kitchen and heads up to the attic. He looks around for Piper and Buffy. He sees the sitting on the floor in the corner of the room; Piper is sbassinetbling words on the wall with chalk as she talks with Buffy. He walks over to them.

"No." Buffy says as she rubs a word out with her hand.

"Piper, Buffy, its okay." Leo says as he touches Piper's arm.

"Let go of me, we're almost done." Piper says.

"Buffy, Piper, you both need to take a break." Leo says.

Buffy shakes her head, "We just need one more verse."

Leo sighs, "Buffy, Piper, this is not helping Phoebe."

"Leo, we're scared." Piper says as Buffy nods in agreement.

"I know." Leo says.

"No, you don't. We're both scared all of the time." Buffy says.

Leo sighs, "Buffy, Piper, your both pregnant. Your hormones and adrenaline are running very high. It's okay to be afraid."

Piper shakes her head, "No, it's not. Did you see what our fear did to Phoebe? Buffy and I are supposed to be stronger than ever now that we're pregnant, for our daughters and our sisters. It's my job to take care of this family." Piper says.

Leo sighs, "Sometimes it's this family's job to take care of you, both of you. Sometimes it's my job."

"What do we do?" Buffy asks.

"You both need to figure out what's behind your fear." Leo says.

"Okay, well, therapy takes years and Phoebe needs us now." Piper says.

"The only way you two can help Phoebe is by removing your fear." Leo says.

"What did you say?" Buffy asks.

"I said you need to remove your fear and I can help you do that." Leo says.

Piper shakes her head, "I think you just did." She and Buffy stands up. "Right now we just need some time to figure this out, alone."

Leo leaves the attic. Buffy and Piper walks over to a blank wall and Piper writes "Fearless" with a piece of chalk.

Later Piper and Buffy have written a spell on the wall with chalk.

"Locked in, boxed in, full of fear our panic grows manic till we can't hear, in need of reprieve so that we can breathe, remove our fear please make it leave." Piper and Buffy chants as they glow. They turn and look in a mirror.

Downstairs Phoebe and Leo are there on the couch. Leo is dabbing Phoebe's wound with a cloth. "Ouch."

"Sorry, I was a medic, not a vet." Leo says.

Paige walks in holding a jug of water and a cup. "Here's your water."

"Oh." Phoebe says as she slurps it down. "Ugh, could use a little salt."

"That's about all I can do for you." Leo says.

"Okay, well, good enough. Will one of you orb me back to the ocean please." Phoebe says.

Paige shakes her head, "Wait, isn't there a demon after you?"

Buffy and Piper walks down the stairs.

"Demon? Did somebody say demon?" Piper asks.

"Yeah, one chased Phoebe back home." Leo says.

"Well, that was nice of it, welcome home." Buffy says.

"This isn't my home anymore." Phoebe says.

"So, what about this demon? Where is it? I'd like to thank it and then kill it." Piper says.

"So would I." Buffy says.

"Are you two sure you're okay?" Paige asks.

"Yeah, never better. Right, Buffy?" Buffy nods. "We're ready to face our fears." She stares at a painting on the wall. "Like that painting. I hung it on the wall because I was afraid to tell Leo that it was ugly but now..." She blows it up. "No offense, honey." She and Buffy sits on the couch. "So, uh, what does this demon look like?"

"Tall, dark and skeletal. Shoots electricity." Phoebe says.

"Paige, we need the Book of Shadows, can you orb it down here?"

"You want me to use magic for household chores? I thought you had a total fear of personal gain?" Paige asks.

"Ah, see, there's that word again, fear. It's very debilitating." Buffy says. "Book of Shadows!" The Charmed Book of Shadows flames into her hands and she hands it to Piper.

"Thank you sweetie." Piper says.

"Okay, um, I told you everything I know. Can I go home now?" Phoebe says.

"You are home. And you're insane if you think that I am going to take you anywhere." Paige says.

"Relax, Paige, everything will be fine." Buffy says.

"Glad you two are so calm. Why are you both so calm?" Leo asks.

"Well, we just did as you suggested and now we feel fine. So can we save Phoebe?" Piper says.

"Okay, you guys, I don't need saving. Okay, all I need are my sea friends and little shiny objects and to lay on a rock and to comb out my hair. I need water." Phoebe says as she reaches for the jug.

Piper finds Necron in the Book Of Shadows. "Got him."

Phoebe drinks straight from the jug. "Yeah, that's him."

"Necron... A skeletal being that hovers between life and death. Has the power to incinerate any living..." Leo reads.

"Yada, yada, yada." Piper and Buffy says.

"No wonder he's after Phoebe. If mermaids are immortal and he's stuck between life and death, then immortality would place him squarely in the life column." Paige says.

"Well, he cannot have my immortality. Will someone please get me back to the ocean before I suffocate. I need the water!" Phoebe says.

"You want water? I'll get you some water." Paige says.

Moments later Paige puts Phoebe in the tub in the upstairs bathroom.

"You are holding me hostage!" Phoebe says.

"Yep, looks like it." Paige says.

"Look, I am not a common goldfish. I cannot ignore the call of the sea." Phoebe says.

"Well, the call of the common bathtub is just gonna have to do." Paige says.

Phoebe flicks water at Paige.

Upstairs Buffy and Piper are making a potion and Piper puts an ingredient in a pot and it explodes, blowing everything in the room to pieces. Buffy and Piper are knocked backwards.

"Oops." Buffy and Piper says.

Paige runs in. "What is going on? Are you two okay?"

"Minor setback, it's fine." Piper says.

Paige grabs a fire extinguisher and puts out some small fires. "Minor setback? The room is on fire! You two are supposed to be figuring out a way to vanquish Necron, not yourselves."

"Oh, come on, we weren't using any of this junk anyway. Where's the fish girl?" Buffy says.

"She's downstairs cooling off in the tub. What are you two mixing up here anyway?" Paige says.

"Oh, a little burdock root and, uh, some eye of newt." Piper says.

"What? You're never ever supposed to mix those two things together. That is a volatile combination." Paige says.

"Well, Necron's a serious threat, we need a serious potion. Did you know in the book there's a witches be warned on skeletal beings? The last two that vanquished him, actually the only two that vanquished him, died in the process." Buffy says.

"Great, so the rate you two are going you'll be number three and four. You two know, you oughta be more careful." Paige says.

"Hey, a good plan violently executed this week is better than a perfect plan executed next week. That's Patton." Piper says.

"Why are you quoting Patton?" Paige asks.

"So we figure if we just double the burdock root..." Buffy says as she bends down to pick something up.

"Ay, no touch. I don't want either of you or my unborn nieces around that." Paige says as Buffy and Piper sigh. Someone decides right then to ring the doorbell. "You two shouldn't be inhaling all this smoke when you're pregnant anyway."

Buffy and Piper goes to answer the door.

"Ah, Paige, you're such a worry wart." Piper says.

Leo walks in. "What happened?"

"We were just getting ready to kick some demon ass. That's what we do, right?" Buffy says.

Piper hits Leo on the butt as the doorbell rings again. "Buffy and I'll get it, it's probably Phoebe's interview." She and Buffy goes downstairs.

"Well, send them away!" Paige says as Leo walks over to her. "Don't look at me, I don't know what's going on with either of them."

"Does it seem like they overcame their fear a little quickly to you?" Leo asks.

Paige shrugs, "I don't know. I guess it's better than their almost having a nervous breakdown like they were this morning."

"Not so sure." Leo says as he walks over to the wall with Piper and Buffy's chalk writings are.

"What are you looking at?" Paige asks.

"See if they had any help." Leo says.

"Magical help? Buffy and Piper would never do that." Paige says as she sees the fearless spell on the wall. "Oh, no, it's a fearless spell. Piper and Buffy wrote a fearless spell."

"Paige!" Phoebe calls out.

In the bathroom Buffy, Piper, Phoebe, Nancy O'Dell, and a camera crew are there. Phoebe is still in the bath, but now with bubbles added.

"Gosh, I am so sorry. Your sister said we were doing the interview in the bathroom." Nancy says.

"Well, that should've been your first clue that my sister sprang from the shallower end of the gene pool." Phoebe says.

"Oh, come on, Phoebe, you wanted fame. Go ahead and grab it. Carpe diem." Piper says.

"Don't you mention carp around me, please," Phoebe says.

"We're doing you a favor. People will think you're bold and daring. What's better than a celebrity who wants to do an interview in the nude?" Buffy says.

"I can be just as fascinating with my clothes on in a TV studio, thank you." Phoebe says.

"Well, actually, you can't. My show is called "At Home With Nancy O'Dell"." Nancy says.

"See? Fabulous." Piper says as Phoebe lays there in awe. "Fire away." She and Buffy leave the bathroom closing the door behind them.

"Piper. Buffy." Phoebe says.

Outside in the hallway Buffy and Piper are listening against the bathroom door. Paige and Leo walk down the hallway.

"What is going on? We heard Phoebe's scream..." Paige says.

"Shh... She's doing a TV interview." Buffy says.

"In the bathtub?" Paige asks.

"Don't worry she's not showing any tail. That Nancy O'Dell has, like, perfect teeth." Piper says.

"You two can't be serious. You're risking exposure to all of us." Leo says.

"Now see there's your risk-aversion side rearing its ugly head again." Piper says.

"Buffy, Piper, we know you cast a fearless spell." Paige says.

"Not a fearless spell, a freedom spell. You told us to get rid of our fear so that's what we did." Buffy says.

"Yes, but you two didn't get rid of it, you just suppressed it." Leo says.

"Well, what's the difference? We're free to be ourselves and to help others be themselves." Piper says.

"Okay, but Phoebe's self is a mermaid, and that self is about to be broadcast on the six o'clock news unless we stop it fast." Paige says.

Buffy shakes her head, "Now, see, you're only seeing the downside here."

"What's the upside?" Paige asks.

"The upside is Phoebe loves her job more than anything else and doing this interview will remind her of that and help bring her to her senses." Buffy says.

In the bathroom…

"People are chewing entire species into extinction. Take Chilean Sea Bass. I have yet to even spot one. And swordfish for example, you might as well be munching on a bald eagle." Phoebe says.

"I, uh, I didn't realize you had such a passion for fish." Nancy says.

Phoebe smiles, "Yeah, I do."

Buffy, Piper, Paige and Leo walk in.

"Okay, we're gonna have to end this now." Paige says.

"It's okay, ask one more question." Phoebe says.

"Um, well, so back to your advice to lovers, it's so real, so heartfelt, especially lately. Is there a lucky guy in your life that you get your inspiration from?" Nancy says.

Phoebe shakes her head, "No, there's not."

"Really? Then what's with all the love columns?" Nancy says.

Paige realizes something.

"I don't know." Phoebe says.

"I think I do. Okay, I'm sorry; we're really going to have to wrap this up. Leo." Paige says.

"Okay, come on, I'll show you downstairs." Leo says.

"But we're not finished yet." Nancy says.

"I think you are." Leo says.

Nancy sighs, "Oh. We'll reschedule. I'll have my people call your people, okay."

"Thanks." Phoebe says.

"Alright, bye-bye." Nancy says.

"Bye, Nance." Piper and Buffy says.

"Bye-bye." Nancy says as she, Leo and her crew leave.

"So how do you feel?" Buffy asks.

"Actually, thanks to the both of you, I feel free. Free from the shallowness of human pursuit. From craving wealth and fame. Now all I crave is the serenity of the sea." Phoebe says.

"Ooh, good job on the fearless spell." Paige says.

"What fearless spell?" Phoebe asks.

Two crows fly onto a tree branch outside the window.

"What the heck is their problem?" Piper says as they hear a zapping noise in the hallway. "Orb Phoebe to the attic."

"What about you two?" Paige asks.

"Just do it." Buffy says as she and Piper goes out in the hallway. Necron zaps in. Piper blows him up. She and Piper walks further down the hallway. "Okay, static man, very impressive."

Necron zaps in behind then, grabs them and then zaps back out with them.

Later in the Sea Hag's cavern, Buffy and Piper are tied to a steal rack, above the sea water.

"I think we've given your sisters enough time to worry about you two. Now, call for your Whitelighter." Necron says.

"Or what?" Piper asks as the rack she and Buffy are tied to sinks down knee deep into the water. "Oh, please, please, somebody help me, the mean demon is dipping me into the water and it's really cold."

"Attack!" Necron says.

Electric eels swim past the rack and electrocute Piper and Buffy.

"Is that the best you got?" Buffy asks.

"Again." Necron says.

The eels wrap themselves around the rack and electrocute Piper and Buffy, and they scream.

The rack rises out of the water.

"Okay, I've had enough. The treatment of us is shocking. Get it? Shocking?" Piper says.

"Do you two have a death wish?" Necron asks.

"You're not demon enough to kill us. You would've done it already if you were." Buffy says.

"On the contrary. I wasn't hungry until now. But it's just about my feeding time." Necron says as he holds out his hand.

Phoebe comes up from under the water. "Let them go, it's me that you want."

The auger shell appears in his hand.

"Oh, look out, Phoebe, he's packing the sea shell." Piper says.

"You know what this is." Necron says.

"Yeah. Auger shell. Sucks eternal life. Look, I will give you my immortality if you let my sisters go." Phoebe says as the rack flies across the water and hits the rock wall. Buffy and Piper's chains come undone and they fall to the ground. "No!" She swims over to Piper and Buffy.

"I promise I'll kill them unless you give me what I want first." Necron says.

"Buffy, Piper, are you two okay?" Phoebe asks.

Piper touches her bleeding stomach. "What did you do!"

The auger shell disappears and reappears over Phoebe's heart.

"Keep your promise, witch." Necron says.

On the beach Leo is waiting there as Paige orbs in. "Where you been?"

"I forgot the vanquishing spell in the attic." Paige says.

They orb out and into the cavern. Leo rushes over to Piper and Buffy.

"Honey, it's okay, I'm here." Leo says to Piper.

Necron zaps Leo and he flies across the room.

Paige hides behind a statue. "Phoebe!" Necron zaps the statue. "Shell!" The shell orbs onto Necron's heart. Paige holds Piper and Buffy's hand. "Piper, take Phoebe's hand." Piper take's Phoebe's hand. "Prepare for a big blast. Tide of evil wash the shore, bring it darkness evermore, with all our strength we fight this fate, make this evil obliterate."

Necron makes a huge explosion and knocks the girls across the room. Phoebe falls into the water. The rack slides into the water and drags Buffy and Piper in by their feet. They both try to frantically free their feet but can't.

Phoebe pokes her head out of the water and sees Paige unconscious nearby. "Paige, wake up! Paige!" She flicks water at Paige with her tail. "Wake up!"

Paige gains consciousness and sits up. "No wonder those demons carry warning labels."

"Tell me about it." Phoebe says.

"Leo, are you okay?" Paige asks.

"Yeah, I think so." Leo says as he gets up. "Where's Piper and Buffy?"

Under the water Joyce and Patty appears under water in a bright light.

"Piper, I know why you've been so afraid." Patty says.

"Payson, I know why you've been so afraid." Joyce says.

"You both don't want to leave your babies the way we left both of you." Patty says.

"But spells won't make that fear go away, only faith will. Have faith that your destiny is different than ours. Take our hands." Joyce says.

Joyce and Patty hold out their hands as Phoebe dives under the water. Patty and Joyce disappears Phoebe grabs Buffy and Piper's hands. Their feet are freed from the rack and Phoebe pulls them to the top. Buffy and Piper coughs.

"Mom. Aunt Joyce." Piper says.

"Mom. Aunt Patty." Buffy says.

"It's okay, sweetie, it's us." Leo says to Piper.

Phoebe looks at Piper, "Leo, heal her stomach."

Leo reaches for Piper's wound but it heals itself.

"How'd you do that?" Paige asks.

Leo shakes his head, "I didn't."

"The baby did." Piper says.

"What?" Phoebe asks.

"I guess she takes after her daddy." Piper says as she and Leo. "That must've been what mom and Aunt Joyce meant."

"Mom?" Phoebe says. "Aunt Joyce?"

Buffy nods, "They came to us in the water. They helped us understand why we've been so afraid. We don't wanna leave our babies without a mother."

"You have something that your mom didn't." Leo says to Piper.

"Oh, yeah, what's that?" Piper says.

"Me." Leo says.

"And me." Paige says.

"Buffy you have the same thing you had four years ago." Leo says.

"What's that?" Buffy asks.

"Us." Paige says. "Leo, me, Piper, and…" They notice Phoebe gone.

"…apparently not her." Piper says. "What do we do?"

"Nothing. I have a feeling she'll come back again." Paige says.

"How do you figure?" Leo asks.

"Just say I have a pretty good idea about what's going on inside of her head." Paige says.

On the beach Cole is standing there with his arms outstretched and eyes closed. Phoebe magically appears lying down in front of him. He opens his eyes.

"How did I get here?" Phoebe asks.

"I brought you here." Cole says.

"This isn't happening. This can't be happening. This goes beyond stalking." Phoebe says.

"I'm not stalking you. Paige sent me. I know why you ran, Phoebe." Cole says.

"You don't know anything about me." Phoebe says.

Cole shakes his head, "You thought you could escape into this big ocean, that the waves would wash away your pain? But they won't. Not until you admit what drove you here in the first place."

"I know what drove me here. You," Phoebe says.

Cole nods, "Yeah, but why? And don't say because you're scared of me, because you're not. Come on, you don't want to spend eternity alone just to avoid the truth. If not for me, be honest for your own sake. Don't lose yourself because of me."

"What do you want me to say?" Phoebe asks.

"You don't have to say anything. All you have to do to free yourself is admit how you truly feel about me. In your heart," Cole says.

They are silent for a moment and Phoebe turns back into a human. He helps her up and takes off his coat.

"How could you be so sure?" Phoebe asks.

Cole wraps his coat around her. "I had a feeling."

Phoebe sighs, "I do love you, and I always will but it doesn't change anything, it doesn't matter. It's over between us."

At South Bay Social Services Paige is packing up her desk and putting stuff in a box.

Mr. Cowan walks over to her. "Paige, I know I've been tough on you but I don't want you to quit. You've got a real gift at helping people."

"Don't worry, I'm gonna keep helping people. I just don't wanna split my focus anymore. Thanks for everything." Paige says and she hugs him.

In Piper's room at the Manor, Buffy, Piper and Leo are sitting on the bed looking at a photo. Leo gets up and walks away. Piper closes a photo album and her daughters baby book. She sticks the photo of her and Patty on the first page. "Grandma and Mommy" magically appear on the page. Piper smiles and closes the book.

Buffy pulls out a picture of her with Joyce out of a photo album and puts it into her daughter's baby book. On the page magically appears, "Grandma and Mommy." Buffy looks at Piper for a moment and then they hug each other smiling.


	111. Chapter 111: Buffy Vs Dracula

**Chapter 111: Buffy Vs. Dracula**

Buffy and Riley lie in Buffy's bed together. Riley is sleeping soundly but Buffy is wide-eyed and restless. She looks over to Riley… Makes a decision. She climbs quietly out of bed, leaving Riley undisturbed. She quietly gets dressed and flames out.

Moments later in a graveyard Buffy pursues the fleeing vampire at an astounding pace. The intensity of her pursuit is wild, almost animal… Like a leopard springing after it's prey…

WHOMP! Buffy bounds onto a headstone, pushes off it and leaps onto the vampire, bringing him violently to the ground. Buffy and the vampire struggle in the mud for a few beats before she straddles him and brings her stake down hard, dusting him. She rises from the kill, breathing hard - eyes shining deadly before she flames back to the Manor.

Buffy changes and quietly climbs back into bed, pulls the covers up. Unaware of her absence, Riley instinctually pulls her close. Buffy relaxes into the embrace - and falls asleep.

The next day Buffy is with Riley, Willow, Tara, Xander and Anya on the beach. She snatches a football from the air that Riley had just thrown, she jumps around in triumph. "Touchdown! Yes! Go team Me!"

Buffy carelessly tosses the ball back to Riley. It's short. Riley misses it.

"Anybody ever told Team You that the quarterback throws like a girl?" Riley asks as he grins and sends the ball flying back to Buffy, who catches it, smiling innocently

"I do?" Buffy asks.

Buffy lets loose a zinger - hurtling the ball toward Riley with slayer force. Riley catches it in the gut and goes flying, hitting the ground hard.

"I'm exhausted just looking at those two. The splashing and the jumping and the running… Shouldn't relaxing involve less exertion?" Xander says. "Especially for Buffy who's pregnant."

"Absolutely. Exertion can lead to sweatiness." Anya says.

"Which can cause the pain and heartbreak of stinkiness. Better to just stay put." Tara says.

"I think we've just put our finger on why we're the sidekicks." Willow says. "Oh and Xander ixnay on the pregnant talk. Riley doesn't know Buffy's pregnant."

"Oh I forgot," Xander says. "Why doesn't he know?"

"Well because first he will think the baby's his. Second because it would mean explaining about Angel." Willow says. "Buffy's trying to find the right way and right time to tell him without him getting the wrong impression and leaving her."

"Oh, yeah." Xander says.

Buffy and Riley come running up, out of breath and happy.

"Game over?" Willow asks.

Riley holds up the football, which is completely squashed. "Buffy slayed the football."

"It was an accidental… slew." Buffy says. "Where are the burgers?"

"Yeah man, I'm starving. Cow me." Riley says.

"I'd love to make with the moo but the fire's not cooperating. I think this charcoal is made out of water." Xander says.

"What's the deal, Xand? I thought you were a cow griller by trade." Willow says.

"Well they had a newfangled gas stove at the burger place." Xander says.

"Plus they fired him in like a day." Anya says.

"Anya embarrassing me in public! Who saw that comin'?" Xander says.

Anya smiles, "He's fine. He's back to working muscle-y construction."

"Not for long. The job is over in a couple weeks - then all my ends will be loose again." Xander says.

"Tell me about it. I'm kind of in drift mode myself these days." Riley says.

"You're not drifty. You have school." Buffy says.

"Yeah - but I'm not even sure what I'm doing." Riley says. "I mean, I figure I do want my masters in psychology… But, there are different areas… The new advances in psycholinguistics are intriguing - but I've really always thought of myself as a congnative neurobiology guy."

Xander just looks at Riley, "I hear ya."

"I do. Really. I was gonna structure my major around computer science - but now I don't know… what if drama class is awesome? Do I cast off the safe and dependable for the exhilarating unknown?" Willow asks.

"Maybe you should take the class before you re-think your life plan. I mean, it's not like the Goddess Thespia rules your seventh house." Tara says.

Tara and Willow bust up at this apparently funny thought. Everybody else just looks at them.

Willow tries to explain chuckling all the while, "Ohhh, God… See that's… The Goddess Thespia - she was a total drama queen and… The seventh house, that's like when… Ahhhh… Whooo…"

"It's okay. I keep forgetting - jokes should have funny parts." Tara says.

Willow nods, "It was funny. Super funny and clever and… Fire ready yet?"

Xander shakes his head, no. He's supremely frustrated. It's comforting to know I lack the culinary finesse of a caveman."

"Tara, I've been meaning to ask. Where did you learn magic? The stuff I taught Willow never had to do with invoking gods or other deities." Buffy says.

Willow casually waves a hand. "Ignis incede."

Tara nods, "My mother taught me some before she passed away. Then I learned some from whatever books I could get my hands on."

WOOOSH! The grill is suddenly ablaze.

Buffy nods, "Like that. I don't think I taught you that spell, Willow. I don't even think I know that spell. I of course I don't need that spell I can produce fire without a spell."

"It was in one of the books Tara gave me." Willow says. "Pretty much you just have to balance the elements, so when you affect one you don't end up causing-"

BOOM! Willow's interrupted by a sudden thunder clap. Out of nowhere, clouds gather and a dramatic change in weather ensues… They scramble to get out of the sudden downpour. Willow protests-

"I didn't do it! I didn't do it!" Willow says.

Later at Riley's place. Buffy looks very unhappy, "No way. This is so wrong." She's helping Riley clean his room. Currently she's examining a plate she's just pulled from under his bed. Something black and moldy grows there. "Take this away. Whatever it is."

"It's tuna. Or… a pop tart." Riley says as he throws it out. He moves to the dresser, picks through clothes.

"That's it. I'll face monsters, but I'm done helping you clean." Buffy says.

"You're not seeing the whole sexy bohemian thing? 'Cause I had it on good authority that chicks dig slack." Riley says.

"Actually I'm starting to miss the whole military fold-your-clothes-with-a-ruler experience." Buffy says.

"You should talk. Your drawer's a mess." Riley says as he lifts a sexy, frilly nightie out of Buffy's drawer. "— oh, no. That's my drawer. Sorry."

Buffy moves to him, flirtatious. "You sure that's yours? Looks kinda…snug."

"Maybe you should try it on. You know - just so we can see who it belongs to." Riley says.

Buffy's eyes flicker down to her stomach wondering if the nightie would still fit. She wasn't showing yet but she had gained a couple pounds. "Ooh. I'd love to." Riley kisses Buffy. Then Buffy draws away, regretful. "But I promised Piper I'd hang at the homestead tonight. I think we're going to be talking about Piper's baby shower details."

"That's cool. I gotta get through all this - hey, old mail. Bonus." Riley says as he starts to thumb through the mail - something he sees stops him. His face clouds a little but Buffy doesn't pick up on it.

Buffy stands and gets ready to go. "I'd better scram. I'm late."

"Okay… Say hi to Piper, Phoebe and Paige." Riley says as he kisses her and then Buffy flames out.

That evening Piper, Leo, Paige and Phoebe are finishing up dinner.

"Thanks, Piper. Everything was mega yum." Buffy says.

"Are you up for desert?" Piper asks.

"I would - but I have to get out and patrol." Buffy says.

Leo shakes his head, "Buffy, I thought you were going to take it easy?"

Buffy looks to Leo, "I'd love to Leo. But I am still the Slayer."

Piper sighs, "Maybe Paige should go with you to be on the safe side. That way she can orb you out if you get hurt. We don't want anything happening to our niece or you."

Buffy sighs, "Okay. You might want to change though, Paige."

Paige nods as she gets up, "Be right back." She heads upstairs.

Later Paige and Buffy are in a graveyard. Buffy's rolling on the ground again with a vampire. Buffy fights with primal, animal intensity.

Paige watches stake in hand.

In the shadows, a man is watching them, well more Buffy than Paige.

Buffy gets the upper hand with the vamp and pulls out a stake dusting him.

Paige helps Buffy sit up. "I swear, Buffy…"

The man whose been watching them steps into the light. "An impressive hunt. Such power."

Buffy, immediately sensing this creature's strength, stands warily… "That was no hunt. That was just another day on the job. Care to step up for some overtime?"

Paige turns to face the man and frowns, wondering how he snuck up on them.

"We are not going to fight." The mystery man says.

Buffy takes this in, baffled. What's this guy's deal? "Do you understand what a Slayer or a Charmed One is?

The mystery man smiles knowingly. "Do you?"

"Who are you?" Paige asks.

"I apologize. I assumed you both knew." The mystery man says. "I am Dracula."

"Get out!" Buffy and Paige says.

"So - let me get this straight. You're Dracula. The guy. The count." Buffy says.

Dracula nods, "I am."

"This isn't just a fanboy thing, is it? 'Cause I've fought more than a couple of pimply, overweight vamps who called themselves "Lestat."" Buffy says.

Dracula smiles, "You know who I am. As I would know without question that you are Payson Halliwell. Though at one time you were known as Buffy Summers."

Buffy rolls her eyes, "Only my friends and family still call me Buffy. Of which you are neither."

"You've heard of her?" Paige asks.

Dracula nods, "Naturally. She is known throughout the world. As are you Paige Matthews."

"We are?" Buffy asks.

Dracula smiles, "Why else would I come here? For the sun? I came to meet the renowned killer."

Buffy's face clouds at this. "I prefer the term Slayer or Charmed One. Killer just sounds so…"

"Naked?" Dracula asks.

"Like I paint clowns or something. I'm the good guy, remember?" Buffy says.

Dracula smiles at her foolishness. "Come now. You can't deny your history."

"What do you mean, history? Paige and I along with Piper and Phoebe hail from a long line of good witches." Buffy says.

"Perhaps. But your power as the Slayer is rooted in darkness. You must feel it." Dracula says.

"No, you know what I feel? Bored." Buffy says.

Paige looks at Buffy and frowns, "I really think we should be orbing out, Buffy. Leave Dracula here for another night."

But Buffy is not listening to Paige as she lunges at Dracula. But the only thing she catches is dirt. She's on the ground and Dracula, miraculously, is now some distance away from her and Paige. He moves so quickly, it's as if he can appear and disappear at will.

Buffy recovers and flies violently at him again. This time he avoids her by morphing into mist and drifting away. Buffy spins, looking for him to reappear.

"Okay. That's cheating." Buffy says.

"How can he do that?" Paige asks. "No other vamps can do that."

Xander and Willow walk towards them; they don't see Dracula - just Buffy and Paige both on high alert.

"Hey Buff. What's up?" Xander asks.

"Yeah, you look like you saw a –" Willow says.

Dracula de-mists behind them. They're oblivious.

"Fine. I was going to give you a sip of my double mint mocha but-" Xander says.

"Behind you!" Buffy says.

Xander and Willow turn around - face to face with Dracula. Xander takes in his look - and can't help but be amused.

Willow, on the other hand, swallows hard, immediately cowed. "Hi."

They back up next to Paige, bracing for a fight, while Dracula slowly advances on them.

"Nice. Look whose got a bad case of Dark Prince envy." Xander says.

"Leave us." Dracula says.

"No, we're not going to "Leabbb you." And where'd you get that accent, Sesame Street? "One, Two, Three - three victims! Maw ha ha!"" Xander says.

"Xander, Buffy and I are pretty certain that's Dracula." Paige says.

Xander digests this. Then he stammers nervously, "Wow. Really? Hey, sorry man… I was just, jokin' around…"

Dracula ignores him, turning instead to Buffy. "This is not the time. I will see you soon." He launches towards Paige, Xander and Willow. Paige orbs out as Xander and Willow hit the deck. Dracula flies over them, his cape rippling behind him as he morphs into a bat. Buffy sees the bat coming toward her.

The bat flies over Buffy's head and she starts to flail madly. "Bat! Eww! Bat!" She flames out as Paige orbs back in.

Dracula takes off, disappearing into the night.

Xander scoffs, "Oh, yeah. Vampires can't even do that - How'd he do that?!" He looks around for Buffy. "Buffy?"

Buffy flames back in.

Later Piper, Phoebe, Paige, Leo, Buffy, Willow, Xander, Tara, Anya, Giles and Riley are assembled in the living room of the Manor. Buffy, Willow and Xander are all pretty hyped up from their Dracula encounter, talking excitedly and jumping all over each other's sentences-

"…so then Buffy's all – look out! - and then friggin' Dracula's standing right behind us and can I just say he's in serious need of a monster make-over?" Xander says.

"And then he lunges at us - Like WOOSH, and-" Willow says.

"He totally looked shorter in person-" Xander says.

"I told you he'd heard of me, right? Can you believe that? Count Famous heard of me?" Buffy says.

"I couldn't believe it the first twenty times you told us, but it's starting to sink in now." Riley says.

"Actually he's heard not just about Buffy but the Charmed Ones also, all of us." Paige says.

"Sorry. Am I repeato girl? I guess I'm a little blown away." Buffy says. "Paige is right he did mention that he knew of the Charmed Ones also."

"It's not that surprising that he knows you, Buffy. You are the Slayer." Riley says.

"I guess. But the way he said it, he made it sound so-" Buffy says.

"Sexy. I bet he made it sound sexy." Willow says.

"Kinda. He of the dark, penetrating eyes and lilty accent…" Buffy says.

"You thought Dracula was sexy?" Tara asks, Willow.

"What? Oh, no. he was - yuck." Willow says.

"Right. Except for the whole tall, dark and handsome thing. Yucko." Anya says.

"How would you know?" Xander asks.

"Oh, we hung out a few times." Anya says.

"You "hung out" with Dracula?" Xander asks.

"Back in my demon days. Only once or twice. He was really cool." Anya says. "You know - from an evil thing perspective."

"Please. He was no big whoop…" Xander says.

"No big whoop? What about the thing where he turned into a bat? That was awesome." Willow says.

"It must have been. I have to admit - I'm sorry I missed that." Giles says.

"Me too. I kept thinking - gosh, I wish Giles were here. He'd know what to do." Willow says. "Didn't you guys? Think that?"

Giles looks embarrassed.

Buffy and Xander are both a bit mystified at being put on the spot.

"Ahhh - definitely." Xander says.

"Actually, I was more thinking - "BAT!"" Buffy says. "Of course that was just before I flamed out."

Paige nods, "So how come he can do that? No vampires we've met can do that."

"I've no idea. There's a great deal of myth about Dracula - I'd imagine the trick to defeating him is in separating the fact from the fiction." Giles says.

"Great point! It's so Giles to think of something like that. Which we would have never." Willow says.

"Right… I guess we should take things slow with Dracula. He said we'd meet again, but I'd like to avoid it until we do some serious homework-" Buffy says.

Piper nods, "Agreed."

"I don't know. He may have a Bunch of swell party tricks but he's still just a vampire. I say we load up with stakes and crossbows and go after him now." Riley says.

Xander raises his hand, "Second."

"No, Buffy's right. Dracula's too slick to fall for the usual stuff." Anya says.

Buffy nods, "So we hold off. No killing until we know exactly what we're dealing with."

Piper nods, "We'll check the Books see if he's in there."

Leo shakes his head, "I doubt he is Piper. Both Books are a collection of demons and warlocks your family has met in the past or has heard of. Since Dracula likely has never come to America before. Your ancestors likely never met him and dismissed any accounts they heard as simply someone telling stories."

Piper sighs, "Leo it's still worth looking."

Riley tries to joke, but he's obviously uneasy. "You're not just saying that because of those dark, penetrating eyes of his, are you?"

"No, his eyes were just - there was no penetration. Cross my heart." Buffy says.

"Alright. Willow, you and Tara find anything you can on the actual legend of Vlad the Impaler on the internet. I'll search the library." Giles says.

Phoebe smiles, "Actually I might have something on Vlad the Impaler. I'd have to go through my stuff from college. I think I did a report on him for one my required history classes."

Giles nods, "That will be most helpful. Thank you, Phoebe."

"If the Initiative was still around we'd be able to find everything on this guy in a few hours." Riley says.

"We may not be as fast - but we'll find him. Let's say we reconvene here in the morning?" Buffy says.

Everyone agrees, moves to leave.

Riley goes to Buffy. "So what's your plan?"

"Big sleep. My count encounter wiped me out." Buffy says.

"I'm kind of wired. Maybe I should just let you rest." Riley says.

"You sure? I bet if you just lay down with me-" Buffy says.

Riley shakes his head, "Nothing you are about to say will lead to rest."

Buffy smiles, "Good point. So I'll see you here?"

Riley nods, "With donuts."

"Ummm. Heaven." Buffy says as Riley kisses her. "See? A little sugar and I'm all yours. Dracula Shmakula."

That night Buffy's sleeping as a mist forms at the window, then seeps under the crack and slithers across the floor to Buffy's bed.

Buffy senses the intrusion. Sits up - and gasps when she sees Dracula at her bed, looking down at her. She's about to strike out when he holds a finger to his mouth. She quiets despite herself - can only submit to his lingering gaze… He looks at her for a long beat, then, finally-

"You're magnificent." Dracula says.

Buffy fights to speak, determined to hold onto her will. "Bet you say that before you bite all the girls."

"No. You're different. Kindred." Dracula says.

"Kindred? Hardly, I –" Buffy says.

"Pull your hair back." Dracula says, interrupting her.

To her consternation, Buffy obeys his command, bears her neck to him… Still, she protests weakly.

"Ha. You really think you can just waft in here with your hypno eyes and you music video wind and - and…" Buffy says as she falters as he moves to the bed and sits near her.

Dracula's desire for her is palpable, his tone unwavering… "I've searched the world over for you. Yearned for you…"

Buffy shudders as he runs his fingers along the curve of her throat. Then he stops, intrigued by the scar that the Master left when he bit her.

"He was-" Buffy says.

"Unworthy. He let you go." Dracula says as he moves closer still. Buffy struggles, but he's too strong for her. "But the embrace. His bite… you remember…"

"No…" Buffy says as she tries to bury the memories of the day the Master killed her.

Dracula soothes her, gently caressing her neck. "Don't fight. I can feel your hunger."

In this moment, Buffy is locked in his orbit. She can't deny it. And he bends to her, sinking his fangs deep into her neck. Buffy gives into it, gasping…

The next morning Buffy is sleeping in her bed. Everything appears quite normal, almost as if the night before never happened - as if it was a dream.

Buffy wakes, groggy. She gets out of bed and gets dressed. Buffy starts to brush her hair in the mirror and finds the fresh bite mark. She takes it in for a beat - disturbed and embarrassed. Then her expression hardens slightly and she covers the mark with a scarf.

Later downstairs in the living room, Riley reaches in to the donut box and grabs one. He offers it to Buffy. "It's jelly - want it?"

Buffy warily eyes the bit of red oozing from the pastry, shakes her head "no."

Xander sees this, eagerly takes it, "Got it. Mine, mine…" He licks the jelly off the side, starts enthusiastically sucking the rest out…

"Well, I think we got some Dracula factoids…" Willow says. "Thanks to Phoebe."

Xander snorts, "Like any of that's enough to fight the Dark Master - bator." Xander says.

"A lot of it we already knew… Turn offs: wood, fire, crosses, garlic. Turn ons: nice duds, minions and long slow bites that last for days…" Willow says.

"Riley nods, "Yeah, I did a little research, too. Dracula likes to live in style. Which means we can rule out the usual dumps vampires haunt."

Xander looks a little squirrelly, "Ah! But he's smart enough to figure we'd know that. I'm guessing he's laying low."

Paige leans over to Phoebe, "Does Xander seem like he's acting a little strange?"

Phoebe simply nods.

"Actually, my research backs Riley up. Drac isn't the lay low type." Willow says.

"So we'll check the nicer places first - don't you think, Buffy?" Giles asks. Buffy - distant, lost in thought - doesn't hear him. "Buffy?"

"Hmm?" Buffy says. "Right - sorry. Swanky places first. What else did you guys get?"

"Well, Willow and Phoebe found most of it, actually-" Giles says.

"Only because you gave me super pointers. I never would have-" Willow says.

"Just - go ahead, Willow." Giles says.

"Okay. Dracula's modus operandi is different from other vampires. He'll kill just to feed, but he'd rather have a connection with his victims. And he has all kinds of mental powers to draw them in. He can read and control minds, appear in dreams." Willow says.

"Huuuuh." Buffy says, growing uncomfortable listening to this. She touches the scarf around her neck… Still, she says nothing about her love bite.

Piper watches Buffy and notices how Buffy's hand moved to her neck.

"It makes sense. That stare… he kind of looked right through you… Didn't you feel it Buffy?" Willow asks.

Buffy hesitates… Of course she did. Then she sees Riley looking at her oddly. Shakes her head. "Nope. Uh uh."

"See? Buffy didn't feel it. I think you're drawing a lot of crazy conclusions about the Unholy Prince." Xander says. "- bator…"

"The point is - he goes through the motions of an intimate seduction, but it always ends the same. He turns the victim into a vampire." Giles says.

"Well, that is intimate. Dracula's gifting these ladies with his own blood. And blood - blood is life!" Xander says. "According to them."

Giles continues, a little puzzled by Xander's outburst. "Just be aware that he tends to develop a relationship with his prey. It's not enough for him to take her, she has to want to be taken. She has to burn for him –"

Agitated and uncomfortable, Buffy stands abruptly. "That's interesting. I'll go look for him." She starts to head out - but Riley and Piper stops her.

"You shouldn't go alone, Buffy. This guy is seriously dangerous." Riley says.

"It's cool. I'm on top of it." Buffy says.

"No, he's right Buffy. It's safer." Willow says.

"Thanks, but I've got it under control. Really." Buffy says.

"Buffy, take off the scarf." Piper says.

"What?" Buffy asks. "What? I will not."

Riley looks at Piper and nods in understanding before looking back at Buffy, "You're under the thrall of the Dark Prince!"

Buffy blusters, "Please. I am not under the thrall of the Dark Prince!"

"Then take that scarf off." Piper says.

"This is ridiculous-" Buffy says.

Riley tears the scarf off of her and everyone can now see that she's been bitten. "Buffy…"

Buffy takes in Riley's pained expression. And suddenly Dracula's spell over her is a little lessened. Freaked, she sinks into a chair. "Oh, God…"

"Why didn't you say anything?" Phoebe asks.

Xander tries to play it down, "'Cause she didn't want to worry us, right Buffster? It's nothing. Just a scratch –"

"Two deep, puncture-y scratches." Willow says.

"I'm not sure why I tried to hide it. I guess I was embarrassed that I let him do this to me… And, I don't know, I couldn't fight this voice telling me to cover it." Buffy says.

"What did I tell you? That's thrall." Riley says.

Xander scoffs, "You're saying Dracula has some sort of freaky mind control over her? You've been watching too many creature features man."

"It does seem like he's got some kind of control over me, even though a big part of me is resisting…" Buffy says.

"What do you mean, a part? Only part of you is resisting?" Riley says, worried. "Which part's not?"

Buffy realizes how that sounded. She goes to Riley, trying to comfort him. "Riley –"

"No, it's okay. I shouldn't take this personally. I mean, what with Angel, it's understandable that there would be transference. I mean, they're both broody immortals…" Riley says.

Buffy's hand goes to her stomach, she wonders for a moment if this is how he would react to finding out she is carrying Angel's child. "Listen to me. I'm not transfer-y I swear. I'm your girl, and I'm going to stay that way."

Riley takes this in, finally nods. "Okay. But you're not going anywhere near him again."

"Riley's right. You'd best keep out of sight while the rest of us look for Dracula." Giles says.

"I have to agree with Riley and Giles." Piper says. "I'll stay here research take another look through the Book of Shadows. Leo you might orb up there and see what you can find out about Dracula. A location would be nice."

"Ok Piper." Leo says and kisses her before orbing out.

"Phoebe I think you have a deadline so get that knocked out quick as you can so you can help Paige and the rest find Dracula's place."

Buffy nods, "I can't stay here. He already got inside once."

Piper nods, "Phoebe, Paige?"

Phoebe raises her hands, "I think he put his whammy on me. I invited him in when I didn't know who he was."

"You can come to my place. I'll make sure you stay put." Xander says.

Giles nods, "Good. Riley, Paige, Phoebe and I will search for Dracula. Willow, you and Tara do a protection spell on the Manor to prevent him from returning. Once done help Piper with further research."

"Got it." Willow says.

Later in Xander's basement Buffy's lost in thought, while Xander paces, restless.

Anya trails after Xander - petulant. "…and how come I have to be here slayer-sitting while the other guys get to look for Dracula? Just because –"

"What time is it?" Xander asks.

"Almost six," Anya says. "I mean - I'm the one who knows him. I'm the one who's had a really good look, right? So why does –"

Xander shoves Anya into the closet and locks it. Anya starts pounding, but Xander is unconcerned. "I'm supposed to deliver you To the Master now. There's this whole deal where I get to be immortal… Are you cool with that?"

"Hey! What are you doing? Xander! Xander, this isn't funny! Hey!" Anya says.

Buffy doesn't hesitate. She's cool indeed. "Take me to him."

Sometime later Xander leads Buffy into a long, large hallway with many doors inside Dracula's castle. They move into the dining hall.

Xander makes a big show of presenting Buffy. "Master - I deliver the Slayer. She who you most desire! Sorry, 'whom.'" Buffy, wide-eyed and quiet, steps forward. Dracula takes her in hungrily. "So now comes the immortality, right? You do the thing and –"

"Leave us. We must not be interrupted." Dracula says.

Xander obeys, although he's clearly bummed. "You bet. But I'll be outside, whenever. Any old time you feel like bestowing eternal life… or, you know, just a little nibble of something fleshy…"

Dracula shoots Xander a look. Xander ducks out. A beat. Then Dracula moves closer to Buffy, pleased. "I knew you'd come."

"Why? 'Cause I'm under your thrall?" Buffy asks as she powers up a fireball. "Well, guess again, pal."

"Extenguish the fireball." Dracula says.

"Okay." Buffy says as she instantly obeys, extinguishing the fireball. She then realizes what just happened. She blusters, freaked… "Right. That was - that was not you. I did that because I wanted to, and - and… Maybe I should rethink that thrall thing." She laughs nervously, looking around desperately for some kind of help…

Buffy backs up slowly as Dracula advances, equally slowly. "Stay away from me…"

Dracula smiles, "Are you afraid I'll bite you? Slayer, that's why you came."

"No… last night was… That's not gonna happen again." Buffy says.

"Stop me. Vanquish me." Dracula says.

"I'm… any minute now…" Buffy says.

"Do you know why you can't resist?" Dracula asks.

"'Cause you're famous?" Buffy asks.

"Because you do not want to." Dracula says.

Buffy tries to look away, tries to flame out – but nothing happens. "My friends are –"

"They're here. They will not find us. We are alone. Always… alone." Dracula says as he reaches her. He runs his hand along her neck under her hair. He is genuinely enraptured by her. "There is so much I have to teach you. About your history, your power… What your body is capable of…"

"I don't… need to know…" Buffy says, breathlessly.

Dracula leans in, "You long to. And you will have eternity to discover yourself. But first… a little taste."

"I won't… let you…" Buffy says.

Dracula pulls back, looks into Buffy's eyes, his own calm with mischief. "I didn't mean for me." He slices a fingernail across his wrist, drawing a thin trail of blood.

"What are you…" Buffy says.

"All these years, fighting us - your power so near to our own - and you've never once wanted to know what it is we fight for? Never even a taste?" Dracula says.

Buffy shakes her head, "No… if I taste that –"

"I have not drunk enough for you to change. You must be near death to become one of us and that will come only when you plead for it." Dracula says.

"I'm not hungry." Buffy says, but she cannot take her eyes off the trail of blood…

"No. Your craving goes deeper than that." Dracula says as Buffy looks into his eyes. "You think you know. What you are, what's to come… you haven't even begun."

Buffy takes his wrist in her hands. Slowly puts her lips to it. And drinks.

Dracula's lids half-closed in ecstasy. Buffy drinks slowly as her eyes shut. "Find it… the darkness…. Find your true nature."

Buffy's eyes fly open as suddenly Dracula is sent flying back. Buffy looks around and then notices a flame shield in between them. "Wow. That was really gross."

Dracula comes off the table in pain and controlled fury. "You are resisting…"

Buffy nods, "Looks like… And I think so is my baby."

Dracula frowns, "Baby?"

Buffy smiles, "You didn't know? According to Angel, she is Dhampir."

Dracula's eyes go wide. "Dhampir? The prophesy."

"Come on Drac. We did your little dance. Let's see if you're any good at mine." Buffy says.

Dracula charges, roaring, as Buffy flames out and back in behind him as he smashes into the wall.

Dracula flies at her again, this time taking her down. Buffy's fighting style is rough but ferocious - she doesn't give an inch as they slam each other into the floor again and again.

Dracula gets the upper hand and throws Buffy off him. She flies hard into the opposite wall. Recovering quickly, she grabs a lit torch off the wall - thrusts it toward Dracula.

"A guy like you should think about going electric. Seriously." Buffy says as she swings it at him and he MISTS - she follows the curl of mist up with her eyes, "No you don't –" She throws the torch down and runs, powering up a fireball, leaps on the tables and thence to the landing, throwing the fireball as Dracula reforms. "How do you like my darkness now?"

Dracula stumbles, falls - disintegrating as he hits the steps below.

Buffy walks down as Riley and Giles enter.

"Buffy? Are you okay?" Riley asks.

"I'm good. Chock full of free will." Buffy says.

"And Dracula?" Giles asks.

"Eurotrashed." Buffy says.

"Oh. Had hopes to meet him… well, to fight him…" Giles says.

Xander enters, also with fiery torch in hand. He's furious. "Where is he? Where's the creep who turned me into his spider-eating man bitch!? I've got a flaming enema with his name on it-"

"He's gone." Buffy says.

"Damn it! You know what? I'm sick of this crap. I'm sick of being the guy who eats the insects and gets the funny syphilis! As of this moment, it's over. I'm finished being everybody's butt monkey!" Xander says.

Buffy smiles, "Check. No more butt monkey."

"It could have been worse. At least you weren't making time with the Dracubabes like Giles here." Riley says.

"No kidding? You got tranced?" Xander asks.

"I did not. And I was not making time! I - I was just about to kill those loathsome creatures when Riley interrupted me-" Giles says appalled.

Riley and Buffy move past Giles, heading out. Xander follows them.

Riley grins good-naturedly. "Really? You were gonna nuzzle 'em to death?"

"Of course not. I was in complete…" Giles says as Buffy and the others exiting. Giles hangs back only slightly. "…control."

The room is silent for a moment

As a mist forms, coalesces, becomes Dracula, hunched over, he rises painfully reborn.

Buffy throws another fireball from the doorway. "You think I don't watch your movies? You always come back."

Dracula disintegrates painfully. Buffy turns to go.

The mist begins to form -

"I'm standing right here." Buffy says. "Oh by the way I want the deed to your castle here."

The mist dissipates, with a sort of sigh.

The next day at Giles apartment he examines an airline ticket to London… A knock on the door interrupts him and he returns it to a drawer in his desk. Then he moves to the door and opens it to find Buffy standing there. Giles steps aside to let her enter.

"You rang?" Buffy asks.

Giles nods, "Yes. Thanks for coming. Can I offer you some tea?"

Buffy glances at the coffee table, where Giles has already laid out tea. She looks a little perplexed. "You put out cookies. How come I rate little cookie treatment?"

"Well, actually, there's something I have to tell you." Giles says.

"Cookie important? Yeah, I guess I have something too." Buffy says.

"Well - you first, by all means." Giles says.

"That's okay –" Buffy says.

"I insist." Giles says.

Buffy takes this in. Nods. "You know, you haven't been my watcher for a while. I haven't been training; I haven't needed to come to you for help –"

Giles nods gravely. "I agree."

"And then this whole thing with Dracula, it's made me face up to some stuff... I've changed so much since I first became the Slayer. I'm still changing. Ever since we did that spell that called on the first slayer… I've been going out a lot. Every night…" Buffy says.

"Patrolling." Giles says.

"Hunting. That's what Dracula called it, and he was right. He understood my power, better than I do. He saw darkness in it." Buffy says. "I need to know more. About where I come from. About the other slayers. Maybe if I learn to control this thing - maybe I could even be better, stronger… Maybe even live longer for my daughter. But I'm scared. It's gonna be hard, and I can't do it… without you. I need your help. I need you to be my watcher again." Giles is moved, but fights to control his emotions. "So - I just talked all over you. You had something to say too."

"No. it was - it was nothing." Giles says.

Buffy takes this in, a little confused. Giles, overwhelmed, smiles.

"Though if I may ask. How long are you going to go without telling Riley that you're pregnant? He will see it eventually." Giles says.

"I know." Buffy says. "I just don't know how to tell him that I more or less cheated on him with Angel."

Later back at the Manor Buffy walks upstairs into the attic intending to add a new page in hers and the Charmed Books about Dracula. There she sees a 14 year old girl flipping through her Book.

"What are you doing up here?" Buffy asks.

Dawn's about to reply when Piper's voice calls up from the downstairs. "Buffy? Once you're done with the Books. Since you're going out – why don't you take your sister with you?"

"PIPER!" Buffy and Dawn says.


	112. Chapter 112: Real Me

**Chapter 112: Real Me**

"There is nothing but you…" Giles says as Buffy leans with both hands over a FOUR-BY-FOUR, resting on its end. "You are the center. And within you, there is the core of your being… Of what you are… Find it… Breathe into it… Focus inward… Let the world fall away… fall away… fall aw-"

Buffy's eyes snap open and all sound, all ambient noise drops out - all except her breathing. With a soft grunt, she flips herself up into a handstand, balancing atop the upended four-by-four.

Giles watches, simultaneously pleased and awed that she's actually pulling it off. "Good, good."

Buffy closes her eyes again, as she shifts her weight and lifts her left hand, balancing only on her right arm.

Dawn is piling up crystals on top of each other. She goes to place another crystal atop the tower, and the whole thing comes noisily crashing down.

Giles shoots an aghast look at Dawn.

Buffy's eyes snap open, distracted by the noise. With a sharp yelp, she loses her balance and collapses, along with the four-by-four, down to the padded floor.

Dawn rushes over to Buffy, "Can we go now?"

Buffy, seriously peeved, narrows her eyes…

In the kitchen Buffy opens up the refrigerator, taking out a carton of milk and putting it on the counter. Dawn is getting a box of cereal from a cabinet, and Piper is pouring herself some coffee.

Piper picks up the milk and pours some in her mug as Buffy takes out a bowl and puts it down. Dawn picks it up and moves off. Buffy sees her bowl gone, SIGHS, and retrieves another one as Dawn empties cereal into her bowl.

Buffy, bowl in hand, tries to take the cereal box from Dawn. Dawn resists for a moment, and Buffy has to tear it away from her, shooting Dawn a look.

Dawn takes the milk carton and pours the last of the milk on her cereal then moves to the kitchen table. Her bowl full, Buffy hands the cereal box to Piper who puts it back in the cabinet, then pushes the plunger on the toaster.

"So, Buffy, what are your plans today?" Piper asks.

Buffy picks up the milk carton and attempts to pour it. "Well, Giles and I-"

A lonely drop of milk lands on her cereal. She throws an irritated glance at Dawn, at the table, avoiding eye contact with her.

Buffy puts her bowl down and turns back to Piper. "Giles and I are making a little magic shop run this morning. Need to pick up some supplies for my new improved training sessions."

"Oh, that's great…" Piper says.

"Well, yeah, thanks, its kinda exci-" Buffy says.

"You can take Dawn shopping for her back-to-school supplies." Piper says.

"What?" Buffy asks.

Dawn looks pained.

"Piper! I thought you were taking me." Dawn says.

"I know, honey. But I've got a new band coming into the club to setup. I need to be there." Piper says as she heads out of the kitchen.

Buffy follows. "No, but, see, Piper…" Piper walks to the stairs, Buffy and Dawn on her heels. "We're just going to the magic shop. No school supplies there."

"Yeah, Piper - I'm not going to Hogwarts." Dawn says as she smiles at her own joke.

Piper shakes her head, "Buffy your Dawn's legal guardian now since Prue passed away. That means you really need to be taking more of a active role in what happens to her."

Buffy sighs and shakes her head, "Okay."

There's a knock on the front door. Piper moves to open it. There stands Riley. "Hey Riley."

"Morning, Piper. You look great." Riley says.

Piper smiles, "Thank you, Riley."

Buffy goes and greets Riley with a kiss as Piper goes upstairs.

"Suck up." Buffy says.

"What, it's a nice outfit. Besides, 'I'm here to violate your cousin slash sister' never goes over well with the rest of the family. Not sure why." Riley says as he kisses her again.

Dawn looks disdainful.

Riley breaks the kiss with Buffy and notices Dawn. "Hey, kid."

Dawn rolls her eyes and heads into the kitchen. "I'm not a kid…"

"This is a surprise of the nice kind." Buffy says.

"Now it's my turn to be surprised. Thought we had plans today." Riley says, caught off guard.

"Plans? We planned plans?" Buffy asks.

"Well, you said "come over tomorrow and we'll hang." Then I said "'kay." Not the invasion of Normandy, but still a plan." Riley says.

"Oh, right, uh…" Buffy says.

"We're not hanging, are we?" Riley asks.

Buffy shakes her head, "I'm about to go meet Giles at the Magic Shop."

Riley nods. "Slayer training."

"Slayer shopping, actually." Buffy says. "But it's just as important." Buffy says.

"I've no doubt. Okay, we'll hook up later." Riley says.

"You're not mad?" Buffy asks.

"No, no. I'm plotting your death, but in a happy way." Riley says.

"Oh good…" Buffy says, slightly worried.

"Buffy, I know what this means to you. I think it's great you've got this new mission." Riley says as he kisses her on the cheek and moves to leave. "See you tonight. See you, kid!"

"I'm not a kid!" Dawn calls out from the kitchen.

Buffy watches him go and feels somehow guilty.

Dawn walks over to Buffy, "Talking about the Magic Shop. When are you going to start my training?"

Buffy shakes her head, "When you're older."

"But I'm only two years younger than when you got your powers." Dawn says.

"Dawn let's not have this discussion again. I will train you when I feel you're ready." Buffy says as the doorbell rang and she went and answered it. "Giles! I thought we were meeting up at the Magic Shop?"

"We were but I thought I would come pick you up." Giles says.

Later in Giles brand new red convertible…

"I sympathize with you, Buffy…" Giles says. "I truly do. But I'm certain Riley understands better than anyone the importance of training. You can't allow personal concerns to distract you from your-Dawn."

Dawn is leaning forward over the front seat between Giles and Buffy - pushing the preset buttons on the car stereo.

"Will you please stop fiddling with the radio and sit down?" Giles says.

Dawn plops back into her seat, with a heavy sigh.

"Lotta books on this shopping list you gave me. Any of them come on tape? You know, read by George Clooney or somebody cute like that?" Buffy says.

"We're entering a whole new realm here, Buffy. One for which even I, myself, am not entirely prepared. Are you ready for this commitment?" Giles says.

"I was kidding. This Betty's ready. Color me committed." Buffy says.

Giles shifts the automatic transmission into neutral. "Blast!"

"Put it in "neutral" again, huh." Buffy says.

"Not accustomed to automatic transmissions. I loathe this… Just sitting here, not contributing. No. No, this just isn't working out." Giles says.

"Giles, are you breaking up with your car?" Buffy asks.

"Well, the damn thing did seduce me. All red and sporty." Giles says.

"Little two-door tramp." Buffy says.

Giles sighs wearily, "I don't know… I've been so at loose ends. Searching for something to make me feel…" He shakes it off.

"Shallow?" Buffy asks.

"Perhaps, as I am going to act as your watcher again, a modicum of respect might be appropriate…" Giles says.

"Do I hafta?" Buffy asks.

"I'm actually serious, Buffy. There's going to be far less time for the sort of flighty, frivolous-" Giles says.

Dawn points towards the sidewalk, "Hey, there's Willow and Tara!"

"Oo, they haven't seen my new car." Giles says as he honks the horn, proudly. He pulls up next to Willow and Tara.

"Wow. Sharp wheels, Giles." Willow says.

Tara nods, "The rest of the car's nice, too."

"Thank you. Handles like a dream." Giles says.

Buffy rolls her eyes, "Where you two headed?"

"Magic shop. Had some charms on back order." Willow says.

"Will?" Buffy says.

"I'm just experimenting a little Buffy. Trying to find what actually works and what doesn't."

Dawn comes over. "Willow, hi!"

"Hey, Miss Dawnie. How's my favorite chess partner? Still leading with your knight?" Willow says.

Dawn nods shyly. She watches as Willow crosses to Buffy and Giles.

"Hey, Dawn." Tara says.

Dawn smiles warmly as they turn and walk towards the Magic Shop.

"Giles and I figured out a schedule around school. A block of time every day to just focus on my new Slayer training." Buffy says.

"That's a work ethic! Buffy, you're developing a work ethic!" Willow says.

"Do they make an ointment for that?" Buffy asks.

"People gotta respect a solid work ethic." Willow says. "Look at you. Motivated Buffy, eager to soak up learning… You and I are going to have so much fun this semester."

"Yeah… that reminds me. With the whole training schedule, I kinda had to drop a class…" Buffy says.

Willow nods, "That's understandable. Your slayer studies are way more important."

"So I won't be taking Drama with you." Buffy says.

"What?! You have to. You promised!" Willow says, stung.

Dawn looks at Willow a little jealous as Buffy was training Willow but still refuses to train her in her.

"I know, Will, but Giles was saying-" Buffy says.

"The hell with Giles!" Willow says.

"I can hear you, Willow." Giles says.

"Drama's just Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. You can blow off training Tuesday and Thursday afternoons, can't you?" Willow asks.

"What happened to "people gotta respect a work ethic?" Buffy asks.

"Other people. Not me. There's a whole best friend loophole." Willow says as they arrive at the store.

"Shop's kinda dark. Maybe it's closed." Tara says.

"That's odd." Buffy says.

Giles opens the door and they enter.

"Think "odd" just got upped to "bad."" Buffy says.

The shop has been ransacked. Books and other items have been pulled from the shelves. A glass case has been smashed. They move inside among the debris, looking around.

"Hello? Is anyone here?" Giles asks.

"Mr. Bogarty!" Tara and Buffy says.

Giles looks at Tara and Buffy, quizically.

"The owner," Buffy says. "Piper and I come in here a lot for supplies."

Tara nods, "I'm in here a lot also."

Willow wanders near the counter. "Maybe this happened really late in the night when no one was-whoa!" She suddenly trips and falls to the floor. Tara moves to her.

"Will?" Buffy says.

"I'm fine. Just tripped over…" Willow says. "Mr. Bogarty." She scrambles away as Tara helps her up.

Buffy and Giles move in to take a look. Mr. Bogarty's face and neck are covered in pairs of puncture wounds.

"What is it? Is-Is he okay?" Dawn asks.

Buffy turns to her. "It's nothing you need to see, Dawn. Go wait outside."

"I don't wanna wait outside. What happened to-" Dawn says.

"Dawn!" Buffy says as she takes her by the arm and physically escorts her out.

"Ow, that hurts…" Dawn says as she and Buffy exit the shop. "You're hurting me. I'm telling."

Buffy releases her, "I don't have time for this. Just do like I say and wait here." She re-enters the shop.

Dawn paces, steamed. She tries to peek in the window. "I'm Charmed too." She sighs, turns away from the window, and gasps sharply when she finds herself confronted with… a man dressed in a stained and torn business suit and tie; his face and hands are filthy, his hair matted, his eyes… the haunted look of one who's seriously deranged.

"Hey! What are you doing?" Man says.

Terrified, Dawn stumbles back, but he moves in on her. "Wha-?"

"What are you doing HERE? Can't loiter. No loitering… That's why I'm a cat… Quiet... cat's in the cupboard, but they find you anyway… and it hurts… Please make it stop…" Man says as he pulls at his hair, whimpering, then slaps himself. "Shut up! SHUT UP! They'll hear you!"

"BUF-uhh!" Dawn shouts as her scream catches in her throat as she backs into a truck parked in a loading area, next to the store. Cornered.

The man puts his face right up to Dawn's, holding a finger to her lips. "Shhhhh! I know you… curds and whey… I know what you are…" Dawn is seriously wigged as the man steps towards her. "You don't belong here."

Moments later Dawn sits next to the wall of the building, she's unnerved and shaking. The strange man is gone.

"Dawn?" Tara calls as she comes out of the Magic Shop. She walks over to Dawn. "Dawn… Are you okay?"

Dawn looks up at her. "Is- Is that guy dead in there?"

"Yeah." Tara says as she sits down next to Dawn. Dawn is quiet, taking it in. "They're gonna be a little while longer, doing the detective thing. Best non-Scoobies like you and me stay out of their way."

"I'm Charmed though. I should be helping Buffy…" Dawn says.

"I know sweetie." Tara says. "Hey do you wanna thumb-wrestle?"

"Okay." Dawn says as they commence, still a little somber.

Inside Buffy and Giles are crouched by the body.

"Judging by the bite fest I'd say this was more than one vampire." Buffy says.

"I'd make it four, at least." Giles says as they both stand.

"Looks like someone's put together a new fang club." Buffy says.

Willow enters from the back carrying an open binder. "I've cross-checked the inventory and some things were definitely taken. Mostly books, including one called A Treatise on the Mythology and Methodology of Vampire Slayers."

Buffy pulls her shopping list out of a pocket and scans it. "Shoot. Was that the only copy?"

Giles takes the binder from Willow and peruses its pages. "This could be very serious, Buffy. Whoever's leading this pack of vampires appears to be interested in learning more about you. Perhaps searching for weaknesses or - Good lord…"

"What? What is it?!" Buffy asks, anxious.

"I had no idea the profit margin for a shop like this could be so high." Giles says.

Buffy and Willow share a look.

"I mean, look at this… Low overhead, Out-of-State orders, International… No wonder there's never any trouble attracting new owners. This place is a virtual-" Giles says.

"Deathtrap?" Buffy asks.

Giles looks up, "Hmm?" Well, yes. Yes, there is that. Still, the location, in terms of pedestrian traffic…"

"And the regular patronage of the Charmed Ones," Buffy says.

"Well yes of course." Giles says.

"So what's the next step?" Willow asks.

"Buffy I think you should begin an immediate search for their lair." Giles says.

Buffy nods, "I'll get Riley to join me."

"Aren't you forgetting something, Buffy?" Willow asks.

Buffy looks at her, drawing a blank.

"Impressive square footage…" Giles says.

"You're on Dawn duty." Willow says.

Buffy sighs, "And Piper won't let me out easy, either. She practically reminded me earlier that Dawn's my responsibility as her legal guardian."

Giles scrutinizes the broken glass case. It's full of crystal balls, porcelain and crystal figurines, etc. "And I'll bet the deathrate keeps the rent down - oh. Something's been taken from this case." He points to a vacant pedestal. "See here?"

"What did they take?" Buffy asks.

"Perhaps an item of great value. Or power. Possibly even-" Giles says.

"A unicorn." Willow says as she looks at the inventory list. "A ten-inch ceramic unicorn, imported from Thailand."

"Is that valuable?" Buffy asks.

"List price… $12.95." Willow says.

Giles leans down, examining the glass case. "Which begs the question: what sort of unholy creature fancies cheap tasteless statuary?"

At Payson's P5, Buffy is talking to Piper. Dawn stands a few feet behind her.

Piper shakes her head, "I asked one thing of you Buffy to be an adult. You're Dawn's legal guardian. Now you want to unload her so you and Riley can go out."

"To patrol. I'm working, or did you forget I'm not only a Charmed One but also a Slayer." Buffy says.

Piper shakes her head, "Well, I have to be here tonight, Phoebe has a deadline, and Paige has a date. Who's going to watch Dawn?"

"I don't need anyone to watch me!" Dawn says.

Buffy sighs, "So you're saying if I can get a babysitter, I can go patrol now."

"Babysitter?! I'm fourteen! I'm old enough to be a babysitter." Dawn says.

"And who are you going to get on such short notice?" Piper asks.

Buffy thinks for a moment, and then comes to an answer.

"I can take care of my-" Dawn says.

"Xander." Buffy says.

"Xander?" Piper asks.

Dawn comes over to them flushed, then blasé. "O-kay."

Later back at the Manor the front door opens revealing Xander, holding a pizza box. "Dawn Patrol! Check this out: They put cheese on round bread. It's gonna be big."

Dawn beams as Xander enters.

Anya enters, carrying board games. Puts on a smile. "Hello there, little girl. We are gonna have fun fun fun. Look. We've got, uh… Monopoly… Clue… ooh, The Game of Life, that sounds really good…"

Dawn's not impressed.

Later in a graveyard Buffy and Riley are moving among the tombstones, searching. Buffy puts a hand out and stops Riley short. She tenses, seeing something in the distance. A beat. Then Buffy relaxes, embarrassed. "Trash can. From a distance it looked kinda…"

"Tense." Riley says.

"Not really - more, round and… squat and-" Buffy says.

"Uh uh. Back to what I was saying before we were rudely attacked by nothing. You seem really tense." Riley says.

Buffy nods, "Well, yeah. We have a new vampire gang in town."

"I mean, domestically tense. You're on Dawn's case a lot." Riley says.

Buffy sighs, "I guess. It's just - I know it's always been this way… She's the baby. But, for some reason, it's really been getting to me lately. She's always around."

"Well, yeah. You're like her idol, Buffy." Riley says.

"Idol? I don't think so. Unless she likes to spill stuff on her idol's new leather pants and-" Buffy says.

"You know what I mean. You have super powers, and college, a studly yet sensitive boyfriend-" Riley says. "Is she even Charmed?"

"-and two pesky life-or-death jobs I can't quit or even take a break from." Buffy says. "Yeah she's Charmed. She can shimmer all over creation if she wanted to."

Riley nods, "She doesn't get the sacrifices. She's a kid, which happens to be super powered."

"Which is what bugs! She gets to be a kid, and she acts like it's the biggest burden in the world. When, sometimes, all I want to do is curl up and not worry about the fate of the world. I'd like to be the one who's all protected, who's waited on-"

Later that evening back at the Manor, Buffy is laughing hysterically. "Har-Harmony has mi-minions?"

Riley smiles.

Piper walks into the kitchen, "Oh your back. What's up?"

"Yeah, that was pretty much my reaction." Xander says before looking to Piper. "We were talking about Harmony. She was this girl we knew in high school. She's now a vamp."

"I'm sorry… I just…" Buffy says, laughing again. "Harmony has minions!"

"And Ruffles have ridges. Buffy, there's actually a more serious side to all this…" Xander says.

Buffy eyes are tearing, "I hope so. I'm having trouble breathing." She pulls herself together. "Like what?"

"Well…" Xander says. "She did come here to kill you."

Buffy loses it, off on a new laughing jag.

"Buffy, c'mon. They've killed once that we know of. She could be a threat to you." Riley says, grinning.

"Especially now that she can enter your house anytime she wants." Anya says.

"What?" Buffy and Piper says as they look at Anya.

Xander jumps in to get the heat off Anya. "Uh, yeah, actually, she… Harmony… kinda happened to sorta get an invite."

"You can't invite her in. Only someone who lives here can-" Buffy says as realization comes to her and Piper. "Where is she?!"

"In her room. I think she's still pretty freaked out." Anya says.

"DAWN!" Piper and Buffy says as they head for the stairs.

Xander heads them off, blocking the way. "Buff, Piper, it was an accident. She didn't mean it."

"Oh, well, that makes it all right then, doesn't it?" Buffy asks.

"No, but believe me… Nobody feels worse than her right now." Xander says.

"Dawn knows the rules, Xander." Piper says. "She's lived in this house for four years." She looks to Buffy. "Though I have to wonder some if this isn't belated grieving on Dawn's part."

"What?" Buffy asks.

"She never grieved for Prue. She was there for you, me and Phoebe." Piper says.

Buffy sighs, "Maybe." She heads upstairs as Piper, Riley and Xander follow. Buffy grabs a jacket out of her closet. They notice Dawn is not there.

Buffy grabs weapons and throws them on the bed, "Where's Dawn I thought you said she was in here?"

Xander shrugs, "I thought she was also."

In the attic Dawn is looking through her and Buffy's Book of Shadows. She can hear the conversation downstairs.

Riley eyes a slew of weapons on the bed. "Lot of weapons for somebody you weren't sweating twenty minutes ago."

"That was before I found out my sister gave Harmony a backstage pass to kill us in our sleep." Buffy says.

"Buff, I left word with Willow. I didn't know when you, Piper, Phoebe or Paige were going to be home. She's coming to do a return engagement of the uninvitation spell – probably still has the stuff from last week - and, bang-boom, you're back in the Fortress of Solitude. All better." Xander says.

Buffy shakes her head, "No, not all better, Xander. It's not like she hasn't grown up in this house, knowing the rules… Especially the biggie, Numero One-o: Do NOT invite bloodsucking dead people into our home."

Piper sighs, "That's harsh, Buffy. She made a mistake…"

"I mean, please, I'd never have Harmony over here when she was alive." Buffy says

"Okay, granted, it was Dawn's bad, but she's just a kid-" Xander says.

"Will everyone stop saying that? I was a kid when I met my first vampire and, somehow, I remembered the rules." Buffy says.

Piper shakes her head, "Maybe it's time you trained her."

Buffy looks at Piper, "Not you too. I'll train her when I feel she's ready. But she's not ready when she's doing stuff like this."

Piper shakes her head and leaves the room heading up to the attic. She walks in just as Dawn shimmers out.

Buffy pauses, then speaks more evenly - her true concern for Dawn showing through. "She's got to be more careful. I can't be there to watch over her twenty-four hours a day. I just can't."

Piper runs back downstairs and into Buffy's room. "Buffy!"

"What?" Buffy asks.

"Dawn shimmered out. I'll check the rest of the Manor but I don't think she's here." Piper says.

"Oh no," Buffy says. "Best way to get to me would be to use my little sister as bait. They'll be watching for her."

In Spike's crypt, Spike is fiddling with the antenna on a 19-inch TV set he's got set up. Several extension cords are strung together and run out from the crypt's small window. "Bollix! Gonna have to pinch me one a those satellite dishes." Buffy flames in. "Well, well… speaking of dishes. To what do I owe this unpleasant-"

Buffy punches him in the nose, then grabs him by the lapels.

"Oww! Bloody hell!" Spike says.

"I don't have time to banter with you, Spike. Where's Harmony's lair?" Buffy says.

"Haven't seen her in months. How should I-?" Spike says as Buffy punches him in the nose again. "Owww!"

"Where is she?" Buffy asks.

"At least lay off the nose." Spike says as Buffy pulls back her fist again. "Okay, okay… Used to have a cave in the north woods. About forty meters past the overpass construction site."

Buffy lets go of him, he relaxes. Then she pops him one in the nose again.

"Owww! I'm telling you the truth!" Spike says.

"I know." Buffy says as she flames out.

In Harmony's lair, Harmony is pacing, anxious. "They don't respect me. They pretend they do, but deep down they think I'm nothing. I mean, I'm the one who put this group together. Me! But they treat me like I don't even matter… You have any idea what that feels like?"

"A little," Dawn says.

"They have no idea how much pressure I'm under. I have to make all the hard decisions. And it's hard!" Harmony says as Dawn cowers as Mort and the others enter. "Excuse me. I didn't hear anybody knock."

"We've been talking it over, and we decided we don't like this plan." Mort says.

Brad clears his throat.

"Except for Brad. He abstained." Peaches says.

"Oh, really. You have a plan you like better?" Harmony asks.

"We're going to feed on the girl. And kill you. Maybe not in that order." Mort says.

Harmony reacts. Then tries to maintain a commanding presence. "I don't think I like your attitude, Mort. Kill him for me." None of the vamps make a move. "All right. You're all on my list." They advance on her. She backs up. "This isn't fair. Okay, so things haven't been perfect. I just need a little more time to grow into my leadership role."

"Time's up." Mort says as he grabs Harmony by the throat as the other vamps move in on Dawn.

"If you touch me, my sister is so gonna kill you." Dawn says.

Cyrus smiles, takes his finger and pokes her on the shoulder. He and the other vamps laugh at his little joke and keep laughing right up to the moment there's a whistling sound and a stake protrudes from Cyrus' chest. He has time to look at it before he dusts.

The others spin around to see Buffy, standing at the entrance. "Can't say she didn't warn him."

Dawn smiles with relief.

Brad and Peaches grab weapons - a mace and battle axe, respectively.

Mort releases Harmony, who gives him a look.

"And you didn't like the plan." Harmony says.

Buffy powers up a fireball and throws a glance to her sister. "Close your eyes, Dawn."

Dawn complies.

Harmony steps forward, "So, Slayer… At last we meet."

"We've met, Harmony, you half-wit." Buffy says.

Dawn can't help but peek as Brad and Peaches charge Buffy.

"I'm the half-wit? Uh, excuse me, but you're the one who's fallen into my…" Harmony says.

Buffy throws a fireball at Brad and he dusts as Peaches swings the axe at Buffy, who flames out and in behind him. She whips out a stake and stakes him, he dusts.

Dawn flinches, pinching her eyes shut again.

"…uh, trap." Harmony says.

"Harmony, when you tried being head cheerleader, you were bad. When you tried to chair the Homecoming committee, you were really bad. But when you try to be bad… You suck." Buffy says as she takes a step towards Harmony.

Dawn peeks again, her eyes suddenly widening. "Buffy, watch out!"

Mort slams her in the back with a heavy hammer, sending her into a wall, dazing her.

"Oo, good shot, Mort. I think you've… got her on the, uh-" Harmony says.

Mort glares at her. She suddenly turns and runs away. He tries to hit Buffy with the hammer again, but she spins out of its way, leaving her stakes behind.

"You're outta stakes, Slayer." Mort says.

Buffy smiles, "I don't need a stake." She powers up a fireball and tosses it at Mort, dusting him.

Dawn looks shaken - and not sure what Buffy is gonna do.

Buffy looks at Dawn and sighs, "Dawn when they caught you why didn't you shimmer?"

"I tried." Dawn says. "Really I did, I tried to shimmer back to the Manor."

Buffy nods, "It's okay. I understand the feeling. We control our powers with our emotions. For your powers to work you were in the wrong emotional state."

"Am I in trouble?" Dawn asks.

Buffy grabs Dawn's hand, "You're grounded. And when I saw grounded I mean grounded. No TV, no telephone, no powers. Dawn this is why I want to wait till I feel you're ready to be trained."

Dawn nods, "Okay. Buffy, I'm sorry."

Buffy smiles, "I know you are. And you what I'm sorry too. From now on I'm going to watch out for you, okay?"

Dawn smiles, "Okay."

"Besides I need to get in a little practice being a parent, right?" Buffy says as she flames out with Dawn. She flames herself and Dawn into her and Dawn's room at the Manor.

Piper is sitting on the bed waiting for them. "Is everything okay?"

Buffy nods, "Everyone of Harmony's gang except Harmony herself is dust. Dawn and I had a talk and I think everything will be okay from now on. Right, Dawn?"

Dawn nods, "Right, Buffy."

The next day Dawn sits in a corner of the Magic Shop, writing in her journal. Buffy and Giles are looking about the place. Much of the inventory is gone or in boxes - the place has a transitory look.

"Giles, are you sure about this?" Buffy asks.

Giles nods, "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Well, apart from the fact that magic shop owners in San Francisco have the life expectancy of a Spinal-Tap drummer, have you ever run a store before?" Buffy asks.

"I was a librarian for years. This is exactly the same, except that people pay for the things they never return. This will give me focus, help me increase my resources - and keep you lot from tramping about my flat at all hours. There may even be space for you to train in the back." Giles says.

"Boy, you've really thought this through." Buffy says. "How bored were you last year?"

"I watched 'Passions' with Spike. Let us never speak of it." Giles says.

"Well, let's look at the back." Buffy says as she steps in back with Giles. She peaks around the doorway at Dawn. "Don't break anything." Dawn glares. Buffy goes, then pops back. "Don't touch anything. What you're doing there is fine. Not moving. Do that." She goes at last, Dawn breaking her glare to begin scribling again.

Dawn writes down in her diary, 'Things have changed with Buffy. She treats me better. But I think she's gone more from sisterly overprotecting to motherly overprotecting. Sometimes I wonder if that's a response to the fact that she is going to be a mother. On a side note it's still hard to believe I'm going to be an aunt.'


	113. Chapter 113: Happily Ever After

**Chapter 113: Happily Ever After**

In the attic Piper is there reading a story from a fairy tales book out loud. Buffy sits listening.

"A year after the death of Snow White's mother, the king remarried, but his new bride was in fact a wicked witch." Piper reads as Paige and Dawn walks in. "One consumed by..."

"There you are Buffy." Dawn says.

"What are you two still doing up?" Paige asks.

Piper smiles, "We're not sleeping as usual. First trimester nonsense, I guess."

"You want me to mix you up a potion?" Paige asks.

"Oh, no thanks. I don't wanna turn my baby into a guinea pig. I've got enough to worry about." Buffy says.

Paige smiles, "Like I'd ever risk turning both of my future nieces into rodents, please."

Dawn goes over and sits next to Buffy, "Can I?"

"No, I think Buffy was speaking figuratively. And it's not a knock at your super witch kick, it's just we don't want to subject them to anything that could be remotely bad for either of them, that's all." Piper says.

"You're not going to feel anything. It's too early, but go ahead." Buffy says to Dawn.

Dawn smiles and rests her hand on Buffy's stomach.

"Well, then maybe you should put away those silly fairy tales." Paige says.

"Silly? You think fairy tales are silly?" Dawn asks.

Paige nods, "Yeah, they're all about helpless women needing big, strong men to come and rescue them. Plus, they're filled with evil witches." She looks at Piper and Buffy. "Do you two really wanna teach your kids that?"

"No, I want to teach her values and that's what fairy tales are best at, you know, good overcomes evil. It's how Grams taught us." Piper says.

"I don't know about Grams. But mom did the same thing for me and Dawn." Buffy says.

Dawn nods, "I always liked Snow White."

Paige sighs, "Well, my grandmother taught me values just fine without big wolves devouring little girls. You want my advice?"

"Not really." Buffy and Piper says.

Paige walks over to the Charmed Book of Shadows. "You should ditch the fiction and do what all other moms-to-be do and that is to rely on your natural instincts." She picks up the Charmed Book and takes it to Piper.

"Well, my natural instincts are to panic and besides, every other mother-to-be doesn't have to worry about her child orbing out to Tahiti when they are sent to their room. I don't have a clue." Piper says.

"I'm in the same boat Paige. It's possible my daughter could end up flaming just like her mom." Buffy says.

"What's to say she doesn't shimmer like her aunt?" Dawn asks.

Buffy smiles, "Nothing, I guess. But she can already do a flame shield from inside the womb. So it's likely she'll be able to flame."

Paige shakes her head, "Luckily you both have three magical sisters who are gonna help you both any way they can. So don't worry you both are gonna be just fine." She leaves the attic.

"I hope so. Where were we? A year after the death of Snow White's mother, the king remarried. But his new bride was in fact a wicked witch, one consumed by jealousy. Every day she asked the magic mirror the same question." Piper says.

Dawn smiled and whispered to Buffy, "I always liked how Snow White wins in the end. She does away with the wicked witch and marries her prince."

The next morning Buffy and Piper are asleep on the couches. Dawn is a sleep on the floor next to Buffy.

Paige walks in holding the Charmed Book of Shadows. "Piper! Buffy! Dawn!"

Piper jumps up. "Where's the baby?"

Buffy and Dawn sit up and look at each other as if to say did we fall asleep up here?

"It's okay, you're okay." Paige says.

"Ohh, I think I had a nightmare." Piper says.

Paige shakes her head, "Yeah, the brothers Grimm strike again. I wonder how they got their name. Where's Leo?"

"I don't know, I think he's helping one of his charges. What are you doing?" Piper says.

"Failing miserably. I can't seem to make this protection potion work." Paige says as she places the Charmed Book of Shadows back on its stand.

Buffy shakes her head, "Well, that's because it can't be done."

"Well, according to the book it can. Your Grams was working on the entry so that means she was close to figuring one out." Paige says.

Dawn shakes her head, "Willow was trying to make one for a while. She eventually gave up."

Piper sighs, "Well, too bad she's not around; she could help us both out. I just, I need a little guidance."

"What about your friend Wendy? She just had a baby, ask her." Paige says.

"Yeah, not one that could heal herself from the womb. Or in Buffy's case could create a shield. I think Buffy and I just wish we could talk to somebody who's been through this before." Piper says.

"Yeah I do wish I could talk to someone who's been through this." Buffy says before looking at Dawn. "No offense Dawn. You've been a big help lately. But…"

Dawn nods, "I know."

Phoebe races in. "There you are. Paige, did you ever make that vanquishing potion?"

"Vanquishing potion?" Buffy asks.

"The one for Cole." Phoebe says. "Paige, remember I gave you the letter opener with his blood on it?"

"Right, vanquishing potion. I'm sorry, I didn't know you needed that right away. Do you?" Paige says.

Phoebe nods, "Well, if the nightmare I had last night turns out to be a premonition, then yeah, big time. He had me back in the underworld as his queen."

"Oh, yeah, but you've had that nightmare before." Piper says.

"I've lived that nightmare before, we all have, but this time we have to be prepared." Phoebe says.

"No arguments here." Paige says.

"And he's got a lot more powers now so there's no telling how he's gonna come after me. You guys have to be really, really careful, okay." Phoebe says.

Buffy shakes her head, "What, you think Cole's gonna try and kill us? That would not be the best way to win you back."

Paige shakes her head, "Yeah, but it wouldn't be the first time he tried."

"But didn't he just help save you?" Dawn asks.

Phoebe sighs, "Only because he didn't wanna lose me. All I'm saying is we've gotta be ready just in case he tries something. He is still a demon. Call me at work if you get the potion, okay?"

Dawn looks at her watch, "Phoebe could you drop me off at school?"

Phoebe nods, "If you hurry."

Later downstairs in the conservatory Buffy, Piper and Leo are there.

"You heard us, Leo. We want you to bring Grams back now." Piper says.

Leo shakes his head, "Okay, I can't do that, she's dead."

"Well, we realize that. Thank you very much, Leo. We're not asking you to resurrect her; we just need her here for a little while for some advice." Buffy says.

Leo shakes his head, "Then why don't you try conjuring her. You did it once before."

"Yeah, okay, but that was a unique situation, okay. Besides, we already tried, it didn't work. Look, we know this doesn't seem important but it is to us. Buffy and I can't do this alone." Piper says.

Leo shakes his head, "Well, you're not alone, I'm here for you Piper. And Buffy Dawn is here for you."

Buffy sighs, "Yeah, we know but it's not your or Dawn's fault that there's only so much you and she can do, okay. We're the ones who are carrying a baby and Piper and I don't wanna screw it up."

"That's ridiculous." Leo says.

Piper shakes her head, "No, it's not ridiculous, it is not ridiculous at all and this is not raging hormones talking, this is two very special babies with very special needs, and we need someone pretty damn special to help us figure it out and when we say now, we mean now!"

Grams suddenly appears in bright lights. "Piper. Buffy."

"Thank you." Piper and Buffy says.

"Uh, don't thank me I didn't do anything." Leo says.

"What am I doing here? And, uh, corporeal to boot." Grams says.

"Well, what do you mean? Didn't you come on your own power?" Buffy asks.

"Honey, I'm good but I'm not that good. Well, as long as I'm here, don't I get a hug?" Grams says.

Buffy, Piper and Grams hug.

"But wait, I still don't understand. Who summoned you?" Piper asks.

"The baby?" Leo asks.

"No. You think? Which one?" Buffy says.

Leo looks to Grams for a moment, "I think Piper and mine did. If the manner of how Grams arrived is any indication. On the how maybe Piper tapped into her powers somehow and made your wish come true."

"Aw, you wished for me? Why?" Grams asks.

"Because Buffy and I need help, we need your advice. We need to know how to get ready for these babies." Piper says.

"Oh, well, that's easy. Now, let's see. Have you both been exercising your powers daily?" Grams says.

"Do we need to?" Buffy asks.

"Well, you know, only if you both don't want to lose control of them. Did you both perform a ritual to promote growth?" Grams says.

"Uh..." Piper says looking at Buffy, who shakes her head.

"Did you cast a spell to ward off demonic parasites? Sweethearts, what did you do?" Grams asks.

"Piper and I built a nursery in our bedroom closet. And I built Buffy a bassinet and changing table for her room." Leo says.

"Closet? Well, no wonder this baby called me. Come on, we'll start in there, we've got plenty of work to do." Grams says. "Let me guess Buffy's baby is going to be in a closet also?"

Buffy shakes her head as they walk into the foyer. "No my closet isn't big enough for mine and Dawn's clothes let alone a baby. It's not a walk-in like Piper's was."

Paige comes down the stairs. "Oh, my goodness, don't tell me you two are already interviewing nannies." She laughs.

"Paige. You're even more beautiful than I imagined," Grams says.

"And you are?" Paige asks.

"Why, I'm your Grams, of course. Come here." Grams says as she hugs Paige, who has a funny look on her face.

"Quick, go clean up the nursery." Piper whispers to Leo and he races off.

"No offence, but, uh, aren't you supposed to be dead?" Paige asks.

Grams smiles, "Oh, I'm over that. Look at you, I mean you're absolutely gorgeous. You have my mother's eyes. Oh, she was a real looker too. I bet you have plenty of boyfriends, right?"

Paige shakes her head, "Actually, not a problem I'm having right now, Mrs. Halliwell."

"Oh, please, call me Grams." Grams says.

Suddenly, the Woodsman comes crashing through the conservatory wall. He heads for Buffy, Grams and Piper pushes them out the way. He swings his axe at Paige and she orbs out just in time. She orbs back in and he smacks her across the face, sending her crashing onto the coffee table. Piper's wound on her arm magically heals itself. The Woodsman turns to attack Buffy, Piper and Grams and Piper blows him up.

"What the hell was that?" Buffy asks.

Leo runs down the stairs. "What's going on? Paige."

"Paige?" Piper and Buffy asks as they help Paige up.

Moments later they all walk in the attic.

"I'm telling you, that was a demon. No crazy person off the street is that good with an axe." Paige says.

Piper sits down and opens the fairy tale book.

"Except, since when do demons attack with an axe?" Leo asks.

"Athame, axe, what's the difference?" Paige asks.

Grams opens the Charmed Book Of Shadows. "Oh, who cares? Let's just see if there's any more where he came from. I mean, I certainly don't want a body if it's gonna get chopped up."

"Well, Buffy and Piper says you're the super witch, what do you think he was?" Paige asks.

Grams shakes her head, "I don't know. Although there was something about him that looked familiar."

"I have to agree there was something familiar about him." Buffy says.

"A little like this maybe?" Piper asks as she holds up the picture of the Woodsman in the book.

"Oh, the woodsman, of course. Oh, you recognized him too." Grams says.

"Piper has been reading fairy tales to our babies just like you read to her. And mom read to me." Buffy says.

"Oh, darling," Grams says, giggling. "Well, I'm glad you're finally doing something."

"Wait, you're saying a fairy tale character came to life and attacked us? Come on." Paige says as she rolls her eyes.

"Well, why not? They're real, I mean, at least they used to be." Grams says.

"What?" Paige asks.

"Oh, Paige. I can see I have lots to teach you too." Grams says. "Fairy tales are not all fables, my dear. Some are a recounting of ancient battles between good and evil. And they're as much a part of our heritage as anything in the Book of Shadows." She is flipping pages and stops on Dracula. "Dear this one is a fairy tale."

Buffy goes over to the Charmed Book and looks at the Dracula page, "Uhm actually, Grams. Dracula is real. I met him not long ago."

"You expect me to believe that there are giant beanstalks and gingerbread houses that actually existed?" Paige asks.

"Really?" Grams asks Buffy who nods. "Well you learn something new every day."

"You used to think that the Evil Enchantress was just a fairy tale too, didn't you?" Leo asks.

"That was different. That was..." Paige says.

"A past life. Yours." Piper says.

Phoebe walks in carrying a gift. "Hey, you guys, was anyone here when this got... Grams!"

"In the flesh. So to speak." Grams says as she hugs Phoebe.

"Oh, it's so good to see you. Wait, what did I just hug? Where did you get the body from?" Phoebe asks.

"Oh, it's a long story. And speaking of stories, a fairy tale just tried to slice our heads off." Buffy says.

"A fairy tale?" Phoebe asks.

Leo nods, "The Woodsman from Snow White."

"Okay, well, that would explain where these came from, glass slippers." Phoebe says as she shows them the gift. "Cinderella's no doubt. Cole knows it's my favorite."

"Cole? You think Cole is doing all of this?" Piper asks.

"Who else has enough power to turn fairy tales against us? I told you he was gonna attack." Phoebe says.

"Except it was an evil witch who sent the woodsman in Snow White." Grams says.

"I think I'd better go check with the elders." Leo says.

"I think you better." Piper says as Leo orbs out.

Phoebe takes off her shoes.

"Uhm Pheebs, what are you doing?" Buffy asks.

"Proving that I'm right," Phoebe says.

"Hey, that's risky. You don't know what could happen." Paige says.

Phoebe nods, "Well, I know that Cole won't hurt me, physically anyway." She opens the box and pulls out the slippers.

"Well, as much as I distrust him, we don't know that it's him behind this." Paige says.

"All the more reason to play along, find out who is. We can't just sit around here and wait to be attacked." Grams says.

"She could get killed. Piper, Buffy, a little support here." Paige says.

"Uh, if Grams thinks it's a good idea who am I to disagree?" Piper asks.

"I think Grams is right, Paige." Buffy says.

Phoebe puts the slippers on. "See, no problem. I'm fine." A blue light swirls around her from her feet to her head and her clothes change into a ball gown. "Actually, I'm better than fine." Phoebe's legs start moving her towards the door. "Whoa."

"Where are you going?" Piper asks.

"Whoa." Phoebe says.

"Where are you going?" Piper asks again as Phoebe walks out the door of the attic.

Piper, Buffy and Paige hurry to catch her following her down the stairs.

"I don't know! I can't stop!" Phoebe says.

They try to hold her back.

"Well, get out of them." Buffy says.

"I can't. The door. The door." Phoebe says as she holds onto the door frame.

"Grams, what do we do?" Piper asks.

"Just let her go. We're never gonna be able to get to the bottom of this if you don't." Grams says as they let Phoebe go and she walks downstairs. "Paige, follow her, orb her out if she gets in trouble."

"She's already in trouble." Paige says.

"Help!" Phoebe says.

Paige follows Phoebe.

"I'm gonna have to help you two get ready to be mothers later. Right now we've got to deal with evil witches." Grams says.

"Right." Piper and Buffy says as they head for their respective Books.

"Oh, uh, not those books." Grams says as she picks up the fairy tale book. "This one."

Later Paige is back in the attic, having gotten separated from Phoebe.

"She's already in danger. We never should have split up. No offence, Mrs. Halliwell." Paige says.

"Grams. And none taken." Grams says.

"Yeah, well, if what we heard is true, then Phoebe could be in a lot more danger than we think. We all could." Piper says.

Leo nods, "If somebody's using fairy tales for evil, it could rewrite them, corrupt them for every future generation."

"How? How can you rewrite them? They're already in print." Paige says.

"Every copy is a manifestation of an original, an original that was entrusted to the Keeper of the fairy tales, long ago for protection." Leo says.

"The Elders think something has happened to him, that somebody took over the fortress from the inside." Buffy says.

"An evil witch I might add." Grams says.

"Why don't we just orb or flame to this fortress and kick her butt?" Paige says.

Leo shakes his head, "Because nobody knows where it is. It's location has been kept secret, even from the Elders."

"Where was their infinite wisdom on the day that was decided?" Paige asks.

"The point is we have no way of finding her." Piper says.

"Piper, I'm surprised at you. I mean, she's a witch isn't she? Just scry for her." Grams says.

"Oh, right." Piper says.

"Then after you find her, you lure her back here to us and we vanquish her with a potion." Grams says.

"What potion?" Paige asks.

"Oh, one that works wonders on evil witches. Come, I'll show you." Grams says.

"Errr." Paige says.

"Uh, maybe we could also work on your protection potion if we have time." Grams says as she picks up the Book Of Shadows.

Paige nods and they leave the attic.

"You two alright?" Leo asks.

"Shush, I need to concentrate." Buffy says as she closes her eyes. She concentrates on Piper augmenting her as Piper scrys for the witch.

Later out somewhere in the woods… Buffy, Piper and Leo are walking along a trail.

"Grams? You don't need Grams to do the scrying. What's gotten into you?" Leo asks.

"I don't know, I suddenly feel like I can't make any decisions at all. I feel like I'm ten years old again around her." Piper says.

"Hey, what's this?" Buffy asks as they find the red cloak hanging over a branch in a tree.

Leo pulls it down.

"Oh, let me guess. Little Red Riding Hood's? Wait, we're off the beaten path, aren't we? Oh, no, Grams." Piper says.

Back at the Manor Grams is stirring the potion. Paige picks up the apple and takes a bite. Her hair turns long and black and her clothes change into a white robe.

"Paige..." Grams says as Paige falls to the floor. "Paige!" A wolf growls at Grams at the kitchen doorway. It runs towards Grams and leaps for her. "No!"

The wolf devours Grams from head to toe. And then the wolf stands up in the form of Grams and picks her teeth. She looks down at Paige. Leo, Buffy and Piper orb in.

Piper's holding the cloak. "What happened?"

"I'm afraid she's dead." Wolf says.

Leo is trying to heal Paige. Buffy is flipping through the Book Of Shadows. Piper hoves next to Leo. Wolf is pacing through the kitchen.

"I know there's something in here somewhere about poison. " Buffy says.

"Leo?" Piper asks as Leo looks at her. "No, we are not giving up. This is a stinkin' fairy tale. If Snow White can come back to life then Paige can too. Right, Grams?"

Wolf scratches her head. "Uh, well, I wouldn't get my hopes up."

"What are you talking about? You're supposed to be the expert. There has got to be some way." Piper says.

"What about a kiss?" Leo asks.

"A kiss?" Piper and Buffy asks.

Leo nods, "It worked for Snow White. It's worth a shot."

Wolf sniffs Piper and Piper gives her a look, and she moves back. "A Kiss. Yes, by all means." She grabs Piper's arm and pulls her. "Come, let's find her boyfriend."

"She doesn't have a boyfriend, remember?" Buffy says.

"Right. Sorry." Wolf says, chuckling. Her stomach grumbles loudly. "My stomach is really upset."

"Wait, I got a spell. Here our call, for those who fall, urge her to awaken, from this toxic taken." Buffy says.

Leo feels Paige's pulse. "Nothing."

"Grams, what do we do?" Piper asks.

Wolf shakes her head.

"Focus on vanquishing the evil witch in hopes that it reverses the dark magic. It's our only hope." Leo says.

"Did you finish the vanquishing potion?" Piper asks.

"Um, no. Unfortunately, ugh, bad batch." Wolf says as she picks up the pot of potion and tips it down the sink. The doorbell rings. "Oh, Leo, would you be a lamb and see who that is?"

Leo leaves the kitchen. Wolf sneers at Piper and Buffy behind their backs.

"Piper? Buffy? You two might wanna come look at this!" Leo calls from the front door.

Buffy and Piper walk out of the kitchen and into the foyer.

"What? What is it?" Buffy asks as she and Piper notices seven dwarves standing on the porch.

"Someone here eat a poison apple?" Head Dwarf asks.

Later in the living room Paige is lying in a glass case. The dwarves are standing around it, some cleaning the glass.

"When's her prince getting here?" Head Dwarf asks.

Piper shakes her head, "She doesn't have a prince."

"No prince? Then who's gonna kiss her?" Head Dwarf asks.

Dwarf #2 smiles, "I'll do it."

Dwarf #3 shakes his head, "In your dreams, stinky. I'll do it."

"I told you not to call me that." Dwarf #2 says.

"People! A little professional decorum here please." Head Dwarf says. "Forgive them, it's been a while."

"Mm-hm." Piper and Buffy says and they walk over to the stairs and Piper picks up the Woodsman's axe.

"Uh, um, sweetheart." Wolf says as she goes over to Buffy and Piper. She gets nervous when she sees the axe. "What are you doing with that?"

"Well, I'm not gonna sit around and wait for the wolf to attack." Piper says.

"Wolf? What wolf?" Wolf asks.

"From Little Red Riding Hood. This cloak is meant for Piper." Buffy says and she points to the cloak hanging over the rail.

"Oh, you don't believe that silly old story do you?" Wolf asks.

"Grams, you're the one that says fairy tales are based in truth." Piper says.

"Well yes, but that one was made up to scare little kids. I mean after all, a little girl gets eaten in the end, what a downer." Wolf says.

"No, the Woodsman comes and cuts open the wolf's stomach and free her and the grandmother." Buffy says.

"Well, that's not the popular version." Wolf says.

"Well, it's in our version." Piper says.

"Really? Show me." Wolf says.

Buffy and Piper goes upstairs. Wolf grabs the cloak and follows.

Buffy picks up the fairy tale book and flips to Red Riding Hood. "So, Red Riding Hood comes into the house and finds the wolf dressed as her Grandmother. As if she wouldn't see through that."

"Skip down." Wolf says.

"Okay, let's see. She says, Grandmother, what big ears you have." Buffy reads.

"The better to hear you with, my dear." Wolf says as she sneaks behind Piper, who's look at the book over Buffy's shoulder.

"And then, uh, what big eyes you have." Piper says.

Wolf smiles, "The better to see you with, my dear."

"Yeah, yeah, and then, what big teeth you have." Piper says.

"The better to eat you with, my dear!" Wolf says.

Buffy and Piper turns to the Wolf and screams. Buffy takes a step back accidentally brushing against the spindle of a spinning wheel accidentally pricking her finger. She slumps to the ground unconscious as the Wolf eats Piper.

Moments later in the attic Leo and the wolf are there. The wolf is growling viciously at Leo.

Leo is holding the axe. "Where's my wife?" The wolf barks. "Where's my wife?!" The wolf spots the fairy tale book and jumps for it. "No!"

Suddenly, the wolf is blown into a million pieces and Piper and Grams fall out of the wolf. They land hard on the ground.

Leo drops the axe and rushes over to them. "Piper." They get up. "Are you okay?"

Piper nods, "Yeah, I think so."

"How did you...?" Leo asks.

"She blew him up from the inside." Grams says, laughing. "Although it took her long enough."

"Ah, back off Grams. I just saved your ass." Piper says.

"Ha!" Grams says.

Leo shakes his head, "She's back. Uhm Piper."

"What?" Piper asks and then she sees Buffy and runs over to her. "Another apple?"

Grams frowns, "Afraid not. The spinning wheel. She must have pricked her finger."

"We don't have a spinning wheel." Piper says looking at the spinning wheel. "Must be from Sleeping Beauty. So another sister."

Cole appears, holding the pumpkin. "Your sister, and, uh, I had nothing to do with this, I swear."

"Oh, my." Piper says.

"What are we going to do now?" Grams asks.

"Well, we do what we were gonna do in the first place. We find the witch who did this and vanquish her." Piper says.

"Do you know how to find her?" Cole asks.

"No." Piper says.

"Wait a minute, I think I do. The wolf was trying to get into the book of fairy tales. Perhaps it's a portal of some sort. Although I don't know how we access it." Leo says.

"Well, we can't. But maybe Little Red Riding Hood can." Piper says as she picks up the cloak. "I knew I was gonna have to put on this stupid thing sooner or later." she puts it on.

Grams hands her a vial of potion. "Don't forget the potion. Go on, show her who's the most powerful witch of all." She and Piper smiles as Piper touches the book and is sucked into it.

At the castle the Wicked Witch seems a little worried. "Why won't you answer my question? Why won't you tell me what I want to hear?"

"You know as well as I, that I cannot tell a lie." Mirror says.

"Damn it. Well then, if I'm not the most powerful witch in the land who is?" Wicked Witch says.

Piper appears. "Take a wild guess."

"You? That's not possible. The wolf ate you. I saw it!" Wicked Witch says.

Piper nods, "Yeah, well, I didn't agree with him." She takes out the potion vial. "See if this agrees with you." She throws the bottle at the witch.

"No, I'm melting! I'm melting! I'm melting!" Wicked Witch says and she melts and disappears.

A man, the apprentice, is freed from the mirror and then apple, axe, spinning wheel and pumpkin appear on their stands. Piper takes off the cloak.

"You saved me." Apprentice says.

"Are you the Keeper?" Piper asks.

Apprentice shakes his head, "No, his Apprentice. Or..." He looks at the Keepers body on the floor. "At least I was."

"Oh, no. Wait, if he didn't come back to life does that mean my sisters won't either?" Piper says.

Apprentice shakes his head, "No, no, they were victims of fairy tale magic so when you saved the fairy tales, you saved them too." He looks over at the slipper stand. "A glass slipper is missing. Must mean that story hasn't found a happy ending yet."

"Oh, well, I guess this makes you the new Keeper." Piper says as she hands him the cloak.

Apprentice nods, "I guess so."

"Any idea how I get the heck out of here?" Piper asks.

Apprentice thinks and gets an idea. He walks over and picks up a pair of sparkly red shoes like on the Wizard of Oz.

At the Manor Buffy, Paige, Leo and Grams are in the living room.

"Alright, can someone please tell me how I got in a coffin?" Paige asks.

"Probably the same way I ended up on the floor." Buffy says.

Grams nods, "You both were dead, just by different means, but bright side, at least now we have something in common."

"You know, you really ought to get yourself a prince, in case this ever happens again." Head Dwarf says to Paige.

"Uh, who are you?" Paige asks.

"We'll send you the bill. Let's go men!" Head Dwarf says.

Dwarf#2 nods, "Come on, guys, let's go."

The dwarves leave. Phoebe and Cole come down the stairs.

"Buffy! Paige! Your both okay." Phoebe says as she hugs Paige and Buffy.

"Which means the witch is vanquished. So where's..." Cole says as a swirl of light appears and Piper appears wearing the red shoes.

Leo smiles, "Piper."

"Is everybody okay?" Piper asks.

Grams nods, "Well, thanks to you they are. Well, I suppose that means it's time for me to go." She looks to Leo. "Mind giving me a lift?"

"Well, why do you have to go at all?" Buffy asks.

"Because I don't belong here anymore." Grams says as she puts her arms around Piper and Buffy. "See, you two thought you needed me, but I was only here to remind you that you don't." She looks at Piper. "Not even for her." She looks at Buffy. "Or her."

"Okay, but what about me? I feel like I didn't get to spend any time with you." Phoebe says as she puts her arms around Piper, Buffy and Grams.

"That's okay. I don't stay dead long." Grams says.

Phoebe smiles, "Good point."

"Well, do I at least get a hug goodbye?" Grams asks Paige.

"It was great to finally meet you." Paige says as she hugs Grams. "Grams."

"Be safe, my darlings." Grams says.

"Blessed be." Buffy says.

Leo and Grams orb out.

Paige heads for the stairs.

"Where are you going?" Piper asks.

"I need to catch up on my fairy tales." Paige says as she goes upstairs.

"Uh, I guess I'm gonna catch up on some sleep." Piper says as she goes upstairs.

Buffy nods as she looks at Cole, "I think I'll do the same. As much as I don't trust you because of what happened last year. Thank you for watching out for Phoebe." She turns and heads up the stairs.


	114. Chapter 114: The Replacement

**Chapter 114: The Replacement**

"Hey." Xander says.

"Ah." Building Manager, Linda says

Xander wipes his hand on his shirt-tail and offers his hand. She shakes it, unimpressed. "I brought my friends."

"I see." Linda says.

"They wouldn't always be around." Xander says.

Willow nods, "But we're quiet and clean."

Buffy and Riley exit into the bedroom. Willow heads into the kitchen area.

Anya is looking around the living area. "We could have Scooby meetings in the living room. Giles can explain the boring things over here."

"Hey! There's a microwave in here! It would be like having hot-and-cold running popcorn. Only hot." Willow says.

Xander starts looking around.

"Phone and electricity are hooked up. There's a private balcony, ceiling fans, closet space…" Linda says.

Xander opens the door to the bedroom. Buffy and Riley are kissing just inside the door. They jump apart. "You guys. You can't save it for the bedroom?" Buffy and Riley gesture expressively around them at the bedroom. "Okay, good point."

Xander heads back to Linda as Buffy and Riley follow him.

Linda smiles, "I brought an application for you to fill out."

"An application? I can't just, like, tell you my references? 'Cuz there's Albert-" Xander says.

"We run your credit check based on the application." Linda says.

Xander nods, "Oh, Credit check. Little check on the credit. See how credible my checks are, ha ha."

Linda smiles, "And we'll be asking for first, last, security and a small cleaning deposit. The total's at the bottom of the sheet."

Xander looks at the total. Buffy and Riley look at it over his shoulder. Xander does a good job of not reacting. But Buffy and Riley exchange a look-Buffy shakes her head slightly.

Anya joins them. "He'll take it! Xander, go get the furniture, I'll wait here. He lives in his drunken parents' basement where something urinated on the hot plate."

"Um, let's talk quietly over there. Xander says. "Excuse us."

Xander pulls Anya to one side. Buffy and Riley are left smiling awkwardly at Linda as Willow joins them.

"We…um…we like the ceiling fans." Riley says.

"Very, you know, kind of Old south." Willow says.

"But without unpleasant slavery associations." Buffy says.

"But why can't we have it?" Anya asks.

"I told you. The construction job is ending, I'm not going to have any money coming in. And, by the way, you do have your own place." Xander says.

"So when I want to visit you I have to be in that awful basement?" Anya asks.

"Not forever. Just until things come together…" Xander says.

Anya just gets more shrill and upset. "Which is when, Xander? 'Cause right now things are looking pretty un-together and you can't expect me to just wait around-"

"Quiet, please. Anya, what is this? What's going on with you?" Xander asks.

"What's going on is my arm is hurt and I'm tired and I don't really feel like finishing the tour of beautiful things I can't have." Anya says. With that she spins around and storms out.

Embarrassed, Xander turns to Linda. "Guess I'll just start on that application. Think you'll like it. I've been told I have lovely penmanship."

Looking very skeptical, Linda hands him the application.

Later at the Magic Box, Willow pages through some of the shop's collection of books. Buffy, Riley, and Xander watch as Giles demonstrates how he fought off the demon.

Giles swings a sculpture wildly. "Like this… and this!"

"That's thing's pretty heavy." Riley says,

"It's Oofdar, Goddess of Childbirth. Got some nice heft to her." Willow says.

"How badly did you hurt him?" Buffy asks.

Giles sets down the sculpture. "Well, hurt… maybe not hurt…"

"I'm sure he was startled." Willow says.

"Yes, yes, I imagine it gave him rather a turn."

"He ran away, right?" Buffy asks.

Giles nods, "Sort of, more… turned and swept out majestically, I suppose. Said I didn't concern him."

"So a mythic triumph over a completely indifferent foe?" Buffy asks.

"Well, I'm not dead or unconscious, so I say bravo for me." Giles says.

Willow hands Giles one of the books. "Good demons in this one. See if your guy's in there."

Giles starts looking through it.

"So you bought the magic shop and you were attacked before it even opened. Who's up for a swingin' chorus of the "We Told You So" symphony?" Xander says.

Riley is taking a few practice swings with the sculpture. "Owning this place does seem kind of dangerous."

Giles looks up from his book. He looks blankly at Riley. "Toth."

"What?" Riley asks.

"He called you a toth. It's a British expression. It means, like, a moron." Buffy says.

Giles shakes his head, "No. Toth is the name of the demon. Ancient demon… very strong… last survivor of the Tothic Clan. It also says that for a demon he's unusually sophisticated."

"Sophisticated? I talk men's fashion with him while I cut his head off?" Buffy asks.

"They're referring to the fact that he does not fight barehanded. He uses tools, devices. He's also supposed to be very focused. An since he mentioned "The Slayer" I think we know what the focus is-" Giles says.

Riley turns grim. "He mentioned Buffy? Where do we find him and how hard can I kill him?"

"There's no mention of the types of places he might frequent. But I have an idea. He had a specific… olfactory presence." Giles says.

"So it's off to the old factory. I hate that place." Xander says. "I'm joking. I know what it means. He smelled."

"Some demon rituals involve anointing with oils. Was it kind of sandalwoody?" Willow says.

Giles shakes his head, "Hmm. Not even remotely. But it was very… distinctive."

Later that night at the City Dump, Buffy, Giles, Willow and Xander walk gingerly through the dump carrying crossbows and axes.

"The city dump, where smells go to relax and be themselves." Buffy says.

"People say they're recycling." Riley says. "They're not recycling."

"I found a spell so you can't smell anything. But it does it by taking your nose off. So, no." Willow says, looking at Buffy. "Sounds like a personal gain spell to me and that would be one big a consequence."

"Agreed," Buffy says.

The group rounds a corner, startling Spike, who is rummaging through some discarded items.

"What are you doing here, Spike?" Riley asks.

"Oh, there's a nice lady vampire who's set up a charming tea room just 'round the next pile of crap - what do you think I'm doing? I'm scavenging, ain't I?" Spike says as he indicates a small pile of salvaged items. Spike holds up an attractive old oil lamp.

"Very pretty," Willow says.

"Spike, we're looking for a demon. Very tall, robe, skin kinda hanging off, deep voice…" Buffy says.

"What, you mean a great tall robe-y thing like that one?" Spike asks.

The Scoobies turn and look behind them. Toth looms lover them from a nearby hill of garbage, holding a black rod. "Die well, Slayer"

Toth rushes forward as Giles and Riley circle around behind him, axes ready as Toth raises the rod.

"Hey, big guy! Kick 'er ass!" Spike says.

Buffy sees the rod in Toth's hand - a fighting staff? She picks up a length of pipe.

Xander sees that Toth is aiming the rod at her. "Watch out!"

A blast of sparks erupts from the rod and a pile of garbage next to Buffy explodes!

"Take cover!" Riley says.

Riley grabs Willow's arm, pulls her away from the action. Toth fires the weapon again. Spike's new lamp is hit, shattering in his hand.

"Oh, very nice. I was on your side!" Spike says.

Toth has Buffy in his sights. Xander knocks into Buffy causing her to flame out just as a blast of magical force erupts from the rod. The force hits Xander. He is flung to the ground in the shadows.

Buffy flames back in, "Xander!"

The gang run to Xander as Riley helps him up.

"Man, you okay?" Riley asks.

Buffy looks around for Toth, but he's gone. Xander allows himself to be supported between Buffy and Riley. The group moves away slowly.

"I'm okay…I'm fine…" Xander says.

The dump is empty now. Except that something lies half-buried in garbage, unnoticed. It's Xander, still lying unconscious where he fell. So who just went off with Buffy?

The next morning at the Manor Buffy and Riley are in her bedroom.

Buffy hangs up the phone. "They hung up." She goes back to loading weapons into her weapon bag. "Okay, the guy wants to fight with weapons, I've got it covered from A to Z. From ax to… ze other ax." She smiles at Riley. He forces a smile back at her. "Relax. Another day, another demon."

"Right. It'll be good." Riley says as she kisses him. He kisses back. Right away, the sweet moment is spoiled by vigorous gagging noises. Riley and Buffy look over to see Dawn, standing in the doorway.

"My friend Sharon's older brother knows a girl who died 'cause she choked on her boyfriend's tongue." Dawn says.

"Go away, Dawn." Buffy says.

"Hey it's my room, too." Dawn says.

"Get out of here!" Buffy says.

Phoebe passes by, and Dawn stops her.

"Phoebe, I can stand in Buffy and **_my_** room, right?" Dawn asks.

"She's watching us like a big freak." Buffy says.

Phoebe rubs at her forehead and looks at the heavens, "Prue why did you curse me to be the middle sister for everyone in this house." She looks to Buffy and Dawn. "Buffy it is her room also. Dawn if Buffy would like some privacy it would be very grown up of you to give her some." She walks off.

"She didn't say I couldn't stand here." Dawn says.

Buffy sighs, "Dawn she also said if I want some privacy for you to act grown up and give me my privacy. If you had a boyfriend I would give you some privacy if you wanted it."

"Really?" Dawn asks.

Buffy nods, "In this house, yes. With five of us living here, privacy is something you really should cherish and get whenever you can."

Dawn nods, "Okay, but you owe me." She turns and closes the door behind her as she leaves.

"I guess I should go. I'm thinking maybe the guy actually likes smelly places. So I'm going to do a whole tour de funky, starting with the sewers." Buffy says.

Riley shakes his head, "I'm coming with you."

"Um…." Buffy says.

"I never told you this about me, but I love the sewers. Probably get a place there when I retire." Riley says.

"Riley, this Toth guy walks softly and carries a big blasty rod. He almost hurt Xander - I'm not going to let him hurt you." Buffy says.

"I don't know. I don't like you facing off alone with these creeps who come gunning for you. I mean, first it was Dracula-" Riley says.

"Dracula wasn't the first guy to come Buffy Hunting. Lots of baddies want the Slayer or Charmed One trophy kill. I can handle it." Buffy says.

"I know... And if you want me to stay out of it, that's cool. But you can't blame me for worrying. Your job makes you a target. I mean, who knows how many bad guys are out there just waiting for their chance." Riley says.

Later in the day at the Manor; Piper, Phoebe, Paige, Buffy, Giles and Riley listen to Xander. Buffy's weapon bag lies nearby and a map of the sewers is pinned to the wall - looks like a strategy session got interrupted.

"It stole my face. We have to fine it and we have to kill it!" Xander says.

"Don't worry, Xander. Whatever stole your face - it has to deal with the Charmed Ones now." Buffy says.

"What's intriguing is that there are any number of demons with the ability to mimic a simple form, but this sounds like more than that—" Giles says.

"Hold up. Do we really have to figure out what it is? Let's just go kill it." Xander says.

"Yeah. When the imposter is killed, the body'll probably turn back into whatever it really is, and then we'll know." Riley says.

"It doesn't always work that way," Piper says. "Some demons can't be vanquished simply by physical means or by a spell. Sometimes you need a potion made of its own flesh. Knowing which demon this is will help us to determine if it's one Buffy deals with as a Slayer or one we have to deal with as Charmed Ones. Then we determine how to kill it."

"Toth. The demon with the creepy-stick." Buffy says.

"Toth." Xander says.

"It's gotta be. He hit you with the blast and somehow that allowed him to take your form. Giles, couldn't that be what the stick-thing did?" Buffy says.

"I suppose... yes, it makes sense. A shape-shifting device." Giles says.

"It does make sense. It must be Toth." Xander says.

"Well, I was looking for Toth anyway. I guess now I start, you know, looking for you." Buffy says.

"Should I go with you? I told Anya to meet me. I'd feel a lot better knowing she's safe from this creep." Xander says.

"Go be with her. If you were running around looking for the double too... well, let's just say I don't want to run into you and kill the wrong one." Buffy says.

Xander is already up and heading for the door. "Good thinking. When you kill the guy you'd better make sure you've got the one who's actually-"

Later that evening Buffy lifts her weapon bag onto her shoulder as Riley looks at a map of Sunnydale and Giles pages through a book.

"So you're thinking we split up." Riley says.

Buffy nods, "Right. You hit all the places he might go to blend in as Xander. I'll keep checking out the places Toth might hang—"

Willow bursts in, out of breath, able to do nothing but pant for a second.

"I swear, that time I know I had that locked." Giles says.

"Buffy! Toth looks like Xander!" Willow says.

"We know it already. We're on our way—" Riley says.

"Wait. Willow, how do you know about this?" Buffy says.

"He came to me. I mean, Xander did. He's in terrible shape. We need to help him!" Willow says.

"He came to us, too." Riley says.

"No! We each had a Xander. I mean you didn't have a Xander! You had a demon in a Xander-suit!" Willow says.

"But, wait, what make you think yours was the right one?" Buffy asks.

"He knew stuff. He did the Snoopy dance. Buffy, it was Xander and he needs us!" Willow says.

Giles looks up from his book. "Oh dear lord." The others ignore him.

"Buffy... Our Xander. Did he seem a little...?" Riley says.

"He was kind of... forceful and confident." Buffy says.

"That's not Xander!" Willow says.

"I said oh dear lord." Giles says.

"You always say that." Buffy says.

"Well, it's always important! Neither one of the Xanders is a demon." Giles says.

Piper frowns, "They're not?"

"Um... is one of them a robot?" Willow asks.

"What? No. The rod device, it's called a Ferula-gemina. It splits one person into half, distilling personality traits into two separate bodies. As near as I can tell Toth was attempting to split the Slayer into two different entities."

"Two Buffys?" Paige asks.

Giles nods, "Yes, one of them with all the qualities inherent in Buffy Halliwell. The other with everything that belongs to the Slayer alone and maybe even the Charmed One: the strength and speed, the heritage, your powers. When it hit Xander, I think it separated him into his strongest qualities and his... weakest."

"But which one is the real one?" Phoebe asks.

"They're both real. They're both Xander. Neither of them is evil. There's nothing in either of them that our Xander didn't already possess." Giles says.

"I still don't get the original plan. Why do it? The Slayer and Charmed half would be like Slayer and Charmed-concentrate. Pretty unkillable." Riley says.

"But the two halves can't exist without the other. Kill the weaker Buffy half and the Slayer and Charmed half dies." Giles says.

"So, same thing for the Xanders, right? Both of them need to stay alive or they both die." Buffy says.

In Xander's new apartment, the two Xanders face each other warily. Anya stands at Xander-Double's side.

"He's the demon! Or possibly a robot! Look at me Anya! Look in my eyes! Can't you see it's me?" Xander asks.

Anya hesitates. She thought she was sure, but... "I don't know."

"Please! Look at him! Listen to him! He's all smooth! You have to know me!" Xander says.

Xander-Double pulls Anya in closer, possessively. "Don't worry Anya. I'll get rid of this thing. I'm thinking this is gonna last about fifteen seconds."

Xander-Double releases Anya and takes a threatening step toward Xander.

"I'm thinking less." Xander says as he pulls out a gun and points it at his double.

Riley and Buffy are in Giles' car, racing to Xander's apartment.

"Can't this thing go any faster? Ultimate Driving Machine my ass. I could flame faster than this." Buffy says.

"We're pushing seventy." Riley says.

"Hey, Riley. Do you wish –" Buffy says.

Riley shakes his head, "No."

"No? You don't even know what I was going to say!" Buffy says.

"Yes, I do. You wanted to know if I wished you got hit by the Ferula-gemina. Got split in two." Riley says.

"Well, you have been kinda rankly about the whole "Slayer and Charmed One" gig. Instead of Slayer Buffy or Charmed One Buffy you could have Buffy Buffy." Buffy says.

"I have Buffy Buffy. Being the Slayer and Charmed One is part of who you are. You keep thinking I don't get that, but –" Riley says.

"I just know how unfun it can be. Bad hours, frequent bruising, cranky monsters-" Buffy says.

"Buffy, if you led a perfectly normal life, you wouldn't be half as crazy as you are. I gotta have that. I'm talking toes, elbows, the whole bad-ice-skating-movie obsession, everything. There's no part of you I'm not in love with." Riley says.

Buffy thinks about his answer. After a quiet beat... she allows herself a little smile. "We better get there soon. If Xander kills himself, he's dead. You know what I mean."

In Xander's apartment, Xander-Double looks on as Xander and Anya grapple over the gun.

"Let go! I have to kill the demon-bot!" Xander says.

Anya wrenches the gun from his hand and it falls to the ground.

Xander-Double scoops it up. He points it cooly at Xander. "Anya, get out of the way."

Startled by his cold determination, Anya steps away. Suddenly, Buffy and Riley burst in! Riley is carrying Buffy's weapon's bag.

"Xander!" Buffy says.

Both Xanders turn and look.

"It's all right Buffy, I have him." Xander-Double says.

"No! Buffy! I'm me! Help me!" Xander says.

"That's my gun! He has my gun!" Anya says pointing at the gun.

"You own a gun?" Riley asks.

"Xander- Gun-holding Xander. Give it to me." Buffy says.

Xander-Double hesitates, his finger hovering over the trigger. Finally he flips the gun expertly in his hand, expelling the bullets onto the ground and handing Buffy the now-unloaded gun. Buffy hands it to Riley who tucks it into his waistband.

"Buffy! Which one's real?" Anya says.

"I am!" Xander says.

"No. I am." Xander-Double says.

Xander, infuriated, launches himself physically at Xander-Double. Buffy grabs him mid-launch and throws him up against a wall.

"Ow!" Xander says.

"Thank you!" Xander-Double says.

Buffy grabs Xander-Double, puts him up against the wall next to Xander.

"Ow!" Xander-Double says.

Buffy holds them both pinned motionless against the wall with a hand on each chest. She looks back and forth between them.

Riley comes up behind her, looks too. "Wild."

"Yeah. Okay, look, Xander...s. You've been split in two. You're both Xander. And you can't kill each other. I mean you can, but it would be bad." Buffy says.

The Xanders look at each other.

"No way." Xander-Double says.

"He can't be me. He's all... fancy." Xander says.

Buffy cautiously steps away, unpinning the boys.

"We can prove you're both Xander." Riley says.

"Yes! How?" Buffy asks.

"Well, there has to be a way." Riley says.

"What number am I thinking of?" Buffy asks.

"I don't think that's how to—" Riley says.

"Eleven and a half." Both Xanders say.

"Wrong. Oh! But, see?!" Buffy says.

Xander shakes his head, "No. We're not the same. We're all different."

"Different properties went into each of you, but you're both Xander." Riley says.

"Different properties?" Anya asks.

"What different properties?" Xander asks.

"Oh... um... sense of direction, good night-vision, stuff like that." Buffy says.

"But he has a thing! In his pocket! A shiny disk that stuns and disorients!" Xander says.

Xander-Double pulls the disk from his pocket. "What disk? This?"

Xander screams and clamps his hands over his eyes. "Cover your eyes! It'll melt your brain!"

Buffy takes the disk from Xander-Double and pries Xander's hands away. She shows him the disk. "Look."

"It's a nickel someone flattened on a railroad track. I found it on the construction site and I thought it was cool. It's not magic." Xander-Double says.

Xander takes it. "No! It- Huh. It is kinda cool. Washington's still there, but he's all smooshy. And he may be Jefferson."

"Isn't anyone going to tell me why there are two Xanders?" Anya asks.

"We'll explain on the way to Giles—" Buffy says as Toth blasts into the room

Toth sweeps in through the resulting smoke. "I will not miss again, Slayer."

"Oh great. Rod boy." Buffy says.

Xander quickly steps behind Xander-Double. "The gun! Pick up the little gun-pieces!"

Toth aims the rod at Buffy and fires. She flames out and the blast leaves a harmless charred area on the rug. She flames back in where she stood moments before.

"Hey! I just made a small cleaning deposit!" Xander-Double says.

Toth is aiming again when Riley comes out of nowhere and jumps him from behind, attempting to disarm him. Toth throws Riley aside easily, but the distraction allows Buffy to catch him by surprise. She catches him with a flying kick, follows up with punches... and finally sweeps his feet out from under him.

"Sword!" Buffy says.

Riley is at her weapons bag. He opens it and tosses her the sword.

The Xanders wince as Buffy stabs Toth.

Out of breath and victorious, Riley crosses to Buffy. The demon Toth lies dead at her feet, the sword imbedded in it.

"Oh yeah, that cleaning deposit's gone." Xander-Double says.

"I was thinking the same thought." Xander says. "Hey- do you suppose we're both Xander?"

Later back at the Magic Box Piper, Phoebe, Paige, Giles, Buffy, Riley, both Xanders, Anya, Willow are there. Giles is drawing a pentagram on the floor with chalk. Everyone else is looking at the two Xanders. Xander-Double has put on the duplicate of Xander's outfit, and is just finishing buttoning his shirt. Buffy and Willow examine their faces close up, comparing.

"Look and admire, ladies." Xander says.

"It's like... there's a little scar here, then there it is over there." Buffy says.

"It's all doubled. This zit, and this kind of funny dippy place and this weird little hair that grows the wrong way—" Willow says.

"Okay, back off, ladies." Xander-Double says.

"Psychologically, this is fascinating. Doesn't it make everyone want to lock them in separate rooms and do experiments on them?" Riley says. "Just me, then."

"So, you Xanders, you really do have all the same memories, all the same... physical... attributes?" Anya asks.

"We're completely identical." Xander-Double says.

"Yeah, we checked over some stuff in the car on the way over." Xander says. "Fingerprints."

"Maybe we shouldn't do this reintegration thing right away. See, I could take the boys home, have sex with all of us, then we could just slap 'em back together in the morning." Anya says.

Piper, Phoebe and Paige roll their eyes.

"She's joking." Xander-Double says.

"No she's not! She entirely wants to have sex with us together! It's wrong, and, and... it would be very confusing!" Xander says.

Giles finishes the pentagram and stands up. "Now, we need to arrange the candles. Also, we can continue to pretend we heard none of this disturbing sex talk."

Buffy laughs, "You should live at the Manor. I get to hear it from these three on a regular basis."

"Check. Candles and pretense." Willow says.

Willow, Buffy, Anya, Riley and Giles each take a candle, light it, and place it on a point of the pentagram.

"It's not like it'd be cheating. They're both Xander." Anya says.

Everyone pretends they didn't hear her.

Xander turns to Xander-Double. "Now, hold on a sec. If you weren't putting the whammy on people with the shiny thing? How did you do it? How'd you get the promotion?"

"Well I'm good at that stuff." Xander-Double says.

"I am?" Xander asks.

Xander-Double nods, "Yeah."

Xander smiles, "Hey, how about that girl, the apartment manager?"

"How weird was it when she called me 'Mr.'?" Xander-Double asks.

"We're ready. We should do it now." Willow says.

"What do we do if it doesn't work?" Anya asks.

"Kill us both, Spock!" Xander and Xander-Double says as they both laugh, cracking each other up.

"They're kind of... the same now." Buffy says.

"Yes. He's clearly a bad influence on himself." Giles says.

"Summon the goddess, chant the chant. Let's do it." Xander says.

"Actually, it's not that hard. See, your natural state is to be together. Toth's spell is doing all the work of keeping you apart. Buffy and I just have to break it. You two stand here. Side by side." Willow says. "Don't want you to end up with two fronts, do we?"

The Xanders stand where she positions them.

"You sure you know how to do this?" Xander asks.

"Here we go. Brace yourselves." Willow says.

"Let the spell be ended." Buffy and Willow says.

"You've got to be kidding. "Let the spell be ended"? That's not gonna work! Oh." Xander says as he looks at himself. Looks around. There's only him.

"I liked it the other way. Put 'em back." Anya says.

The next day Buffy, Riley and Dawn are helping Xander pack his things. Anya is sitting on the workbench, watching the activity. Incidentally, Xander looks a lot like Xander-Double, clothes and hair at their best.

Buffy, carries an armload of clothes as she approaches Xander. Dawn is packing a box nearby. "You look good, Xand. Clothes, hair... I think you came out ahead in this whole thing."

"Well, I got a job and an apartment. If the hair's grooving along with the new vibe, I'm okay with it." Xander says.

"I guess maybe we shoulda kept both of you 'til we had all the heavy lifting done, huh?" Buffy asks.

"Yeah. But, really... it was too weird. And my... Um... less cool half... a sweetheart of a guy, but still, just on the clumsiness issue alone, I don't think anyone would've wanted him around much." Xander says.

Riley carries a heavy box by, and Xander helps him. Buffy also moves off.

Dawn is left as she says wistfully to herself, "I would've wanted him." She picks up her box and exits out the basement door. Riley and Xander carry their box to the bottom of the stairs. Xander looks around the near-empty room.

"Getting nostalgic?" Riley asks.

"I don't know. At first it's just a place, and then you start to make memories and then it's like... that's where Spike slept, and there... that's where Anya and I drowned the Separvo demon and right here, here's where my heart got all ripped out... I really hate this place." Xander says.

"Hey, Anya, I see you've joined the not-sling-wearing crowd." Buffy says.

"Yes. I'm feeling better and I anticipate many years before my death, excepting disease or air bag failure." Anya says.

"Ah. That sounds... good?" Buffy says as she heads out with a box.

Xander comes over and hands Anya a box.

"Oooh, a present!" Anya says.

"Not unless you want my collection of Babylon 5 commemorative plates. Which you cannot have. I just thought you could help carry a little." Xander says.

"Me? Buffy has super strength, let's just load her up like one of those little horses." Anya says.

Xander sighs, "Anya. Please."

"Fine. I'm just your slave." Anya says and she carries the box out the door.

Xander turns to Riley, smiles wryly. "How is it that she can always make me feel like Suave Xander has left the building?"

"You two have your friction, but she digs the whole package. It's obvious." Riley says.

"Still, I do envy you sometimes. I mean, for the sanity. Not that I'm still into Buffy. Not that I ever was." Xander says.

Riley smiles. "Hey, I'm well aware of how lucky I am. Like, lottery lucky. Buffy's like nobody else in the world. When I'm with her, it's like I'm split in two - half of me is just on fire, going crazy if I'm not touching her. Other half is so still and peaceful, just perfectly content. Just knows: this is the one." He pauses in his reverie, turns to Xander. "But she doesn't love me." He says it without bitterness, merely with quiet acceptance.

Xander doesn't know what to say.

Buffy and Dawn reenter, Dawn going for a nearby box as Buffy moves to Riley.

"You got more for me to carry?" Buffy asks.

"You can help me pack this." Riley says.

"Sure." Buffy says as she gives Riley a quick casual kiss and then they pack the box together. Xander watches.


	115. Chapter 115: The Eyes Have It

**Author's Note: **People keep asking does Riley know Buffy's Pregnant. My answer is re-read Buffy Vs. Dracula. I said there he didn't. And he won't know till Into the Woods. It's in part why he leaves.

* * *

**Chapter 115: The Eyes Have It**

Leo is the kitchen reading the back of "The Joys of Home Birthing" as Dawn, Buffy, Piper and Paige walk in. Buffy and Piper are holding yoga mats.

"Well, maybe try a different yoga instructor." Paige says as she heads for the fridge.

"It wasn't the instructor; it was all those women showing off their sonogram pictures. And it was just working on my last nerve. Like "look it's Jasper's first photo and it's gonna go on the fridge in a magnetic frame that says Jasper's first photo"!" Piper says.

"I have to agree with Piper. It just wasn't the thing…" Buffy says.

"Okay, I thought pre-natal yoga was supposed to make you relax." Leo says.

"Ugh, how are we supposed to relax when neither Buffy of I can't even go to a doctor like a normal person?" Piper asks.

Leo sighs, "Piper, Buffy, I thought we agreed that a magical pregnancy was too risky, especially with a baby that heals itself. Another that creates a flame shield."

"Okay, yeah, but she's not healing my nauseousness and every other woman in that class says that it's supposed to go away after the first trimester." Piper says.

"Okay, well, not according to this book. According to this book, every pregnancy is different." Leo says.

"What book?" Buffy asks.

"Uh, this one," Leo says holding up the book he's been reading. "The Joys of Home Birthing." Piper's eyes widen. "It also comes with this video. I thought maybe you, I and Buffy could watch it together, it might make you both feel better about what's in store."

"That sounds good, I'll make some popcorn." Paige says.

"Uh, since when are pre-natal yoga and home birthing videos your idea of a good time?" Leo asks.

"Since I became a friendless loser with no life." Paige says.

"Paige, you have tons of friends." Dawn says.

Paige sighs, "They're all employed. And I'm a demon fighter and I can't tell anyone about it so I basically just come off as this big, dumb, fat, unemployed loser."

Piper shakes her head, "No, Paige, you're a big, fat, unemployed loser who saves the world."

Phoebe walks in and heads for the coffee. "Oh, I hope that's leaded. I didn't sleep very well last night." She pours some coffee.

"Cole problems?" Dawn asks.

"What? No, he's soul searching somewhere, or off searching for a soul. I'm just a little overwhelmed with work." Phoebe says.

"What's up with your hand?" Piper asks as she sees pen markings on Phoebe's hand.

"Uh... I actually went to see a gypsy, fortune teller." Phoebe says as her phone rings. "Oh, look. Ha, work. Gotta go." She heads for the door as everyone follows.

"Hey, hey there, speedy. Will you slow down and tell us why you went to see a fortune teller?" Paige says.

Phoebe sighs, "To get my fortune told." Buffy and Piper gives her a look. "Okay, just don't freak out, alright, because I don't have time for a freak out. I went to find out why I haven't gotten a premonition in the last few months."

"You've had premonitions... haven't you?" Buffy asks.

Phoebe shakes his head, "No, I haven't. And check this out. Hold this." She hands Leo her cup of coffee. She tries to levitate but only makes it a couple of inches above the floor. "I can barely levitate."

"Do you think a demon...?" Paige says.

Phoebe shakes her head, "No, I mean, I can still cast spells and I still have the power of three slash four thing. Whatever the problem is it seems more natural than supernatural."

"Phoebe, why don't you come to me? I'm your Whitelighter." Leo says.

"Or me." Buffy says. "If anyone could have helped you find out why you weren't having premonitions. It would be the only other person who has premonitions in this family."

"Oh, because you've both been very busy." Phoebe says.

Leo shakes his head, "We've been busy?"

"Okay, well, I've been busy. My work schedule's been really hectic and I'm coming to you guys now." Phoebe says.

"Okay, you guys yell at her, I'm gonna check with the Elders and see what they know." Leo says as he orbs out.

"I can't believe you went to a fortune teller instead of coming to us." Piper says.

"I'm really sorry, but I just didn't want to worry you guys. But now we're on the subject..." Phoebe says.

"What?" Piper asks.

"Something really weird happened during my reading. I felt like I was getting a premonition and then I think Madame Teresa intercepted it." Phoebe says.

"Intercepted it? How?" Buffy asks.

"She's a gypsy, she probably channeled it. You know, being that I have nothing to do, I've actually been reading up on a lot of gypsy magic lately." Paige says.

"Oh you know who you should talk to Paige?" Dawn asks. "Willow. Willow's computer teacher at Gateway, Ms. Calendar, was I believe the term was techno pagan. But she was descended from Gypsies. I think Willow read up a lot on Gypsies after Ms. Calendar passed away."

"Really?" Paige asks and Buffy and Dawn nods. "I may have to talk to her."

"Excuse me." Phoebe says. "Can we get back to my problem? Anyways whatever she saw must've been pretty bad because she closed up shop very quickly."

"Well, maybe you should swing by and check up on her." Piper says.

Phoebe nods, "Yeah, I was going to but..." Her phone rings. "Oh, that's work, I really have to go."

"I'll go for you. You know, I have no life and all." Paige says.

"Really? Oh, that would be great. Let me just find the, uh..." Phoebe says as she rummages through her purse and pulls out a card. "Here's her card." She hands it to Paige. "Thank you so much. Find out what she saw." She leaves.

"I'll go with Paige." Dawn says.

"Dawn." Buffy says. "You have…"

"No I don't." Dawn says. "Parent – Teacher conferences. Of which you are supposed to see my teacher today. Besides all were doing is finding out what the Gypsy lady saw. No demons involved in that."

Buffy sighs, "Okay."

Later at Madame Theresa's shop, the police are there. Dawn and Paige are outside.

Dawn dials a number on her phone and holds it so Paige can hear.

"Phoebe Halliwell." Phoebe says.

"Hey, Phoebe, it's Dawn. Paige and I are at the fortune tellers." Dawn says.

"Did Buffy say it was okay for you to go with Paige?" Phoebe asks.

"Yes, Phoebe. Since we were just going to ask her what she saw." Dawn says.

"Ok, what'd you two find out?" Phoebe asks.

"Nothing good unfortunately, sweetie, she's dead." Paige says.

"What?" Phoebe asks.

"Yeah, she was murdered last night and from what I can gather it seems demonic. She had her eyes gouged out." Paige says.

"I should've been able to prevent this." Phoebe says.

"How do you figure?" Dawn asks.

"Well, if my stupid powers had been working." Phoebe says.

"This is not your fault, Phoebe. Okay, if you were meant to stop Theresa's murder you would've had a premonition about this."

"Yeah Phoebe, if you were meant to save her. Wouldn't Buffy have gotten the premonition since your powers are on the fritz." Dawn says.

"I know, I know. " Phoebe says. "I can't."

"Can't what?" Paige asks.

"I'm swamped." Phoebe says.

"Swamped? But Phoebe, we have to find this demon and stop him." Paige says.

"Phoebe, hello?" Dawn asks.

"Uh, I'll meet you guys at home and we'll get right on it, okay." Phoebe says as she hangs up.

At the Manor Buffy, Piper and Leo are sitting on the couch watching the birthing video.

"Okay, see, I need an epidural just to watch this." Piper says.

"While I agree with the epidural. I disagree on the hospital." Buffy says.

"Why?" Piper asks.

"Because you know I hate hospitals." Buffy says.

"Okay, let's fast forward to the part where the parents get to meet the baby." Leo says as he fast forwards the tape with the remote control.

"At this point, the birthing partner will coach the mother's breathing." Narrator on the video says as the woman giving birth screams in agony.

Piper snatches the remote off of Leo. "Okay, give that to me." She mutes the TV. "Look, just tell me when the baby is out and all wiped off. But seriously though, I need a sterile hospital, magical baby or not, and medical people. Lots of professional medical people." She looks at Buffy. "Why do you hate hospitals? I remember when we had Arroyo fever you saying you hated hospitals."

Buffy sighs, "I'd rather not talk about it."

Dawn and Paige walk in and happen to look at the TV.

"Oh, gross, what are you guys watching? Is that some horror movie?" Paige asks.

"No, it's "The Joys Of Home Birthing". Strangely I'm not feeling the joy." Piper says.

"Neither am I." Buffy says.

"Well, I'm sorry to cut your entertainment short we are on demon duty now. Turns out Madame Theresa was murdered." Paige says.

"The fortune teller?" Piper asks.

Dawn nods, "Yeah, Paige checked with Darryl, it's the third in a string of gypsy killings, all of them have had their eyes gouged out." Buffy glares at Dawn. "I stayed out of the action, Buffy. I let Paige handle talking to Darryl. And now I will go start on my homework since you guys are talking demons." She turns and heads upstairs.

Piper sighs, "Ugh."

"Now that video doesn't seem so gruesome." Leo says.

Buffy shakes her head, "Ha! Speak for yourself."

Phoebe walks in. "Okay, let's go, people, I've gotta fit this vanquish in between two deadlines and three meetings. Leo, what did you find out about my powers? What's wrong with them?"

"Well, technically nothing, which means the disconnect is tied to your emotions." Leo says.

Paige nods, "I think it's a case of use them or lose them. Hey, you know, if he's after gypsies, we should stop by Theresa's funeral. I know where it is; maybe you or Buffy can get some sort of premonition that will help us find the demon."

"Wow, pre-natal yoga this morning and now you want to crash a stranger's funeral? You really do need friends." Piper says.

"You're mean." Paige says.

At Theresa's funeral, Lydia is saying the eulogy in Romanian. Buffy, Piper, Phoebe and Paige are standing nearby.

"Well, I don't know what she's saying but the symbolism's beautiful." Paige says.

Phoebe nods, "It is, it's really beautiful." Food and other items have been placed around Theresa's coffin. Someone adds to the pile. "Uh, don't you guys think Theresa looks a little crowded?"

"What I remember of Ms. Calendar's funeral it's custom for gypsies to send their loved ones off to the next life with things they might need." Buffy says.

"Okay, well, I need a cracker in this lifetime. Would it be bad if I grabbed that box of saltines?" Piper says.

"Probably." Phoebe says.

Buffy nods, "As much as I'm right there with ya Piper. They would find it severely disrespectful."

"May she join the choir invisible of those immortal dead. Who live again in minds made better by their presence?" Lydia says.

Phoebe's phone rings.

"Phoebe, enough with the work.' Paige says.

Phoebe stops the phone from ringing. The eulogy ends. A violinist starts playing.

"Well, go on, you two are not gonna get a premonition standing here. Put a little shoulder into it." Piper says.

"Okay." Phoebe says as Buffy gives her a push and she and Buffy walks through the crowd. "Hi, uh, excuse us, uh, pardon us, hi."

Lydia is talking to Eva. "Are you staying for the Pomona? I made stew."

"Aren't you worried about the gypsy hunter?" Eva asks.

"He won't attack in a crowd, which means you'll be safer here too." Lydia says.

"Please stop. I have no interest in staying, Aunt Lydia. This isn't my life. Please accept that. I have to get back to work." Eva says as she walks away.

"Eva. Eva, wait." Lydia says as she starts to follow Eva. Phoebe bumps into Lydia and has a premonition of the gypsy hunter stealing Lydia's eyes. "I'm sorry, are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." Phoebe says as she looks at Buffy.

Buffy smiles and takes Lydia's hand, "Our condolences."

"Thank you." Lydia says as she walks away.

Piper and Paige walk up to Phoebe and Buffy.

"Did either of you get anything?" Piper asks.

Buffy shakes her head, "Big fat zero."

"Uh, kinda, just bits and pieces," Phoebe says.

"Well, it's better than nothing. What'd you see?" Paige says.

"I saw candles and lanterns and Theresa in her coffin." Phoebe says.

Piper nods, "Okay, well, you don't need a premonition for that. Anything else?"

"That woman, her eyes," Phoebe says.

"Right." Buffy says as they follow Lydia.

Lydia runs through rows of wood stacked into piles. "Eva? Eva!"

"Nice funeral." A voice echoes. "Very touching. Will there be any Shuvanis left to throw you yours?"

The gypsy hunter appears behind her.

Lydia spins around. "Waffediyok!" Her eyes turn green and green light shoots out of them hitting the ground. A dust storm forms around the gypsy hunter and he groans and covers his face. He shoots a red beam of light at Lydia and knocks her to the ground. The dust storm settles.

"You're the one." Gypsy Hunter says.

Two red beams of light shoot out of both his hands and into Lydia's eyes. Buffy, Piper, Phoebe and Paige run around the corner.

"Hey!" Piper says as she tries to blow him up but instead sends him flying onto a pile of wood. "He was supposed to blow up. Why did he not blow up?"

They hear Lydia groaning and they run over to her. The gypsy hunter stands on top of the wood pile looking down at them.

"Uh, not good, we've gotta get outta here." Paige says.

The gypsy hunter shoots the red beams of light at them and Buffy flames out as Paige orbs the others out just in time.

Back at the Manor Lydia is lying on the couch while Leo heals her eyes. "Thank you. I have to go." She gets up.

"Wait, you don't have to be afraid." Paige says.

Lydia shakes her head, "I'm not afraid of you. We come from sister traditions, witches and gypsies. I appreciate everything you have done but I have to go."

"But there's a demon after you." Piper says.

"I'm not the only one he's after." Lydia says as she heads for the door.

"Wait, clearly you have powers but we face demons all the time. Will you please at least tell us what you know?" Paige says.

"Maybe we're supposed to help." Phoebe says.

Lydia stops and turns back towards them. "Perhaps. Years ago my tribe threw a curse on a gypsy hunter named Oren. Blinding him so he no longer had the power to spot our people."

"The demon we saw wasn't blind." Buffy says.

Lydia nods, "That was Oren's son, Cree. I think he's killing Shuvanis in the name of his father."

"Shuvanis?" Piper asks.

"Yeah, that's their form of a high priestess." Buffy says and they look towards her. "I learned what I could of Jenny's people after Angelus killed her."

"Jenny?" Lydia asks.

"Janna Kalderash." Buffy says.

Lydia nods, "I know of the Kalderash family, but I was not aware there was any in San Francisco."

"She passed away a couple years ago." Buffy says.

Lydia nods, "My condolences."

Phoebe's phone rings. She ignores it.

"Anyways my niece, Eva, she's a Shuvani too only she's rejected her magic which is leading her defenseless." Lydia says.

"Well, can't you curse Cree like you did his father?" Leo asks.

Lydia shakes her head, "There aren't enough Shuvanis left in the family to pool our power and because Eva chooses not to believe anymore, she won't listen to me."

"Maybe we can help?" Paige asks.

The phone rings.

"Okay, I'll take care of that." Phoebe says as she goes into the living room.

"Sometimes it's easier to hear the truth from a stranger than it is to hear from family." Paige says.

"Her name is Eva Niccolli. She's a doctor at San Francisco Memorial." Lydia says.

"OB/GYN by any chance?" Piper asks.

Buffy rolls her eyes, "Piper wants to give birth to her baby in a hospital. Problem is if she does that she needs someone who knows of the magical world."

Lydia nods in understanding, "No, she's a surgeon."

"Ugh, close enough. I'll go." Piper says.

"Why you?" Paige asks.

"Because I am done with this nauseousness and I can fight off Cree if he attacks, so either you're orbing or I'm driving. In fact it wouldn't hurt if you saw a Doctor also, Buffy." Piper says standing up and grabbing her coat.

Buffy frowns, "Piper you know how I hate hospitals." Piper glares at her. "Alright." She gets up and grabs her coat also. "If Dawn gets home before we get back make sure she starts her homework."

Leo orbs out with Buffy and Piper.

Later in the maternity ward of San Francisco Memorial. Buffy and Piper are watching a nurse hand new parents their newborn baby. Leo walks around the corner and puts his arm around Piper.

"They even teach them to swaddle." Piper says.

"Yeah. You know if it weren't for the fact I hate hospitals I would reconsider the home birth thing." Buffy says.

"Come on, we have to find Eva." Leo says.

They turn to leave and Piper holds her stomach. "Ooh, I need to find some help. Leo, I do not feel well." She sits down. "And I don't think this is normal. I need a doctor, a real doctor."

"Well, what happens when they check the security camera to find out why the sonogram machine blew up like it did with Phoebe's baby." Leo says.

"Phoebe's baby was a demon, ours is an angel for crying out loud." Piper says.

"I'll get those right away for you, Dr. Niccolli." Bill says.

"Thanks, Bill." Eva says as she walks around the corner and past Buffy, Piper and Leo.

"Eva?" Buffy says as Eva looks at them. Buffy, Leo and Piper stands up. "Wait."

"Do I know you?" Eva asks.

"Uh, no, you don't, but we kind of know you. We're friends of your Aunt Lydia." Piper says.

"Is something wrong?" Eva asks.

Buffy nods, "Yeah, there kinda is. See, there's this gypsy hunter..."

"Oh, please. I-I don't mean to be rude, you guys look like normal people. My Aunt Lydia, she's just very superstitious and she shouldn't be sending you here to..." Eva says.

"She's afraid for you. People are dying." Leo says.

"Look around you, that's why I'm here. I save lives using medicine, not magic." Eva says.

Piper shakes her head, "But magic is a part of who you are."

"No, relying on magic is what killed my mom." Eva says.

Buffy sighs, "Oh, uh, Eva, Piper and I know what it's like to lose your mom, believe me, we do. But still, you can't deny who you are."

A voice comes over the intercom. "Dr. Niccolli, Dr. Niccolli to the emergency room, stat."

"I've gotta go." Eva says as she walks off.

"Wh- Great, now what do we do?" Piper asks.

"We try again." Leo says as Piper covers her mouth and holds her stomach. "Are you okay?"

"No, I am not. Doctor, any doctor, now." Piper says.

A short time later in a hospital room a doctor is drawing blood from Piper's arm. "I wouldn't worry too much, some women a nauseous through their whole pregnancy. It's perfectly normal."

Piper nods, "Yeah, I just... First time mom and aunt, wanted to make sure."

The doctor nods as he pulls the needle out of Piper's arm and Piper magically heals as the doctor turns back. "Oh."

"Fast healer." Leo says.

The doctor nods and then moves to draw blood from Buffy.

"Um, I'm getting paged." Leo says as the doctor gives him a look. "It's, uh, it's on vibrate." He pats his pocket.

"Don't you want to see who it is?" the doctor asks.

"Well, it's their sisters; they're the only ones with the number, so... Buffy, Piper, I think we should hurry up." Leo says.

Piper nods, "Mm-hm."

"Almost done." The Doctor says as he pulls the needle out and slaps a band-aid on her arm.

"Thanks." Leo says as he grabs Piper's hand.

"Yeah." Piper says.

Buffy simply nods as they rush out of the room.

At a car park Phoebe and Paige are waiting there as Buffy, Piper and Leo orb in.

"Where's Eva?" Paige asks.

"She's in surgery. What are you guys doing here?" Leo says.

Paige sighs, "We're trying to find Lydia, she ran out on us."

"She's after Cree." Phoebe says as they hear a scream and run in the direction of it.

Nearby Lydia gets up off the floor.

"Surprised to see me again?" Cree asks.

"Hardly." Lydia says as her eyes turn green and they shoot green beams of light at Cree. It doesn't harm him.

"This time I was ready for you." Cree says.

Lydia pulls out the vial of potion but before she can throw it, red beams of light shoots out of Cree's eyes an into Lydia's. She screams and drops the potion. Buffy, Piper, Phoebe, Paige and Leo come running around a corner.

"Lydia!" Phoebe says.

Cree turns to them. Lydia drops to the ground. Phoebe throws the potion at Cree and vanquishes him. They run over to Lydia. Leo tries to her her but can't. He looks at the girls.

They walk back into the hospital and wait for Eva.

Eva is standing near reception. A covered body is wheeled down the corridor. Eva looks at Piper and Buffy, who looks back sympathetic. "No." She rushes to the body. "Aunt Lydia?" She starts to cry. "Oh my god." They wheel the body off. "Oh my god."

Buffy and Piper rushes over to Eva. "Come on, sit down," Piper says.

They all walk around the corner and Eva sits down on a chair. Piper hands her a tissue. "I saw... She came to me. Mulo."

"Mulo?" Paige asks.

"The living dead." Buffy says.

Eva nods, "I never believed in it before."

"It's okay, just tell us what happened." Piper says.

"It was a code blue. My patient, she died... and then it was Aunt Lydia. Nobody else saw. I thought I was going crazy." Eva says.

"I am so sorry." Phoebe says.

Eva shakes her head, "No, it's my fault. She tried to warn me this morning, I didn't believe her.

Buffy shakes her head, "No, it's not your fault. You had your reasons to be skeptical. Was she trying to tell you something?"

"I don't know, I don't remember much. I do know a Mulo is a bad omen. It means that something horrible is about to happen." Eva says.

"Well, it shouldn't, we vanquished Cree." Paige says.

"What about Oren?" Piper asks.

Eva nods, "It has to be him. I mean, that's what she was trying to tell me. She was trying to warn me again. My Romanian is weak but I think she was saying something about him trying to take her power away."

"Well, how can he take her power now that she's..." Paige says.

Eva shakes her head, "I don't know. I wish I knew what Waffediyok meant. She kept saying that."

They look to Buffy who shakes her head. "It wasn't in the stuff I learned after Jenny's death."

"Jenny?" Eva asks.

Buffy nods, "Janna Kalderash."

"I knew Janna Kalderash. She was a friend of mine till she died three years ago." Eva says. "You're Buffy? The Slayer?"

Buffy nods. "Yes."

Eva smiles, "She talked about you how she regretted what happened."

"I know." Buffy says.

"We should go to Lydia's apartment." Paige says. "Maybe Buffy or Phoebe could get a prem..."

Phoebe shakes her head, "No. We need more vanquishing potion. I'm gonna go back to the house and try to remember what she used."

"But Phoebe, we could really use your power." Paige says.

Phoebe nods, "Yeah, I know, Paige, I know. But right now you are going to have to rely on Buffy for that power." She looks to Leo. "Can you take me home?"

Leo nods, "Sure." He and Phoebe leave around the corner.

"What should we do now?" Paige asks.

"Theresa would know." Eva says.

Later at Theresa's apartment, Eva drapes a black veil over a photo of Madame Theresa and Lydia. "Gypsy custom. Covering the photos of the dead."

"I didn't know that." Buffy says. "But it looks like you're remembering more and more of those customs."

"Nobody knew more about them than Theresa. She was like the holy woman of the tribe. She always made sure that traditions were passed down from mother to daughter. My mom tried to pass them down to me but I wouldn't listen." Eva says.

Paige finds an antique chest in a cupboard and pulls it out. "Look at this, it's so beautiful."

"Let me see that." Eva says as she walks over to Paige. "It was my mother's." She takes the chest and sits down on the couch with it. "I can't believe Theresa kept it."

"Yeah, well, maybe she was just saving it for a special kind of day." Paige says.

Eva smiles, "My mother called it her treasure chest. It's where she kept precious things." She opens the box and pulls out a photo.

"Is that you and your mom?" Piper asks.

Eva nods as she starts to cry. "She made us matching dresses for Christmas. She worked so hard to finish them in time."

"I know it's hard. My mom died ten years ago and there's still a lot of boxes that I can't open." Paige says.

"Mine died four years ago. And like Paige there are still a lot of boxes I can't open either." Buffy says.

Eva pulls out a book and opens it. "Um, these are recipes and herbal remedies, gypsy spells."

"Mm-hm. Maybe it's not too late to learn after all." Piper says. "And I think I know someone who might be able to help you learn it."

"Who?" Eva asks.

"Willow. She's a friend of mine. She is a witch. She was actually closer to Jenny than I was. When Jenny passed away she went through all of Jenny's stuff. She likely knows more about gypsy rituals and magic than I do." Buffy says.

Paige pulls out a necklace. "Look at this; it looks like Lydia's locket."

"That's our family talisman, the evil eye." Eva says.

"Your family symbol is evil?" Piper asks.

Eva smiles, "Only to those who it wishes harm. Many feared the evil eye but our family was said to be protected by it. The folklore said that the keeper of the eye could use it to magnify or channel her powers."

"I don't think this is folklore. Look at this inscription." Paige says as she shows Eva the back of the necklace.

"Waffediyok. That's the evil eye." Eva says.

"I think Lydia was the keeper. I think she conjured up that dust storm and I think this is what Cree was after." Paige says.

"So he wasn't taking Shuvanis eyes just out of revenge. He wanted the evil eye." Piper says.

Eva nods, "And Oren still wants it."

In the kitchen at the Manor Phoebe is making the potion. While Leo is on the phone with Piper. "Okay, Piper, just be careful." He hangs up. "They're going to the morgue."

Phoebe throws in some turmeric and the potion explodes. "Done. Can you pass me the ice?"

"Sure." Leo says as he hands her a container of ice. "Maybe we should follow them, see if you can get a premonition."

"It was my sorry excuse for a premonition that put Lydia in the morgue in the first place." Phoebe says. "Let Buffy handle the premonitions for now."

Leo sighs, "Phoebe, we lose innocents; it's not your fault. I think if anyone's to blame, it's Cole."

"What? He's out of town. For the first time he's actually not plaguing my life." Phoebe says.

"Which is what gave you the time to find out something was wrong with your powers to begin with. You dove into your work originally to escape the pain and you dealt with it fine, but you haven't slowed down. You went from one obsession to another." Leo says.

The phone rings. The machine gets it.

"Phoebe, it's Elise! Where are you?! Phoebe?" Elise says.

Phoebe races over and picks up the phone. "Elise? Okay, just listen to me for a second, okay? Look, I'm sorry but I have a major family emergency."

"More important than your career?" Elise asks.

Phoebe shakes her head, "Well, yeah, of course my career is important to me but my family is more important."

"Get your butt in here now!" Elise says.

Leo hangs up on her.

"Thank you." Phoebe says.

Leo smiles, "You're welcome."

Buffy, Piper, Paige and Eva orb in.

"We were too late, Oren got the evil eye." Piper says.

"The evil eye?" Phoebe asks.

Paige nods, "Yeah, Lydia's eyes have the power."

"That's what she was trying to tell me." Eva says as she holds out the necklace.

"Wait, I hope you have that potion ready 'cause we're gonna need it big time." Paige says as she takes the necklace and gasps. She moves backward. "Phoebe, are you okay?"

Phoebe reaches out. "Premonition. Major premonition. I'm in the future."

Buffy moves towards Phoebe but Leo stops her.

"Let her go." Leo says.

In Phoebe's premonition she is looking through her owns eyes. She sees Buffy, Piper and Leo looking at both Books of Shadows. Oren appears and Piper throws the potion at him. Oren catches the potion and destroys it. Oren shoots a green beam of light at Buffy and Piper and burns a hole in their chests. Leo lunges for Oren, Oren grabs Leo's neck and twists it. Oren stares at Phoebe and shoots the beam of light at her. The premonition ends and Phoebe falls back with a burnt hole in her chest. She looks at her wound and then drops to the floor.

Leo runs over to her and starts healing her. Phoebe wakes up. "It's okay, it's okay."

Phoebe sits up.

"What did you see?" Buffy asks.

Moments later they are in the conservatory. Phoebe has been explaining what she has seen. "It's been so long that my powers advanced. And boy did they advance."

"To the point where they almost got you killed." Leo says.

"I hope mine don't advance like that. I don't want to have a premonition and it kills me." Buffy says.

"I don't get it. How can you be at risk in the present when you're witnessing a future event?" Piper says.

"All I know is it felt like I was in two places at once. Almost as if I astral projected into my future self." Phoebe says.

"Okay, it's really great that your powers have advanced and we'll talk about that later, right after we make sure there is a later." Paige says.

"Now that Oren has the evil eye, I'd say our best chances of survival are to run and hide." Eva says.

"You said the vanquishing potion had no effect?" Buffy asks.

Phoebe shakes her head, "He didn't even flinch."

"So your new and improved premonitions are just a more vivid way of telling us that we're screwed?" Piper asks.

"Well, the premonitions may have changed but the reason behind getting them hasn't. I mean, they show us the future so that we can change the outcome." Phoebe says.

"But how?" Eva asks.

Moments later they walk into the attic.

"Isn't it a bit suicidal to be walking into the room Phoebe seen us die in?" Buffy asks.

"Yes, except we have something Phoebe's premonition didn't. We have Eva." Paige says.

"How am I supposed to make a difference?" Eva asks.

"Well, in the premonition witchcraft alone wasn't enough to vanquish Oren, but we think witchcraft plus gypsy magic will be." Paige says.

"And for someone who's actually seen what gypsy magic can do. I think Paige is on to something." Buffy says.

"But I don't know any gypsy magic." Eva says.

"Well, you have it inside you, you were born with it. Why else would you have received your Aunt's warning?" Phoebe asks.

"Even if you're right, I can't defeat Oren on my own." Eva says.

Paige shakes her head, "You won't need to, you can just call upon your ancestors." Paige turns to a spell in the Charmed Book Of Shadows. "Here's a spell we've used before, just substitute those names for those of your gypsy family members."

"Um, okay. Here goes. "Niccolli gypsies stand strong beside me..." Eva says as Oren appears behind them.

Piper turns around and throws the potion at him. He catches the potion and destroys it. "Keep saying the spell."

Buffy powers up a fireball and throws it.

"Marina, Theresa, Lydia..." Eva says.

Oren shoots a green beam of light at Piper and burns a hole through her chest as Buffy's fireball hits him forcing him to stumble back a couple feet.

"Niccolli gypsies stand strong beside us, vanquish this evil from time and space." Eva, Paige and Phoebe say as Leo runs over to Oren, Oren grabs Leo and twists his neck. He throws him across the room. "Niccolli gypsies stand strong beside us, vanquish this evil from time and space." Buffy powers up another fireball throwing it at Oren. "Niccolli gypsies stand strong beside us, vanquish this evil from time and space." Niccolli spirits fly around them as the fireball hits Oren again and he stumbles back again. "Niccolli gypsies stand strong beside us, vanquish this evil from time and space."

Oren shoots green beams of light at the girls but the spirits shield them. The beams of light are reflected back at Oren and it vanquishes him. The spirits disappear.

"Piper." Phoebe and Buffy says as they race over to Piper.

Leo heals Piper and she gets up.

Eva starts to cry.

"You did it." Paige says.

"My mother. She was here. I felt her." Eva says.

Two days later at a gypsy encampment. People are waiting outside a small building, including Dawn, Buffy, Piper and Phoebe. The door opens and Eva walks out with her stethoscope around her neck.

"Who's next?" Eva asks.

"We are!" Piper says as a pregnant woman beside her gives her a look. "Well, not really but we'll make it super quick." They go to Eva. "Hey, how you doing?"

"Fine. Hectic. I can only make it here after my hospital shift." Eva says.

"Hectic is good, just as long as it's not too hectic." Phoebe says.

Eva nods, "Well, I think I have my priorities in order. And helping out gypsies who don't have health care is definitely one of them."

"Good for you." Buffy says.

Paige walks out holding a chart. "Eva, did Mrs. Vasila get her tetanus shot?"

"Paige?" Piper asks.

"Hey, guys!" Paige says.

"Hey, Paige." Dawn says.

"What are you doing?" Piper asks.

"Oh, you know, just pitching in, helping out. Did I ever mention that I..." Paige says.

"Have no life. Yeah." Piper, Phoebe, Buffy and Dawn says.

Eva smiles, "Paige has been great. Quick starter too."

"You should see all the folk remedies the gypsies have. Some of them are even better than western medicine." Paige says.

"Really? Any of them help with my nauseousness?" Piper asks.

Phoebe smiles, "Well, it's funny you should ask."

Phoebe pulls Piper towards the door as Dawn pulls Buffy towards the door.

"W-Where are you going?" Piper asks.

"You and Buffy don't want to be late for your appointments now, do you?" Dawn asks.

"What appointment?" Buffy asks, confused.

"Your appointment with Eva. Meet your new doctor." Phoebe says.

"O-O-Oh..." Piper says, laughing.

Paige nods, "She's also gonna teach Phoebe, Dawn and I how to be your midwives."

"Midwives? No! See, 'cause I'm not having this thing naturally." Phoebe makes breathing noises. Piper tries to cover her mouth. "No. I need lots and lots of western medicine."

Paige and Eva laugh.

Buffy looks at Dawn, "Really?"

Dawn nods, "Really. I want to help bring my little niece into the world."

Buffy smiles and hugs Dawn. "You're giving me the best of both worlds. A doctor for regular checkups without the hospital stay. Do you know how much I love you right now, Dawnie?"

Dawn smiles, "A lot I know."

"Piper, you know, I trusted you to carry on my heritage, now you can trust me to carry on yours and Buffy's." Eva says as she takes both Piper and Buffy to the door.

Piper points at her sisters and laughs. She, Buffy and Eva go inside and Eva closes the door.


	116. Chapter 116: No Place Like Home

**Chapter 116: No Place Like Home**

Buffy goes comes flying back and slams hard against the fence, the breath knocked out of her. She ducks - narrowly avoiding a massive fist as it rams into the sign, denting it.

Buffy stands squared off against a big hairy biker vamp wearing a leather jacket, chains and boots.

"I've always wanted to kill the Slayer." Biker vamp says.

"And I've always wanted piano lessons. So really, who's surprised we have all this unexpressed rage?" Buffy says as the Biker vamp lunges. Buffy neatly sidesteps him. And when he turns to face her, she greets him with three rapid-fire punches to the face. "But honestly? I think I'm expressing mine better. Tell you what." The Vamp punches. Buffy blocks it. And holds him there.

"You go find yourself a good anger management class..." Buffy says as she whips a stake out from behind her back. "And I'll jam this pokey wood stick through your heart." She stakes him. Poof! Dusted. Buffy slips the stake back under her jacket, walking away. "Think that sets the world speed record for closure."

And suddenly a bright light shines in Buffy's face. She stops, blinks, shielding her eyes.

"Hey!" The light shining on Buffy's is a nightwatchman's flashlight. He's no hardass - just a guy doing his job. "If you're looking for one of those rave parties, you're late. Chased a bunch of kids outta here last night."

"Oh. Yeah, darn, and my fellow ravers will be so disappointed." Buffy says. "My turn to bring bunt cake."

"If it was my call, I'd let you do what you want. Not like anybody's using the place. But, they don't pay us enough to argue with the boss, so..." Nightwatchman says and he gestures "out" with the flashlight.

"I'm already gone." Buffy says as she walks away.

The Nightwatchman calls after her. "Hold it!" Buffy stops, turns. "Take your... whatever this is with you." He reaches down, picking up a softball-sized, gently glowing orb. Hands it to Buffy, who examines it curiously.

"Right. Thanks." Buffy says.

"Glow balls." Nightwatchman says, laughing. "I just don't get your generation. I mean, what is that thing?"

Buffy walks away from the Nightwatchman, "I'll let you know when I find out."

The next morning Buffy readies a breakfast tray for Paige. French toast. Juice. Coffee. Buffy selects one flower from a bunch, places the single stem in a thin vase. Turns to get a cup. Dawn enters, yawning and scratching. Checks out the tray.

Buffy speaks without looking. "Dawn! Touch nothing."

"Who died and made you the Iron Chef?" Dawn asks as she spots the flowers, starts trying to jam two or three more into the vase.

"Look: Paige's sick, I made her a nice, non-instant breakfast, and I don't want you..." Buffy says.

Dawn keeps jamming the flowers in - tipping the vase, spilling water all over the tray. "Oops."

"...doing that." Buffy says.

Paige enters the kitchen, still in her bathrobe, looking a bit rumpled. "Morning, guys. Who's the food for?"

"You," Buffy says. "Piper said you weren't feeling good so I thought what better way to make you feel better."

Paige smiles, "Thanks."

"So did you find out what's wrong?" Buffy asks.

Paige nods, "Just a case of the flu. No biggy. Wait - what are you two hanging around here for? Isn't this Giles' big day?"

"Bigger than big. It's his "Grand Opening" day." Buffy says.

"So, go! Bring me back a, I don't know, flying broomstick or something." Paige says and laughs.

"Those never really work." Dawn says.

Buffy shakes her head, "I have so much to teach you, Dawn. You know when I finally start."

"What?" Dawn asks.

"Do you remember the Halloween Prue, Piper, Phoebe and I went back to the 1600's?" Buffy asks as Dawn nods. "Phoebe actually flew on a broomstick."

"Wow, really?" Dawn asks.

Buffy nods, "Yeah. Prue teased her about it afterwards. Saying Phoebe was the reason behind the flying hag depiction. And of course you can blame me for the P name tradition."

"How?" Paige asks.

Dawn smiles, this was one thing she did know about that trip, "Our great, great, great, something or other great, grandmother Charlotte Warren. Melinda Warren's mother named Melinda after Buffy."

"How?" Paige asks again. "Her name is Melinda Warren not Buffy or Payson."

Dawn laughs, "Actually her name was Melinda Payson Warren."

"Really?" Paige asks, shocked.

Buffy nods, "Really. Well you take it easy. Feet up, plenty of Oprah."

Later at the Magic Box… Ding-Ding! The little bell over the door jingles as Buffy enters. She stops, impressed. Takes a look around. She sees the place is fully set up. Mystical volumes, exotic bottles, skulls and bones and a wide variety of other magical paraphernalia all stand neatly stacked on display. A few things marked "On Sale!"

And in the center of it all stands Giles. Proudly dressed in a purple pointy wizard's hat and cloak, adorned with little yellow stars and crescents.

Buffy looks at Giles.

Giles looks at Buffy and he quietly removes the hat and cloak, setting them aside behind the counter.

Ding-Ding! The bell rings again. Dawn rushes in, breathless.

"Told you you couldn't ditch me." Dawn says as Buffy smiles. She looks around. "Whoa, Giles, this place is so, wow, I mean... check out everything! When's it open? You know, for customers."

"Since nine this morning, actually," Giles says.

"Go. Browse. And..." Buffy says.

Dawn nods, "Yeah I know I break it I bought it. You know you could quiz me on this stuff later though."

Buffy glares at Dawn who turns to browse. Dawn was right though she could quiz her later. But that also meant she was going to start Dawn's training and she still wasn't sure if Dawn was ready or not. She turns and heads with Giles over to the counter.

"Not to worry. I have a very good feeling about this place. Magic's a small niche market, but think about it: San Francisco. Monsters. Supply. Demand. Be lines around the block in no time."

"Oh yeah. Money, hand over fist. Besides you have your first recurring customer's right here. Two-fifths of the Charmed Ones. You know you will get a lot of money out of us. Which, I guess is a good thing." Buffy says.

"Buffy, are you all right? You seem distracted." Giles says.

Buffy nods, "Slayer-wise, I'm tip-top. Paige has the flu bug."

"She is getting medical attention?" Giles asks.

"Oh yeah. She got her flu shot and medicines to help with making her feel better till she gets over it." Buffy says.

Ding-Ding! The bell again. Riley and Willow walk through the door this time.

"Giles! Where's your hat and cloak?" Willow asks.

"The hype was out of control." Riley says.

"Willow! You gotta see this, they have the coolest talismen. Mans. Talis-guys..." Dawn says as she glares at Buffy.

"Actually, I've got a little Charmed or Scooby-centric deal to deal with first. Piper found nothing in the book." Buffy says as she reaches into her knapsack and produces the orb the nighwatchman gave her. She puts it on the counter. The group gathers 'round. "I put it before the group... What the hell is this?"

"Appears to be paranormal in origin." Giles says.

"How can you tell?" Willow asks.

"Well, it's so shiny." Giles says.

Buffy nods, "Found it on patrol."

"May be more where that came from. I say we go back out again tonight." Riley says.

"Uh... sure." Buffy says.

"You can't patrol. Buffy said." Dawn says.

Buffy shakes her head, "No I didn't."

"Yeah, remember? It'd be easier if you didn't have to look out for anybody...? It's the same reason you gave me saying I couldn't patrol till you finished my training." Dawn says.

"Yeah, but I wasn't talking about..." Buffy says.

Riley shakes his head, "Don't worry about it."

"She just said you look even cuter when you're all weak and kitteny, and she better go solo or you'd get hurt. So welcome to the club, she'll never let me go either till I'm trained, and she won't train me." Dawn says.

"Giles, you got that danger room set up out back? I'm feeling the need for a little physical re-hab about now." Riley says.

Giles nods, "Of course. This way. If any customers do show up..."

"On it." Willow says.

"We're going." Buffy says looking to Dawn as she starts to leave.

Willow calls her back. They speak privately as Dawn lingers by the door. "Buffy, wait. Go easy on her."

"Why?" Buffy asks.

"I can't help it. I have all this involuntary empathy for Dawn, 'cause she's, you know, a big spaz." Willow says.

"Yeah but she's so annoying." Buffy says.

"I can tell you, Dawn's not just the youngest. She's the baby." Willow says. "I know sort of how she feels. Remember I'm the baby now, too."

Buffy sighs and nods, "Your right Will. Talking about that how's Faith? I've been meaning to go visit her."

Willow smiles, "She's doing great. They're talking about releasing her a year early."

"That's good news." Buffy says. "I know you're ready to get to know your big sister."

Back at the Manor, Buffy and Dawn come in the front door. The sound of the TV can be heard coming from the living room.

"So did I get any right?" Dawn asks. Buffy had broken down and on the way home she had quizzed Dawn about some of the things in the shop.

"Shh. Paige?" Buffy says and receives no answer. "Paige!"

They walk into the living room to find Paige lying on the couch, looking bad. Dawn rushes to her side as Buffy clicks the TV off, ending the noise.

"What's wrong?" Dawn asks before she sees the bucket beside the couch.

"This flu bug is just…" Paige says. "Buffy could I get you to do me a favor?"

"Sure." Buffy says.

"I just need my prescription. Please, I forgot to fill it." Paige says.

Buffy nods, "Sure. Hospital pharmacy open?" Paige nods. "Ten minutes." She flames out.

At San Francisco Memorial, Buffy bursts out of a door marked "PHARMACY." Examining the fine print on the orange plastic bottle as she walks up the hallway, barely noticing the gurney wheeling in the entrance, coming her way. The gurney's pushed by a three-person medical team, led by Ben.

The patient on the gurney suddenly convulses violently. Ben tries holding him down, but even using all his strength, it's not happening. "I don't belong here! I have important instructions! Fascists!"

"Okay, now you're hurting the nice intern who's here to help you." Ben says. "Could we get a doctor here? We need nine ccs of phenobarbital in this guy now."

Buffy calmly, efficiently strides to Ben's side, and with one Slayer-strength hand, holds the patient down.

"Or not. Let's strap him." Ben says. "For your own good, promise." He looks to Buffy. "Not to be rampantly sexist in the workplace but, you've got some serious muscles for a girl.

"Oh. Um..." Buffy says and she backs off immediately. The interns nearly have the patient controlled.

"Radioactive spider bite?" Ben asks.

Buffy smiles, "How'd you guess?"

"I'm a doctor. Well, almost." Ben says.

"HEY!" Buffy says as the patient suddenly grabs Buffy's wrist. The one holding the prescription bottle. He roughly jerks the bottle to his face, as if reading the prescription.

"Doesn't even help, doesn't make a damn bit of difference." The patient says.

Buffy starts to pull her hand back, then stops. Looks at the guy. It's the nightwatchman that gave her the orb. He's insane. "I've met this guy. He's not crazy."

"If you say so..." Ben says.

The Nightwatchman tightens his grip on Buffy's arm. Stares at the bottle, at her. "They're coming at you. Don't think you're above it, missy! They come through the family... They get to... your family..." He lets go of her wrist.

Buffy pulls back, dropping the prescription bottle. Shaken. "What do you mean?"

"Let's get him in exam one. Now would be nice." Ben says.

The interns wheel the Nightwatchman away. He's still looking back at Buffy, laughing now, his head twisted back at a painful angle. Then he's gone. Buffy's still stunned.

"Sorry about that. Here." Ben says as he picks up the fallen bottle, holds it out to Buffy. She takes it and looks at the bottle then at where the Nightwatchman was.

At the Magic Box, Giles neatly folds over the top of a brown paper bag, and hand it back to his first customers. "Thank you for choosing to shop at The Magic Box. And please, do come again." He remains the very picture of the professional shopkeeper until the customers leave. Then he turns to Willow, beaming. "Did you see? Customers! Real live customers! They came in, and I gave them things, and they gave me money and then they left! It's brilliant!"

Willow, studying a thick book with the Orb beside her, doesn't bother to look up. "Congratulations, you're now an official capitalist running dog. But I gotta tell you - on the Orbular front?" She closes the book with a sigh. "We're kind of batting zero."

Ding-Ding! More customers enter. And with them, Anya."

We'll just have to keep at it, then." Giles says as he slips back into his professional demeanor, "If there's anything you need help with, just let me know."

"Your conjuring powder's grotesquely overpriced." Anya says.

Giles eyes the customers, who heard that. "Anya..."

"I'm sorry. But I'm nearly out of money. I've never had to "afford" things before and it's making me bitter." Anya says.

"And the change is palpable. That stuff doesn't come cheap." Giles says.

"Well you're getting ripped off. I can hook you up direct with the troll that sheds it..." Anya says.

Buffy enters through front door and makes a beeline for Giles, "Giles. I have an idea what's making Paige sick. It may not be the flu after all."

"You've spoken with her doctors?" Giles asks.

"They just keep telling her it's the flu. This illness she has it's supernatural." Buffy says as she picks up the Orb. "The Nightwatchman who found this thing went crazy. Like, overnight. Something made him that way."

Willow, Giles and Anya all take one giant step back away from the Orb.

"Let's not taunt the Happy Fun Ball." Willow says.

Buffy shakes her head, "This won't hurt us, I had it on me all night. But this guy. Giles, he saw things. Said things."

"Such as...?" Giles asks.

"They'll come at me through my family." Buffy says.

Giles frowns, "Who will?"

"I don't know. Yet. But whatever touched this guy made him see through what the rest of us are seeing. He knew. Someone's hurting Paige, and they're trying to get to me." Buffy says.

Giles nods, "It's possible not all demons will go after you because you're a Charmed One, but because you're the Slayer, but still. A madman's ramblings are not much to go on."

"It's a start. We have to find out who's making Paige sick." Buffy says as she pulls a book off a shelf.

"Then what?" Willow asks.

"I hunt them. Find them. And kill them." Buffy says.

An hour later, Willow behind the counter is studying beside Buffy.

A customer interrupts Willow, shoving an impossible-to-wrap hourglass in her face. "Do you giftwrap?"

"Do we!" Willow says, eager. "Do we? We do. Little help..."

The Magic Box is finally booming with business. Customers are everywhere. And in the center of it all, trying to be helpful, is Giles - grin pasted to his face. Mild shock. "No, it's the ground cloven hooves that are thirty percent off - whole hooves, full price.

Xander enters, gets a load of the bedlam before he sees Giles.

"That's um, not candy..." Giles says. "Xander. There's, there's too many of them. People. And they all seem to want things."

"I hear you. Stay British, you'll be okay." Xander says as he heads for Buffy, Willow and Anya, shaking his head. "The thousand-yard stare. Damn. You hate to see it on any man, but especially in retail."

Anya rings up a purchase as she addresses the customer. "Please go."

"Anya, the Shopkeepers Union of America called? They want me to tell you "please go" just got replaced with "have a nice day."" Xander says.

Anya looks to Xander with confusion, "I have their money. Who cares what kind of day they have?"

"No one. It's a long cultural tradition of raging insincerity. Embrace it." Xander says, smiling.

Anya nods as she yells at the customer who's nearly out the door. "Hey! You! Have a nice day."

Xander smiles, "There's my girl." He joins Buffy in her quiet corner of solitude. She's ignoring all around her, immersed in studying a big book. "You ever thought in a million years you'd miss the high school library?"

"Someone put a spell on Paige. Something to make her look like she's sick." Buffy says.

"That's a new kind of nasty. Any suspects?" Xander says.

Buffy nods, "Got the list narrowed down to just under infinity."

Willow holds up a horribly giftwrapped hourglass. "Does this look right to you?"

Anya takes the item, starts re-wrapping it as she speaks. "Sure, if you wrapped it with your feet. You know Buffy, there used to be this French sorcerer, back in the sixteen-I-don't-know-what's, named..."

"Cloutier?" Giles asks.

Anay nods, "So cute in his little knickers but he had this one spell demons just hated, called "Tirer la Couture.""

"Rotate many foodstuffs?" Buffy asks.

"Pull the curtain back." Willow says.

"Have I mentioned how I hate these spells that are written in Latin?" Buffy asks.

"A spell to see spells. Well, a trance to see spells, but, you get the idea. Try that." Anya says.

"What do you mean, "see spells?"" Buffy asks.

"All spells leave some trace signature; they're just not perceptible to the human eye. In this case, it could be the image of a hand choking Paige." Giles says.

"A cloud of mist around her..." Anya says.

"Or maybe the shape of the demon who's performing the spell?" Willow asks.

Giles nods, "Possibly. You'll have to take a mental picture. Cameras won't see or capture the image."

Anya holds up the perfectly-wrapped gift, hands it to a waiting customer. "And that's thirty-two even."

"Okay. So I'll just do what the Monsieur Silk Knickers did. Go home, get trancey, and see what's affecting Paige." Buffy says.

"Ladies and gentleman put your hands together for Scooby of the Month here." Xander says.

"I don't know. Trances..." Willow says.

Giles nods, "Yes. Buffy, The sorcerer Cloutier was legendary. His skills at achieving higher states of consciousness were..."

Buffy frowns, "Better than mine? I knew you'd say that, but we've been practicing concentration drills. I know I'm close. Besides I'm Charmed remember?"

Giles sighs, "But are you ready? This is beyond everything you've ever done even as a Charmed One."

"It's Paige. I'll get ready." Buffy says. "What do I need?"

Later that afternoon back at the Manor, Buffy is in the attic. She up-ends a small sack, dumping candelabra-type incense holders and a bunch of brightly-colored incense sticks.

With Riley's help, Buffy starts setting things up.

"Thanks again for coming. I totally appreciate the help." Buffy says.

Piper rolls her eyes; she knows Riley's involvement is more to sooth is ego."

"Sure thing. So, what do I do?" Riley asks.

"Lots. Tons. Lots and lots of tons. This is all kind of, uh..." Buffy says as she holds up an incense holder and a small leather pouch.

"...new terrain?" Riley asks.

Buffy nods, "All prayin', no slayin'. So, let's see... the incense needs to be "ignited," and that's a job, then this stuff gets poured round me counter-clockwise, and um, ..."

"So you need me to light incense and pour sand?" Riley asks.

"Magic incense and spooky sand. And, the ritual itself is..." Buffy says.

"Something you do alone." Riley asks as Buffy tries to think of a way out of that one. Can't... "You sure this isn't just your way of trying to make me feel less... what's the words? Cute and weak and kittenish?"

"Kittenny." Buffy says.

Riley nods, "Right. Much manlier. Look…" He sits beside her. "I really am okay."

Buffy nods, "I know..."

"So I'm not quite super-guy anymore. That was borrowed power anyway, I had to give it back sometime." Riley says.

"I know you can handle yourself. I just didn't want to see you get hurt." Buffy says.

"Maybe instead of you trying to take care of me, we agree to try taking care of each other. Deal?" Riley says.

Buffy nods, "Done."

Riley smiles, "Good." He kisses her. "For luck." He starts to go. She pulls him back.

"A girl needs more luck than that." Buffy says and they kiss again.

"Have a nice trip." Riley says before leaving.

Piper looks to Buffy and nods, "Anything you want me to do?"

Buffy shakes her head, "As Riley guessed I have to do this alone, no distractions. Would you make sure no one comes up here till I come out?"

Piper nods, "Sure." She turns and leaves the attic.

Buffy takes out a book of matches. She lights the incense sticks one by one. She then undoes the string around the leather pouch, opening it. She carefully pours a ring of brightly-colored dust in a circle around her before sitting down and closing her eyes.

Downstairs Dawn tries to head up to the attic and is stopped by Piper.

"What is she doing?" Dawn asks.

Piper shakes her head, "She's doing a ritual to try and see if Paige is being hurt by a demon."

"Oh. I hope she's not being hurt… By a demon that is." Dawn says. "Let me know how it's goes?"

Piper nods, "I will, promise." She watches Dawn turn and enter hers and Buffy's room.

In the attic Buffy breathes slowly, deeply, her eyes shut.

Sometime later Buffy opens her eyes. And the world around her looks different. Surface edges catch light in a slightly different way. Brighter. Buffy is sure she is obviously in a trance. Testing the ground, she stands. She slowly heads downstairs.

Piper comes out of her room as Buffy comes down, "Well?"

"We'll find out." Buffy says as she walks along the upstairs hallway slowly, in a trance-like state. Everything around her shimmers, slightly overexposed, like an Oliver Stone film. But everything's where it should be. Buffy slowly heads downstairs. She enters the living room, looking for Paige. But Paige's spot on the living room couch, in front of the TV, is abandoned. Blanket cast aside. Buffy looks around, searching...

"Buffy?" Paige asks.

Buffy turns - to find Paige standing right behind her, buttoning up a light fall coat.

"Paige." Buffy says.

"You all right? You look..." Paige says.

"Going out?" Buffy asks.

Buffy looks at Paige who from her point of view seems to shimmers a bit, like everything else in the room, but beyond that - nothing. No demons or mists or spell of any kind affecting her.

"Either modern medicine's working, or I just took the world's best placebos. Either way, I'm heading out for a couple of hours." Paige says.

Buffy's eyes keep searching Paige, looking for any sign... "Nothing..."

"Hmm?" Paige asks.

"There's nothing." Buffy says.

Paige shake her head, "Are you sure you're feeling okay? You seem a little... out of it."

Buffy's attention turns to a photo she can see over Paige's shoulder. It looks like it's winking at her. Something within the picture frame is moving.

"Hey. Buffy?" Paige says.

Buffy looks closely at the photo of her with Prue, Piper, Phoebe and Dawn. It looks normal - in its proper place - except: Dawn's image flickers. Appears and disappears and re-appears slowly, as if fading in and out of reality. Everyone elses images remain steady, unwavering. Buffy cannot stop staring at the picture.

"Huh? Oh. Yeah. I mean, I'm fine. Long day's all. You, um, have a good time." Buffy says.

Paige smiles, "Ok, tell Piper I went out."

Buffy, in a daze, crosses the room and picks up the framed photo. Holds it close to her face, examining it. Dawn's image slowly winks in and out of existence.

Buffy puts it back and they comes back up the stairs, into the hallway, heading for hers and Dawn's room, face full of dread...

Piper falls in step with Buffy, "Anything?"

Buffy shrugs, "I don't know yet."

Piper nods and turns heading downstairs.

Buffy pushes back the door and enters her room. She notices some of Dawn's things are flickering in and out of existence.

Buffy takes it all in. Turns a slow circle around the room. Slowly she becomes aware of a distant-sounding voice calling her name. The voice itself fades in and out.

"... uffy... Buffy..." Dawn says as Buffy dazed turns to see Dawn standing in the doorway.

Dawn herself is fading in and out of reality as she speaks. "Did it work did you find out what was happening to Paige?"

Buffy speaks softly, in cold revelation, "You're not my sister." She shakes her head as she snaps out of the trance state as Dawn yells at her.

"Tch'yeah! Like I even want to be related to your smelly... Ow! What are you doing?" Dawn says.

Buffy shoots both hands out and grab Dawn - hard - pinning her arms to her sides. Dawn struggles, in confusion and pain. Buffy gets in her face. "What are you?"

"Get off me!" Dawn says.

"You want to hurt me?" Buffy asks.

"Let me go, you freak!" Dawn says.

Buffy frowns, "Then you deal with me."

"I'm telling Piper!" Dawn says.

"You - stay away from my family. Away from Piper, Phoebe and Paige." Buffy says.

Buffy half lets go, half shoves Dawn away. Dawn stumbles back, bumps up against their bed, and regains her footing.

There is long moment of silence. The two sisters just stand frozen, both breathing hard, staring each other down a long moment.

Then the phone rings.

They hear Piper answer it downstairs. "Buffy, Giles is on the phone."

Buffy walks down the steps and takes the phone from Piper, "What?"

"Buffy - I'm glad I caught you... I think we may have underestimated what we're dealing with." Giles says.

Buffy looks upstairs, making sure she and Piper are alone. "Go on."

"We've uncovered more than expected..." Giles says. "...about this Orb. It's called The Dagon's Sphere, and has a history that goes back many centuries."

"What's it do?" Buffy asks.

"It's a protective device. Used to ward off ancient, primordial evil." Giles says.

Buffy begins to pace, phone in hand. "Any word what this evil looks like?"

"Unfortunately, no." Giles says. "This is where accounts get vague. All we've pinned down is that The Dagon's Sphere was created to repel that which cannot be named."

"I'm going down to the factory where I found it. Whoever planted this doohickey's got answers." Buffy says.

"Buffy, I know you've heard me say this before, but be careful. Especially while your pregnant, okay? Anything that goes unnamed is usually an object of deep worship, or great fear. Maybe both. You could face a level of raw power that could put the Source to shame. Did you complete the trance? Seen what's harming Paige?

"That's the thing. I just saw..." Buffy says as she notices Dawn come down the stairs.

"Yes?" Giles asks.

"Nothing. Didn't work." Buffy says as she hangs up.

"What are you talking about?" Dawn asks.

"Slayer stuff." Buffy says as Dawn says nothing. She looks to Piper. "I'm going back to the factory. Try and find out what I'm up against."

Piper nods, "Need me to go along?"

Buffy shakes her head, "Strictly recon." She flames out and in on the second floor of the factory.

There are no sounds coming from inside, and no signs of anyone having been here in a long time. It's really dark.

"Little pigs, little pigs, let me come in..." Buffy says as she passes underneath the archway of the giant door that's been blown off its hinges. "...Not by the hairs of my chinny chin chin..." She stops circling around the perimeter of the doorway. "...then I'll huff, and I'll puff..." She looked into the cavernous, empty room before her. She pauses for a moment and then steps over the threshold, heading inside...

Buffy walks onto the darkened factory floor. An rat scurries off into a corner. Buffy's eyes pass over cement pillars, stained walls, and finally come to rest on a figure, tied to a chair.

Buffy rushes to the figure in the chair. It is a Monk, who's barely conscious. "Whoa." He lifts his eyes to her. As she hastens to untie him... "Hey. It was you, planted the thing, the... Dagon's Sphere, right? I have it. We're not alone, I've got friends who can help you. Don't worry." His eyes peer into hers. Trying to communicate something. "I'm stronger than I look."

Glory saunters forward. Full of confidence, not making a sound. The Monk jerks his head to warn Buffy, but she's oblivious.

"I've got some experience with stuff like this." Buffy says.

Glory mock-whispers "Shh" to the Monk, mimes tip-toeing forward, having fun with it, getting closer...

"And best of all..." Buffy says as she shoots her hand out straight back behind her, catching Glory directly in the throat. "I'm not stupid." She whirls on Glory, facing her directly.

Buffy's face is filled with contained fury. Glory's face is filled with a mild curiosity. As easily as you'd remove a stray hair from a sweater, Glory plucks Buffy's hand by the wrist, pulling it away from her throat. Then she effortlessly backhands Buffy with her full strength.

Buffy rockets twenty feet straight back. The only thing stopping her acceleration is the far wall. Her whole body smashes painfully into it, leaving a huge dent and sending bits of plaster tumbling to the ground around her. Buffy, on her knees, looks up at Glory.

"You sure about that last part?" Glory asks.

SLAM! Buffy goes face-first into another factory wall, putting another body-sized dent in it and sending more plaster to the ground.

"...And another thing. I just want you to know..." Glory says as she grabs Buffy by the wrist and again - SLAM! whips her bodily into one of the nearby columns. "That this whole "beat you to death" thing I'm doing..." She grabs her again - SLAMS her again. "It's valuable time out of life that I am never getting back."

Buffy turns - kicks - misses. Not even close.

"Wait, I've always wanted to try this." Glory says as she grabs one of Buffy's arms in each hand. "You know, the thing with worms where, you rip 'em in half, you get two worms? Think that'll work with you?"

Buffy head-butts Glory as Glory staggers back, shocked. Holding her nose.

"You - HIT ME!" Glory says as she bursts into tears. "Ow! What are you, crazy?"

Buffy presses the attack. Kick. Punch. Kick. Glory staggers back with each blow, never shutting up.

"You can't go around hitting people, what were you, raised in a barn? There's such a thing as manners, you know and while we're on the subject, I just gotta ask, Blabberina, do you EVER shut up?" Glory says.

Buffy goes in for the killing blow. Glory raises a hand and catches Buffy's fist. It takes her no effort.

"Fine - be that way." Glory says as she shoves Buffy back, hard into a column. Buffy looks up and, impossibly, Glory is right there in front of her before she's even moved. Glory throws a punch. Buffy slips - Glory's fist punches out a huge chunk of the cement column, powdering it.

Another punch. Another slip. Another bite out of the column.

Glory just grabs Buffy by the throat. "Hey I just noticed something. You have superpowers! That is so cool! Can you fly?"

"No but I can flame." Buffy says as she flames out and back in next to the monk. She looks to Glory who's walking towards her.

Buffy makes a decision. She picks up the Monk.

"Hey." Glory says as Buffy runs with the Monk - straight toward a window... "HEY! Hands off my holy man!" She runs straight toward Buffy, and for the first time, she looks like she's not playing. She's pissed.

Buffy runs straight for the window - leaps - and crashes through it, Monk in her arms. They painfully land, glass shards bouncing all around them, Buffy taking the brunt of the impact.

Buffy and the Monk, looking like two soldiers in a combat field, make their way toward the factory entrance. Buffy's supporting the Monk as he staggers alongside her. She hesitates, hearing the rumble of the roof collapsing. Takes a moment to look back.

"Stop. Please..." Monk says

Buffy relents, letting him rest a moment. "We gotta keep moving."

"My journey's done, I think." Monk says.

"Don't get metaphory on me. We're going." Buffy says as she tries pulling him to his feet. Nothing doing.

"You have to... The Key. You must protect The Key." Monk says.

Buffy nods, "Protect the Key. Right. I know, we'll do it together! Far, far from here." She tries again, sees she's not moving him anywhere.

"Many have... died... many more, if you don't... keep it safe..." Monk says.

"How? What is it?" Buffy asks.

"The Key is energy. It's a portal. It opens the door..." Monk says.

Buffy nods, "That round glowy thing?"

Monk shakes his head, "For centuries it had no form at all. My brethren... its only keepers. Then..." He tries to point back to the factory. "The abomination... found us. We had to hide The Key... Gave it form. Molded it flesh, made it human. And sent it to you and your cousins.

Buffy puts pieces together... "Dawn."

Monk nods, "She is The Key."

Long beat as Buffy absorbs this. "You put that thing in my home."

"We knew the Slayer and the Charmed Ones would... protect..." Monk says.

"My memories... Piper's, Paige, Phoebe's..." Buffy says.

Monk nods, "We built them."

"Then unbuild them. This is my life you're –" Buffy says.

A coughing fit cuts her off. He's clearly fading.

"You cannot... abandon..." Monk says.

Buffy shakes her head, "I didn't ask for this. I don't even know what... what is she?"

"Human. Human, now, and helpless. Well nearly helpless since she is Charmed. Still, she is... an innocent in this, and she needs you and them." Monk says.

Buffy looks at him and for a moment he is totally clear, focused on her. "She's not my sister."

"She doesn't know that." Monk says.

The power of that statement sinks slowly in, Buffy unable to answer. It is quite a few moments before she realizes she is looking at a dead man. She holds him, her eyes filled with a million questions.

Back at the Manor Buffy flames into the living room. Piper and Dawn are sitting side-by-side, each cuddled up in their own blankets, quietly reading magazines.

Piper has an empty cup of tea before her. "You're home."

Dawn tosses her blanket aside and heads upstairs. "I wasn't bothering her or Paige or even Phoebe."

Piper watches her go; turns to Buffy. "What's that all about?"

"Just sister stuff. Though I need to tell you something in a little bit." Buffy says as she heads upstairs. She walks in her and Dawn's room to find Dawn lying on their bed.

"Go away." Dawn says.

"Come on, Dawn." Buffy says.

"I said go! You deaf?" Dawn says.

Buffy enters anyway. Stands at the door. "I'm sorry."

"You hurt my arm." Dawn says.

Buffy nods, "I know."

"Butthole." Dawn says.

Buffy sighs, "Really sorry."

Dawn considers it. "I tell you I have this theory? It goes where, you're the one who's not my sister 'cause Mom adopted you from a shoebox full of baby Howler Monkeys, and never told you 'cause it could hurt your delicate baby feelings."

A small, sad smile crosses Buffy's face. She sits down beside Dawn. "That's your theory?"

Dawn nods, "Explains your fashion sense and smell."

"I'm sorry, okay?" Buffy asks.

"Broken record, much?" Dawn asks.

"Can't even take an apology. You always do that, ever since –" Buffy says as she stops. The memory is false - the fact hitting her quietly. "I just had a bad day."

"Well, join the club." Dawn says.

Buffy smiles, "Can I be president?"

"I'm president. You can be the janitor." Dawn says.

Buffy smiles, "How about this instead. You still want to be trained?"

Dawn looks up startled that Buffy would even ask, "What?"

"Do you want to be trained?" Buffy asks.

Dawn smiles, "Yes. You're going to train me? I thought…"

"I think you're ready." Buffy says. She thinks to herself, 'Though it has more to do with protecting yourself. '


	117. Chapter 117: Family

**Chapter 117: Family**

Buffy sits with Giles, Piper, Phoebe and Paige. The house is dark except for the living room, which is lit only by table lamps. The mood is quiet, solemn - Buffy has told them everything about Dawn.

"I don't know what to say," Giles says.

Piper, Paige and Phoebe nod in agreement.

Buffy sighs, "Tell me about it."

"It's just difficult to wrap one's mind around... and she has no idea?" Giles asks.

Buffy looks at the stairs, "None. She thinks she's my kid sister; and Piper, Phoebe and Paige's cousin."

Giles nods, "Are you going to tell her?"

"How can I? She'd freak out and that's the last thing we need. We have to keep her safe." Buffy says.

Piper nods, "I think we should."

"If only to keep her safe. And I think we should start her training. She is Charmed, right?" Phoebe says.

Buffy sighs, "Yes, she is Charmed. I think with her power added to ours we could do a power of five. Your right she needs to be trained, if only just to protect her. I told her earlier I would teach her. But I didn't tell her why."

Giles nods, "This woman, this... whatever she was, she knows you now. Should we be thinking about sending Dawn away?"

"Away where? Where is more safe than with the Charmed Ones?" Buffy asks.

Giles sighs, "I don't know... Your father's?"

Buffy's face darkens a bit. "He's off in... Spain or something, with his secretary. Living the cliché. Besides he's not really interested anymore. I remember Dawn cried for a week when mom died and dad sent us to live with Prue, Piper and Phoebe. Except she didn't. She was never there, but I can still feel what it was like. Besides this is something I need. How can I be a mother to my own daughter if I send my own sister away?" She gets up, goes to the doorway, and she looks up at the dark of the stairs. "Dawn will you come downstairs, please."

Dawn comes down the stairs and looks at Buffy, "What now?"

Buffy moves back to the couch and sits down patting the cushion beside her as she does so, "Come here we have something we wish to talk to you about." She goes on to tell Dawn what the monks told her.

Moments later Dawn looks between Buffy, Giles, Piper, Phoebe and Paige. She can't believe what she has just been told. "How old? How old am I?"

Buffy sighs, "Your 14, you know this."

Dawn shakes her head, "No. the monks. When did they…"

"About 6 months give or take." Buffy said.

Dawn wipes a tear from her face, "I've only been alive for six months?"

Piper shakes her head, "Dawn it doesn't matter, none of it does. Your still our cousin and Buffy's sister."

Buffy nods, "Piper is right, Dawn. It doesn't matter how you got here or where you came from. You are my sister."

Dawn looks at Buffy not sure if she believes it. "How can you be so sure of that?"

Buffy smiles, "Because there's no way you could annoy me as much if you weren't."

Dawn laughs and hugs Buffy tightly.

"Now the question is do we tell the others?" Giles asks.

Piper shakes her head, "I think for the time being it would be better not to."

"Why?" Dawn asks.

Buffy sighs, "Well to begin with they would be all weird around you. Not sure how to treat you. Then there is the fact of what's inside you. The less people that know the safer you will be. We'll tell them eventually when were sure we know how to broach the subject with them."

"Ok." Dawn says. "So this is a secret to be kept like being a witch is?"

Buffy nods, "Exactly."

"Talking about that, am I still being trained?" Dawn asks.

Buffy nods, "Yes. But now there are more reasons to do it than you just being Charmed. You need to be trained so you can protect yourself."

The next day at the Magic Box a few customers milling about. A customer is leaving the counter as Anya puts money in the register.

"Thank you for coming! We value your patronage! Come again for more purchases!" Anya says.

Giles comes over to the counter with a box, and sets it down. "We could perhaps be a bit less effusive, Anya Let's not frighten the people away."

"I'm just so excited! They come in, I help them, they give us money in exchange for goods, and you give me money for working for you... I have a place in the world now. I'm part of the system. I'm a workin' gal." Anya says.

Giles smiles, "Yes. Well why don't you start organizing the shipping orders?"

Anya shakes her head, "No, that's boring; I just wanna do the money parts."

A young, disreputable-looking man, Donny, is looking at some items near the entrance. Behind him, Buffy and Xander enter the shop and walk over to the counter.

"Well, sure I forgot about the party. There's kind of a lot going on. And it's not, you know, the most thrilling social event of the season." Buffy says.

"It's a big deal for Will, though - I mean you are gonna be there?" Xander asks.

Buffy nods, "Sure. Barring monsters... Hey."

"Hi." Anya says.

Xander leans over the counter, "Gimme sugar. I've come to buy sugar." He kisses Anya fairly deeply.

"Mmmm... We value your patronage..." Anya says.

Giles emerges from behind the counter.

"Any breakthroughs on the identity of Miss Congeniality?" Buffy asks.

Giles shakes his head, "Well, I've narrowed it down some..." He indicates the table, which is covered in books.

"Your definition of narrow is impressively wide." Buffy says.

"Well, you didn't give me much to go on. She looks human, so the mug shots aren't any use... you can't be a bit more specific about what she was like?" Giles says.

"She was kind of like... well she was kind of like Cordelia, actually. If she were on steroids. That were on steroids." Buffy says. "I'm pretty sure she dyes her hair."

"Ah yes that one of course our work is done." Giles says, dryly.

"There's gotta be something on her." Buffy says.

"The answer's somewhere here. It's right in front of us and we're too blind to see it." Xander says. "What? You've never wanted to say that? I'm helping, I'm reading, I'm quiet." He sits and opens a book, as has Buffy.

"So what'd you get her?" Buffy asks.

"Huh?" Xander asks.

"Tara. You said you had a present already." Buffy says.

Xander shakes his head, "Yeah. That was a tangled web of lies, sweetie. I'm not really sure what kind of thing she'd... I mean I don't really know her that well."

"I know." Buffy says.

"I mean she's nice –" Xander says.

"Yeah yeah! Nice. I just sort of..." Buffy says.

"I don't necessarily 'get' her. But she's real nice!" Xander says.

Buffy nods, "Oh yeah. There's that thing, you know."

"That thing," Xander says, agreeing with Buffy.

"That thing of not understanding..." Buffy says.

Xander nods, "Half of what she says?"

"As for example. A lot of... not understanding. But she's so nice." Buffy says.

"You betchya." Xander says.

Buffy sighs, "You think there'll be a lot of other Wiccans at the party, besides myself?

"That's sort of her deal." Xander says.

Buffy smiles, "Which is cool."

Xander nods, "Oh yeah. Especially if she has an active power like yours."

"I just hope we fit in. Not awkward." Buffy says.

Xander nods, "With Willow, it's like she's got this whole new thing in her life, but she's still Willow, I can always figure her out. But Tara, I just know she likes Willow, and she already has one of those."

"Okay. I'm having a present-buying headache. Tara's damn birthday is just one too many things to worry about." Buffy says.

"Relax. You should take a few minutes, train, or stretch out... do something to work off the tension." Xander says.

"Come up with anything?" Giles asks

"Well candles, maybe, or bath oils of some kind." Xander says.

Buffy nods, "I saw a really nice sweater at Macy's, but I really want me to have it."

"And you are talking about what on earth?" Giles asks.

"Tara's birthday. We're at a loss." Buffy says.

Giles shakes his head, "You're in a magic shop and you can't think of anything Tara might like. I believe you're both profoundly stupid. Though I'm more surprised with you Buffy. You've been a witch for four years and I would think that you might have an idea of what to get her."

"Well, I don't know what kind of things witches really like, other than Buffy and Willow I mean. What, are we gonna get her some cheesy crystal ball?" Xander says.

Giles frowns, "Bloody well better not. I've already got mine wrapped. Xander though may I point out you know a witch, she's sitting right beside you. And you know what Buffy likes do you not?""

Xander nods as Donny approaches the table.

"Are all these magic books?" Donny asks.

Giles nods, "Private collection. The books for sale are along the wall there." He crosses toward the counter.

Donny doesn't leave; his hovering presence makes Buffy and Xander uncomfortable as they try to read. "So all these books got spells in 'em? Turn people into frogs?"

Buffy rolls her eyes.

"Yeah, we're building a race of frog-people. It's a good time." Xander says.

Donny nods, "So, are you all witches? Hey, don't do a spell on me..."

Anya and Giles look at him.

"Was there something in particular you were looking for?" Giles asks.

Tara and Willow enter the front door, laughing.

"'Her insect reflection'... that's so good..." Willow says.

Tara nods, "I just thought that'd be funny, you know, if her power was centered in—"

"Well what do you know," Donny says as Willow and Tara stops. The laughter drains from Tara's face. "What's the matter? Don't got a hug for you big brother?"

"Brother?" Willow asks, confused.

"Tara didn't say she had a brother?" Donny asks, smiling. "I'm a dirty little secret." He's actually being friendly enough, but there's something off - most obviously with Tara.

"Willow, this is D-Donny." Tara says.

"Hi." Tara says.

"Nice to meet you," Donny says.

"And these are m-my friends." Tara says, indicating Buffy, Xander, Giles and Anya.

"What, alla you hang out?" Donny asks. "That's more people than you MET in high school. Tara wasn't too social back when. I don't think she spoke till she was eight –"

"How did you find— I mean, how come you came?" Tara asks.

Donny smiles, "Well, duh, birthday girl. We came down in the camper, been all over the campus –"

"We?" Tara asks, slightly afraid of his answer.

Donny nods, "Dad, you know, and Cousin Beth. We went all over campus looking. They oughta circle back here in a bit."

"No, we should find them. We could go –" Tara says, before looking at Willow. "— I should go meet them."

Willow nods, "Yeah, sure –"

The doorbell tinkles behind, whipping Tara's head around. Her father, Mr. Maclay and cousin Beth enter together. Tara moves toward them, as does Donny. Willow stays politely a distance behind.

"Look who I found..." Donny says.

"Dad! Hi." Tara says.

Mr. Maclay nods, "Well. There's my girl." He hugs her a bit formally.

"It's such a s-surprise." Tara says.

"Yes." Mr. Maclay says.

Tara smiles, "Hey, Beth."

Beth smiles - she seems quite meek. "Hey."

"One of your dorm-mates said you might be here." Mr. Maclay says.

"Oh," Tara says. "Oh, these are friends... this is Mister Giles, he runs the shop."

Willow looks a little surprised at not being introduced.

"How do you do," Giles says.

Mr. Maclay nods, "Pleasure. Well, I don't mean to interrupt your plans, I know we've come on you kind of suddenly. But I thought we'd have dinner."

Tara nods, "Okay."

"Why don't I pick you up at six? And we'll... do some catching up." Mr. Maclay says.

"Yes sir." Tara says.

"Forgive me for running out – we're double parked." Mr. Maclay says.

"Didn't Uncle Jeff have a scar like this? He could have been dug up..." Donny says as he holds up a skull.

"Donald." Mr. Maclay says before looking back at Tara. "I'll see you tonight."

Donny nods, "Nice to meet you all." He goes out after the others.

Willow joins Tara. "That's so weird. Your whole family."

Tara nods, "Yeah."

"They seem nice." Willow says.

"They're okay. You know. Families are always..." Tara says as she rolls her eyes a bit, making light of it.

"They make you crazy." Willow says.

Tara nods, "Usually. You wanna get into research mode?"

Willow smiles, "Sure." They join the others, Willow not pressing any further.

Later back at the Manor, Buffy and Piper are sitting in the living room watching a little TV when Dawn comes in from the kitchen, on her way out.

"See you later!" Dawn says.

Buffy looks to Piper who shrugs as she gets up and makes her way into the foyer, "Whoah whoah whoah! Where are you going?"

"I'm going to Melinda's for dinner," Dawn says.

Buffy frowns, "Since when?"

"Nowish..." Dawn says, puzzled.

"You can't. It's not safe for you to walk there." Buffy says.

Dawn sighs, "It's across the street. Besides you said I could when I asked you yesterday."

"I did?" Buffy asks.

Dawn nods, "Yes. Of course that was before you found out I was the Key."

Buffy sighs, "Dawn… Alright. But I will be having Leo watch you."

Dawn sighs and nods. While she may not like it she can understand why Buffy would have Leo watch her. Till she had a handle of her powers she would be vulnerable not only to the demons that would be after her for her Charmed powers. But from the woman that Buffy fought when she had learned of what she had been. "Okay. I mean no offense here Buffy. But I'll be glad when I'm trained and can control my powers."

"I know," Buffy says. "And you do know I only do this because I love you right?"

Dawn smiles and nods, "I know." She turns and walks out of the Manor as Piper joins Buffy in the foyer.

"I think you dealt with that really well, Buffy." Piper says.

Buffy looks at Piper, "Was I like that when I was her age?"

Piper shrugs, "I have no idea. She's fourteen. You were sixteen when we met at Aunt Joyce's funeral. But yeah I think you were. I remember you and Prue came to a head a couple times there in the beginning. But this is different. Dawn is your baby sister, the youngest. She looks up to you. Every time she acts out she's trying to get your attention."

"My attention?" Buffy asks. "Why would…"

"Because between myself, Leo, Phoebe, Paige and Dawn. You do more things with us than you do with her. Add on top of that the fact you are in college. You hardly ever see her. With her mom gone and another paternal figure passing away last year. She's looking at you to fill the role, even if she doesn't know she is. You're the oldest. Well maybe not in this family since that would be me. But I mean the Summers family, you are the oldest."

"Like Prue did when we moved into the Manor." Buffy said.

Piper nods, "Exactly. Prue didn't want the responsibility having practically raised me and Phoebe. But she took it on because she knew that was what you and Dawn needed."

Buffy nods, "Okay."

Later that evening after Dawn came back from Melinda's, Buffy and Dawn headed over to the Magic Box. Piper had asked Buffy to pick up some herbs.

Dawn is at the shelves in the back, poking through books. Willow is just arriving.

"Hey, Will." Xander says.

"Am I late? Did I miss exposition?" Willow asks.

Giles shakes his head, "No, no, and I've nothing earth shattering to relate. I did have a few thoughts, though, and I want to make sure we're all on the same page."

"Can I buy one of these?" Dawn asks.

Buffy looks at Dawn and smiles, "Let me see which one you're thinking about and I will consider it. Okay?"

Dawn nod and smiles, "Okay."

Tara stands in the shadows, looking through the crack of the training room door at the gang. Silent and intense.

"First of all, I want to talk about safety. This creature could be –" Giles says.

"—WILL be –" Buffy says.

Giles nods, "—will be coming after Buffy and possibly all of us. Don't underestimate her."

"I'm not just talking about traveling in groups. You see a girl you don't know, you run. Just keep running 'til you drop. And don't drop." Buffy says.

Tara lifts her hand. There is a small pile of red dust in it. She incants in a barely audible whisper, "Blind Cadria, desolate queen, work my will upon them all, your curse upon them, my obeisance to you." She blows the powder from her hand, causing a mist to wend from it toward the group.

"Now, I think I may have a lead on the monk Buffy spoke with. There are a few orders I've read up on..." Giles says.

The mist shoots into the eyes of everyone assembled. They all jerk back ever so slightly.

"I'm sorry, where was I?" Giles asks.

"The monk." Buffy says.

Giles nods, "Yes. I'd like us to start looking into some of these orders. It's possible that whatever order this monk was from was wiped out entirely, and I'm sure that wouldn't go unnoticed –"

Tara fades back into the darkness, eyes on the group.

Later in the training room Buffy is stretching out as Willow talks to her.

"He's great... he's so considerate, and he's really understanding about my disturbing lifestyle, but every now and then he's mister snappy. I never know what sets him off." Buffy says.

"There's always gonna be a part of your life he can't get near. That's just part of relationships that people have to deal with, even if they feel shut out and the other person is acting all weird and doesn't want them to meet their family." Willow says.

"Behold the cunning segue. Tara's being funky?" Buffy asks.

"She's just never been like that before." Willow says.

Buffy sighs, "Well, families..."

Willow nods, "So, they're dorky. I feel like... it's something more. She's different."

"What do you mean?" Buffy asks, concerned.

"I don't know. I'm overreacting. Pay me no mind. People in love are always a little crazy." Willow says.

Later Willow is fetching a volume near the front door. She hears a noise, goes to open the door, "Is that Tara?" She opens the door.

A Lei-ach demon is standing right in front of her, his brethren behind him.

Willow looks at them, not seeing them. "I guess not. Thought I heard something."

The Lei-ach smiles.

Dawn is by the table near the entrance, looking at some stuff. She is perfectly nonchalant as the Lei-ach comes right next to her. He puts his face close to hers, sniffing her out - and another goes over in front of the table. They move on to the back, followed by the third.

"Do I get overtime for this?" Anya asks.

Giles shakes his head, "Certainly not. Dawn, shut the door."

"I didn't open it..." Dawn says.

In the training room Buffy is finishing up working the bag. The demons file in behind her, the lead one in front, the third staying to guard the door. They move slowly so as to be silent.

Buffy stops, her spidey-senses tingling. She listens as she does a slow turn and sees nothing.

The demon pounces - and Buffy blocks at the last second, takes most of the brunt on her arm, but he still takes her down. She flails, fighting an invisible foe.

"Giles! There's something in here!" Buffy says.

In the front room Xander is closest to the back room. He moves forward - and something invisible throws him back. He lands hard on his back. His eyes widen as something starts choking him.

Willow grabs a chair and smashes the demon on the back. She pulls the chair back and brings it down again - hitting Xander.

"It moved." Xander says.

Suddenly Willow is thrown back into the bookcase. She lands heavily and doesn't get up.

"Where is it? Where is it?" Anya asks as she retreats behind the counter.

Giles becomes aware of Dawn next to him. He pushes her toward the desk. "Under there. Go."

Dawn looks at him powering up an energy ball, "I'm Charmed, remember."

Giles looks at Dawn and nods, "Can you even see them to throw it at them."

Dawn looks at Giles and then shakes her head as she extinguishes the energy ball. She reluctantly climbs into the tiny desk space, Giles standing with his back to it, waiting.

In the training room Buffy throws off the first demon as the second grabs her from behind, choke hold.

Spike comes in from the back, smiles at the tableau. Buffy can't shake number two. Number one gets up, is gonna pounce, number two holding her for him - he lunges and Spike flies at him, tackling him from the side. They tumble into the corner.

With a burst of strength, Buffy flips her demon over her head and slams it onto the ground. She picks it up and throws it headlong into a wall. Its head makes a splatty noise.

Buffy runs toward the main room, not seeing the still struggling Spike.

"Uh, you're welcome..." Spike says.

Buffy rushes in to the main room to see Giles take a blow to the head from the invisible foe. She runs forward - but it's gone.

"It's over there!" Xander says.

"How many are there?" Giles asks.

"I've already been injured this month..." Anya says.

"Shut up!" Buffy says. "Dawn come here." Dawn gets up from under the desk and moves beside Buffy. "Power up an energy ball. But wait till I tell you where to throw it."

Dawn nods as she powers up an energy ball.

Buffy turns, concentrating, waiting for it to attack.

The door opens suddenly and Tara enters.

The demon is behind Buffy.

"Buffy, Dawn, behind you!" Tara says.

Dawn spins and throws the energy ball at the demon, missing it.

The demon comes for an exhausted Buffy. It grabs her throat - and Dawn makes a attempt at grabbing for it from behind. It shrugs her off, nails Buffy a couple of times.

"Where is it? Tara can you see it?" Buffy asks.

Tara realizes they can't see it. "Oh God..." She rushes forward, "Blind Cadria, lift your veil, give evil form and break my spell –"

The demon turns as she speaks the last - it pounces on her, slams her down into the counter.

Buffy jumps on its back.

Tara's family rushes in, Tara's dad sees the beast over his daughter.

"Tara!" Mr. Maclay says.

The beast throws Buffy off and goes for Tara's dad - he stumbles and falls – Buffy powers up a fireball throwing it at the demon. The demon is vanquished inches from Mr. Maclay's face.

There is a quiet moment, as everyone recovers from the action. Xander goes to check on Anya. Giles helps Dawn up from where she fell. Buffy stands before Mr. Maclay, who is still on the ground, staring at where the last Lei-ach demon was.

"What in the name of God was that...?" Mr. Maclay says.

Spike pipes up from the back, entering. "Lei-ach Demon. Fun little buggers; big with the marrow-sucking."

"I don't understand..." Mr. Maclay says.

"I'm not sure I do either." Buffy says looking over at Tara, who is still hunched by the counter. She is desperately unhappy.

"I'm sorry... I'm s-so sorry..." Tara says as Willow starts toward Tara slowly, confused. "I w-was just trying to hide... the spell went wrong..."

"Tara, what..." Willow says.

"I didn't want you to see... what I am." Tara says.

"What you are?" Willow asks, confused.

Mr. Maclay nods, "I told you, you try to run from it you'll put these people in danger. And, my God..."

Tara shakes her head, "I didn't mean for anyone to get hurt."

"I think you better explain. What do you mean, what you are?" Buffy says, staring at Tara, and she doesn't sound too pleased.

Tara can't get past her stutter before her father speaks, "Demon."

Willow looks astonished at her love, no idea what to do.

"The women in our family have... demon in them. Her mother had it; it's where the magic comes from. This isn't something we generally like to share with strangers. We came to take her home before... well, before things like this started happening." Mr. Maclay says.

Willow shakes her head, "Tara, you're not... how could you not say something to me... to me..."

Tara still can't answer - can hardly look at Willow.

"You put a spell on us to keep us from seeing your demon side. That's why we couldn't see our attackers." Giles says.

Buffy looks to Dawn, "Nearly got us killed."

Tara rises, trying to steady her emotions. "I'll go. I'm very sorry."

Mr. Maclay nods, "The camper's outside."

"Wait! Go? She just did a spell that went wrong! Buffy, it was just a mistake!" Willow says.

"It's not the point and it's not your concern. The girl belongs with us. We know how to control her problem." Mr. Maclay says.

"Tara, look at me." Willow says as Tara looks at her. "I trusted you more than anyone in my life. Was all of that a lie?"

Tara shakes her head, "No! No..."

"Do you want to leave?" Willow asks.

"That is not your decision, young lady –" Mr. Maclay says.

Willow nods, "I know that." She looks back to Tara. "Do you want to leave?"

Eyes brimming, Tara shakes her head ever so slightly.

"You are going to do what's right, Tara. Now I am taking you out of here before somebody DOES get killed. The girl belongs with her family, I hope that's clear to the rest of you." Mr. Maclay says.

This registers with Buffy. She looks again at Dawn, then back at Tara.

"It is. You want her, Mr. Maclay, you can go ahead and take her." Buffy says as she turns to face him. "You just gotta go through me."

"What?" Mr. Maclay asks.

Buffy smiles, "You heard me. You wanna take Tara out of here against her will, then you gotta come through me."

Dawn nods, "And me." She stands resolutely by her sister, ready for a fight. Primed to power up an energy ball, just waiting for Buffy's word.

"Is this a joke? I am not gonna be threatened by two little girls." Mr. Maclay says.

Dawn shakes her head, "You don't wanna mess with us."

Buffy points to Dawn and winks at her, "She's a hair-puller."

Dawn stifles a giggle.

"And you're not just dealing with two little girls." Giles says.

Xander nods, "You're dealing with all of us."

Spike shakes his head, "Except me."

"Except Spike." Xander says.

"I don't care what happens." Spike says.

"This is insane! You people have no right to interfere in Tara's affairs. We are her blood kin - who the hell are you?" Mr. Maclay says.

Buffy smiles, "We're family." She stares him down. The whole gang does, grouped loosely around Tara and Willow. Mr. Maclay turns away.

"Dad, you're not gonna let them –" Donny says as he starts down towards Tara, stopping near Xander. "Tara, if you don't get in that car I swear by God I'm gonna beat you down."

"And I swear by your full and manly beard you're gonna break something trying." Xander says.

Donny eyes Xander... doesn't say anything else.

"Well, I hope you'll all be happy hanging around with a disgusting demon." Beth says.

Anya raises her hand. "Excuse me. What kind?"

"What?" Beth asks.

"What kind of demon is she? There's a lot of different kinds, some are very very evil, some have been considered to be useful members of society..." Anya says.

"Well, I don't... what does it matter?" Beth asks.

"Evil is evil." Mr. Maclay says.

"Well, let's narrow it down..." Anya says.

Spike smiles, comes toward the group. He gets it now. "Uh huh... Why don't I make this simple..." He approaches Tara and pops her in the nose with a quick jab.

"OW!" Tara says.

The moment Spike hits her, he's gripped with wrenching pain. "Gyahh!"

"Hey!" Willow says before she gets it, "Hey!"

"He hit my nose!" Tara says moving her hand to her nose.

Willow smiles, "And it hurt! I mean, him!"

"And that only works with humans..." Buffy says.

"There's no demon in there." Spike says as he shakes off the last twinge. "That's just the family legend, am I right? Bit of spin to keep the ladies in line? Oh, you're a piece of work. I like you."

"I'm not a demon." Tara says.

Willow smiles, "You're not a demon."

"He hurt my nose." Tara says.

"Yeah, you're welcome." Spike says.

"Mr. Maclay, I'd say your business here is finished." Giles says.

"Tara... for eighteen years your family has taken care of you and supported you, if you wanna turn you back –" Mr. Maclay says.

"Dad," Tara says as she moves to him. Looks at him with quiet strength. "Just go."

Mr. Maclay turns and heads out. He pauses once at the door, looking back at the shop, muttering contemptuously, "Magic." He exits. Donny folds in behind.

Beth is the last to go, looking hatefully at Tara. "Are you happy now?"

Tara's smile answers her.

The next night at Payson's P5 it's decorated for Tara's party.

Xander, Willow, Giles, Anya, Dawn, Piper, Paige, Phoebe and Buffy, mingle with some of Tara's friends. In the center is Tara, having a great time.

Tara unwraps her crystal ball, pleased; she thanks Giles who's extremely pleased with himself. She then unwraps a large book, it is blank. Tara looks to Buffy, quizzically.

Buffy smiles and whispers in Tara's ear, "For your own Book of Shadows."

Tara smiles and hugs Buffy.

Moments later Willow and Tara are playing pool with Xander and Anya.

Buffy watches the pool game as Riley enters behind her, a present in his hand.

"Sorry I'm late." Riley says.

"You came!" Buffy says, beaming.

Riley smiles, "Of course I came."

Buffy pulls Riley close and they head into the party.

Moments later Dawn sits with Giles, Piper, Paige, Phoebe, Xander, Buffy and Riley.

"This place is so cool! You must be very proud of what Piper's done with the club, Buffy." Dawn says.

Buffy smiles, "I am."

"Why do I have to have this stupid stamp on my hand?"

"Well, that's to keep you from boozing it up." Xander says.

Dawn rolls her eyes, "Really? Buffy? I mean I'm the sister of the owner everyone should know me right?"

Buffy nods, "They should yes. But it's required by law." She holds up her own hand. "I have one too."

Dawn looks at Buffy and gives her a hug.

Tara is talking to Anya as Willow approaches. A slow song has come on.

"So what's an eagle reflection?" Anya asks.

Willow takes Tara by the hand, leads her toward the dance floor. "My dance." She and Tara begin slow dancing, holding each other close. "Good birthday?"

Tara nods, "Best birthday."

"I still can't believe you never told me about your family and all that." Willow says.

"I was just afraid if you saw the kind of people I came from... you wouldn't wanna be anywhere near me." Tara says.

"See? That's where you're a dummy. I think about what you grew up with, and then look at what you are... it makes me proud. It makes me love you more." Willow says.

Tara takes this in, overwhelmed. "Every time I... even at my worst, you always make me feel special. How do you do that?"

Willow smiles. "Magic."

Tara lays her head on Willow's shoulder as they pull closer, turning slowly to the music. They hold each other in the middle of the dancers, as Tara unconsciously begins levitating her and Willow causing them to float just above the floor.


	118. Chapter 118: Sam I Am

**Chapter 118: Sam I Am**

At Payson's P5 Buffy, Dawn Piper and Phoebe are watching a band play. Paige is sitting on a couch nearby talking to a cute guy who gets up and leaves.

"Oh." Phoebe says.

Piper shakes her head, "Uh, there he goes. I really thought that one was a keeper."

"Why, because he was cute and funny and oh, yeah, don't let me forget, deliciously yummy." Phoebe says.

Dawn rolls her eyes.

"That's the second guy in a row she's dumped," Buffy says.

Phoebe shakes her head, "Uh, third, but who's counting. So do you guys think she has commitment issues? Or you think she's just too picky?"

Piper shrugs, "I don't know."

Buffy nods, "I don't know either. Any thoughts Dawnie?"

Dawn shakes her head, "Nope."

"Anyways I'd love to speculate but Buffy and I've gotta go." Piper says.

"Piper, if you haven't noticed, the Flaming Lips are playing. My-my favorite group." Phoebe says.

"She knows and that's why you're not going to scare them when you go back stage, okay." Buffy says.

"Okay." Phoebe says.

"Can I go backstage with Phoebe?" Dawn asks.

Buffy smiles, "Sure."

"We've gotta go home because Buffy and I've gotta interview magical nannies tomorrow and we gotta prepare." Piper says.

Buffy rolls her eyes.

"Wait, magical nannies? You mean like Mary Poppins?" Phoebe asks.

Piper shakes her head, "Oh, one can only hope, but no."

"Leo has arranged for us to meet supernatural creatures that have child care experience." Buffy says.

"Creatures?" Dawn asks.

"It's not like either of us can call a service and ask for a nanny to watch over our little Charmed Ones while we go off and slay slimy demons." Piper says.

Phoebe nods, "That's a good point. But don't you guys think it's a little early to be looking for nannies? I mean, neither of you are even showing yet, except for your boobies, Piper."

"I'm telling you, they are large and they are definitely in charge but at least something is normal about this pregnancy. Okay, we'll see you. Come on, Buffy." Piper says as she and Buffy gets up.

"I just... Can I..." Phoebe says.

Buffy and Piper turn and leave.

Paige walks over to Dawn and Phoebe and sits down beside them.

"Breaking up is such a downer." Paige says.

Phoebe nods, "Yeah, honey, well, practice makes perfect. Well, you know, I mean, if it's not right, it's not right. Why wasn't it right?"

"I don't know, I could kinda just tell it wasn't really going anywhere so I thought I'm gonna cut this one off at the pass before it gets messy and he likes me too much." Paige says.

"Okay, if you say so. At least you don't have to worry about if he's gonna attack again." Phoebe says.

"Is that some sort of Cole segue?" Dawn asks.

"Yeah, well, now that you mention him, Dawnie, um, he hasn't contacted me in a while." Phoebe says.

"That's a good thing, right?" Dawn asks.

Phoebe nods, "Yeah, it is for me, I'm just worried about the rest of humanity, you know. Cole doesn't just do nothing, which means he's up to something. And now that he knows that we're definitely not together anymore, I'm afraid that something might be evil."

The next day Buffy, Piper and Paige are in the kitchen. Piper is cleaning. Paige spills crumbs over the counter while eating some cake. Buffy is reading a book at the kitchen table.

"Hey! Lady, I'm trying to make a good impression here, put it down, put it down, put it down!" Piper says.

Paige drops the cake in its packet and Piper moves it over to the sink.

"On the nannies?" Paige asks.

Piper nods, "Yeah. I want the best and the best don't work for slobs."

Buffy rolls her eyes, "We're not slobs, Piper."

Piper shakes her head while looking straight at Paige, "Oh, yeah? How come I spent all night cleaning potions stains off of the ceiling?"

"That's gespacio, not potion," Paige says.

"Well, you know what? Blenders have lids." Piper says.

"Piper, you need to relax, okay?" Buffy says.

"I will relax when Leo gets here. You, Leo and I haven't had a chance to prepare." Piper says.

"What's to prepare? You and Buffy are Charmed Ones, your reputations precedes you." Paige says.

"Oh, you mean how evil barges in here all hours of the day and night hell bent on killing us? Not exactly an ideal working environment." Piper says as Leo orbs in beside Piper. "Oh, finally. I was afraid that the Elders drummed up one of their it can't wait assignments." Leo gives her a look. "Can't it wait?"

Leo shakes his head, "No, it can't wait. But the assignments not for me, it's for Paige. You're getting your first charge."

Paige smiles, "Are you serious?"

Leo nods, "Well, the Elders aren't exactly known for their sense of humor."

"That is so great! I am now Paige Matthews, Whitelighter-Witch. I'm a hyphenate." Paige says.

Buffy rolls her eyes. "Hyphenates are nothing new to this family. Or did you forget I'm a Slayer-Witch."

"Wait a minute, since when are you psyched about Whitelighter duty?" Piper asks Paige.

"Well, it is half of who I am. Who's my charge gonna be? Is it a Whitelighter-to-be? A philanthropist? A doctor?" Paige says.

"Not exactly." Leo says.

Paige smiles, "Oh, wait, don't tell me. It's a young girl, a witch, she's just coming into her powers, oh my god, I can totally relate to that."

"You ramble when you're excited." Piper says.

"Sorry." Paige says.

"All I can tell you about your charge is that he is a good man who's lost his way." Leo says.

"And why is that all you can tell her?" Buffy asks.

"Because the Elders want Paige to figure the rest out for herself." Leo says.

Piper nods, "Yeah, see, you're being vague."

"You're charge's name is Samuel." Leo says, intentionally leaving off the last name so that Piper and Buffy doesn't recognize who Samuel actually is.

"Samuel. Good strong biblical name. Okay, where do I find him?" Paige says.

"The Elders aren't sure but they think that you should be able to sense his location." Leo says.

"So wait a minute, if the Elders have lost track of him, why did they suddenly think Paige can find him?" Buffy asks.

Leo sighs, "Well, the Elders have complete faith in Paige's ability, so do I. All we have to do is trust that they know what they're doing."

"How are you supposed to trust people that don't answer your questions?" Piper asks.

"Okay, enough, Negative Nancys, Piper you just scurry back to your tidying, Buffy you go back to reading. I don't want anybody to rain on my Whitelighter parade." Paige says.

"Buffy! Paige! Piper!" Phoebe says as Piper, Paige and Leo walk into the parlor where Phoebe is coming down the stairs. "Hey."

"What is it?" Buffy asks.

"We have a demon to vanquish. Paige, what did you do with the vanquishing potion that you made for Cole?" Phoebe says.

"Cole?" Dawn asks as she comes down the stairs. There had been no school because of parent/teacher conferences.

"I tossed it." Paige said.

Phoebe frowns, "You tossed it?"

Paige sighs, "Well, yeah, it wasn't strong enough. I tried it on that letter opener that had Cole's blood on it but it barely even dented it."

"Okay, well, you have to figure out a way to make another one that's strong enough, and fast." Phoebe says.

"Hang on a second, lady, what are you talking about?" Piper asks.

"Last night, two guys held up a bar and a vigilante killed them." Piper says.

"Sounds more like you need an arrest warrant, not a potion." Buffy says.

"Not when the vigilante is tall, dark and handsome and can send people flying with the wave of a hand." Phoebe says.

Piper shakes her head, "Well, that doesn't mean it's Cole."

"Did I forget to mention the scorch marks?" Piper asks.

Dawn looks to Buffy and Piper who sighs and nods.

"That means it's Cole." Piper and Buffy says in unison.

Leo nods, "Why don't you, uh..."

"Let me handle this. Phoebe, being that I'm also a Whitelighter, I just want to warn you that, you know, maybe you shouldn't jump to conclusions and you should have all the facts before you act." Paige says.

Phoebe nods, "Actually, you're right."

Paige smiles, "I am good at this."

"Well, you better start working on the potion because if I'm right about Cole, our truce with him is over." Phoebe says.

Later in the conservatory Dawn, Buffy, Piper, Leo and a really short elf woman with pointy ears and green eyes are there.

"Sorry, I don't cook," Elf Woman says.

Piper nods, "Cooking, that's a no, okay, got it." She marks something off on her clipboard.

"And only light house cleaning." Elf Woman says.

Leo nods, "Oh, that's okay, because Piper's a neat freak."

"If you don't mind, I have a few questions of my own." Elf Woman says as a quill and some parchment magically appear in the Elf's hand.

Piper looks between Buffy, Dawn and Leo, "Oh, of course you do, well, yeah, please."

"Am I expected to protect both babies from the incessant demon attacks?" Elf Woman says.

"I'd say incessant is a bit of an over statement." Buffy says.

"You are Charmed Ones, correct?" Elf Woman asks.

Buffy and Dawn simply nods.

"Yes, uh, but that won't affect your job here," Piper says.

"Won't it?" Leo asks.

Buffy shakes her head, "No, Leo, it won't. Whitelighters, they're such pessimists. Demons, you see, demons rarely attack us in the house, so..."

Suddenly, Paige orbs in with Samuel. "Darklighter, incoming!"

The Elf woman gives Buffy a look.

"This is highly unusual." Piper says.

The Darklighter appears in the room and shoots his crossbow at Samuel. An arrow hits him in the shoulder.

"Samuel!" Paige says.

Piper tries to blow the Darklighter up but only blows up his arm. He screams in pain. Phoebe walks in and panics when she sees what's going on. Buffy powers up a fireball and throws it as the Darklighter disappears.

"Wh-?" Phoebe starts.

"Consider my application withdrawn." Elf Woman says as she grabs her purse and magically disappears.

"Damn it!" Piper and Buffy says.

They rush over to Samuel.

"Don't touch it. It's poisonous to you too." Leo says.

"Is that who I think it is?" Piper whispers to Phoebe, Buffy and Dawn.

Buffy nods as she whispers back, "Aunt Patty's Whitelighter."

"And Paige's father," Phoebe whispers.

Moments later Phoebe leans Samuel against the chair. "It's okay, you're gonna be okay."

"This can't be happening. I can't be losing my first charge." Paige says.

"You're not. Everyone with Whitelighter blood, back up." Buffy says.

Piper, Paige and Leo take a step back.

"Leo, I can't believe you didn't tell me he was a Whitelighter." Paige says.

"Paige, just try and stay calm." Leo says.

"Why don't you tell her the rest of it, Leo?" Dawn asks.

Phoebe takes a step back as Buffy leans over Samuel, "This is gonna hurt." Buffy says as she breaks the tip of the arrow.

"Calm? The Elders sent me to protect someone without telling me who he was." Paige says. "And what else don't I know, Leo?"

Leo glares at Dawn, "I can't tell you Paige. There are still some things you have to find out for yourself."

Samuel screams as Buffy pushes the arrow out. "Okay."

Leo goes over to Samuel and heals his wound.

"Paige, go get the Book of Shadows." Piper says.

"Why? We know it was a Darklighter." Paige says.

Piper shakes her head, "No, there was something different about that guy. You just go get the book."

"Fine." Paige says she turns and heads up the stairs.

"You alright?" Leo asks.

"I'm still alive aren't I?" Samuel says.

"Long time no see." Buffy says.

Samuel looks at Piper, Buffy, Dawn and Phoebe. "Buffy, Dawn, Piper, Phoebe, how you all been?"

"Last time we saw you, you were riding into the afterlife with our mother. What happened?" Phoebe says.

"They made me a Whitelighter again. And I screwed up again. I guess I never got over..." Samuel says.

"Losing your daughter? Yeah, that's the one." Piper says.

"I've gotta get out of here." Samuel says as he gets up.

"Don't. She's your Whitelighter for a reason; the Elders are trying to help you." Leo says.

Samuel shakes his head, "By reuniting me with the child they forced me to give up?"

"You knew about this supernatural Jenny Jones reunion, didn't you?" Buffy asks.

Leo nods, "I was sworn to secrecy. It was why when Dawn told me to tell the rest to Paige I couldn't. Paige has to find out about her connection to Sam on her own."

"Ugh." Piper says.

Samuel shakes his head, "It doesn't matter." He walks into the parlor. Buffy, Dawn, Piper, Phoebe and Leo follow.

"No, hey, wait a minute. Aren't you forgetting someone? Like that girl upstairs that's trying to save your life." Phoebe says.

Samuel shakes his head, "She's better off without me."

Dawn shakes her head, "This isn't right."

"I have to agree with Dawn." Buffy says. "It isn't right. She has a right to know who you are. Believe me, Dawn and I understand that better than anyone when we were kept away from our grandmother and our cousins most of our lives."

"I'll tell you what's not right. The Elders setting me up." Samuel says.

"You forced them to. When you stopped using your powers, you fell off the radar. The only way to find you was through a blood relative." Leo says.

Samuel shakes his head, "I never wanted to be found. Least of all by her."

"I have to agree with Buffy and Dawn, she deserves to know the truth." Piper says.

Samuel sighs, "The truth? That her birth father, the Whitelighter, is a two-timing loser and a drunk? She doesn't need to know that." He orbs out.

Paige comes down the stairs with the book. "Where's Samuel?"

Buffy sighs, "He, uh, he orbed out."

"What? You just let him?" Paige asks.

"We couldn't stop him. Did you find anything in the book?" Phoebe says.

Paige shakes her head, "No." She slams down the book.

"Well, we're pretty sure that he's a tracker. They're stronger and more powerful than the Darklighters you've dealt with. They go after fallen Whitelighters, especially those who are a step away from losing their wings." Leo says.

"Okay, if you knew all that, why did you send me for the book?" Paige says.

"Because I didn't know that. Sorry. So we're gonna need a vanquishing potion. Why don't you two get started on that and Leo and I will go find Sam." Piper says.

Buffy shakes her head, "I'm coming with you. Dawn why don't you help Paige and Phoebe with the potion."

Dawn nods, "Okay, Buffy."

"Wait a second, he's my charge, I'm gonna go look for him." Paige says.

Leo shakes his head, "Well, he's been orbing a lot longer than you have, you might lose him. Buffy or I have a better chance of finding him than you do."

"Mm-hm, here, we're gonna go. We're going." Piper says.

Leo orbs out with Piper. A second later Buffy flames out.

Later at Samuel's apartment; Buffy, Piper and Leo are waiting there as Samuel orbs in.

"Thought you'd lost us, did you?" Piper asks.

Leo nods, "We knew you'd be back sooner or later."

"What is with you people? Can't you take a hint?" Samuel says.

"We need to talk." Buffy says.

"I don't wanna talk. I wanna be left alone. Why else do you think I've been orbing all over creation?" Samuel says.

"Well, chickening out comes to mind." Piper says.

"Sam, I know it hurts." Leo says.

"Oh, you know? How? How can you?" Samuel says.

"I-I know loss." Leo says looking at Piper.

"Hubris of a Whitelighter. Thinking we know everything just because of who we are, well, that is crap." Samuel says.

"Now you got a point there. So why don't you help us understand." Buffy says.

Samuel sighs, "You want to understand, do you? When you hold that precious little baby of yours in your arms and you love her more than anything in the world, and then you give her to someone else to raise and grow up with."

Piper sighs, "You and mom did that to protect Paige."

Samuel shakes his head, "It didn't work, did it? As soon as she found out whom she was, a witch, a Charmed..." He starts to cry. "It was just a matter of time until I lost her again. And I couldn't handle that. Look, uh, it doesn't matter, just leave, please. Pretend you never found me."

"It does matter, Sam. That Darklighter is not gonna stop until he kills you." Leo says.

"Maybe that's my destiny, you ever think of that?" Samuel asks.

"Look, come on, that is a cop out and you know it." Buffy says.

Piper nods, "You really think the Elders brought you and Paige together so she could watch you die?"

"Look at you, of all people, defending the Elders." Samuel says.

Buffy shakes her head, "Hey, they may not be on our Christmas lists but that doesn't mean they don't usually have a good reason for doing the things that they do."

"Like telling Piper that she couldn't marry Leo?" Samuel asks. "And Buffy you don't want to know what I've heard about your baby."

Piper sighs, "She said usually. Look, if you don't want our help, that's fine. But maybe this isn't about you, maybe this is about helping Paige."

"Helping Paige with what?" Samuel asks.

"Knowing where she comes from for starters." Piper says.

In the kitchen at the Manor Phoebe is making a potion.

"So you both don't know him at all?" Paige asks.

"You know, we run into a lot of people in our line or work." Phoebe says.

"Nope, don't know him sorry." Dawn said. For her it was the truth. She hadn't gone to the lake when Buffy, Prue, Piper and Phoebe had gone to vanquish the demon that had killed Patty all those years ago. She only knew of Samuel from what she had heard afterwards.

"Hey, once again, not an answer." Paige says.

"Can you pass me the cardamom please?" Phoebe asks.

Dawn hands a cardamom to Phoebe. Phoebe sprinkles some in the potion and starts humming.

Paige sighs, "Okay, I'm just gonna take a guess now. Let's see, maybe the Elders gave him to me because he's a lost cause they couldn't pawn off on anyone else."

"Toadflax." Phoebe says.

Paige hands her the toadflax. "Just tell me if I'm hot or cold."

"Um, okay, maybe the Elders thought you would actually learn something from working with him." Phoebe says.

Dawn rolls her eyes.

"Like what? How to give up?" Paige asks.

Phoebe shakes her head, "No, I think you pretty much got that down."

"Okay, passive-aggressive, what does that mean?" Paige asks.

Dawn lets out a sigh, "You really want to know Paige?"

"Yeah." Paige says.

Dawn looks at Phoebe for a moment before looking back at Paige, "Sam was my mom's and your mom's Whitelighter."

Paige's eyes go wide, "That would make him..."

"Your biological father. Honey, are you okay?" Phoebe says.

Paige nods, "Great, I'm just great. I just don't quite see why the big secret. Why couldn't anybody tell me?"

Samuel walks in. "I should have told you. I'm sorry. I was hoping we could talk."

"Go ahead, honey, Dawn and I will finish the potion." Phoebe says.

Paige nods, "Yeah, we can talk."

"We're here for you if you need us." Dawn said.

Samuel and Paige leaves the kitchen.

At Samuel's apartment Leo and Piper have left. Buffy is still there.

Samuel walks out of a back room, "Why haven't you left Buffy?"

"Because I have to know. You mentioned hearing something about my baby." Buffy says.

Samuel sighs, "You don't want to know."

"I do." Buffy says.

"Really you don't." Samuel says. "But I guess since you're not leaving before I tell you. There has been a great amount of discussion about your daughter. About whether she should be allowed to be born."

"Why?" Buffy asks.

"You know she is Dhampir?" Samuel asks as Buffy nods. "There is a prophecy, about the Dhampir. I don't know all of what it says. But she is supposed to be a Champion. Of the likes that has never been seen before. Supposedly blessed by the Powers that Be and the Elders. Your child will be powerful, the daughter of a Charmed One and a Vampire. There are some Elders that fear what would happen if she were swayed to evil."

At the Manor Piper and Leo orb in to the kitchen.

"Hey, nice job, you guys." Dawn says.

"What do you mean?" Leo asks.

Phoebe smiles, "Sam's in there talking to Paige."

"What?" Leo asks.

"That's impossible. Sam refused to come back." Piper says.

In the conservatory Samuel is talking to Paige. "You can pretend all you want that it hasn't affected you, but we both know better than that."

"How would you know? Who the hell do you think you are anyway?" Paige asks.

Dawn, Piper, Phoebe and Leo run in.

"Paige." Leo says.

"That's not Sam." Piper says as Buffy flames in.

"What are you talking about?" Paige asks.

"She's talking about this." Samuel says as he morphs into Cole.

"You son of a bitch." Paige says.

Cole smiles, "Wait, it gets better. Ronan!"

Ronan the Darklighter appears with his crossbow.

Piper tries to blow him up but nothing happens. "What happened?"

"He's immune." Cole says.

"Not to this." Phoebe says as she throws the potion at Ronan but nothing happens.

Ronan points his crossbow at them.

"Uh-oh." Paige says.

Ronan shoots his crossbow and the arrow splits into four. An arrow hits Paige in the stomach, another hitting Leo's arm and when the third hits Piper's stomach, a blue force field appears and the arrow crumbles to the ground. The fourth goes towards Buffy as a flame shield appears in front of her and the arrow crumples to the ground.

Paige and Leo fall to the floor.

"Ooh. Let's go." Cole says.

Moments later Phoebe has the arrows pulled out of Paige and Leo. Leo is lying on the floor with his head propped up on a pillow. Piper is kneeling beside him tying a cloth around his arm. Paige is lying on a chair while Phoebe dabs her wound with a towel. Paige groans.

"You can't stop the bleeding, can you?" Paige asks.

"Shh, just try and rest." Phoebe says as Piper walks over to Buffy, Dawn, Phoebe and Paige. "How's Leo doing?"

"He's been better." Piper says.

Phoebe shakes her head, "I can't believe Cole would go this far."

"What I can't believe is why the Darklighter thought an arrow dipped in a poison meant to kill Whitelighters would kill me." Buffy says.

Piper looks to Buffy, "That's a good question. But we'll worry about that later. Anyways what's the occasion?"

"Because he's pure evil." Phoebe says.

"Yeah, but it's just not smart. And good or evil, Cole is usually smart." Buffy says.

"Well, he's obviously lost his mind. I mean, he killed two people yesterday, in public." Phoebe says.

"I've been thinking about the vanquishing potion. Maybe if you mix four different ones..." Paige says.

"No, you're gonna be able to make the vanquishing potion, just as soon as we figure out a way to heal you." Phoebe says.

"We've gotta find Sam. He's our only chance." Dawn says.

Paige sighs, "Then I'm screwed."

Phoebe shakes her head, "Don't think like that."

"Why? Sam bails, that's what he does. This time it won't be any different." Paige says.

"It's different because now you're the one that's hurt. So you gotta find him and Buffy and I will go get him and bring him back here and Dawn and Phoebe will stay with you and Leo." Piper says. "It's up to you, you've gotta sense him. Concentrate."

Paige closes her eyes.

In an Alley behind a bar Samuel is asleep on some rubbish with an empty alcohol bottle in his hand. Buffy flames into the alley with Piper.

"Sam!" Piper says before she spots him. She and Buffy run over to him. "Sam, wake up." She and Piper shake him to wake him up.

"No, leave me alone." Samuel says.

"Listen to me, Paige and Leo need you." Buffy says. "The Darklighter shot them, you need to heal them." She and Piper help Samuel to his feet.

"I don't know. It's been so long." Samuel says.

"Well, there's no one else. You have to do it. Look, if you think you've screwed up in the past, now would be a good time to start making amends." Piper says.

Back at the Manor Paige is shaking. Dawn covers her with a blanket.

"He'll be here soon. He will, just hang on." Dawn says as Sam orbs in with Piper and Buffy.

Samuel sees Paige and rushes to her side. He holds his hands above Paige but nothing happens.

"What's the problem?" Phoebe asks.

"I can't." Samuel says.

"What? Try again." Piper says.

Samuel shakes his head, "It's no use. This is my punishment."

"No, you will not sit there and drown in self-pity while Paige and Leo die." Buffy says.

Samuel sighs, "Don't you think I wanna save them? For god's sake, this is my daughter."

"You can't heal her because you gave up." Phoebe says.

"Everything I touch I hurt. All I wanted was a life for her free from magic and demons." Samuel says.

Dawn smiles, "No, it was not. Paige saved us. She is the reason we are still standing here, she brought our family back together. Isn't that right, Buffy? Piper? Phoebe?"

Piper and Phoebe nods.

Buffy looks at Dawn and smiles, she is right then proud of her little sister.

"She has done so much good. All the pain and anger you've been hanging on to for so many years, you've got to let it go. It's time to let it go." Phoebe says.

"Paige, I am so sorry." Samuel says.

"It's okay." Paige says as she touches Samuel and a blue orbing light surrounds him. The light vanishes to reveal a clean, shaven Sam.

"What happened?" Samuel asks.

"I think you just healed yourself. Now Paige." Piper says.

Samuel holds his hands above Paige and heals her.

Paige smiles, "Thank you."

"Okay, thanks later. Leo now." Piper says.

Samuel walks over to Leo and and heals him.

Leo sits up. "Piper, are you okay? The baby."

Piper smiles, "Oh, she's fine. I don't think we have to worry about her at all. I'll explain later."

"Talking about later. Leo I think we need to have a talk." Buffy says.

Leo looks to Samuel and sighs, "Alright."

"I'm gonna go get started on those potions. We have a Cole to vanquish." Phoebe says.

Later Buffy, Dawn, Piper, Phoebe and Paige stand around a table in the attic. Four different colored potions sit on the table.

"So you think this is gonna work?" Piper asks.

"These are at least as strong as the one we used on the Source, so yeah, I think." Paige says.

"But you can't be sure?" Phoebe asks.

"I can't be sure of anything until I try it." Paige says.

Phoebe shakes her head, "That's not good enough."

"Phoebe." Buffy says.

Phoebe sighs, "I want him dead. I want this over with. And if this doesn't work, we may not get a second chance."

"I think Piper, Buffy and Paige got it, kill him, dead." Dawn says.

Phoebe nods, "Dead."

"I have a thought." Paige says as she carries the letter opener with Cole's blood on it to the center of the room. "No other potion has been able to destroy this since Cole's blood has been protecting it but if these potions are as strong as I think they are, then a little will go a long way." She fills four bottles with each of the different colored potions. Everyone except Dawn takes one and stand near the letter opener.

"On three?" Piper says.

Paige shakes her head, "No. Me, then you, then Buffy, then Phoebe."

Paige throws her bottle of potion at the letter opener. It sizzles. Piper throws her bottle at the letter opener and it makes a small explosion. Buffy throws her bottle and the letter opener makes a medium explosion. Phoebe throws her bottle and the letter opener makes a large explosion and leaves nothing but a hole in the rug.

"Sure you wanna do this?" Buffy asks. "Dawn could take the other potion and go in your place."

Phoebe shakes her head, "No I want to see this to the end. No offense, Dawnie."

Dawn smiles, "None taken. I'll go down and keep Uncle Samuel company."

"Uncle Samuel?" Paige asks.

"Buffy and I do the same thing with Uncle Victor. And he's technically not our uncle since he divorced Aunt Patty." Dawn says. "You don't have a problem with that do you?"

Paige shakes her head, "No I don't have a problem."

At Cole's apartment Piper, Phoebe and Paige orb in as Buffy flames in.

"Stand up. I said stand up!" Phoebe says.

Cole takes off his wedding ring and places it on the table. He stands up and faces the girls. "Come to vanquish me, have you?"

"Where's your hit man?" Piper asks.

Cole smiles, "Oh, you know those Darklighters; they're just so difficult to work with. Can't even kill a lousy Whitelighter, let alone you."

"But you could have." Phoebe says.

"You bastard." Paige says as she throws her potion at Cole's feet.

Piper throws her potion at his feet.

Buffy then throws her potion at his feet. She notices Phoebe is hesitating, "Phoebe, come on."

"I know what you're doing." Phoebe says.

"Phoebe, throw the potion." Paige says.

Phoebe shakes her head, "You never really wanted to kill us, did you?"

"What are you talking about?" Buffy asks.

"He could've killed Paige back at the manor," Phoebe says before looking at Paige, "he had you alone. But you needed all of us to survive for your plan to work, including Sam."

"Phoebe, have you lost your mind?" Piper asks.

Phoebe shakes her head, "No, you said it yourself. It wasn't a smart plan. Unless you didn't really wanted to kill us. You wanted us to be so blinded by hate that we couldn't see what you were really up to."

"Well, it's the only way out for me. And you want it too, so..." Cole says.

"Yeah, but on our terms, not yours. We won't help you commit suicide." Phoebe says.

"You already have." Cole says as he telekinetically pulls the potion out of Phoebe's hand and it lands at his feet. It causes a massive explosion, sending the girls to the floor. The windows and doors smash. The girls get up.

"Oh my god!" Phoebe says.

The smoke clears and Cole stands there, breathing heavily.

"I don't understand, that should've worked." Paige says.

"Why didn't it?" Piper and Buffy asks.

"They knew it wouldn't work." Cole says.

"Who knew? What are you talking about?" Phoebe says.

Cole shakes his head, "You can't vanquish me. Nobody can."

Later back at the Manor Paige and Sam are sitting on the couches. Dawn sits across from them, pretending to read a book.

"So, what are gonna do now? I mean, about Cole?" Samuel asks.

Paige shrugs, "I don't know, it's a little scary being that he's basically indestructible now."

"Well, I'm sure you girls will handle it. Paige, I want you to know that giving you up was the hardest decision I ever had to make. Your mother too. If we could've done it over, we wouldn't have done it. But we weren't supposed to be together. A baby, we were afraid the Elders would find out." Samuel says.

Paige sighs, "It's okay, I understand, I really, I do."

"It still has to have hurt you." Samuel says.

"I used to think that you did not matter to me at all. If I never met you, my life would be perfectly fine. I guess, uh, the Elders knew better after all. When you gave me up, you made a choice that gave me the most amazing gift. See, I got to have these tremendous parents and we, we loved each other fiercely. And now I have this whole new life with my sisters." Paige says as she looks at Dawn. "Even the sisters that are actually my cousins."

Dawn smiles as she looks up from the book at Paige.

Samuel nods, "What about everything that goes with it?"

"I choose to be a witch. I could've walked away but I didn't. And now I'm a Whitelighter to boot." Paige says.

Samuel smiles, "That's my girl."

Paige and Samuel talk for a while before Samuel says he has to leave. Paige says goodbye and heads into the kitchen.

"Uncle Samuel?" Dawn says.

Samuel smiles, "I'm not your uncle, Dawn. Patty and I were not married."

"I know but like Uncle Victor you get the title anyways." Dawn says.

Samuel nods, "Fair enough. What did you want?"

Dawn smiles, "Tell me about my mom."

In the kitchen. Phoebe is looking through the Charmed Book of Shadows as Leo orbs in.

"Any luck?" Buffy asks.

Leo shakes his head, "That little Elf, got a big mouth. All the nannies cancelled their interviews."

Piper sighs, "Oh, great. Well, if magical nannies won't work for us, then regular ones are out of the question. What are we gonna do?"

Leo nods, "Well, it's a good thing we and Buffy have a few months."

"Ugh." Piper and Buffy says.

Leo nods, "We'll figure it out."

Paige walks in.

"Hey, how did it go?" Buffy asks.

Paige smiles, "Good. Difficult but good."

"He's a good man, it'll be good for you guys to get to know each other." Leo says.

Paige nods, "Yeah, I think I'm a little burnt out on the whole emotional roller coaster thing right now. Maybe I deserve a nice drive down the coast. I think I'll call Trevor."

"Oh, that guy, yeah, that guy you just dumped." Piper says.

"Well, maybe I'll rethink that whole dumping perfectly nice guys before I give them a chance thing. I guess meeting Sam made me realise I kinda still have some abandonment issues I might wanna work through." Phoebe puts her head down on the book. "Anything from you over there in the peanut gallery?"

"I'm sorry, I'm just freaking out. Having an invincible ex-husband is making me really nervous." Phoebe says.

"Well, the good thing is we've got a couple someones that are invincible of our own."

Piper nods, "I got you covered."

"So do I." Buffy says.

Phoebe sighs, "For now."

Buffy looks to Leo, "Before I forget, Leo. I have a couple things I want ask you. Sam told me that the Elders have been discussing my baby is that true?"

Leo sighs and nods, "Yes it's true. But you have nothing to worry about the majority of the Elders are in favor of you keeping her."

Buffy smiles, "That's good to know. Now the other thing. The Darklighter shot at me as well as Piper, you and Paige. My babies flame shield prevented it from hitting me like Piper's babies orb shield prevented it from hitting her. My question is why a Darklighter would think a poison made for a Whitelighter would kill me."

Leo sighs, "You're not like Paige if that's what you're asking."

Buffy shakes her head, "It's not. I just want to know why he thought a Whitelighter poison could kill me."

"More than likely because you are the Slayer. Slayers were at one time future Whitelighters. Since the Powers that Be have claimed the Slayer as their Champion that is believed to no longer be the case. It is possible since you are Charmed and you now fall under the jurisdiction of the Elders. That you may be a future Whitelighter." Leo says. "As you know future Whitelighters can be killed by the poison."

"So that begs the question how did Cole or the Darklighter know I might be a future Whitelighter." Buffy says. "When even you didn't, Leo?"

* * *

**Author's Note:** First Dawn has a P name. When I first introduced Dawn in Morality Bites. I said her P name was Prudence Penelope Halliwell, and that she was named for her great grandmother and her grandmother. In that Seventies Episode I had Buffy being named after her great grandmother and aunt (Payson Patricia). The name of the great grandmother was further identified in Pardon Our Past. I have since decided that Dawn's P name is named after her Great Great Aunt (Payson's sister the one that was cursed in Pardon Our Past) and her grandmother. After all that Dawn's P name is still Prudence Penelope Halliwell. That all said though don't expect Dawn to use it on a regular basis till season 6, and there is a reason behind that..

For you Riley Haters, Riley leaves in the next chapter.


	119. Chapter 119: Into the Woods

**Chapter 119: Into the Woods**

At the Manor, candles are lit. Romantic music plays. There's evidence of a half-eaten dinner on the coffee table... Buffy and Riley have pushed some of the furniture back and they're dancing, holding each other tight and swaying to the music. Buffy sighs happily.

"Can we put this song on repeat?" Buffy asks.

"Whatever you want." Riley says.

"Can we put this night on repeat?" Buffy asks.

Riley nods, "Absolutely."

"Good..." Buffy says. "Goddess. I can't believe how relaxed I feel. Like all the tension's just been released from my body..."

"Already? I had that scheduled for a little later on." Riley says.

"Scheduled? Are you planning to seduce me?" Buffy asks, coy.

"Always." Riley says as they smile and he kisses her tenderly. "I want tonight to be special for you."

"It's more than special. It's perfect." Buffy says.

"I'm glad." Riley says.

"Riley, there's something I need to tell you." Buffy says.

"Whatever it is, it'll be okay." Riley says.

Buffy sighs, "I'm pregnant."

"Oh." Riley says. "How long?"

"A couple months now." Buffy says. "Since I went to L.A."

"Since you went…" Riley says as realization hits him, "You cheated on me?"

Buffy sighs, "Sorta. There was this day that no longer exists. A day where Angel was made human."

"How is that possible?" Riley asks.

"A demon did it. In the end Angel found out that I would have died trying to protect him. So he went to these powerful beings, he called them Oracles. And they rewound time. Nothing was supposed to stick. Problem was during that day I got pregnant." Buffy says.

Riley nods, listening. "And so then the baby no longer exists?"

Buffy shakes her head, "She exists. Along with Angel, I was allowed to remember the day. It seems my daughter was prophesized to be a Champion. If they hadn't rewound me with the day she would not be born."

Riley frowns, "Why are you telling me this?"

Buffy sighs, "Because I love you. Because you deserve to know now. Not when I start showing."

"I… I have to think about this." Riley says.

"I'm sorry if you're disappointed in me." Buffy says.

"I'm not, Buffy. It's just this is a lot to take in, you know?" Riley says. "To find out your pregnant with another man's baby when we were dating."

"How can I make this up to you, Riley?" Buffy asks. "Please I want to make this up to you."

Riley sighs and nods, "Let's sleep on it and see what comes of it in the morning."

A few hours later Buffy is sleeping. Then a noise wakes her. She sits up, holding the covers to her. "Dawn?"

Spike slinks from the darkness. "It's me."

Buffy's suitably surprised and pissed. "Spike. Every time you show up like this, you risk all your parts - you know that?"

"I wouldn't be here if I didn't have a good reason. As usual I'm here to help you." Spike says.

"Get out." Buffy says.

Spike can't help it - he's flustered by her nearby nudity. "I'm serious..."

"Get out or I'll drop you out, head first." Buffy says.

That sobers Spike. His tone is suddenly deadly serious. "I want to show you something."

"What?" Buffy asks, suspicious.

"You need to see it." Spike says.

Buffy assesses his tone. Finally decides that he may be on the level. "This better be worth getting out of my warm bed for, or so help me-"

"It is." Spike says. "But we have to move if we want to get there in time."

Buffy doesn't budge. Spike just stands there, hoping. Buffy makes it clear with a look that Spike's going to have to turn around before she goes anywhere.

Spike scoffs, "Please. Like I give a bloody damn." He turns around.

A little later Spike leads Buffy into an same alley and into a building.

Spike leads Buffy up some back stairs and into the first floor of a seedy flophouse that looks like a cross between a crack house and a low-rent whorehouse. The walls are covered in graffiti, the floors littered with debris and mattresses... It's dark, but we can see that the place is inhabited by a sordid bunch of lowlife humans and vampires.

Through the darkness Buffy can just make out people passed out in corners, folks locked in strange embraces, money changing hands here and there...

Spike leads Buffy to another flight of stairs. Before they can start for the second floor a tough-looking vampire gets in Spike's face. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Just having a little look, mate. Keep it down." Spike says as he tries to move past him - but the guy won't go away.

"You can't just go up there." Tough Vamp says.

WHAMP! Spike grabs the vampire by the neck and nearly chokes the life out of him. "I said, keep it down."

Spike casts the guy aside. The vampire hits the ground hard, gasping for air... Spike and Buffy move up the stairs.

Buffy enters a room, which is lit only by one dim bare light bulb. The only thing in the room is a soiled mattress, where Riley sits - getting bit by a trashy, junkie vampire girl.

Buffy, stunned beyond words, takes in the scene before her... The vampire in Riley's arms... The money on the mattress...

Riley hasn't noticed them standing there yet. Instead, he speaks to the vampire girls, his tone hard and insistent, "Harder."

Buffy gasps as Riley looks up. He and Buffy meet eyes.

Buffy's face is a mask of shock, but it gives way to horror. She can't believe what she's seeing. Behind her, Spike stands - savoring every minute of this.

Riley, also in some kind of terrible shock, can only utter- "Buffy-" Buffy's every instinct is telling her to get out. She turns and runs. "Buffy!"

Riley, still weak from the bite, tries to disentangle from the girl in his arms.

Spike lingers behind a moment. "We only came here because we care about you, friend. You need help."

Riley, infuriated, lunges at Spike - but Spike's already out the door.

Buffy's races down the stairs to the first floor of the building, half blind with shock and disbelief. Suddenly the intimidating vamp owner of the place, Whip, comes at her - either trying to calm her or hurt her, it's not clear which...

"Hey, hey!-" Whip says.

Buffy doesn't waste any time figuring out his intent. Instead she hurls the guy out of her way with all her might. Whip goes flying and crashes into a nearby wall... A few more paces and Buffy's out of there, with Spike not far behind.

Buffy and Spike spill into the street from the tenement. Buffy is so stricken, she looks ill.

Spike sees this, tries to offer some kind of explanation- "I thought you should know. I-"

Buffy shoots Spike a look so deadly and full of pain that it stops him in his tracks. It's clear that another word from him might mean his demise.

Buffy takes off down the alley, disappears around the corner.

Later back at the Manor, Buffy comes home, truly freaked by what she's just seen. She leans against her bedroom door - upset and bewildered.

Piper having heard Buffy come home, knocks on her door.

Buffy slowly opens the door and looks at Piper, tears in her eyes.

Piper sighs and pulls Buffy into an embrace.

The next day Buffy enters the Magic Box, clearly agitated. "Giles, I need to find out everything I can about a vamp nest downtown."

"A nest? What sort of-" Giles says.

Buffy cuts him off, not letting him finish his question, "It was like a... there were people there. It looked like they were paying vampires to bite them."

"Now I know what to get for the person who has everything." Xander says, jokingly.

"Who would pay to get bitten?" Willow asks.

"It's been going on for centuries. Humans hire vampires to feed off them. They get off on the rush." Anya says.

Giles nods, "And the danger. Traveling in the underworld can become addictive for these people."

"Why don't the vampires just kill them?" Xander asks.

"Because they get cash, hot and cold running blood - and they don't leave any corpses around, so they don't get hunted." Anya says.

"Still, it's terribly dangerous for humans. People end up dying accidentally or meeting a vampire who only pretends to play by house rules." Giles says.

Buffy turns to Giles, a little too intense. "You knew about this and you didn't tell me?"

Giles is a little surprised by her attitude. "I- I haven't seen it since my Ripper days. I didn't know it was going on in San Francisco.

Buffy moves to one of the weapons cabinets, starts to load up. "Well it is, and I'm going to stop it."

Giles moves to her. "Buffy, even if I had known about this - I might not have told you."

"What? Why?" Buffy asks.

"I'm not sure this is where your efforts are best spent. Perhaps you should focus your efforts on a... less ambiguous evil. Glory, for instance." Giles says.

"You said people are dying." Buffy says.

Giles nods, "But they're willing victims. And there are so many other people who deserve your help who aren't..."

"Not to mention the fact that if you cut off their supply - they'll only look for another fix someplace else." Anya says.

"Vampires are vampires. And my job description is pretty clear. Are you coming with me or not?" Buffy says.

"What's the rush, Buff? If we're going into a nest maybe we should come up with a strategy. Wait for Riley..." Xander says.

Buffy's face clouds a little at Riley's name. Xander sees it. "Back me up or not, I'm not waiting." And she starts out. Giles, Willow and Xander exchange a look. Then gather their own weapons and move after Buffy.

"Anya - will you mind the store?" Giles asks.

"Sure thing." Anya says as they all head for the door. Anya calls after them in her cheerful shopkeeper voice- "Have a nice day. Don't get killed!"

Back at the vamp nest the place is empty as Buffy, Giles, Xander and Willow troop down from the stairs that lead to the second floor. They've clearly been over the whole place once before.

"I don't know what happened. This place was doing serious business last night..." Buffy says.

"Guess everybody jumped ship when word got out that the Slayer found their bassinet." Xander says. "And let me just apologize for that use of the word bassinet."

"You think they'll set up shop again here in town?" Buffy asks.

"It's hard to say. I imagine they'll lay low for a while." Giles says.

"But they're around somewhere. There's got to be a way we can find these creeps." Buffy says.

Willow shakes her head, "Don't worry, Buff. You'll find them."

"Yeah. I'm sure you'll get 'em next time, champ." Xander says.

Buffy looks at Xander, her attitude openly steely. Then she grabs the Coleman stove from the ground and hurls it against the opposite wall. Kerosene splatters everywhere and the whole area goes up in flames.

"We'd better get going." Buffy says as she heads quickly out. The others lag a bit behind, exchanging concerned glances. Buffy's turned into the Terminator and they don't know why.

Later back at the Magic Box in the training room, Buffy is working the punching bag hard - trying to expel some of her anger and hurt... She notices Riley standing in the doorway, looking grave. Buffy falters a moment at seeing him - then continues, her face going hard. She's too freaked and upset to deal with him.

Riley moves closer. "We need to talk."

"I'm not ready to talk to you yet." Buffy says.

Riley catches the punching bag - stops it. "Too bad."

Buffy just looks at him for an angry beat. Moves away from him and starts to gather her stuff. "I'm serious. Unless you want a fight-"

"So let's fight. We need to have this out, Buffy. Right now." Riley says.

Buffy turns on Riley. "And say what, Riley? What were you thinking? How long have you been lying to me? Or is this about the fact I told you I'm pregnant. Nothing you can say right now is going to make it better." She tries to move past him, but Riley grabs her - holds her fast.

"I realize that. I don't expect... I just need you to hear me out." Riley says.

Buffy relents a bit - but her expression remains hard. "Fine. But get your hands off me." She says this last with such pain and force that Riley unhands her. Buffy stands her ground, waiting for him to talk.

"I think - I... when this thing started, it was just some stupid, immature game. I wanted to even the score after you let Dracula bite you-" Riley says.

"I did not let him-" Buffy says.

"I know. On some level I know that. But I was still spun, and, I don't know... I wanted to know what you felt; I wanted to know why Angel and Dracula had so much power over you… Especially after you told me you and Angel had slept together and he got you pregnant." Riley says.

Buffy shakes her head, "You so don't get it."

Riley grows emphatic, trying so hard to be understood. "Exactly. Which is why I let the first one bite me... I wanted to get it, Buffy. I wanted to get you-"

"So this is my fault? Gee, Buffy's so mysterious - I think I'll go almost die. I think I'll let some other woman..." Buffy says.

Riley sighs, "This isn't your fault. It's mine. And I feel like hell for what I've put you through. But it's just - these girls-"

"Vampires, killers," Buffy says.

"They made me feel something. Something I didn't even know I was missing until-" Riley says.

Buffy starts past him again - this is too much. "I can't. I can't hear this-"

Riley grabs her by the arm again, desperate to get through to her, desperate to make her understand... "You need to hear this-"

"Fine. Tell me about your whores. Tell me what on earth they've been giving you that I can't." Buffy says, livid.

"They needed me, Buffy-" Riley says.

"They needed your money! It wasn't about you." Buffy says.

"No - on some basic level it was about me. My blood. My body. When they bit me, it was beyond passion... They wanted to devour me, all of me-" Riley says.

"Why are you telling me this?" Buffy asks, pained.

"It wasn't real. I know. It was just physical. But the fact that I craved it, that I kept going back... Even if it was fleeting - they made me feel like they had such hunger for me..." Riley says.

It dawns on Buffy now what he's trying to say - and it hits her like a slap in the face. "And - I don't? Make you feel that way?" Riley falls silent. That's what he's saying. Buffy's appalled. "How can you compare me to, to that? How can you say you understand what those vampires were feeling? You're not a passion to them, you're a snack! An idiotic, willing snack!"

"I know exactly what they feel when they bite me - because I feel it every time we're together. It's like the whole world falls away - and all there is, is you." Riley says.

"And you don't think I care that way about you? How dare you tell me-" Buffy says.

"You keep me at a distance Buffy. You didn't even tell me you were pregnant till yesterday, when you're already a couple months along."

"I'm sorry I couldn't take care of you when I had my own problems to deal with. Do you know how hard it is when you find out you're going to become a mother?" Buffy asks.

"It's about me taking care of you! It's about letting me in, so you don't have to be on top of everything all the time-" Riley says.

"But I do. See, that's part of what a Slayer or a Charmed One is. And that's really what this is about. You can't handle that I'm stronger than you." Buffy says. "Or that I have powers."

"It's hard sometimes, yes. But that's not it-" Riley says.

Buffy sighs, "Then what? What do you want from me Riley? I've given you everything I have. Every part of me, body and soul-"

"You say that, but I don't feel it." Riley says, anguished. "Especially after…"

"Well whose fault is that? Because I'm telling you - this is me. This is the package. And if it's so deficient that you need to get your kicks elsewhere then we have a real problem." Buffy says.

This hits Riley hard. "They want me back, Buffy. The military. It's deep undercover. No contact with civilians. The transport's leaving tonight."

"Tonight? When were you going to tell me about this?" Buffy asks.

"I'm telling you now." Riley says.

"Are you going?" Buffy asks.

"I don't know. If we can't work this out..." Riley says.

"Then what? That's it - goodbye?" Buffy asks as her anger returns, ten-fold. "You are unbelievable! You're giving me an ultimatum?"

"I'm not. I-" Riley says.

"You are! You expect me to get over it now or you're gone!" Buffy says.

"I don't. Buffy-" Riley says as Buffy's had it, she starts for the door. Riley blocks her way. "That's not what I meant-"

"No. I've heard enough. I'm not taking the blame for all of this-" Buffy says.

"I'm not asking you to-" Riley says.

Buffy shakes her head, "Let me go, or I'll-" She stops herself.

"What? Hit me? Go ahead." Riley says as Buffy just stares at him. Riley forces the issue, wanting the connection - desperately wanting something from her- "Come on, do it."

"Get out of my way." Buffy says.

Riley stands his ground. "I'm serious, Buffy. Hit me. Hit me." Finally Buffy just moves around him. Grabs her things. Riley deflates. She just going to walk away... Buffy almost hits the door when- "I'm leaving, Buffy. Unless you give me a reason to stay, I'm leaving tonight."

This stops Buffy in her tracks. She takes this in, expression hard. A long beat - then she walks out the back door of the training room.

Buffy walks aimlessly through an alley - devastated. Completely distracted by her fight with Riley. Then she realizes that she's not alone... Whip moves out of the shadows. He has the junkie girl vamp that bit Riley on his arm. The junkie girl vamp has been beaten - looks really out of it.

"The pyro act was a bad idea, Slayer." Whip says.

Buffy's in no mood. "Felt pretty good to me."

More of Whip's vamps surround Buffy. She goes on high alert - aware of danger on all sides.

"I'm not running. And you're not shutting me down." Whip says as the vamps start to close in on Buffy. "In fact - you're not going to make it through the night."

Buffy's in no mood for this. She warns them, her tone pained and lethal, "Walk away." But the vampires continue to move in. "I'm serious. Don't do this. Not now-"

One of the vampires lunges for her. That's it. Buffy springs into action, ripping a thin, long wooden plank from a boarded-up window nearby. In a series of blindingly fast, economical moves Buffy breaks the wood plank at each end, making stake-like points. Fighting "Trinity Style" in the Matrix, Buffy spins and thrusts her double-ended stake, dusting vampires left and right. The vampires don't even have time to react - one through seven are gone. Then she unceremoniously finishes off Whip with one final, deft move.

The whole fight takes about eight seconds - and the only other creature left standing in the alley besides Buffy is the junkie vampire girl who bit Riley. The girl trembles, wide-eyed, before Buffy. Clearly messed up and harmless. Buffy hesitates. She can't kill this one. It stinks of pointless vengeance.

Buffy slumps, spent and feeling no better for the raw display of power. The junkie girl realizes she's being spared, then the girl takes off running down the alley.

Buffy hears the girl retreat. She doesn't move... The moment plays out for an unusually long time... As long as it took Buffy to kill those vampires...

Then, without warning, Buffy hurtles her weapon toward the retreating vampire girl. WHOMP! She impales the junkie vamp girl who dusts. The double ended plank clatters to the ground...

Buffy just stands there - looking at the space where the vampire girl just was. Expressionless.

"So how'd that work out for you? Make you feel better?" Xander asks.

Buffy turns to see Xander moving out of the shadows. "What are you doing here?"

"I thought you might need to talk. Then I saw you get into this skirmish... I was going to lend a hand - but you seemed to grow a few extra ones." Xander says.

Buffy starts to walk away. "Go home, Xander."

"Buffy-" Xander says.

"I'm serious." Buffy says.

Xander heads after her. "So am I. Something's up. You're acting like a crazy person."

Buffy ignores him. She takes off and turns a corner; trying to get away from him. She sees a sliding door of a warehouse is slightly ajar. She runs to it and forces it open enough to slip inside. A beat later - and Xander comes around the corner, sees Buffy disappearing into the warehouse.

Buffy moves inside, upset and cornered now. Xander's right on her heels.

"Take this, for instance. You don't want to deal, so you hide? Not very Slayer or Charmed-like." Xander says.

"Just leave me alone, Xander. You have no idea what's going on." Buffy says.

Xander sighs, "No? Good. So you and Riley aren't imploding?" Buffy turns toward him, surprised. "Doesn't take a genius. What I can't figure out is how you didn't see it coming?"

"What? Who told you-" Buffy says.

"Nobody told me anything, Buffy. It's been right in front of my Xander face. The guy would do anything for you-" Xander says.

"The guy got himself bit by a vampire!" Buffy says as Xander reacts to this. He suspected, but... "He lied to me. He ran around behind my back and almost got himself killed. And now he has the nerve to tell me that he's leaving with some covert military operation at midnight, unless I convince him not to. No tell me you "understand" - because I sure as hell don't."

"Are you going to let him go?" Xander asks.

"It's not my decision if he wants to take off—" Buffy says.

"Of course it is." Xander says.

"Well, that's not fair!" Buffy says.

Xander nods, "Who cares if it's fair? In about twenty minutes Riley's gonna disappear - maybe forever - unless you do something to stop him."

"What am I supposed to do? Beg him to stay?" Buffy asks.

"Why wouldn't you? To keep Riley here, you wouldn't –" Xander says.

Buffy shakes her head, "I don't even know who he is! I mean he's... I thought Riley was dependable –"

"Dependable? What is he, State Farm?" Xander asks.

Buffy sighs, "You know what I mean."

"Yeah, I think you mean convenient. I think you took it for granted that he was gonna show up when you wanted him to and take off when you didn't." Xander says.

"Look who's talking! You've got Anya following you around like a love sick puppy –" Buffy says.

"Oh boy is this not about me –" Xander says.

"Is she more than a convenience? 'Cause that'd be kind of a surprise." Buffy says.

Xander stares at her a moment, dead serious... Maybe she's got his number, or maybe he's just got hers. "If you don't want to hear what I have to say, I'll shut up right now."

"Good. 'Cause –" Buffy says.

"I lied. See, what I think? You got burned with Angel, not once but actually twice when he got you pregnant. Then Riley shows up-" Xander says.

"I know the story, Xander." Buffy says.

"But you missed the point. You shut down, Buffy. And you've been treating Riley like the rebound guy, when he's the one who comes along once in a lifetime. He's never held back with you - he's risked it all - and you're about to let him fly because you don't like ultimatums?" Xander says as this hits Buffy hard. Xander sees it, comes on strong- "If what he needs from you just isn't there - for God's sake, let him go. But if it is? If you can go deeper... Let him get to know that raw, unguarded heart you tried to put away... Maybe you'd better risk something too."

Xander's finally gotten through to her - her anger gives way to realization... "Okay. So he's drawn the line. Good. Cause either this is the end - or maybe it's the beginning. It's up to you."

Buffy looks at Xander with stunned tears in her eyes. "Xander-"

"Run." Xander says. "If he's the one you love, run. If he's the one you think could make good father for your child, run. If he's all that and more, run."

A flicker of hope lights Buffy's face. They share a quick look - Buffy's appreciation clear. Then she flames out.

Buffy flames in just as the helicopter lift off the ground. She yells - the sound of her voice obliterated by the chopper. "Riley!" She's desperate. They have to see her. She calls again as the copter takes off into the night. "Stop! Riley!"

Buffy stops yelling as the copter disappears into the darkness. She can't believe it... She slumps, spent and heartbroken. She turns and walks, numb with pain.

Later at the Manor Buffy walks up the stairs toward her and Dawn's room - but she's too broken to make it. She slumps to one of the stairs and just sits there for a long beat. Then she starts to cry.

From in the bedrooms; Dawn, Piper, Phoebe and Paige hear Buffy crying on the stairs. They each get up and make their way out of the bedrooms. They look at each other and then walk down the stairs and sit down next to Buffy. Each of them comforting her in whatever way they can.


	120. Chapter 120: The Importance of Being

**Chapter 120: The Importance of Being Phoebe**

Paige is driving along the road, talking on her phone to Phoebe. "Okay, so I've stopped at five herb shops but I finally found some eye of newt. So if it's good enough for Shakespeare's witches, I figured it'd help us put a serious dent in Cole."

"Look, we've tried everything to vanquish him but nothing works, okay. So I just say we watch our backs and get on with our lives. Speaking of which, do you think eye of newt would work on the woman that's trying to sue me?" Phoebe says.

"Is she demonic?" Paige asks.

"Well, she's demonically stupid. Paige, I am seriously worried that I'm going to lose my job over this." Phoebe says.

"For giving bad advice in your column?" Paige asks.

"No, the advice wasn't bad, I never told her she should leave the guy at the altar." Phoebe says.

Paige sighs, "Either way, what happened to freedom of the press?"

"Well, apparently some dirt bag lawyer is finding a way around it." Phoebe says as Paige passes a demon wearing a suit, standing on the side of the road. He waves his hand and something blows on her car. Her car spins out of control and Paige screams. "Paige? "Paige's car crashes into another car and she is knocked unconscious. "Paige, are you okay? Paige, do you hear me? Are you okay? Paige."

Later at the hospital Dawn, Piper, Phoebe and Paige are there. Paige is in the hospital bed, Phoebe sits on the end of the bed, Piper sits beside in a chair, and Dawn stands beside Piper.

"Are you sure you don't want to call Leo?" Piper asks.

Paige shakes her head, "No, no, it's just a mild concussion and besides, I don't deserve to be healed. I know better than to talk on the phone and drive, I don't know what I was thinking."

"Do you remember what happened?" Piper asks.

"I was speaking to Phoebe and then the next thing I know the car just started spinning out of control." Paige says.

"Hm, it's kinda like my career." Phoebe says.

"Oh, honey, it's not that bad is it?" Paige asks.

Phoebe sighs, "I think it is. The newspaper's lawyers wanna meet with me and I don't think it's because they're huge Phoebe fans."

"Well, I'll see you your career and raise you Buffy's club. The health inspector's coming back today and the plumbing just exploded, again." Piper says.

Dawn sighs, "I'll add in Riley dumping Buffy."

They all nod knowing Buffy has them topped at the moment.

"What is going on with us? Is Mercury in retrograde?" Paige asks

"Have you thought about using a magical band-aid?" Phoebe asks.

"I'd do it in a heartbeat if I wasn't afraid of the personal gain consequences." Piper says. "Especially if it helped Buffy get over Riley."

"See, this is why demons always have the upper hand, you know. They can use their magic whenever they want to." Phoebe says.

"Yeah, well, you know, that's what separates good from evil." Piper says.

"Yeah, I know that but it's still very tempting. I mean, you could fix your plumbing; I could turn some lawyers into toads. Buffy could turn an ex-boyfriend into a toad." Phoebe says.

"Aunt Phoebe, little wiccans have very big ears that can hear you." Piper says.

"Oh, I'm sorry, baby, I was only kidding! Mostly." Phoebe says. "Are you going to be okay because I have to go get fired now."

Paige nods, "You are not getting fired and I'm fine."

"From your mouth to god's ears," Phoebe says as she kisses Paige on the head and turns to Piper's stomach. "Okay, bye, my little niece." She kisses Piper's stomach.

"You're smashing me." Piper says.

"I love you." Phoebe says.

"Get off me!" Piper says.

Phoebe turns to Dawn, "Are you going back to the Manor?"

Dawn nods, "Soon. I don't want to leave Buffy alone too long."

Phoebe nods, "Give her my love. And of course that goes double for yourself Dawnie." She turns and leaves.

"This is no segue but Piper, you and I need to talk about vanquishing Cole." Paige says.

"'Cause we don't have enough problems at the moment?" Piper asks.

Paige shakes her head, "No, because he's actually our biggest problem at the moment. Okay, look at Phoebe; it's totally beaten her down."

Piper shakes her head, "I don't know, she seemed kind of cheerful considering the state of her career."

Paige sighs, "That's this wonderful thing called denial. Okay, the Phoebe I know would never roll over for lawyers like that. This morning when I was talking to her about vanquishing Cole, she told me I was wasting my time. I'm telling you she is off."

Piper sighs, "Alright, okay, already. Well, we'll spend the afternoon with our noses in potions. But can I go save the soul source of our income first?"

"Yeah, go, I'll see you later." Paige says.

"Are you okay to orb? Maybe Dawn should shimmer you?" Piper says.

Paige shakes her head, "I'm perfectly fine to orb. Go. In fact Dawn why don't you shimmer back to the Manor and check on Buffy."

"Alright," Dawn and Piper say as they leave the room.

At Payson's P5 Piper, Leo and the Health Inspector are there. The Inspector has stamped a file saying 'condemned'.

"Oh, no, no, no, don't do that. Come on, you've gotta give me another chance." Piper says.

"And why is that?" Health Inspector asks.

"Because, because, because..." Piper says.

"Because we've been in business nearly four years and we haven't failed an inspection yet." Leo says. "Plus the club is in trust for the owner. What will it mean when she turns 21 in a little over a year?"

"Well, I'd have to disagree with that, Mr. Wyatt. You've failed two this week." Health Inspector says. "And about the owner. Well you can explain to her what she needs to address. If she wishes Mrs. Halliwell to reopen the club for her before she turns 21."

"Yeah, but this week has been bad, like strangely bad and we'll have the plumbing fixed tomorrow so can't you just come back then?" Piper says.

"Well, your record has been impeccable until now." Health Inspector says as a rat squeaks and crawls past his feet. "Whoa, hello." Piper gasps. "Rats too."

Piper shakes her head, "No! No, we don't have rats. They don't live here. They're just; they're just trying to ruin my life."

"Rodent infestation takes longer than a day to clear up. Close down, address the problem, and we'll schedule another inspection in a few weeks." Health Inspector says.

"We won't need another inspection in a few weeks because if we stay closed that long, we'll be out of business. And Payson's inheritance will have gone down the drain." Piper says.

"Sorry, there's nothing I can do." Health Inspector says.

Leo nods, "Alright, well, I'll show you out."

Leo and the Inspector head for the door.

Piper grabs a broom. "Where are you?" She chases the rats with the broom. "I hate you, I hate you. Go home! Get out of here you plague spreading, club ruining rodent. I will get you!" She tries to blow up the rat but misses and gets a chair.

Leo walks back in. "Piper, what are you doing?"

Piper sighs, "Diminishing the rodent population obviously."

"Come on, honey, we're gonna get through this." Leo says.

Piper goes over and sits on the stairs. "Yeah, we will but the club won't. How can this be happening? I mean, I know I've neglected the club since I've been pregnant but not this much. What am I going to tell Buffy? She trusted me to run this place for her after Prue, Phoebe and I decided to give it to her."

"These things happen, it's just bad luck." Leo says. "I'll tell you what I'll talk to Buffy about what's going on."

Piper shakes her head, "No, it is more than bad luck, it is sabotage, it is... it's demonic."

"What?" Leo asks.

Piper nods, "Well, yeah. Phoebe's lawsuit, Paige's accident, Riley leaving Buffy... Well, that's it, it's all part of it, it has to be."

"Why?" Leo asks.

"Because I said so and if not, we're losing the club which is just not an option." Piper says as she and Leo leave the club.

At the Manor Dawn comes up the stairs and into hers and Buffy's room. "Buffy?"

Buffy sighs and looks at her younger sister, "What?"

"Paige was in an accident." Dawn says.

Buffy sits up her grief over Riley temporarily forgotten over concern for Paige, "What? What happened?"

"She's fine. She has a mild concussion. They should be releasing her soon." Dawn said.

Buffy smiled, "That's good. At least it wasn't anything serious.

Later downstairs Piper opens the front door to let Darryl in. "Darryl, have you heard from Paige? Because she was supposed to come straight home from the hospital but..."

"Paige is in jail. We tried to call you but..." Darryl says.

Buffy and Dawn come up behind Piper, with dual looks of concern.

"What? What for?" Buffy asks.

"Reckless endangerment and felony hit and run." Darryl says.

"What?" Piper, Buffy and Dawn asks, concerned.

Suddenly, Paige orbs in, she sees Darryl is there. "Oops."

"You have got to be kidding me." Darryl says.

"Paige, Darryl said you were in jail." Piper says.

Paige nods, "Oh, I am. I mean, I was, I will be. Just as soon as I figure out what demon is doing this to me."

"You just disappeared from jail?" Darryl asks.

Paige shakes her head, "No! I put pillows in the bed first. It always worked at my parents' house."

"Paige!" Darryl says.

"What? You weren't gonna help me so I had to help myself. Whether you believe it or not, there is a demon behind this." Paige says.

Darryl sighs, "At two o'clock, they're gonna come get you for your bail hearing. If you're not there, that's my ass. Everybody knows we're friends. They're gonna just think I let you go."

"I will be there at two o'clock." Paige says as Darryl leaves.

"See ya." Dawn says as she closes the door.

Paige sighs, "Okay, he hates me."

"Yeah, he does. But for what it's worth I'm with you. Leo's doing the Elder thing." Piper says. "In fact I have a small theory about Riley."

Buffy sighs, "What about him?"

"Well I think we have a demon problem. The club has been shut down pending a new health inspection in a couple weeks. Paige gets arrested. Phoebe is being sued. Since the club is associated with me more than you since my names on the deed and licenses till you turn 21. That means I was targeted because of it. I think you were targeted also. I think a demon used magic to get Riley out of your life." Piper says.

Paige nods, "Let's just cut to the chase, shall we? Our problems are legal, right? Well most of them. Who's the only demonic lawyer we know? Who's the only one powerful enough to affect all of our lives?"

"Cole. And he has gone off the deep end lately. But how is ruining our lives gonna help him get Phoebe back?" Buffy asks.

"I don't know. But until we figure it out we should keep her out of it." Paige says.

Later in Cole's office building, the elevator doors open and Buffy, Dawn, Piper and Paige walk out. They head for Cole's office.

"So what are we gonna do?" Piper asks.

"We're gonna tell him we're on to him and it's not gonna work." Paige says.

Buffy looks to Dawn, "I agreed you coming along because this affects you as much as us. But if it turns out he's going to start throwing fireballs I want you to shimmer out."

Dawn sighs and nods, "Ok."

They walk into Cole's office and see Cole and Phoebe making out on his desk. They watch in shock.

Moments later they've left Cole's office and are standing in the hallway, looking grossed out.

"I can't believe I saw what I just saw." Paige says.

"Well, believe it 'cause I saw it too." Piper says.

"So did we," Buffy says, indicating herself and Dawn.

"How, why is she kissing him?" Paige asks.

"That's a good question," Dawn says. "I thought she hated Cole."

Piper sighs, "I don't know we all thought she hated Cole, but I say we go back in there and we pull her out by her hair."

Buffy shakes her head, "No, no, we can't make a scene. Okay, we need a plan."

Piper nods, "Okay, here it is. We go home, we vomit..."

"And?" Paige asks.

"That's all I got so far." Piper says.

Buffy and Dawn nods as they say together, "Okay."

Later back at the Manor they are talking with Leo.

"There's not, there's no... Are you sure?" Leo asks.

"Leo, we saw Phoebe and Cole tongues locked, hands groping all over each other." Paige says as she shivers.

"Okay, didn't need the visual." Leo says.

Dawn raises her hand, "I have to second that. I'm still trying to get the image of actually seeing it out of my mind."

"Well, maybe he has her under some kind of mind control. I mean, he can do that, that's possible, right?" Piper says.

Leo nods, "Right. I think right now he could do pretty much anything he wanted."

"Why? What do you mean?" Buffy asks.

"Well, the Elders have sensed a major surge in demonic activity. They think that evil is organizing under a new leader." Leo says.

Paige frowns, "Oh, that's just great because the last time Cole was the leader of the Underworld, he took Phoebe as his queen and we were completely blindsided by it that time too. Oh my god, that's why she didn't want me to try to vanquish him."

"She was talking this morning about being tempted." Piper says.

Paige nods, "She was trying to warn us and we didn't even see it."

Buffy sighs, "Now my own problems seem to have paled in comparison."

"Okay, this just cannot be happening, people. I mean, Phoebe would not do this to us. I mean, it cannot, cannot, cannot be happening!" Piper says.

"Okay, let's just calm down, okay. The last time Phoebe was evil she was under the influence of her demonic pregnancy." Leo says.

"So what, you're saying you think she's pregnant again?" Buffy asks.

Leo shakes his head, "No! I just think that maybe we're underestimating her. Maybe there's something that we're missing."

"Ugh." Dawn says.

"We saw what we saw." Paige says.

"Okay, well, maybe she's under a spell. Or-or maybe there was some information that she wanted and she was using sex as a tool." Leo says.

Piper shakes her head, "Okay, I like the sound of that. Slutty and manipulative, that's better than evil any day."

Leo sighs, "So let's not panic. Let's talk to Phoebe and give her the chance to explain what's going on." The clock chimes two o'clock. "By the way, Darryl called."

"Oh." Paige says as she orbs out.

Later Phoebe walks in through the front door. Buffy, Dawn, Piper and Leo walk in from the living room.

"Oh, uh, hi, Piper," Phoebe says, "Buffy, Dawn."

"Don't you hi Piper me. We saw you." Piper says.

"I thought you said you were gonna be calm." Leo says.

"I am calm." Piper says.

"Well I'm not." Buffy says.

"You saw me what?" Phoebe asks.

"Don't act like you don't know what we're talking about." Piper says.

"Trust me, it's not an act." Phoebe says.

Dawn sighs, "We saw you making out with Cole."

"Okay, well, that's just not possible, you see, because I'm pretty sure that I hate Cole, right?" Phoebe asks.

"Phoebe, I am pregnant, I am emotional and I am freaking out. And if you are back together with Cole then that is just fine but do not deny what we just saw." Buffy says.

Phoebe sighs, "Okay, alright, then, uh, I'm back together with Cole."

"What?" Leo asks.

"What? How can you say that?" Piper asks.

"Wh- I thought Buffy said it was fine?" Phoebe says.

"Well, I didn't mean it and for goddess' sakes the man mummified you." Buffy says.

"Whoa, seriously?" Phoebe asks.

"Something's not right, her memory seems gone." Leo whispers.

"Okay, that's a good sign. Now Phoebe, try and focus. Does Cole have you under some kind of spell?" Piper asks.

"Maybe." Phoebe says.

Buffy nods, "Maybe, maybe is good. Because magic we can fight, lust, desperation, insanity we cannot fight, but magic we can fight."

"Unless you've used your powers for evil." Leo says.

"Which you haven't, have you?" Dawn asks.

Phoebe shakes her head, "No, no, I don't think so and that would be the worst thing ever, right?"

"Oh, yeah, we couldn't bring you back from that," Leo says.

"Okay, so this is what we have to do. You have to take away my powers so I don't misuse them." Phoebe says.

"Yes. She's not evil, you're not evil." Piper says.

"So you think Cole has you under his control?" Leo asks.

"Well, yeah, why else would I have kissed Cole? Oh my god, what has he done to me?" Phoebe asks.

"Oh, no, honey, it's gonna be okay." Buffy says.

"Yes, it is going to be okay, it's going to be okay once you take away my powers, you know, just to be safe." Phoebe says.

"Buffy, Piper, if you take away her powers she's going to be really vulnerable." Leo says.

"But you guys can protect me, right?" Phoebe asks.

Leo shrugs, "Well, I don't know. If Cole is reorganizing the Underworld, you're gonna need the Power of Three."

"No, as long as we're the ones to take it away we can bring it back but if Cole's got Phoebe under his control..." Piper says.

"Yes, she's right. I am my own worst enemy. The sooner we weaken me the better." Phoebe says.

A few minutes later Piper and Buffy are reciting a spell as Dawn and Leo watch. "This witch's power cannot fight, the lure of evil's magic might, before misuse lands her in hell, remove the powers of Phoebe Halliwell."

"Well, it wasn't my best work but it should've done the trick. Are you okay?" Piper says.

"How do you feel?" Leo asks.

"Um, fine." Phoebe says.

"So the spell worked?" Buffy asks.

"Why wouldn't it?" Phoebe asks.

"You know, maybe you should try it out. Try levitating." Leo says.

Phoebe puts her arms in the air.

"What are you doing?" Dawn asks.

"Well, I just thought I'd try everything." Phoebe says.

"So you can't levitate?" Leo says.

"No, apparently not. That means the spell worked, right?" Phoebe says.

Piper shakes her head, "I don't know, you're still kind of weird. Maybe the spell had a side effect?"

"Or maybe I just feel sick because I had to kiss Cole." Phoebe says.

Piper smiles, "Ah, that's my girl."

"Yeah, maybe I need to go and rest for a little while, you know." Phoebe says.

Leo nods, "That's a good idea."

Piper, Buffy and Dawn walk Phoebe up to her room.

"Okay, honey, why don't you just lay down for a little while?" Buffy says.

"Do you want some tea or something?" Piper asks.

"Tea sounds great." Phoebe says.

Piper smiles, "Tea, yes." She, Buffy and Dawn walk out of the room closing the door behind them. "Dawn, sweetie. Why don't you stay here? Keep an eye on Phoebe. Let us know if she does anything out of the norm for her."

"Okay." Dawn says as she pulls a chair out of her and Buffy's room and sits by Phoebe's door as Piper and Buffy go downstairs to make the tea.

15 minutes later Piper comes back upstairs, "Anything?"

Dawn shakes her head, "She hasn't come out of her room. Uhm how's Buffy?"

Piper smiles, "Buffy's doing much better, sweetie. Since she has something to take her mind of Riley." She tries the door and finds it locked. "Weird."

"What?" Dawn asks.

"The door's locked." Piper says as she knocks on the door. "Are you okay? Phoebe?" Phoebe opens the door, wearing headphones. She takes them off. "Didn't you hear me knocking?"

"No, I was listening to music to help me relax." Phoebe says.

"Why was the door locked?" Dawn asks.

Buffy walks up behind them. "That was Paige on the phone, things just got a whole lot worse."

Later at the Police station Paige is sitting on the bed with a blanket wrapped around her. Buffy, Dawn, Piper, Phoebe, Leo and Darryl are standing outside of the jail cell.

"How did she die? I thought it was just a concussion." Piper says.

"The doctors think there was a blood clot in her brain." Darryl says.

Paige sighs, "It's all my fault."

"No, it isn't." Dawn says.

"Yeah, it is, I killed her." Paige says.

Buffy shakes her head, "No, you didn't, Cole did."

"What?" Darryl asks.

"Look, we can't prove it but we found out that he has Phoebe under some kind of mind control, which means he's probably behind all of this." Piper says.

"That evil bastard," Phoebe says.

Paige nods, "He's killing innocent people."

"Alright, let's get you outta here. Come on, open this thing up." Piper says.

"It's not gonna be so easy." Paige says.

"Why?" Buffy asks.

"When the other driver died, the prosecuting attorney charged Paige with vehicular homicide. The judge set the bail at fifty thousand dollars." Darryl says.

Piper frowns, "Oh my god, where are we gonna get that kind of money."

"The club was shut down." Buffy says.

"It's after six, the banks aren't even open." Leo says.

"Bail bondsman. We'll just go to a bail bondsman." Phoebe says.

"Just go. Do that light thing that you do. I will try to cover for you." Darryl says.

"What about your job?" Paige asks.

Darryl shakes his head, "It doesn't matter. You know, I should've believed you in the first place. I will cover for you."

"No, because if they figure out that Paige is gone, she will be in even more trouble. We'll go to a bail bondsman, that's what they're there for." Phoebe says.

Dawn shakes her head, "No, I'll shimmer her in and out."

Piper shakes her head, "Dawn sweetie, I think Phoebe might be right." She looks to Phoebe. "But you don't have to be so cheerful about it."

"I'm just saying we can't leave Paige in jail overnight. You know, that's exactly what Cole wants, I'm sure." Phoebe says.

"For that kind of bail you're gonna need some heavy duty collateral." Darryl says.

"I'd do the club." Buffy says. "But with it losing money because it's shut down, no bail bondsman will touch it."

Piper sighs, "Then we'll have to use the house."

Later at a Bail bondsman Office; Piper and Phoebe are sitting on one side of a desk. Cecil, the Bail Bondsman is sitting on the other side. Buffy and Dawn are standing beside Piper and Phoebe.

"This will cover the fifty thousand bail. Sign here and here. And, uh, I'm gonna hold on to the grant deed to your house. You'll get it back when the jail bird shows up for court." Cecil says.

"Oh, it'll be fine. Paige won't skip bail." Phoebe says.

"Alright, just, uh, sign there." Cecil says.

Piper signs the paper. "This doesn't feel right."

"It never does, lady, it never does. There's the receipt. Hold onto it. That's it. Your sister shows up for court you pay me back, plus ten percent." Cecil says.

Piper sighs, "Let's go make this worth our while."

Buffy, Dawn, Piper and Phoebe leave the office. Cecil morphs into Cole. Cole looks at the deed, smiles and puts it in his pocket.

Later back at the Manor Buffy flames in as Dawn shimmers in and Piper, Phoebe, Paige and Leo orb in.

"Okay, people, let's move. The sooner we destroy Cole's headquarters, the sooner I feel better about this whole damn day." Piper says.

They notice three demons lounging around in their living room.

"Piper, we've got a bit of a situation in here." Paige says.

Cole stands on the stairs. "Oops, I knew I forgot something. My mother always warned me about protecting my house from orbing, flaming and shimmering. The last two of course of the witch variety, not the demonic variety."

"Your house?" Buffy asks.

Cole nods, "Yes," He pulls the deed out of his pocket, "and Piper, you signed it, I have it. You could take me to court, try to evict me but by then it will be too late."

"Too late for what?" Dawn asks.

"Cole, I don't know what you think you're doing, but we have the paperwork that says the house is ours unless Paige forfeits bail." Piper says.

Phoebe holds up the receipt "Correction." She walks over to Cole. "I have the paperwork."

"Phoebe, what's going on?" Paige asks.

Phoebe shapeshifts into Kaia.

"Oh… my… goddess." Buffy says.

Cole waves his hand and pushes Buffy, Dawn, Piper, Paige and Leo outside. He wiggles his fingers and the front door slams shut, activating a force field.

They stand on the sidewalk looking at the house as Leo tries to sense Phoebe.

"Okay, we said something about hell and I rhymed it with Halliwell." Piper says.

"How can you two not keep a copy of the spell you used to take away our sisters powers?" Paige asks.

Buffy sighs, "It was a crappy spell, okay? So we left it in the house, alright? Forgive us for not anticipating the demonic foreclosure."

"What does he want in the house anyway? Is he after both Book of Shadows?" Dawn asks.

"I still can't sense Phoebe." Leo says.

"Oh, god, do you think she's even still alive?" Paige asks.

Piper shakes her head, "Cole wouldn't kill her. I don't think."

"What about floozy Phoebe? Maybe she's got something up her sleeve?" Paige asks.

"Are you trying to help or are you just gonna ramble?" Piper asks.

"I'm just gonna ramble." Paige says.

"Alright, Paige, that's enough. Buffy, Piper, you both need to work on the spell. If Phoebe is still alive, she's gonna need her powers." Leo says.

"What about me?" Dawn asks. "What can I do to help? I know I'm still in training but I want to help."

Buffy looks at her little sister and nods. "For now watch the house."

At Cole's apartment Phoebe is thrown against the wall.

"You don't deserve him." Kaia says.

"How many times do I have to tell you I don't want him?" Phoebe says as she attacks Kaia.

Kaia blocks Phoebe's kicks and punches. "I want the real Phoebe, I love the real Phoebe. You'll never be as good as the real Phoebe." Kaia throws Phoebe against a mirror and Phoebe falls to the floor. "What do you think, witch? Am I as good as you?" She pulls out the knife. "Or better?"

Phoebe gets up. "Okay, alright, look, I'm sure we can talk about this."

"I don't think so. See," Kaia says, "I'm more of a looker than a talker."

"Oh, you're blonde, I should've known." Phoebe says.

Kaia smiels, "This is gonna be fun." A light hits Phoebe and her powers return. Kaia throws the knife at Phoebe and she levitates in the air. "Your powers!"

Kaia attacks Phoebe and Phoebe kicks her in the stomach, sending Kaia across the room. Phoebe grabs the knife and Kaia runs towards Phoebe.

Phoebe stabs Kaia in the stomach. "You were right, that was fun." Kaia is vanquished. Phoebe levitates up into the vent. "Leo!"

Outside the Manor, Leo orbs in with Phoebe.

Piper smiles, "Hi!"

"We're really sorry." Buffy says.

Piper nods, "Yeah, we're sorry."

"Sorry." Buffy says.

"Are you okay?" Dawn asks.

Phoebe nods, "It's okay, it's okay, I'm okay, I'm not mad. Well, maybe I'm a little bit mad. I mean, what took you guys so long and what happened to my powers?"

"Uh, well, she looked like you." Leo says.

Paige nods, "At the hospital you said you were tempted and that you didn't want us to vanquish him."

"Then we saw you making out with Cole and we all got a little panicky." Piper says.

"Excuse me, did you really think I was making out with Cole?" Phoebe asks.

"We mentioned we were sorry?" Buffy says.

"You guys! Okay, well, I'm assuming since you're standing out on the street that means Cole's in the house?" Phoebe asks.

Dawn nods, "Yeah."

Piper sighs, "But we don't know why."

"He wants the Nexus." Phoebe says.

"Oh, no, he does not." Buffy says.

"Wait, didn't I read about that in the Book of Shadows? Isn't that what made you evil before?" Paige says.

"How does he know about that?" Piper asks.

"He knows everything about us. Okay, look, if he wants its power, he's gonna have to open the earth under the basement and take the shadow into him." Phoebe says.

"Okay, so how do we stop him?" Leo asks.

"Well, we can't, but once he has the shadow, there is a spell that can send it back into the earth and hopefully taking Cole with him." Phoebe says.

"Yeah, but it has to be said over the Nexus in the basement." Buffy says.

"Great, there's only a whole load of demons in the house and a force field keeping us out." Paige says.

"But the one good thing about Cole's little girlfriend, who is dead by the way, she looks just like me." Phoebe says.

"Wait a second, so you're gonna pretend to be her, pretending to be you?" Dawn asks.

"If you go in there, you'll be vulnerable." Piper says.

"To turning evil? Yeah, I'm pretty sure that's his plan. Look, you guys underestimated me once already today, please don't do it again." Phoebe says.

Buffy nods, "She twirled her hair."

"A lot." Paige says.

"She twirled her hair. Like this?" Phoebe says as she twirls a piece of hair around her finger. Buffy, Dawn, Piper and Paige nod. "Okay, I'm going in."

On the porch a demon guard is there. He rings the doorbell. Phoebe approaches him and takes his arm.

"Hey, baby, wanna escort a girl inside?" Phoebe asks.

"Kaia, are you still playing good witch?" Demon Guard asks.

"It's the way the big man likes it." Phoebe says.

"Sick." Demon Guard says.

The door opens and Phoebe and the guard walk in. The hallway is full of demons.

"Hey, look who it is." Demon #1 says.

Phoebe smiles, "Hi, boys, did you miss me?"

Demon #1 nods, "Alright, the entertainment's here." He touches Phoebe's butt and she jumps.

"Hey! Sorry. I'm just, you know, saving the goods for Cole. Take my jacket." Phoebe says.

Phoebe walks into the kitchen where a demon guard stands at the basement door. "Step aside and let a lady by?"

"You're no lady, Kaia. And the boss sent you away." Demon Guard #2 says.

"Yeah, but he didn't mean it. Come on, let me past." Phoebe says.

"I'll let you past if you can drop that witch act right now." Demon Guard #2 says.

Phoebe kicks him and he falls down the basement stairs.

In the basement Cole is there, chanting. The guard rolls down the stairs. Phoebe races down the stairs. The floor opens up and the shadow enters Cole. He gasps and his eyes turn black then return to normal.

"I'm so happy you came." Cole says.

"I am light; I am one too strong to fight." Phoebe says.

"Oh, don't fight it, Phoebe. Let evil take you." Cole says.

"Return to dark where shadows dwell, you can't have this Halliwell." Phoebe says.

"It's no use, Phoebe." Cole says.

"So go away and leave my sight, and take with you this endless night." Phoebe says.

A tunnel of wind rises out of the hole in the floor and sucks Cole and the Demon Guard into the hole. It swirls upstairs and sucks every demon into the hole. The hole closes up.

Cole appears. "My sweet Phoebe. I don't know how you did it. How you got past the force field, past the guards, but I love that you did. It's that fight that made me fall in love with you in the first place."

"I thought you were dead." Phoebe says.

Cole nods, "So did I for a minute there but now that I know the earth can't even hold me, I guess I'll just call the shadow and try again."

"You could do that. Hell, you could even turn me evil again. But you will never win because I'll never come back to you." Phoebe says.

"Phoebe." Cole says.

Phoebe shakes her head, "You just don't get it, Cole, do you? I thought you were dead and I felt nothing. No pain, no love, nothing. I'm free. And when we do vanquish you, and we will, I'll never look back."

Cole disappears.

Upstairs Buffy, Dawn, Piper, Paige and Leo walk in to the foyer.

"Okay, where are they? Where are the demons?" Paige asks.

Phoebe walks in from the kitchen, "Sorry, my sweeties, but they're all dead."

"You didn't even leave us one?" Piper asks.

Phoebe smiles, "Well, there's one left. Believe me, there is one left. But I was able to get back the house and keep Cole from getting the Nexus."

"Phew. What about your job? And my club?" Buffy asks.

"I think you can use your magic to reverse Cole's consequence free." Leo says. "Well all except maybe Riley leaving."

"Well, thank the lord for that." Piper says.

"It won't reverse everything though. What about the woman he killed?" Paige says.

"I promise you he won't get away with that." Phoebe says.


End file.
